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Early on Saturday morning, one of
the RPSI's latest recruits, Mark Walsh manages to take a photograph of
himself making sure that 186 is in steam and gleaming for the anniversary
train.
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Behind the locomotive, Dermot Mackie
is RPSI Carriage Representative for the day and is unlocking doors ready
for the off.
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After Mark has lit the fire and cleaned
the loco, the RPSI volunteer crew arrive - Jeff Spencer and Ashley Black
prepare to oil up.
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Jeff and Ashley get tucked in to oiling
the locomotives axle-boxes. In the background RPSI Locomotive Officer
Peter Scott is checking the locomotive over.
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Jeff attaches a new bag onto the balloon
water tank at Lisburn - just one of his many jobs as RPSI Loco Running
Officer.
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Gricers gather at Lisburn to watch
the locomotive run round and take water.
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In the early afternoon, the
train makes its way from Adelaide to Lisburn to run round and take water.
This view is from the footbridge looking north towards Belfast.
Here 186 runs out towards Dublin, to run
round in preparation for hauling the train to Cultra.
Picture by A McKibben
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Back on the footplate, all faces are
still clean and the tarpaulin is pulled over to keep out the heavy rain
showers.
From left to right are Ashley Black (RPSI),
Stephen Glass (NIR Fireman), Jeff Spencer (RPSI) and Noel Playfairs (NIR
Driver).
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The dinner parties start to appear.
John Richardsons party.
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On board the train, the atmosphere
built up as the train called at Hilden, Lambeg, Balmoral and Belfast Central
to pick up passengers.
Here the set stops to pick up diners from
Hilden halt, just outside Lisburn.
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More than 200 of the 250 guests
chose to travel by train and just to ensure the event got off with a swing,
passengers were treated to a complimentary glass of wine as the train headed
for Cultra.
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Former Operations Officer and
former Chairman, Heather and Sullivan enjoy a complimentary glass of wine
on the journey to Cultra.
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Former Locomotive Inspector
Frank Dunlop revels in the occasion.
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RPSI Chairman, Norman Foster
and RPSI Vice President Dr Garret Fitzgerald enjoy the company of Marita
and Gerry Mooney.
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With the smell of smoke in the air
and the sound of the locomotive in the distance, the steam train proved
a suitable mood setter for the evening.
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Upon arrival at Cultra, the passengers
were greeted by a beaming Lord O'Neill, dressed appropriately in an authentic
MR(NCC) station master's uniform which he later told guests dated from
1922. His lordship, who has been president of the Society since its foundation
in Belfast on 30th September 1964, was particularly delighted to finally
make the acquaintance of one of his vice-presidents, the former Taoiseach
Dr Garret FitzGerald. Ironically the two gents had not until that moment
come face to face, because Lord O'Neill tends to chair AGMs in the north
while Dr FitzGerald is in the hot seat when they are held in Dublin.
Here Lord O'Neill greets Andy Crockart
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