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The Arrow is back….

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ttc0169

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It's back to the 1990's for Iarnrod Eireann as they have repainted 2600 Class, No. 2601+2602 back into a modified version of the ARROW livery they originally carried from 1994 to the early 2000's to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the class. The work was completed to an outstanding quality in house at the paint spray facility in Inchicore Works and the team poses in front of the completed set on Wednesday 25th April for official photos to be taken before the set returns to service in Cork working the commuter services to Cobh, Midleton and Mallow. 

An IR£19.5 million order was placed in 1992 with Mitsui, who subcontracted the order to Tokyu Car Corporation of Yokohama, Japan. This was quite groundbreaking on a number of fronts; not only was it the first Irish order placed with an Asian firm, but they were also the first railway vehicles built in Asia for the European market and the vehicles are still held in high regard by their manufacture 30 years later.

The Irish Railway Record Society are arranging a 30th anniversary railtour over the weekend of the 18th & 19th May and it is expected that 2601 + 2602 will work the tour throughout. See https://irrstimesarrow.eventbrite.ie for more information and booking.

For photos of the launch click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2024/ARROW-30-years-1994-2024/

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Some facebook comments saying its not quite original livery, whats the difference? I am going to presume its just the door being yellow rather than black at the front?

Good on IE for doing more retro liveries, this looks fantastic.

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Have they retained the original seating?

There was a lot of criticism of the original seating.

The Sunday Cork-Heuston Arrow (stock transfer) had the reputation of being something of an endurance test.

Possibly a rail equivalent of enduring the privations of Lough Derg.

Perhaps no refreshments on Saturdays leg or the IRRS Railtour and "black tea" only on Sunday's return to the 'Real Capital" 

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8 hours ago, GSWR 90 said:

Very well done to IÉ and the IRRS for making this possible. I’m very tempted to go on the IRRS railtour, but I can’t afford a hotel in Cork!

Táilte Tours put up a great article about the 2600s a few weeks ago – you can read it here

No idea who wrote it, but they sound handsome... 🙃

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8 hours ago, chris said:

Some facebook comments saying its not quite original livery, whats the difference? I am going to presume its just the door being yellow rather than black at the front?

Good on IE for doing more retro liveries, this looks fantastic.

The connecting gangway door is indeed a shade of yellow instead of the dayglo red on the 1994 original version-this is due to current H&S requirements, where the dayglo is not allowed on the railcar connecting gangway door. 

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Friday 26th April 2024:
2602 + 2601 returned to their home depot of Limerick on Friday 26th April for further attention before a return to service in the Cork area. The retro-liveried pair were photographed at Kishyquirk outside Killonan Jct. Later in the day we see the new footbridge at Banteer and the 1705 Tralee - Cork passing Rathcoole.

Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/April-2024/i-v4MjrVr

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14 hours ago, thewanderer said:

Friday 26th April 2024:
2602 + 2601 returned to their home depot of Limerick on Friday 26th April for further attention before a return to service in the Cork area. The retro-liveried pair were photographed at Kishyquirk outside Killonan Jct. Later in the day we see the new footbridge at Banteer and the 1705 Tralee - Cork passing Rathcoole.

Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/April-2024/i-v4MjrVr

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Are they to remain in that livery after the tour?

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3 hours ago, IrishTrainScenes said:

Are they to remain in that livery after the tour?

Yes

On 26/4/2024 at 12:03 AM, GSWR 90 said:

Very well done to IÉ and the IRRS for making this possible. I’m very tempted to go on the IRRS railtour, but I can’t afford a hotel in Cork!

Táilte Tours put up a great article about the 2600s a few weeks ago – you can read it here

Can always start out of Dublin ;)

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On 25/4/2024 at 3:27 PM, ttc0169 said:

 

Back to the 1990s, fresh from the IE paint shop at Inchicore is 2601+2602 sporting original as delivered Arrow livery.

I was fortunate to be invited to the unveiling of the railcars at Inchicore paint shop yesterday…

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Is this why I saw an ICR in Midleton Yesterday?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Tuesday 14th May 2024:
An early start to head into Limerick this morning to photograph the retro-ARROW 2601 + 2602 which was working a single trip to Limerick Jct. as part of an in-service trial following its return to service after repainting, and the completion of modifications including CCTV fitment and seating reupholster.

The set is planned to be used on the Irish Railway Record Society Railtour on 18th / 19th May from Cork to Dundalk.

Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/May-2024/i-mFLJSPD to view all the images from Limerick and Limerick Jct.

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Wednesday 15th May 2024:
While the in-service trial of the retro-ARROW livered 2601 + 2602 was a success yesterday, Limerick Depot decided to give the pair another spin today, before it is sent to Cork for its big weekend railtour adventure to Dundalk. It worked the 0645 Limerick - Ballybrophy & 0900 return with sister unit 2615 + 2606 paired up with it as far as Nenagh, where it split to work the 0747 back to Limerick. I got photos of it at various locations between Nenagh and Ballybrophy and also met a handful of other enthusiasts who either were out to photo it or travel on it.

The class will celebrate their 30th anniversary tomorrow (16th May) and expect to see some content on the Irish Rail socials about the launch of the Dublin - Kildare ARROW service which the class were built for.

Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/May-2024/i-Zw4j24R to view all the images.

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1 minute ago, Metrovik said:

Any ideas as to whether or not the pair will appear on the limerick Ballybrophy line again in the future?

Never say never.

The 2600s return to Limerick for B Exams (approx every two weeks) and sometimes Limerick put a set out on their local services instead of a 2800 before they return to Cork.

5 minutes ago, Flying Snail said:

2601/02 really does look well in @thewanderer's photos. Its a great livery - brings back teenage memories, so maybe I'm biased 😃

Likewise. When I went up to Inchicore to see the progress during repainting, 2602 was mostly completed and in the finishing bay. Walking in the door and seeing the orange body (approached it from the inner end first) the memories came flooding back as I slowly walked around it to the front end.

It's a moment I won't forget. I still remember my first trip on a set, 2610+2613 on the Cobh in June 1995. So while I will admit that is was favourite set, its just got bumped to 2nd favourite! 

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On 26/4/2024 at 8:34 PM, Rush and Lusk said:

What a fantastic livery - super photos.

It serves to heighten my disappointment with the truly boring and unimaginative current livery of the 29000 sets every time I see and travel on one - and as for the droning sound ! - (enough already). 

It really stands out in all the photos, compared to the dull as ditchwater grey current ICR scheme.

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Some of my images of the Times Arrow Railtour. One which had achieved the rank amongst my favourites, maybe even my favourite

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Passing where the loop once was. And where the new platform will be 

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awaiting departure on 5

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Trolly service on a 2 car 26! Richie lee gifting himself something for his birthday no doubt 

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while held up outside Limerick, some fellow gricers started accumulating around the train….

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the invited guests in question being signatories from tokyu car….including somone who designed 2600s 

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Driver Ken fox making sure no one didn’t accidentally board this train, displaying many random locations throughout the country 

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a shot of the railcar roof 

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30 years old vs 41 years old 

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the lotto building bought and audible gasp in the railcar 

 

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a comfy reliable train, next to a DD set in Dundalk 😁

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Malahide 

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A sneaky headboard application….

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Heuston At the end of day 1

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day 2, off from the military platform 

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Cobh now, and with kind permission from HQ, the Munster area headboard goes on

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The left excellent Team that staffed the tour 

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migration across the footbridge 

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Terminus of the tour, platform 5 Kent 

 

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“dineen dairies”

“2601 pints of milk”

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