Galway Bay Railtour (1984) - Whitehead Railway Museum

A weekend involving two locomotives, train splitting and glorious weather. Saturday 12th May: (171 ECS) Mullingar - Dublin Connolly; (184 LE) Mullingar - Athlone - Claremorris; (171) Dublin Connolly - Mullingar - Athlone - Claremorris; (184) Claremorris - Athenry - Galway; (171+2) Claremorris - Castlerea; (171+2 ECS) Castlerea - Athlone - Mullingar - Athlone - Galway. Claremorris to Castlerea was a local public excursion, returning by service train. Sunday 13th May: (171) Galway - Ballinasloe; (184) Galway - Ballinasloe; (171+184) Ballinasloe - Athlone; (171) Athlone - Mullingar - Dublin Connolly - Belfast Central; (184 LE) Ballinasloe - Athlone - Mullingar. Train split and ‘leap frogging’ with both engines Galway to Ballinasloe, with engines side by side at Athenry. Monday 14th May: (171) Belfast Central - Lisburn - Antrim - Belfast YR - Larne Harbour - Whitehead.

12/5/1984: Early Saturday morning at Liffey Junction, and No.171 is bringing the empty carriages in from Mullingar. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: No.171, starting the train out of Dublin Connolly, passes Ossary Road. The beautiful weather was to last all weekend. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: Passing Liffey Junction, looking down towards Broadstone.

12/5/1984: Heading west at Blakestown crossing, nearing Maynooth. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: Water stop at Enfield. (Courtesy M. Hoey)

12/5/1984: No.171 leaving Enfield with the tour train.(J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: The rail and canal viaducts over the River Boyne. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: Passing the loop at Hill of Down, occupied by an Up liner. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: No.171 getting water at Mullingar.

12/5/1984: The tour train leaving Mullingar. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: The tour train enters Athlone over the River Shannon. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: Athlone Midland station. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: Taking the Mayo route at Athlone West junction. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: After Athlone the route was via the 'Mayo Road' and the train is at Kiltoom. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: Taking the staff at speed through Knockcroghery. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: The train lit beautifully by the sun at Roscommon. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: A photo opportunity from the level crossing gates at Castlerea.

12/5/1984: The local children turn out to see the train at Castlerea. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: Another large crowd of sightseers at Ballyhaunis. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: No.171 flying along west of Castlerea. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: Between Castlerea and Ballyhaunis.

12/5/1984: No.171 leaving Ballyhaunis. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: The former station of Bekan. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: At Claremorris, No.171 came off the train. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: With No.171 off the train, No.184 waits to haul it to Athenry and Galway. No.171 will take 2 carriages to Galway via Athlone. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: No.184 waits to take over at Claremorris.

12/5/1984: No.171 taking water from the tank on the stub of the Ballinrobe branch.

12/5/1984: No.184 shunting the train at Claremorris. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: The local Gardaí are out in force at Lisduff crossing, south of Claremorris. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: More spectators for No.184 at Avenue crossing. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: No.184 heading south between Claremorris and Ballindine. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: Passing the former block post of Ballindine. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: Cloonrane crossing, and what looks like photographer Tony Gray on the other side. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: Tuam still looking very neat and tidy. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: No.184 south of Ballyglunin. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: Between Ballyglunin and Athenry was the former Belville Siding, provided for the loading of beet. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: Back on the main Galway line again, and passing Oranmore which is in the process of being rationalised. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: No.184 at Oranmore. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: No.184 has reached Galway, and has shunted its train to run round in the loop on the Lough Atalia bridge. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: No.184 coming on to the Galway turntable. (J. Hunt)

12/5/1984: The turntable in front of the shed in Galway. (J.A. Cassells)

12/5/1984: Last movement of the day for No.184 after being turned is to take water to be ready for the morning. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: It's Sunday morning and at Galway both locomotives are preparing to take half a train each to Ballinasloe. (J.A. Cassells)

13/5/1984: No.171 will be first to depart Galway.

13/5/1984: No.171 passing the outskirts of Galway. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: No.184 is getting a last-minute top up by hose before departing Galway. (N. Gardner)

13/5/1984: No.184 leaving Galway. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: No.184 heading towards Athenry. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: The locomotives and their trains side by side in Athenry. (J.A. Cassells)

13/5/1984: There are so many versions of this photograph at Athenry.

13/5/1984: Another view of Athenry. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: No.171 leaving Athenry. No.184 can be seen at the station. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: No.171 stopped at Attymon Junction. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: No.184 follows No.171 out of Athenry. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: No.184 and its 'half' train leaving Woodlawn. (N. Gardner)

13/5/1984: The trains have re-combined at Ballinasloe, to be double-headed to Athlone. (J.A. Cassells)

13/5/1984: No.171 and No.184 between Ballinasloe and Athlone. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: No.171 at Streamstown between Athlone and Mullingar. No.184 had come off in Athlone. (J.A. Cassells)

13/5/1984: No.171 getting coaled at Mullingar.

13/5/1984: Robin Morton with his 'servicing' gear on in Mullingar.

13/5/1984: No.171 and van 114 leaving the yard at Mullingar.

13/5/1984: No.461 languishing in front of Mullingar shed, with No.184's original small tender in front.

13/5/1984: No.171 leaving Mullingar. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: No.184 followed light from Athlone to Mullingar, seen at Newbrook just outside Mullingar. (J.A. Cassells)

13/5/1984: No.171 passing 46th Mile Box. (J.A. Cassells)

13/5/1984: Crossing the River Boyne near Moyvalley. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: No.171 near Balbriggan on the way from Dublin to Belfast. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: As the light dims, No.171 cross the River Boyne at Drogheda. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: No.171 on the Boyne viaduct. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: No.171 climbing towards Mountpleasant, north of Dundalk. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1984: The first passenger train to stop at the new Newry station. It was due to open the following day.

14/5/1984: On the Monday it was the usual 'round the houses' trip from Belfast CSD to Whitehead. No.171 is shunting Diner 87 at York Road.

14/5/1984: The tour had turned the train and the Diner needed to be oriented as before, so on to the turntable at York Road.

14/5/1984: The tour ventured on to Larne Harbour. The old station still existed.

14/5/1984: No.171 at Larne Harbour, getting ready to shunt out.

14/5/1984: The train has been shunted to the other side of the island platform at Larne Harbour. The Galloway Princess is on the Stranraer route.