Emerald isle express

[snapper]

Railtours Ireland First Class is delighted to announce the inaugural departure of The EMERALD ISLE EXPRESS, Ireland’s first week long Tourist train, with guests overnighting in famous castle, and five star hotels in the Regions.

 

This unique collaboration with the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland and Iarnród Éireann is the very first dedicated exclusive rail touring product for overseas visitors.

 

Leaving Dublin’s Connolly Station after a welcome champagne reception on Monday September 29 this beautifully presented heritage train will cruise along Ireland’s rail network visiting many towns and cities and enjoying lovely scenery en route. Side trips to Ireland’s iconic must see visitor attractions accompanied by the renowned endition of our Railtour Ireland First Class Hosts will create an unforgettable vacation.

 

Monday 29 September - will see us head out of Dublin and hug the spectacular east coast, as far as Wexford and after touring Waterford Crystal, overnight in Waterford Castle.

 

Tuesday 30 September – We depart Waterford and travel through the beautiful Suir Valley (stopping briefly at Clonmel) to Limerick Junction and from where we head south through the Golden Vale to Cork. After visiting Blarney and the English Market we overnight at Fota Island Resort.

 

Wednesday 1 October – After visiting Cobh we depart on our special train and retrace our path to Mallow where we head west to Killarney and tour the Ring of Kerry overnighting at the Killarney Park Hotel.

 

Thursday 2 October – Our exclusive train departs for Ennis via Mallow, Limerick Junction, and Limerick City, crossing the River Shannon just north of Limerick. Arriving in Ennis we head west to the Cliffs of Moher. Later we feast at Bunratty Castle and overnight at Dromoland Castle.

 

Friday 3 October – We leave Ennis for Galway along the Western Rail Corridor, pausing at Athenry to head along the shore of Galway Bay to Galway City.

 

Lunch is at Moran’s of the Weir and our guests are free to explore Galway for the afternoon and we overnight at The G Hotel.

 

Saturday 4 October – Stunning Connemara beckons and we tour by road, pausing for lunch at Ballinahinch Castle. We explore Clifden and the Sky Road before Kylemore Abbey, Leenane, and Westport where once again we join our private train for our return to Dublin, enjoying Dinner and entertainment aboard.

 

Jim Deegan, Director of Railtours Ireland First Class commented: “A fabulous itinerary from start to finish! This idea of a land cruise by rail in a special train through Ireland coupled with luxury five star hotels,( and of course our own coach always shadowing the train for transfers, tours, and luggage ) - has never been done before and will firmly put Ireland on the increasingly popular world rail touring map!

 

For more info please contact Jim Deegan jim@railtoursireland.com or +353 86 283 2607

 

Or Shane Roberts shane@railtoursireland.com +353 1 856 0045

[Warbonnet]

Be interesting to see what stock they run with this. I cant see wealthy yanks being impressed with a rake of RPSI cravens to be honest. ICR?

[UP6936]

It must be going to be RPSI stock, if it's in collaboration with them.

Maybe the MK2s? They look a bit neater than the cravens

[snapper]

Its running with the RPSI Cravens

[Noel]

Be interesting to see what stock they run with this. I cant see wealthy yanks being impressed with a rake of RPSI cravens to be honest. ICR?

 

Great idea for a holiday for those interested in train journey tours. If the Cravens are dressed up a little inside with linen and table ware and carpets it's amazing how a coach can be improved (i.e. like CIE charter trains of the 70s). Mind you at the advertised price a 10 day cruise in the med might look somewhat enticing for a holiday.

[Warbonnet]

Great idea for a holiday for those interested in train journey tours. If the Cravens are dressed up a little inside with linen and table ware and carpets it's amazing how a coach can be improved (i.e. like CIE charter trains of the 70s). Mind you at the advertised price a 10 day cruise in the med might look somewhat enticing for a holiday.

 

True I suppose. I'm not having a pop at the RPSI but having had to deal with American Tourists in a previous existence I know how unbelievably picky they can be. If it was down to me I'd have the coaches looking pristine (including a matching livery throughout) from day one. I really hope it becomes popular as it'll be something different for us to see and it gives the RPSI a good income to put into restoration.

[Noel]

True I suppose. I'm not having a pop at the RPSI but having had to deal with American Tourists in a previous existence I know how unbelievably picky they can be. If it was down to me I'd have the coaches looking pristine (including a matching livery throughout) from day one. I really hope it becomes popular as it'll be something different for us to see and it gives the RPSI a good income to put into restoration.

 

I know what you mean. Give them 5 star food, wifi, roll out the red carpet and provide limousine transfers instead of mini buses and they should be happy. Fitting warm lighting into the coaches instead of cold blue led or filament bulbs should add to the ambience, and utterly immaculate loos.

[DiveController]

I agree with Fran and Noel. There will need to be a little investment here whether RPSI will want to do that or not. This is a make or break railtour If you want to capture that market then you need to dress it up. The small and cosmetic things make all the difference. Yes the coaches should have the same livery and an investment in destination boards for the coaches plus all that has been stated already. Has this been advertised somewhere? The dollar has risen marginally against the Euro but unless Kim & Kanye want to jet in (I'm thinking it's not Ms Kardashian's thing) then few want to pay first class airfare from the US at this short notice. How much does it cost?

[Killucan2]

Dinner on board Saturday night on way back to Dublin,the only kitchen car the rpsi has is the ex NIR mk2 and if it is craven's a call to the local supermac's in athlone for a couple of snack boxes!

[josefstadt]

I understand that two of the, presumably, orange & black Cravens have been repainted into a different livery and that the whole train is receiving a deep clean. The train is due to be moved from Inchicore to Connolly on Sunday evening (the 28th) at 20:10. The tour will depart Connolly at 11:05 on the Monday. As noted in Snapper's post above it will travel to Wexford, from where the participants will be bussed to Waterford. The train will be worked empty from Wexford back to Dublin and down to Waterford, in preparation for Tuesday's programme

[DiveController]

They've lifted the track between Wexford and Waterford?

[snapper]

Dinner on board Saturday night on way back to Dublin,the only kitchen car the rpsi has is the ex NIR mk2 and if it is craven's a call to the local supermac's in athlone for a couple of snack boxes!

 

RPSI Craven 1522 is fitted with a full kitchen

[snapper]

They've lifted the track between Wexford and Waterford?

 

Not that I have heard, there was some scrap track stolen at one stage (I think from near Wellington bridge???) and I think that started the rumour of track being lifted.

[Riversuir226]

Not that I have heard, there was some scrap track stolen at one stage (I think from near Wellington bridge???) and I think that started the rumour of track being lifted.

 

The line is still there but its only in use for engineers trains such as weedsprayer and inspection vechicles, some bits were taken but not feom the permanent way.

[Warbonnet]

Dinner on board Saturday night on way back to Dublin,the only kitchen car the rpsi has is the ex NIR mk2 and if it is craven's a call to the local supermac's in athlone for a couple of snack boxes!

 

Just write KFC on the boxes and they'll probably be happy!

[DiveController]

Probably best the railtour does not pass that section then we don't want any tourist robbed.

"You don't understand, Father, she was robbed... they stole her!

Edited September 21, 2014 by DiveController

[Noel]

The line is still there but its only in use for engineers trains such as weedsprayer and inspection vechicles, some bits were taken but not feom the permanent way.

 

Perhaps they may be permitted to reposition the empty train if it has no pax and at low speed. Pity they don't get to travel over the Barrow bridge. An awesome piece of railway engineering.

[UP6936]

Snapper, is this train a steam operation or 071?

I ask as the photo on the Railtours Ireland site showing a 'private heritage train' shows an 071

[snapper]

Snapper, is this train a steam operation or 071?

I ask as the photo on the Railtours Ireland site showing a 'private heritage train' shows an 071

 

I believe the plan is for 071 but a 201 may stand in depending on loco availability

[josefstadt]

I believe the plan is for 071 but a 201 may stand in depending on loco availability

 

It is indeed to be diesel hauled - no steam. The tour is aimed at mainstream tourists, rather than at railway enthusiasts. The hot news is that Railtours / RPSI have received clearance for the empty stock to use the Rosslare Strand to Waterford line, instead of having to run via Dublin. No word yet on times, but get the cameras ready, especially all of you in the south east, I'll expect loads of photos on the site.

[Riversuir226]

Day booked off and camera at the ready , great to see any movement on the line.

[Noel]

It is indeed to be diesel hauled - no steam. The tour is aimed at mainstream tourists, rather than at railway enthusiasts. The hot news is that Railtours / RPSI have received clearance for the empty stock to use the Rosslare Strand to Waterford line, instead of having to run via Dublin. No word yet on times, but get the cameras ready, especially all of you in the south east, I'll expect loads of photos on the site.

 

Hope somebody gets a photo of it crossing the Barrow bridge. I have fond memories of that line and the bridge from a time long since past when I was a young child living in Waterford. Looking across the river from the garden at trains heading for Rosslare and that distant reverberating hum you could hear for ages before rail sound and long before the loco came into view. Waterford was a real 'mecano' industrial port way back then with the big cranes on the quays, silos, bell container port and live cattle docks. Had a very fine model railway shop too in the 60s on the quays.

Edited September 22, 2014 by Noel

[EPBrophy]

Sounds great, but whey are they running it empty a couple of times? Surely, they could charge some sort of price and get a few people on board those legs of the journey.

[DiveController]

Good plan as long as they are traveling one way, I guess:trains:

[ei6jf]

Not sure where the impression that it's running empty a couple of times from. It's a single ecs movement from Wexford to Waterford.

 

As regards opening this move to enthusiasts, 1) it's unlikely approval would be granted given that it's a move over an engineers siding and 2) if I were the operator I don't I'd be opening up carriages, that I'd invested considerable time and money in bringing to a higher standard than normal, to the general public.

[josefstadt]

Not sure where the impression that it's running empty a couple of times from. It's a single ecs movement from Wexford to Waterford.

 

As regards opening this move to enthusiasts, 1) it's unlikely approval would be granted given that it's a move over an engineers siding and 2) if I were the operator I don't I'd be opening up carriages, that I'd invested considerable time and money in bringing to a higher standard than normal, to the general public.

 

As ei6jf says (1) this is an ecs move over an engineer's siding and as such only the IÉ train crew will be permitted on board. Even the RPSI personnel travelling with the train will not be allowed to travel on this move; and (2) there is now way that the general public / wider enthusiast fraternity will be allowed travel in the train during the tour given the time and effort spent getting it ready for the tour participants each day.

[jhb171achill]

Correct - there won't be any possibility, unfortunately, of anyone aboard.

[josefstadt]

The two repainted Cravens (see post #10 above) have been turned out in GNR(I) blue & cream livery.

[Warbonnet]

The two repainted Cravens (see post #10 above) have been turned out in GNR(I) blue & cream livery.

 

An excellent choice! Wish it was Black n tan, but this is a very nice alternative!

[snapper]

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. The wait is over.

 

During the past few weeks, as part of the Railtours Ireland 'Emerald Isle Express', it was necessary to get the two remaining black and tan carriages painted to get them looking their best. With huge thanks to Iarnród Éireann, the bar and dining carriages, 1514 and 1522 were sprayed in the Paint Spray shop in Inchicore Works, completed today, 25th September 2014.

 

The livery chosen is not an exact railway company livery but more so reflects on our past railway heritage.

 

So now all that's left to wait for is for their first mainline trip in their new colours on Monday!

 

[Warbonnet]

They look really well. Well done RPSI, an excellent livery and the Cravens look transformed!

 

Any chance we'll see a certain GNRI steam loco at the head of them soon??

[snapper]

They look really well. Well done RPSI, an excellent livery and the Cravens look transformed!

 

Any chance we'll see a certain GNRI steam loco at the head of them soon??

 

Not likely this side of Christmas, but who knows what could happen in the new year

[heirflick]

that's a stunning livery....more fun for our respraying talents!

[tonybonneyba]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15253[/ATTACH]

that's a stunning livery....more fun for our respraying talents!

Omg, she is a beulity, who owns her??

[Warbonnet]

Omg, she is a beulity, who owns her??

 

RPSI

 

I read that only the bar and diner have been done. I hope they do the rest of the rake in due course!

Edited September 25, 2014 by Warbonnet