Slieve Kimalta Railtour (2004)

Saturday 7th May: (4) Dublin Connolly - Limerick Junction - Ballybrophy - Nenagh - Limerick; Sunday 8th May: (4) Limerick - Limerick Junction - Dublin Connolly - Dundalk - Dublin Connolly); Monday 9th May: (85) Dundalk - Bangor - Belfast Central - Whitehead - Belfast Central. All photographs by C.P. Friel unless otherwise credited.

7/5/2004: It's 3am on Saturday at Dublin Connolly. Bill White is lining No.4's firebox with coal. Bringing the boiler water from cold to boiling point takes about 5 hours.

7/5/2004: With one match the 35th annual RPSI International Railtour gets under way and only two people are there to see it!

7/5/2004: Very soon the fire has taken hold of the pallet of wood in the firebox and is starting to burn coal. At this stage it's advisable to leave the damper open a crack and put on the kettle (electric!) for a cup of tea.

7/5/2004: Outside the locomotive slowly warms up in the moonlight and glow from the lamps of Connolly shed.

7/5/2004: At the abnormal hour of 5am, Alex Richardson arrives to clean the carriages and make sure the toilets are full of water (yes, they do start off full)!

7/5/2004: At 6:30am, No.4 is making steam. The steam raisers have oiled around and the day shift have arrived. Time for them to nip out for a wash and breakfast!

7/5/2004: Very soon our participants are awake, breakfasted and we are under way and confidently approaching "the gullet", past the mouth of Heuston station and on the climb to Inchicore works.

7/5/2004: At Portarlington we have our first waterstop of the day. Water columns are all but gone from around Ireland and often roadside hydrants have to be used instead.

7/5/2004: The tour train has run to Limerick Junction and No.4 runs round to reverse direction. (B. Robertson)

7/5/2004: Running round at Limerick Junction. (B. Robertson)

7/5/2004: Ready to head north again at Limerick Junction. (B. Robertson)

7/5/2004: In Thurles shortly after 11am and some participants would like time to have a little refresher. Mervyn is reading the phone number of the "Signal Box" pub in Ballybrophy to Robin for a quick call to let them know we are coming.

7/5/2004: The tour train has reached Ballybrophy. (B. Robertson)

7/5/2004: At Ballybrophy the train is on the main line and needs to shunt to access the Nenagh branch, seen veering to the left.. (B. Robertson)

7/5/2004: Despite being phoned in advance, we still took them by surprise! The Signal Box in Ballybrophy - possibly the best find of the weekend. Not a joke - look at the next picture for the view from the front door.

7/5/2004: No.4 shunts to the Nenagh Bay at Ballybrophy, whilst the passengers sup a cold pint in the sun. Heaven!

7/5/2004: The train in the Nenagh bay at Ballybrophy. (B. Robertson)

7/5/2004: On the train were the t-shirted Catering Crew. Pulling pints, pouring teas, gathering litter, pushing trolleys, cleaning and watering toilets and sinks - the list seems endless! Is that Robin Morton at the bar again?

7/5/2004: A typical view of the green, flat country around Tipperary. Heading for Limerick now, with Slieve Kimalta off screen to the right.

7/5/2004: In Limerick there is much work to do. Alex (who snatched some sleep since 5am) was watering and cleaning carriages. Others were cleaning the fire and ashpan, unpacking 2 pallets of coal and ensuring the tank was filled for the morning.

8/5/2004: After the railtour dinner and the delights of Limerick city, everyone looked very happy at 9:30am on Sunday morning, as we await departure from Limerick for Dublin.

8/5/2004: A view of departure preparations from under Limerick's roof. (J. Coleman)

8/5/2004: Departing Limerick bunker-first. (J. Coleman)

8/5/2004: Limerick station throat. (J. Coleman)

8/5/2004: A fine show of steam under Limerick's Roxboro Road bridge. (J. Coleman)

8/5/2004: One for the diesel buffs! At Limerick Junction, as well as a superb set of semaphore signals, we were able to see 124 - one of the very last 121 class locos still in traffic.

8/5/2004: Taking water at Thurles. (B. Robertson)

8/5/2004: Two men for whom steam is a way of life. Tony and Dan ensure that what the RPSI overhaul continues to be put through its paces on Irish Rail.

8/5/2004: Back at Dublin Connolly. (B. Robertson)

8/5/2004: Arrival into Dublin Connolly Platform 5 was slightly ahead of time. The loco was eventually released and is seen here heading towards the shed for turning, more coal and yet more water for the run to Dundalk. (B.Pickup)

8/5/2004: In the evening there was a return trip to Dundalk to allow a railcar connection from there north for those passengers who needed to get home on Sunday. No.4 is taking water at Drogheda. (B. Robertson)

8/5/2004: Departing Drogheda to cross the River Boyne. (B. Robertson)

9/5/2004: With no carriages available north of Dundalk on Sunday (RPSI MK2s not yet approved), it was a diesel north from there. But Cravens were available on Monday, so a diesel south again to Dundalk where No.85 simmers quietly. (B. Pickup)

9/5/2004: The weather had definitely picked up as we left the Lisburn water stop heading for Bangor. (B. Pickup)

9/5/2004: A special mention here for those who clean locomotives (one of the least glamorous jobs), yet one that makes such a difference. No.4 was spotless leaving Dublin on Saturday and No.85 the same on Monday, here leaving Belfast Central. (B. Pickup)

9/5/2004: No.85 and Cravens have reached Bangor. (B. Robertson)

9/5/2004: No.85 picks her way past the Hilton, the PWC building, the BT tower and the Waterfront Hall. Such a change since 10 years previously.

9/5/2004: It's late Monday afternoon and "Merlin" confidently pulls past the famous cranes of Harland and Wolff and the Lagan Weir on her way to Whitehead.

9/5/2004: No.85 has just arrived back at Whitehead from Dundalk - blue sky and a blue engine! (M. Olver)