Saint Munchin Railtour (1999)

Saturday 8th May: (461 ECS) Dublin Heuston - Ballybrophy; (85) Dublin Heuston - Ballybrophy; (85 LE) Ballybrophy - Limerick Junction; (461) Ballybrophy - Nenagh -Limerick - Ennis - Limerick. Sunday 9th May: (85) Limerick Junction - Dublin Connolly - Belfast Central; (85 LE) Belfast Central - Whitehead; Passengers bussed to the Junction due to an engineer’s possession. Monday 10th May: (171) Whitehead - Belfast Central - Lisburn - Antrim - Castlerock - Antrim - Lisburn - Belfast Central - Whitehead.

8/5/1999: No.85 on the Inchicore turntable prior to the tour. (J. Hunt)

8/5/1999: No.461 and No.85 at Inchicore prior to the tour. (J. Hunt)

8/5/1999: No.85 at the departure platform at Dublin Heuston. (M. Birchenough)

8/5/1999: No.85 taking water from the bridge above at Portarlington. (M. Birchenough)

8/5/1999: View from the bridge at Portarlington, showing the Cork main line and the branch to Athlone. (M. Birchenough)

8/5/1999: No.85 and the Cravens have arrived at Ballybrophy's loop platform. No.461 and the heritage set wait in the bay. (M. Birchenough)

8/5/1999: Leaving Roscrea and passing the former junction to Birr.

8/5/1999: No.461 and train stopped at Birdhill. (M. Birchenough)

8/5/1999: Leaving Birdhill.

8/5/1999: No.461 passing Lisnagry on the way from Ballybrophy to Limerick.

8/5/1999: The tour train has arrived in Limerick. (M. Birchenough)

8/5/1999: Hard to get a photograph with the crowds of locals at Limerick. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: No.461 hauled a return trip to Ennis. The train is on the long curve from Ennis Junction around the outskirts of Limerick to Singland level crossing. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: Approaching Singland level crossing. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: Nearing Meelick. (J. Daly)

8/5/1999: No.461 and train at Ennis. A miserable afternoon, as the umbrellas testify. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: No.461 at Ennis. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: No.461 runs round at Ennis. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: Ennis station. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: No.461 on the return journey, with Ennis in the background. (M. Birchenough)

8/5/1999: No.461 approaching the River Shannon bridge. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: Returning around the outskirts of Limerick. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: No.461 and train at Limerick's Platform 1. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: Plenty of help available at Limerick shed. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: Because of an engineering possession the following day, No.461 and train were hauled by diesel to Limerick Junction on the Saturday evening. GM 163 has coupled up to No.461 at Limerick. (J. Coleman)

8/5/1999: At Limerick 163 is taking No.461 to be coupled up to its train, seen alongside. (J. Coleman)

9/5/1999: Sunday was gloomy and wet, and it was a bus to Limerick Junction because of engineering work. No.461 is waiting as a Down Cork train approaches. (M. Birchenough)

9/5/1999: No.85 was also waiting at the Junction. (M. Birchenough)

9/5/1999: No.85 about to move the Cravens to the platform at the Junction. (M. Birchenough)

9/5/1999: Water stop at a very gloomy Thurles. (M. Birchenough)

9/5/1999: Platform 5 at Dublin Connolly. (M. Birchenough)

9/5/1999: Water stop at Drogheda. (M. Birchenough)

10/5/1999: The Monday too was miserable, as No.171 makes ready to leave Whitehead for a return trip to Castlerock. (M. Birchenough)

10/5/1999: The train has passed Belfast Central and is about to round Central Junction. (M. Birchenough)

10/5/1999: A stop at Antrim to cross a service train. (M. Birchenough)

10/5/1999: Water stop at Ballymena. (M. Birchenough)

10/5/1999: No.171 is running round in Castlerock. (M. Birchenough)

10/5/1999: No.171 coupled up again at Castlerock. (M. Birchenough)

10/5/1999: No.171 has hauled the train tender-first to Coleraine, where it has turned and is facing south for the return trip. (M. Birchenough)

10/5/1999: Water stop at Ballymena's Up column. (M. Birchenough)

10/5/1999: The train has gone out and back via the Antrim branch, hence this stop at Lisburn on the return journey. (M. Birchenough)