3BG on a rail tour?

[Metrovik]

Recently upon a trip on the rather sleepy Ballybrophy-limerick branch, I was struck with the thought, how feasible would it be for a rail tour to occur on this line, now the bigger locos would probably manage no problem but wouldn't it be interesting to see Guinness running a trip on the line. This added to semaphore signalling would make for quite an experience. But unlikely as it is to ever happen, is it even possible?

[Galteemore]

4 minutes ago, Metrovik said:

Recently upon a trip on the rather sleepy Ballybrophy-limerick branch, I was struck with the thought, how feasible would it be for a rail tour to occur on this line, now the bigger locos would probably manage no problem but wouldn't it be interesting to see Guinness running a trip on the line. This added to semaphore signalling would make for quite an experience. But unlikely as it is to ever happen, is it even possible?

Many hurdles…main line safety gear, coal and water capacity, air brakes, limited speed. 3BG has done railtours before, but very different era and standards !  Joe Cassells pic from RPSI site

[GSWR 90]

Well, 90 was running railtours on the mainline not so long ago…

[Galteemore]

5 minutes ago, GSWR 90 said:

Well, 90 was running railtours on the mainline not so long ago…

Yes, but 90 was designed for passenger work from day 1. 3BG is designed to move loose coupled trucks slowly over small distances…..

[jhb171achill]

On the main lines nowadays the only steam locomotives which are feasible to opetare are those which can do all of the following:

1.  Haul a train with sufficient seats to pay the colossal cost of the operation, between IE charges, crews and coal. That instantly rules out several RPSI mainline locois, never mind shunters.

2. Haul a train at a sufficient line speed to fit into a timetable slot. This also rules out many RPSI locos which are bigger and faster than shunters.

3. Have sufficient coal and water capacity to travel longer distances than any shunter 9or 90) were built for.

Gone are the days when many rural lines here had only one or two trains - or none - on a Sunday, and perhaps only 3 or 4 each way on a weekday. The railways are (happily) getting busier by the day, and with the population predicted toi go on rising for the next 20-30 years at least, this one ain't gonna get easier, Consequently, the emphasis will increasingly be on reliable larger locos which can keep time.

Downpatrick os the place for 5'3" gauge steam long term. There really is no other likelihood of that anywhere. Plus, technically it's "main line"; the line from Downpatrick out as far as where the Inch Abbey line diverges to the right, plus North Junction to the southern limit of the line, is part of the former BCDR main line from Belfast to Newcastle! No. 90 will return to traffic as soon as finance and manpower allows there, and there are always the two Sugar Co. locos. The RPSI's two no. 3s have both worked there in the past - in fact the Guinness loco was the first steam loco to operate there in preserved days.

Bottom line: 3BG, LPHC3, CSET3, 1 & 90 will not be able to operate tours on the NIR / IE systems again.

[Westcorkrailway]

4 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

On the main lines nowadays the only steam locomotives which are feasible to opetare are those which can do all of the following:

1.  Haul a train with sufficient seats to pay the colossal cost of the operation, between IE charges, crews and coal. That instantly rules out several RPSI mainline locois, never mind shunters.

2. Haul a train at a sufficient line speed to fit into a timetable slot. This also rules out many RPSI locos which are bigger and faster than shunters.

3. Have sufficient coal and water capacity to travel longer distances than any shunter 9or 90) were built for.

Gone are the days when many rural lines here had only one or two trains - or none - on a Sunday, and perhaps only 3 or 4 each way on a weekday. The railways are (happily) getting busier by the day, and with the population predicted toi go on rising for the next 20-30 years at least, this one ain't gonna get easier, Consequently, the emphasis will increasingly be on reliable larger locos which can keep time.

Downpatrick os the place for 5'3" gauge steam long term. There really is no other likelihood of that anywhere. Plus, technically it's "main line"; the line from Downpatrick out as far as where the Inch Abbey line diverges to the right, plus North Junction to the southern limit of the line, is part of the former BCDR main line from Belfast to Newcastle! No. 90 will return to traffic as soon as finance and manpower allows there, and there are always the two Sugar Co. locos. The RPSI's two no. 3s have both worked there in the past - in fact the Guinness loco was the first steam loco to operate there in preserved days.

Bottom line: 3BG, LPHC3, CSET3, 1 & 90 will not be able to operate tours on the NIR / IE systems again.

I’m sure a millionaire would be able to get 90 to run down from limerick-Waterford. But that’s about it.

 

I’d probobly spend my millions on newbuilds or restoring 6111 or something 

[jhb171achill]

9 hours ago, Westcorkrailway said:

I’m sure a millionaire would be able to get 90 to run down from limerick-Waterford. But that’s about it.

 

I’d probobly spend my millions on newbuilds or restoring 6111 or something 

It would take three weeks, probably!

[Horsetan]

9 hours ago, Westcorkrailway said:

I’m sure a millionaire would be able to get 90 to run down from limerick-Waterford. But that’s about it.

 

I’d probobly spend my millions on newbuilds or restoring 6111 or something 

I'd have thought Lough Erne was more promising as a vanity project, no?

[Niles]

Worth remembering the acceptance procedure for a loco to run on the mainline has taken years in some cases, it wouldn't be worth the while going through for it a one off tour (aside from all the other points).

[Westcorkrailway]

Oh yeah the point of my previous post was a “wouldn’t it be nice if” fever dream….one could say an April fools.