Boyne Valley Railtour (1977) - Whitehead Railway Museum

This was the first tour to start from two centres, No.186 coming from Dublin and No.171 from Bangor on 24th September 1977. They met at Drogheda and the joint train visited Tara Mines and Kingscourt. (171) Bangor - Belfast Central - Drogheda; (186) Dublin Pearse - Drogheda; (171) Drogheda - Navan; (186 LE) Drogheda - Navan; (171+train+186) Navan - Tara Mine & return; (171 ECS) Navan - Drogheda & return; (186) Navan - Kingscourt & return; (171+186) Navan - Drogheda; (171) Drogheda - Belfast Central; (186) Drogheda - Dublin; (186 LE) Dublin Connolly - Mullingar. All photos are by Joe Cassells except where otherwise indicated.

An unusual venture was for the tour to start from Bangor.

No.171 in full flight through Carnalea.

Passing Ballymacarrett Junction, with the lines to Central Services Depot in the foreground.

Passing Knockmore Halt on the GNR main line.

Near Cloghogue Chapel, outside Newry.

A footplate view of Jackie Kitchen driving, Frank Dunlop firing and Willie McCaughley admiring the view.

Taking the sharp curve into Drogheda station.

No.171 creeps along the platform at Drogheda.

No.171 has arrived at Drogheda from the north. (J. McKegney)

No.171 has turned at Drogheda and is hauling the combined train past Duleek on the Navan line.

The approach to Navan station is on a viaduct which crosses town streets and the River Boyne.

At Navan Junction the remains of the platform on the line from Clonsilla can just be seen.

No.186 had also turned at Drogheda and followed light to Navan. There it coupled to the rear of the train to visit Tara Mines. This is the return from the mines with No.186 now leading and passing the Kingscourt line,

Back at Navan a bit of shunting was involved for No.171 to remove a couple of coaches.

Both engines on the viaduct at Navan.

No.171 and two coaches ready to depart Navan. The full combined train would be too long to shunt in Kingscourt.

No.171 leaving Navan for Drogheda. It will service there and return later.

No.186 and train ready to depart Navan for Kingscourt. (D. O'Regan)

No.186 is heading along the Kingscourt branch - beyond Nobber at walking pace!

At Lisnagrew crossing.

A very crowded platform at Kingscourt.

After a very complicated shunt at Kingscourt to enable No.186 to run round, the return train is passing Kilmainham Wood.

Near Nobber; possibly the distant signal for Spiddal gates.

No.186 and train at Wilkinstown.

The tour train approaching Gibbstown.

Arriving back at Navan.

No.171 has turned at Drogheda and is now back at Navan awaiting the train's return from Kingscourt. (D. O'Regan)

At Navan the two coaches were added to the train again and No.171 piloted No.186 back to Drogheda, seen here arriving at Beauparc.

No.171 and No.186 restarting the train from Beauparc.