Tara mines wagons.

[Northman]

What locos would have pulled the blue tara mines wagons?

[WRENNEIRE]

A Class I  reckon

 

[jhb171achill]

Mostly A class by far, occasionally 071 also from time to time.  I don't know of any reason why a "pair" or 121 / 141 / 181 types couldn't also haul them, though I can't think of examples of it happening.

[Northman]

Thanks lads

[Eiretrains]

During the period of the blue livery on the Tara Mines wagons it was almost always an A Class, that said a (B)201 did also work one. During the very early days of trial running to Tara Mines and at Dublin Port with the blue wagons some trains were hauled by 141/181 GMs, some in both Supertrain and Black/Tan liveries, so a rake of blue Taras with those locomotives is still very prototypical.

The 071s did not regularly appear on Taras until the mid-1990s when the A Class fleet dwindled, by then the wagons had long lost their original blue appearance. I think there was something about the track layout at the ore terminals which may have prevented the 071s working the trains until track alterations were made.

Edited March 3, 2018 by Eiretrains

[jhb171achill]

2 hours ago, Eiretrains said:

I think there was something about the track layout at the ore terminals which may have prevented the 071s working the trains until track alterations were made.

That is certainly true initially, though I don't know at what time they decided to let 071s in there.

[Railer]

It was the traverser at Alexander Road that had to be modified to take the extra length of the 071.