"The Great Southern Railway Centennial" railtour 16th November 2024 (first passenger working of a mkIV on the Limerick line)

[Niles]

Dublin Heuston-Limerick Junction (reverse)-Limerick Check (reverse)-Killarney(reverse & break)-Dublin Heuston.

 

Booked stock is a 201 class loco and a mkIV carriage set, this will be the first ever passenger working of a mkIV set over the Limerick line, having previously only worked there on acceptance trials/works visits.

 

201s are also now comparitively rare visitors to the Limerick and Tralee lines, with 071s traditionally more common on PW and railtour workings.

 

https://www.tailtetours.com/event-details/the-great-southern-railway-centennial-railtour

[Niles]

Times now confirmed, dept Heuston @ 09:10, back for 20:38

Pick up Limerick Junction 10:50, back for 19:00

This will mark the first ever opportunity to travel on a mkIV set over the Limerick line, and I can't see a repeat anytime soon so I advise booking soon (we can't add extra carriages!)

https://www.tailtetours.com/post/first-passenger-run-of-a-mkiv-to-limerick-to-take-place-on-táilte-railtour

[Niles]

There's a few rumours (aren't there always?) flying around as to what loco is going to work this tour. It's far to early to quote a specific one so I would disregard any rumours quoting 2XX etc.

As it stands, we have requested an Enterprise loco, as with any railtour this will be subject to availability at the time. 201s are rare visitors to the branches we're covering, even moreso Limerick (despite being there daily until the late 2000s), and an Enterprise liveried one even rarer still.

Again, this is conditional on availabliity on the day as I'm sure anyone who frequents railtours understands.

I genuinely don't think we'll be covering Limerick in a mkIV set again so this should be a unique special too as far as we're concerned. https://www.tailtetours.com/event-details/the-great-southern-railway-centennial-railtour

[Niles]

We have a good few travelling up from Cork for this, there's a set down on the return journey at Mallow (18:15) to make travel a bit easier (Passengers are welcome to join/get off at any of the stops, but conscious a 20:40 Dublin arrival means a later trip back for the Corkonians). T

[Niles]

Confirmed times for anyone thinking of travelling or chasing (bonus points if you manage both!)

 

Confirmed times, for the track bashers Sallins loop as been added for the return leg, while we'll also be traversing Millstreet loop (no scheduled services) and Mallow platform 3 (had a few requests for that one!). A lot of work has gone into this across IÉ, not to mention my own team, hats off to all indeed.

DUBLIN Heuston 09.10
Inchicore 09.14½
Hazelhatch 09.21½
Sallins 09.27½
Newbridge 09.32½
Kildare 09.36 09.38
Cherryville Jctn. 09.42
Monasterevin 09.45½
Portarlington 09.50½ 09.52½
Portlaoise 10.01½
Ballybrophy 10.13
Lisduff 10.17
Templemore 10.20½
Thurles 10.27
Limerick Jctn. 10.43½ 10.53½
Dromkeen 11N06 11N11
Killonan Jctn. 11.18
LIMERICK 11N25 (A)

*the train is not operating into Limerick station proper, stopping between just after Limerick Check where the Foynes line diverges)

LIMERICK (A) 11N35
Killonan Jctn. 11.42
Dromkeen 11N49 11N54
Limk. Jctn. Pk. Loop 12.05
Limerick Jctn. 12.07
Charleville 12.24
Mallow 12.35 12.40
Banteer 12.52
Millstreet 13.02 13.12
Rathmore 13.19
KILLARNEY 13.38

KILLARNEY 17.15
Rathmore 17.34½
Millstreet 17N42 17N52 (loop)
Banteer 18.01½
Mallow Plat. 3 18.15 18.30
Charleville 18.44½
Limerick Jctn. 19.01 19.03
Thurles 19.21½
Templemore 19.27½
Lisduff 19.31
Ballybrophy 19.35½
Portlaoise 19.46
Portarlington 19.53 19.55
Monasterevin 20.00½
Cherryville Jctn. 20.03
Kildare 20.06 20.08
Newbridge 20.13
Sallins Up Loop 20.19½
Hazelhatch 20.27
Inchicore 20.34
DUBLIN Heuston 20.40

Edited November 5 by Niles

[Broithe]

On 5/11/2024 at 3:40 PM, Niles said:

Confirmed times for anyone thinking of travelling or chasing (bonus points if you manage both!)
Ballybrophy 10.13
 

Bang on time!

[Broithe]

On 5/11/2024 at 3:40 PM, Niles said:

Confirmed times for anyone thinking of travelling or chasing (bonus points if you manage both!)

Ballybrophy 19.35½

In order to secure my bonus points, I ventured out again.

At +5 minutes, I was becoming sceptical - then I thought I could hear a train in the distance and the appropriate signals went green.

Then the lights appeared as it came round Killasmeestia.

 

The ambient lighting in the station is much stronger these day and I was hoping for a better view from the opposite platform.

 

The passage through the station was at much higher speed than this morning's journey down attained there.

So, this was the sum total of my pictures.

 

Don't bother sending on my bonus points - well, not until you've converted them to euros...

[thewanderer]

4 hours ago, Broithe said:

In order to secure my bonus points, I ventured out again.

At +5 minutes, I was becoming sceptical - then I thought I could hear a train in the distance and the appropriate signals went green.

Then the lights appeared as it came round Killasmeestia.

 

The ambient lighting in the station is much stronger these day and I was hoping for a better view from the opposite platform.

 

The passage through the station was at much higher speed than this morning's journey down attained there.

So, this was the sum total of my pictures.

 

Don't bother sending on my bonus points - well, not until you've converted them to euros...

 

You were spotted at Ballybrophy.....and we were wondering who on earth was in Bally for it! 

A very enjoyable Irish railtour today and the first passenger run of a MK4 set to Limerick City. 

No fuss (having managed railtours before it can be a chore dealing with last minute issues), a relaxing day out and good company.

Photos from the day at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursPreservedRailways/2024/Tailte-Tours-The-Great-Southern-Railway-Centennial-Railtour

 

 

[Broithe]

On 17/11/2024 at 12:55 AM, thewanderer said:

You were spotted at Ballybrophy.....and we were wondering who on earth was in Bally for it! 

There were two of us in the morning, but the evening crowd was only half the size.

Edited November 19 by Broithe