The bell viewer

[heirflick]

found this nice account of 'the Bell Flyer' - a story of a day trip cross country with some great pictures ... Dublin- Rosslare- Limerick -Nenagh back in 1993. lovely little account of the trip. Oh to have a time machine to go back to that trip........

 

http://www.geoffspages.co.uk/raildiary/bell.htm

Edited July 28, 2014 by heirflick

[heirflick]

love some of the pics..my favourite is the beetle in wellingtonbridge - interesting piece to model

[Eiretrains]

Thanks, not seen that link before, likewise I wish I could have been around for that (all before my time unfortunately!). But whilst I know we don't have a time machine;), there's enjoyment and good memories still to be had on some contemporary railtours and those who travelled on the recent IRRS diesel railtour will confirm this. True the motive power isn't an A Class and we didn't go via South Wexford and see any beet (the sprayer/DFDS being the only interest outside the tour's!), but it was still a privilege to enter Waterford on-board the wonderful Craven stock behind a growling 071 locomotive (three being used throughout the trip), before heading leisurely (with photo-stops) cross country to Limerick following by an evening jaunt up the Nenagh/Ballybrophy branch.

[josefstadt]

Thanks, not seen that link before, likewise I wish I could have been around for that (all before my time unfortunately!). But whilst I know we don't have a time machine;), there's enjoyment and good memories still to be had on some contemporary railtours and those who travelled on the recent IRRS diesel railtour will confirm this. True the motive power isn't an A Class and we didn't go via South Wexford and see any beet (the sprayer/DFDS being the only interest outside the tour's!), but it was still a privilege to enter Waterford on-board the wonderful Craven stock behind a growling 071 locomotive (three being used throughout the trip), before heading leisurely (with photo-stops) cross country to Limerick following by an evening jaunt up the Nenagh/Ballybrophy branch.

 

I'd certainly agree with those sentiments. I travelled on the 'Bell Viewer' (and on many of the other ITG organised / operated tours around that time) as well as on the recent IRRS diesel tour. The earlier tours had their attractions in the variety of motive power or rare trackage, the recent tours were no less attractive, having their own charm in harking back to an era of more interesting (for the enthusiast) travel on the railways. Thumbs up to the ITG for the tours they ran back in the 90s and most definitely to the IRRS for organising the fantastic tour to Waterford and Limerick a couple of weeks ago (and of course for the Cobh/Midleton one last year).

[h gricer]

The Bell Viewer railtour was probably the most remembered of the ITG railtours of the 1990s, and probably all because of the extraordinary October weather, it was exceptional, the whole country was basking under a big blue sky, temperatures reach 18-C, very unusual for late October, it was the warmest October day for several years, Wellingtonbridge has more beet than it could handle, 2 extra diggers where brought in because the beet loading conveyor belt just couldn't handle the bumper harvest, so loading was done by the diggers, the ETS section Abbey Junction - Wellingbridge was occupied all day, the trains stopped later that evening, they just ran out of wagons to load.

Saturday 23rd October 1993, north of the border, that same day will be remembered for other tragic reasons, it was the day of the Shankill Rd bombing, 2 different parts of the country, 2 different worlds, a day we'll never forget, for different reasons.

Regards

hg

[heirflick]

The Bell Viewer railtour was probably the most remembered of the ITG railtours of the 1990s, and probably all because of the extraordinary October weather, it was exceptional, the whole country was basking under a big blue sky, temperatures reach 18-C, very unusual for late October, it was the warmest October day for several years, Wellingtonbridge has more beet than it could handle, 2 extra diggers where brought in because the beet loading conveyor belt just couldn't handle the bumper harvest, so loading was done by the diggers, the ETS section Abbey Junction - Wellingbridge was occupied all day, the trains stopped later that evening, they just ran out of wagons to load.

Saturday 23rd October 1993, north of the border, that same day will be remembered for other tragic reasons, it was the day of the Shankill Rd bombing, 2 different parts of the country, 2 different worlds, a day we'll never forget, for different reasons.

Regards

hg

 

thats a really well worded account of the day - thanks for posting!