GNR in Laois?

[Darragh]

I was looking into Conniberry Jct. (the junction for the Kilkenny and Mountrath lines at Portlaois) and stumbled across this peculiar photograph. 207, in Laois, not only that but at Conniberry Jct. I can see she has CIE sprayed on her buffer beam and that she may be in use on the Dublin-Cork, but how did 207 end up here? Was she on a railtour, or special outing? I cant image an ex GNR mainline loco to be working the Portlaois to Kilkenny route.

[Galteemore]

It was a railtour to Cork. Smaller GN locos did make it to fairly odd parts of the Laois rail system, most notably an old U at Mountmellick. 

[Darragh]

Thanks, you've cured the curiosity. God, thats mad, in Mountmellick!

[GSR 800]

33 minutes ago, Darragh said:

Thanks, you've cured the curiosity. God, thats mad, in Mountmellick!

She made it as far South as Cork, visited Maedbh in Thurles too!

[Irishswissernie]

I have a fair number of photos  of ex GNRI locos on railtours to Cork or Limerick in the early 1960's on the Archive.

z185 1960-09-17 Mountmellick

Limerick Junc 174 1961 img187

CIE 1962-03-17 Thurles GNRI 207 'Boyne' SPL JGD620336

CIE 1962-03-17 Cork, Glanmire Rd, ex GN VS207 IRRS SPL JGD620234

 

[Mayner]

Ex-GNR (express passenger) locos are likely to have been used on the 'Trial Train' (newly overhauled coaches) between Inchacore and Portarlington up to the end of steam on CIE or sold to the UTA. So potentially a legitimate reason for running an S Class, Compound & Vs at speed other than an enthusiasts special on the GSWR main line

[jhb171achill]

56 minutes ago, Mayner said:

Ex-GNR (express passenger) locos are likely to have been used on the 'Trial Train' (newly overhauled coaches) between Inchacore and Portarlington up to the end of steam on CIE or sold to the UTA. So potentially a legitimate reason for running an S Class, Compound & Vs at speed other than an enthusiasts special on the GSWR main line

Absolutely.

Even when the last steam survivors were banished from Inchicore and sent to Broadstone, just about anything could turn up on the Dun Laoghaire Pier mail shuttle. It could be a filthy lethargic Crossley “C”, an elderly 1897-built J15, or a blue 4.4.0 barely fifteen years old.