• RPSI Website Photo News
• Irish Railway News photographs of RPSI steam trains
• RPSI Photo Gallery

• Booking is now available for "The Spare Link", two-day, steam-hauled railtour.
  Dublin - M3 Parkway - Rosslare - Wexford (Saturday 24th March 2012) and Wexford - Wicklow - Howth - Dublin (Sunday 25th March 2012)
  Full details and a booking form for this weekend of steam are available from our Events Page.
• May Railtour
  The 2012 International Railtour will operate over the extended weekend of 12th to 14th May. The now traditional diesel railtour will be on Friday 11th May.
  The details are well advanced, with the overnight destination most likely to be far to the west, where standard and narrow gauge lines once met.

• Exhibition of State Coaches No 351 and No 5408
  Paperback, 30 x 21 cm, 34 colour and 21 b&w photos, 24 pages, £1.50
  This booklet was produced by Iarnrod Eireann in connection with an exhibition of Ireland's two former State coaches which are now in the care of the RPSI. The exhibition at Dublin Heuston Station ran from 28th to 31st of October, 2011 and was opened by President Mary McAleese, one of her last official duties before relinquishing the Presidency. The booklet describes the operation of both coaches in their heyday and it lists the many dignitaries who travelled in them.  There are many detailed photographs showing their restoration at Dublin’s Inchicore Works and these reveal an incredibly high standard of craftsmanship.
  A companion booklet, "Restoration of Great Southern & Western Railway Royal Saloon No 351", is also available at £1.50

• DVD by Markle - Irish Railway Review No.10.  70 minutes, £18.95
  This DVD features coverage of:-
  We call it the "Mayo Metro", the intense service now running in the West.
  Farewell to the NIR 450 class as they thump away in their final months.
  We say goodbye to the South Wexford line as it ekes out its last weeks.
  Network Notes observes the latest Enterprise livery and more.
  How much freight can we see in a day in the West?
  We have our first look at the northern end of the Galway to Limerick Service.
  … and finally, we visit the unique setting of Wexford Quay.

• 1927 Railway Map of Ireland, 69 cm x 47 cm, £8
  This colour map was reprinted by the Society about 20 years ago but sold out about 5 years ago.  A limited quantity has recently been located.  The maps are not folded and they will be posted in rolled up form in a cardboard tube to make them suitable for framing.
• Christmas cards – set of 6, 2 each of 3 RPSI scenes from paintings by Debra Wenlock, £8
• Card 1: “Guinness Loco and ‘Ivan’ the Brake Van at Whitehead”
  ‘Guinness’ was built by Hudswell, Clarke of Leeds in 1919 as a shunter for the Guinness Brewery, Dublin.  Withdrawn in 1965, the loco was presented to the RPSI and is currently in use at Whitehead.  ‘Ivan’ is a 20 ton goods brakevan built by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) in 1945 in Dundalk. The name was acquired while undergoing restoration at Whitehead by the RPSI Youth Wing.
• Card 2:  “Loco 186 at Mullingar”
  186, built by Sharp, Stewart of Manchester in 1879 for the Great Southern and Western Railway, is one of two survivors of Ireland’s most numerous class of locomotive – the J15 or 101 class.  186 is currently in traffic with the RPSI, following the completion of an extensive overhaul at Whitehead in 2004.
• Card 3:  “Merlin at Connolly Station, Dublin”
  ‘Merlin’ was built by Beyer Peacock of Manchester in 1932 for the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) as one of the five members of the V class of compound locomotives. The locos revolutionised train times on the Belfast to Dublin line. ‘Merlin’ is now owned by the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and is on loan to the RPSI at Whitehead
• DVD by Brian Stinson – September 2011 – Province of Leinster Railtour, including the Silvermines Diesel Railtour  In widescreen format (16:9), can be played in normal format (4:3) 55 minutes, £12
  Day 1, 8th September: Whitehead—Belfast—Dundalk—Dublin with NIR GM Loco.
  Day 2, 9th September: Dublin – Ballybrophy – Nenagh – Limerick – Dublin with IR GM Locos
  Day 3, 10th September: Dublin – Kilkenny – Dublin with No.186
  Day 4: 11th September: Dublin – M3 Parkway – Docklands – Mullingar – Dublin with No.186
  Day 5: 12th September: Dublin – Belfast – Whitehead with No.186
  Highlights include coverage of No.186 hauling the first steam train on the re-opened Clonsilla to M3 Parkway line, and of No.186 storming past Dublin’s Croke Park with the train from Docklands. After the Silvermines Diesel Railltour departs from Nenagh, we see one of the few remaining ground frames in use to release a ballast train.
• DVD by RAILFILMS – Manx & Irish Lines by James Boyd – 59 minutes, £20
  This video is copied from black and white films shot in the early 1950s, beginning in the Isle of Man.  Moving to Ireland, Mr. Boyd travels the 3ft gauge County Donegal, Lough Swilly and Cavan and Leitrim systems in their declining years, by passenger and goods service.
  A broad gauge journey behind steam to the far south west, itself a classic collector’s item, includes, amongst other gems, a footplate trip on the remote Valentia Harbour Branch, and finally, on the 3ft gauge once more, comes an unforgettable ride on the legendary monthly cattle specials from Dingle to Tralee. Introduced and narrated by James Boyd himself, this video programme brings to today’s enthusiast a scene coveted by many, experienced by few and recorded on film by even fewer. Through their remoteness, their antiquated equipment, and their sheer nostalgia, the lines he travels continue to exert a fascination unique in railway lore.
• Railways in Ireland Part Four  by Martin Bairstow
  Paperback, 24 x 18 cm, 8 colour and 156 b&w photos, 5 maps, 112 pages, £15.95
  This volume covers the lines of the Great Southern and Western Railway, including the Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway. The scenic West Kerry lines are dealt with in some detail, as are steamers on the Shannon.  The story is brought right up to date with the inevitable closure of branch lines, the switch to diesel multiple units for passenger trains and the almost terminal decline in freight. The final volume in the series will deal with lines around Cork, plus the Tralee and Dingle, and West Clare lines.

The 'Santa Special' Steam Trains from Belfast and Portadown are now on sale!  See the events page for details!

Friday 28th October, 4pm–7pm
Saturday 29th, Sunday 30th and Monday 31st October, 10am-5pm

It's that time of year again!  As the nights draw in, railway enthusiasts in the Belfast area are invited to warm themselves around a glowing projector as a new season of talks begins at Orangefield Presbyterian Church on the Castlereagh Road.

Click here to read the full details.

Click here to download a poster in PDF format.  Why not spread the good news by printing it off to display in some prominent place?

CIE green has not been represented on a working preserved engine before - we thought it was high time that changed!








With fellow CIE locomotives B113 and B142.

• All tickets are now sold out for our Santa trains from Dublin this December.  Santa trains from Belfast and Portadown will go on sale later this year.
• There's still time to get tickets for our annual International Railtour, running from 8th - 13th September with steam haulage by No.186 and diesel traction as well!
• Tickets are also now on sale for the 'Broomstick Belle' on 30th October.
• A steam train trip from Dublin Pearse Station to Mullingar, Co Westmeath, has been chartered by Trinity College community.  The trip will include a visit to Belvedere House, Gardens and Park with lunch at the Bloomfield House Hotel.  The train departs Pearse Station at 10:00am to return at 6:00pm.
  Tickets cost Adults €60, Children €20, which includes train, lunch (mains, dessert, tea/coffee) and coach transfers to Belvedere House & Bloomfield House Hotel.
  This train is NOT marketed by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, but everybody is welcome to travel.
  To book please contact:
      Ciara Power
      +353 1 896 1379
      powerci@tcd.ie
  All enquiries to the above and NOT the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland - thank you.

• The 4th and 10th December Santa Trains from Dublin are now sold out.
• Our 31st July Portrush Flyer was a real success, with 294 passengers on the Belfast-Portrush train and over 200 on the Portrush-Coleraine train.  Everyone enjoyed themselves and here are a couple of comments we've received back from our passengers
• I travelled first class with five guests on Sunday, one of whom was never on a train & her husband who was only on one once (before they closed down Enniskillen).
  Please thank all your committee & volunteers for a great day out. Also a big thank you must go to Jane’s firm for an excellent pack lunch.
  Was very glad to see and hear that first class was a big success, the only way to travel.
  Looking forward to our next RPSI First class outing.
• Just a quick word to congratulate all involved in today's Portrush Flyer - I took my mother for the day out and we treated ourselves to the opulence of first class! The whole venture was very well organised and the lunch package was an excellent touch. Staff were constantly attentive, friendly and efficient so definitely full marks to all involved. Surely a model of how a volunteer railway society should run a train.  Looking forward to my next RPSI outing!
• Mike Beckett produced another fine video of the day.  You can watch on YouTube or Vimeo.
• No.186 moved from Whitehead to Dublin light engine on 2nd August in preparation for our events there.
  

RPSI and RSC representatives with the newly granted certificates

Denis Grimshaw, chair of the 2020 sub-committee, inspects plans for Whitehead with Siobhan Dillon, project manager, and Johnny Glendinning, former RPSI chairman.  No.186, behind, is about to depart on a private charter to Cultra.

• Compartment seating in first class accommodation.  Compartments seat up to 6 people.
• A complimentary glass of Bucks Fizz or fruit juice, served on arrival.
• A "Picnic Box For Two" luncheon supplied by Jane’s Kitchen, delivered to your seat during the stop at Ballymena. For enjoyment on the train or easily carried out at Portrush. Please advise if vegetarian option is required.
• Steward service to take your orders for alcoholic beverages, tea and coffee from our Dining Car during your journey.

• Treat your father and bring him to our Father's Vintage Day at Whitehead on Sunday June 19th from 2pm-5pm. The treats are:
• A Routemaster bus on display.
• Mainline diesel locomotives on display.  At Whitehead we have our own baby GM, Hunslet No.102 and Sulzer B113.  If they aren't receiving repairs, we'll have them on display.
• Train rides will be provided by steam locomotive "Guinness".  
• Shed tours will be available.
• Our restored Dining Car, No.87 (which is partly a fascinating museum of train catering) will be in action serving teas and coffees.
• Please talk to us on the day about becoming a volunteer.  We would love to welcome you to the team. 
•  Before his untimely passing, our Treasurer, Peter Marsden, donated the RPSI a collection of boxed model railway wagons.  He wanted us to auction the items on ebay to benefit the Society.  We encourage you to view what's for sale on our ebay site (click here) and bid enthusiastically, knowing that all income goes towards furthering our aims as Peter would have wanted.
  

Saturday's outing to Bangor is now SOLD OUT, but don't worry, there is still time to get tickets for the Portrush Flyer on 12th June, when steam returns to Portrush for the first time after a five year absence!
Sell items on ebay and benefit the RPSI
We are now registered as a charity on ebay.  This means that not only will we be selling items through our own ebay sales route, but it also means that you can do two things to help the RPSI further its aims:

1. You can donate/leave us items of railway memorabilia, books, railway models that you no longer want and which you would like us to sell to benefit RPSI projects.
2. You can sell items yourself on ebay and donate part or all of the proceeds to the RPSI.

We have launched an appeal to raise funds to restore our flagship mainline locomotive, No.171 Slieve Gullion.  The appeal website has all the details including a donations form that you can print out and return to us either with your donation or a standing order to donate smaller amounts over a period of time.  This is a fabulous opportunity to return an icon of Irish mainline steam to service and (subject to funding) in time for our 50th anniversary in 2014.  We are very grateful for any help you can give.

DVD by Brian Stinson – Last Days of the South Wexford Train Service 109 minutes, £12
In recent years, the train service on the South Wexford line consisted of one early morning passenger train from Rosslare Harbour to Waterford and one evening train in the opposite direction.  Freight trains had ceased running some years earlier.  The final day of the passenger service was Saturday 18th September, 2010, after which the line’s status was changed to “Engineer’s Siding”. A resumption of services in the near future looks to be unlikely at present. Brian Stinson made frequent visits to the line to record the train service during its last few months of operation.  The result of his efforts is this DVD which consists of:
Section 1: Rosslare Harbour to Waterford,
Section 2: Limerick Junction to Waterford,
Section 3: Waterford to Rosslare Harbour,
Section 4: Enthusiasts’ Specials run by the Irish Railway Record Society and the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland,
Section 5: final day of the train service, Saturday 18th September, 2010

26th February
Tickets for the "Easter Eggspress" can now be bought online by clicking here.

Incidentally, you may notice the website looks a bit different today than it was yesterday... don't worry, you're in the right place!

24th February
Tickets are now on sale for our Easter Monday "Easter Eggspress" from Belfast Central to Whitehead.  See our Events Page for full details.  Online ticket purchasing will be available very soon.

5th February
PROVINCE OF LEINSTER RAILTOUR: 
Each year the RPSI operates a multi-day international railtour, taking our train and locomotives across Ireland.  Traditionally this happens in May.  The Society very much regrets having to advise of the postponement of this year's International Railtour (planned for May) until later in the year. 
This has become necessary as the Society is, under recently introduced EU legislation, required to obtain approval from the Railway Safety Commission (RSC) to operate its trains. This approval applies to all operators over the main line infrastructure, and specifically to the Society's activities based in Republic of Ireland.
 Whilst much work has been done towards reaching this objective, the RSC has naturally had to concentrate their efforts on Iarnrod Eireann’s application and so it cannot be assumed that approval will be obtained in time to operate any RPSI trains in the first half of 2011. Consequently, it has been decided to re-schedule the railtour until later in the year when it is expected that all formalities will have been completed.
 The above applies to all Dublin-based operations. The RSC have advised that no trains should be marketed to run before 1st July. However, the negotiating team is pushing to have certification in place as soon as possible before then.
 We trust that you will appreciate that this year we have no option but to postpone, and we look forward to seeing you later in the year. Thank you for your understanding.
The revised dates have been confirmed as:

• Thursday 8th September: Steam-hauled carriage positioning train Belfast to Dublin.
• Friday 9th September: Diesel railtour from Dublin.
• Saturday 10th September: Dublin Connolly - Kilkenny - Dublin Connolly.
• Sunday 11th September:   Dublin Connolly - Dunboyne - M3 Parkway - Dublin Docklands - Longford - Dublin Connolly.
• Monday 12th September:  Dublin Connolly - Belfast - Whitehead.
• Tuesday 13th September: Coach tour from Belfast. 

16th January
The overhaul of No.461 in the Henry Dunleath memorial workshop at Whitehead is now in its final months. When the locomotive emerges onto the main line it will have a largely new firebox that will give service for decades to come. Yesterday at Whitehead the boiler was trial fitted in the frames for the first time. 
 

	The Queen's Quay overhead crane had a busy day lifting the boiler in and out until it was a perfect fit in between the frames.
	No.461's high pitched boiler gives a particularly massive, if slightly top heavy, appearance
	The purpose of the trial fit was to mark out exactly where these expansion brackets should go. The boiler is firmly attached to the frames at the smokebox, but can slide backwards towards the cab, restrained by these brackets.

The boiler is now back on the shop floor for attachment of the expansion brackets and tubing.

9th January
Happy New Year and a big Thank You to everyone who supported us in 2010.

We will of course be continuing to run our main line steam trains and other events this year. As is usual for this time of year we are still discussing the programme of events with the railway companies, so we are not yet ready to publish any details of what's planned.

The prices and the pattern of the events will probably be similar to previous years - that is, with the first trip around Easter, and the schedule getting steadily busier after that!

As soon as the programme is agreed full details, with dates and prices, will be available on the events page.  Until that time unfortunately we can not provide any information on dates or sell any tickets.

One thing we can, of course, confirm is that the Winter Meetings Season in Belfast is still in full swing, with the next meeting on Wednesday 12th January.