IRRS Flickr Photo Archive Update

[Mol_PMB]

For those who enjoy historic photos of Irish Railways, the IRRS have recently added about 2,400 photos to their Flickr archive, particularly these two albums:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/albums/72177720323015565

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/albums/72177720323050353

They're mostly 1950s with a lot of narrow gauge content, but there are plenty of broad gauge images too from both north and south of the border, and some 1960s photos.

[Horsetan]

On 8/1/2025 at 7:21 AM, Mol_PMB said:

For those who enjoy historic photos of Irish Railways, the IRRS have recently added about 2,400 photos to their Flickr archive, particularly these two albums:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/albums/72177720323015565

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/albums/72177720323050353

They're mostly 1950s with a lot of narrow gauge content, but there are plenty of broad gauge images too from both north and south of the border, and some 1960s photos.

I always get a "404 Not Found" when clicking IRRS Flickr links.

[Mol_PMB]

9 minutes ago, Horsetan said:

I always get a "404 Not Found" when clicking IRRS Flickr links.

Are you an IRRS member and registered to view their Flickr pages? Unfortunately they're not visible to the public. But the archive is so large and useful that we can't ignore it as a resource.

Incidentally there are another two new albums uploaded today, some interesting stuff from the 1960s.

[Galteemore]

It’s incredible. A must for any Irish modeller I’d suggest - esp if you model the pre 70s era.

[Westcorkrailway]

On 8/1/2025 at 7:21 AM, Mol_PMB said:

For those who enjoy historic photos of Irish Railways, the IRRS have recently added about 2,400 photos to their Flickr archive, particularly these two albums:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/albums/72177720323015565

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/albums/72177720323050353

They're mostly 1950s with a lot of narrow gauge content, but there are plenty of broad gauge images too from both north and south of the border, and some 1960s photos.

More like 3000 photos! 
 

Some of my own highlights include 

https://flic.kr/p/2qE2fYz

https://flic.kr/p/2qEfJSP

https://flic.kr/p/2qEmuzp

https://flic.kr/p/2qEaBXi

https://flic.kr/p/2qE9DCS

 

Edited January 9 by Westcorkrailway

[leslie10646]

2 hours ago, Horsetan said:

I always get a "404 Not Found" when clicking IRRS Flickr links.

To quote another  famous UK Grumpy Old Man

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT"!

You're NOT an IRRS member, Ivan?

Time that you corrected that! As David says above, in invaluable source of Irish Railway info!

[Mol_PMB]

41 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

More like 3000 photos! 
 

Some of my own highlights include 

https://flic.kr/p/2qE2fYz

https://flic.kr/p/2qEfJSP

https://flic.kr/p/2qEmuzp

https://flic.kr/p/2qEaBXi

https://flic.kr/p/2qE9DCS

 

Yes, there were a load more uploaded yesterday! That tank wagon is lovely, and I had also clocked the colour photo of (D) 1004 still in original dark green livery in 1963. I have lots more data to add to my loco livery tables!

This one needs to make an appearance in my thread on 1960s containers:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54255476775

 

[skinner75]

My Flickr page is below - just collections of past ITG railtours:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/renniks75/albums

[Mol_PMB]

There’s another big upload on IRRS tonight, a mix of different transport including some absolute beauties. 
A very good lot of Fenit, which is timely. And some unusual liveries on locos and wagons. Sifting through them all will take me some time! 
 

some favourites already:

https://flic.kr/p/2qEu26J

https://flic.kr/p/2qEpzGM

https://flic.kr/p/2qEwjES

https://flic.kr/p/2qEvmLG

https://flic.kr/p/2qEvj8e

 

[Mol_PMB]

Another recent upload is this view of a Sulzer in 1968, B111 apparently arriving at Connolly with a passenger train from the north or north-west; neither being usual haunts of the class.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54257008764/

 

[Mol_PMB]

Not IRRS photos, but I did notice that the IRRS Archive account 'follows' some other Flickr members, and I'm having a bit of a look through them too.

I'll have worked out by now that I'm a wagon and container nerd, so these photos mostly follow that theme, but there are a lot more worth looking at.

I spotted a rare beast in the siding in this photo from 'Carrickmacross Rare Ould Times' - an LMA van:

From 'Frank', it's possible the third van here is also an LMA van. It has a corrugated end, and the lack of shadow at the eaves compared to the two nearer vans would indicate it's more likely an LMA than an ex-GNR cement van (2 photos of the same train, dated 1975):

 

From 'Frank', A12 in trouble at Waterford in 1970 not long before it was re-engined:

From Colm O'Callaghan, a lovely shot of an Acrylonitrile wagon, and a barrier:

Colm's got some fantastic Irish freight train photos - well worth a look through his photostream.

 

From 'ML125r', a nice clear colour view of two of the 10' bulk glucose containers:

From the same source, some interesting containers here. Look at that massive CIE roundel on the white 40-footer! Some CIE open-toppers with a choice of roundel positions:

Mmmm - Guinness, Bell and baby GMs!

Another container feast, lots of CIE and some CTI, several of 'my' MOL too:

 

[Mol_PMB]

Just a couple more:

Cattle train at Claremorris, 1972, from Paul Taylor:

Wexford by the same place and photographer, 1975, a line of withdrawn bulk grain vans. Note a different livery variation on one, with large 'BULK GRAIN' lettering on the panels either side of the doors, rather than the doors themselves:

From Tom Ryan, enough steam heat vans to create an impressive sauna...

 

Edited January 19 by Mol_PMB
correction as marked

[Irishswissernie]

37 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

Same place and photographer, 1975, a line of withdrawn bulk grain vans. Note a different livery variation on one, with large 'BULK GRAIN' lettering on the panels either side of the doors, rather than the doors themselves

Wexford rather than Claremorris, bridge over the river in the background.

[Mol_PMB]

1 minute ago, Irishswissernie said:

Wexford rather than Claremorris, bridge over the river in the background.

Sorry, my mistake. It was right on the original. I'll correct my post.

[Mol_PMB]

Some 33 new photos on the archive this weekend - many thanks Ciaran! 
These are mostly black and white images of CIE wagons and containers, some nice detail shots and I’ll add links into my relevant threads when I’m home again in a couple of days. 
Some images will be familiar from the Doyle&Hirsch stock books or CIE diagrams, but now visible at a better size. 
https://flic.kr/p/2qTtSBQ

https://flic.kr/p/2qTosTa

 

etc

[jhb171achill]

On 11/1/2025 at 10:10 AM, Mol_PMB said:

Another recent upload is this view of a Sulzer in 1968, B111 apparently arriving at Connolly with a passenger train from the north or north-west; neither being usual haunts of the class.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54257008764/

 

An exceptionally rare foray, if that's where it was coming from! They were always known on the railway as "southern engines".

Edited Sunday at 19:40 by jhb171achill

[Mayner]

1 hour ago, jhb171achill said:

An exceptionally rare foray, if that's where it was coming from! They were always known on the railway as "southern engines".

The B101 may be on a Heuston-Dunlaoire Pier working. My first memories of the B101s were in the bay platform at Dunlaoire on parcel or passenger trains during the late 60s in my early teens, at the time I noticed the B and that the locos had 6 wheel bogies.

Some Southern Section passenger trains worked through to Dunlaiore Pier until the connection was severed around 1980s in connection with the the DART works and Busses substituted. Its possible B101s may have been used between Island Bridge Junction & Dunlaoire Pier allowing the train engine a pair of Baby GMs or an A Class off an incomming train to run to Inchacore for servicing.

[jhb171achill]

2 hours ago, Mayner said:

The B101 may be on a Heuston-Dunlaoire Pier working. My first memories of the B101s were in the bay platform at Dunlaoire on parcel or passenger trains during the late 60s in my early teens, at the time I noticed the B and that the locos had 6 wheel bogies.

Some Southern Section passenger trains worked through to Dunlaiore Pier until the connection was severed around 1980s in connection with the the DART works and Busses substituted. Its possible B101s may have been used between Island Bridge Junction & Dunlaoire Pier allowing the train engine a pair of Baby GMs or an A Class off an incomming train to run to Inchacore for servicing.

Yes! That would make perfect sense - anything, even in steam days, could turn up on that.

Way, way, way less likely is a B101 appearing from the GNR or Midland… 

Personally, while every photo tells a story, I’ve yet to hear of, let alone see either in real life or photographic form, any evidence of a 101 working a service train on either.