Cork 800 Railtour (1985)

Saturday 11th May: (171 ECS) Mullingar - Dublin Connolly; (184) Cork - Cobh & return [2 local trips]; (171) Dublin Connolly - Cork; 184: Cork - Cobh - Cobh Junction [set back into Youghal branch] - Cork. Sunday 12th May: (171+184) Cork - Mallow; (184) Mallow - Charleville - Limerick Junction; (171) Mallow - Limerick Junction; (171) Limerick Junction - Dublin Connolly - Belfast Central; (184 LE) Limerick Junction - Portarlington - Athlone - Mullingar. Train split between Mallow and Limerick Junction; 171 overtook at Charleville.

11/5/1985: No.171 at Dublin Connolly.

11/5/1985: Approaching Lisduff. (J. Hunt)

11/5/1985: No.171 leaves Thurles on the way south. (J. Hunt)

11/5/1985: No.171 has arrived at Limerick Junction.

11/5/1985: Steam crane at Limerick Junction - marked Canal Street.

11/5/1985: A fine view of No.171 taken from the Junction South Cabin. It may only be a shunt as there are some railtour passengers beside the train. (R. Newman)

11/5/1985: No.171 on a runpast at Charleville.

11/5/1985: No.171 at Mallow. The locomotive is coming off the train to be serviced. (J. Coleman)

11/5/1985: In the yard at Mallow for servicing.

11/5/1985: Sullivan Boomer and Charles Friel on No.171's tender at Mallow. (Courtesy J. Coleman)

11/5/1985: No.171 blowing off as it makes its way to the head of its train at Mallow.

11/5/1985: No.184, which had already run a local trip from Cork to Cobh, is back at Cobh with the tour train.

11/5/1985: No.184 departs Cobh, with a good view of the harbour. Note the carriage shed to the left. (J. Hunt)

11/5/1985: No.184 at Rushbrooke on the Cobh branch. (J. Hunt)

11/5/1985: No.184 at Little Island. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1985: Bury 2-2-2 No.36 in Cork station. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1985: The Sunday morning view into the locomotive yard at Cork.

12/5/1985: The view from the other side of Cork yard as the locomotives are prepared for the day ahead. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1985: No.171 leads the way out of Cork tunnel.

12/5/1985: Cork Tunnel.

12/5/1985: Both locos out of the tunnel, but plenty of steam and smoke left behind.

12/5/1985: A fine view of the engines working hard up the grade out of the tunnel. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1985: At Kilbarry, just after the tunnel.

2/5/1985: Heading away from Kilbarry. (T. Ryan)

12/5/1985: No.171 and No.184 north of Rathduff. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1985: Both locomotives at Mallow. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1985: No.171 has come off to allow No.184 to take the front portion of the train on to Limerick Junction. No.171 will follow with the rear.

12/5/1985: No.184 set for departure from Mallow with its portion of the train. (Courtesy J. Coleman)

12/5/1985: No.171 is on the rear part of the train at Mallow, waiting for No.184 to clear the section ahead.

12/5/1985: No.171 heading north through Buttevant. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1985: No.184 with 3 carriages through Knocklong. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1985: No.184 entering the south end of Limerick Junction. (A. McDonnell)

12/5/1985: No.171 overtook No.184 at Charleville, and its train is already at the platform at Limerick Junction as No.184 passes. It will back its train on.

12/5/1985: No.171 passes the junction to Athlone to enter Portarlington. (J. Hunt)

At Portarlington, the locomotive is being watered, serviced and coaled from the carriage behind the tender. (R. Newman)

13/5/1985: On the Monday the train transferred from Belfast CSD to Larne Harbour and Whitehead. Here No.171 is running round at Antrim.

13/5/1985: As the loop was too small at Larne Harbour, NIR diesel-electric 2 was sent to shunt the train. It is entering the Harbour station.

13/5/1985: NIR 2 coupled up and ready to pull the carriages off No.171.

13/5/1985: Back at Whitehead, the newly restored No.85 was on display for railtour participants.

13/5/1985: Meanwhile, NIR 2 passes Whitehead on return from Larne Harbour.