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The Castlerock Luncheon Special
A photo report by P Lockett, M Kennedy & B McDonald. Many thanks to the anonymous poet who left the poem on the train.

Imagine stepping back in time, sitting in a lovingly restored train of carriages with a shining, purpose-built locomotive at the head. Imagine steaming through Northern Irelands finest countryside to the North Coast. Imagine having nothing to do but enjoy the journey and walk round the corner from the destination to receive a delicious buffet meal. Finally, to walk off the meal, take the RPSI coach to Mussenden Temple for stunning views and bracing wind!
Not a dream, the RPSI made it happen on 21st May 2006!

It all started with a poster. What a poster! Groomsport artist Debra Wenlock produced a fabulous poster harking back to the 1920's - an age of romance and adventure!
	Debra even agreed to help prepare the train at Whitehead with RPSI Chairman Johnny Glendinning. Luckily they packed their brollies in case the North Coast weather let them down.
The Castlerock Luncheon Special was run in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Museums Council. May 2006 is Museums and Galleries month and the steam train represented the twinning of the RPSI and National Trust for the day. Here Briony Crozier (Asst Director of NIMC) prepares to wave the train away.
	Time for the off! Wave the green flag, blow the guards whistle. No.4 is ready to depart Whitehead Excursion Station - the home of the RPSI.
	"With a screech of the whistle and a whoosh of the steam The beginning of a journey to fulfil a childhood dream! The rhythm of the wheels on the endless road of iron Will we beat the coloured signals and arrive on time?" No.4 runs around the train at Belfast Central for an on time departure at 11:40am
"Passengers are happy and the conversation sways To stories told by elders and the never ending days Of ice-cream and tummy-ache and sand between the toes Will there be time to have a dip? Or shopping - no one knows!" RPSI Train Manager, Henry Ritchie, works out how many passengers are on board.
	At Ballymena a short pause allows the thirsty locomotive to be topped up with water. Enough time to take a photograph, marvel at the engine and hop back on board for more tea, coffee and biccies!
Our destination, the Golf Hotel at Castlerock. This fine hotel is situated right on the coast with stunning views from the dining room. Recently rennovated, the buffet lunch offered a selection of main courses with rice, potatoes, baked potatoes and salads.
	Happy men with full plates and half-full pints enjoy the view across Castlerock strand.
Plenty of chat amongst the ladies as they tuck into their buffet lunch.
	An after lunch stroll? Why not. The Golf Hotel is ideally located right on Castlerock strand and a walk by the Atlantic rollers will certainly clear out any cobwebs!
The RPSI provided a coach shuttle operating from outside the front door of the hotel to the National Trusts Mussenden Temple site. From the temple one can see the railway line passing through Downhill tunnels and on a clear day you can see to Donegal.
	Meanwhile No.4 and train had travelled up to Londonderry and were preparing to return to Castlerock to pick up our passengers.
"As we make our journey back to stark reality We feel privileged to be a part of living history Nothing really changes tho' we like to think it does The better side in all of us supports this worthy cause." Castlerock station still boasts semaphore signals and is a real time trap. No.4 pulls in to pick up our passengers for the journey home.

There are many steam trains that you too can travel on.
Why don't you come and join us?

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