Thomond Railtour (1982) - Whitehead Railway Museum

No.171 and No.184 worked the tour, No.171 operating the positioning run on 8th May from Whitehead to Mullingar. Saturday 15th May: (171 ECS) Mullingar - Dublin Connolly; (171) Dublin Connolly - Portarlington - Athlone; (184) Athlone - Athenry - Limerick; (171) Athlone - Portarlington - Limerick Junction - Limerick; (184 LE) Limerick - Limerick Junction & return (to turn). No.171 was banned from working between Athenry and Limerick. Sunday 16th May: (184) Limerick - Foynes - Limerick; (171+184) Limerick - Roscrea; (171) Roscrea - Ballybrophy - Dublin Connolly; (GM) Dublin Connolly - Dundalk, The Foynes leg included the stub of the North Kerry line at Ballingrane. Due to hot bogie axlebox, No.171 was failed at Dublin and the tour continued diesel-hauled to Dundalk, where it terminated due to industrial action on NIR.

8/5/1982: No.171 has run from Whitehead to Belfast York Road, and is returning through Whitehouse to run out to Antrim. (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: Climbing the bank through Mossley. (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: The short-lived NIR station at Templepatrick (now completely obliterated). (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: Muckamore platforms are still just visible. (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: Having run round at Antrim, No.171 runs tender-first across the Sixmilewater viaduct. (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: The train reversed again at Lisburn and is heading south through Moira. (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: Crossing the Canal Bridge near Poyntzpass. (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: Kellystown cabin (between Dundalk and Drogheda) is still in place. It was not long before the cabin was destroyed by vandals. (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: Flying through Laytown. (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: Running out the Midland line through Lucan North - yet to be re-doubled. (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: The train slows to enter Enfield. (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: Crossing the River Boyne near Moyvalley, with the canal aqueduct behind. (J.A. Cassells)

8/5/1982: At Mullingar the train is at the Down Galway platform and No.171 has changed ends. (J.A. Cassells)

15/5/1982: The main tour started on Saturday, and No.171 has reached Tullamore.

15/5/1982: No.171 taking water at Athlone Midland as an Up service enters the station.

15/5/1982: No.171 at Athlone.

15/5/1982: As No.171 was barred from working between Athenry and Limerick, No.184 took over at Athlone. It is waiting in the yard for No.171 to come off.

15/5/1982: No.171 has removed coach 861 at Athlone (possibly to allow removal of support coach 114). No.184 is coming in from its holding area.

15/5/1982: No.184 preparing for departure from Athlone Midland. On the barrow path are two prominent members of the time, Philip Booth and Denis Grimshaw. (R. Newman)

15/5/1982: No.184 passing Athlone shed, heading west. (J. Hunt)

15/5/1982: No.184 at Ballinasloe.

15/5/1982: No.184 storms Woodlawn bank. (J. Hunt)

15/5/1982: An Up train expected at Attymon.

15/5/1982: Henry Beaumont with an armful of posters at Athenry.

15/5/1982: No.184 at Athenry.

15/5/1982: No.184 at Craughwell.

15/5/1982: Between Craughwell and Ardrahan. (J. Hunt)

15/5/1982: No.184 getting some attention at Ardrahan.

15/5/1982: An admiring crowd at Ardrahan.

15/5/1982: Ardrahan signal cabin.

15/5/1982: No.184 heading south between Gort and Tubber. (J. Hunt)

15/5/1982: The train arrives into Ennis. The West Clare yard was into the left. (J. Hunt)

15/5/1982: No.184 has stopped short at Ennis to make use of the water column to the north of the platform.

15/5/1982: Raising a good fire at Ennis for the run to Limerick.

15/5/1982: No.184 heading to the shed at Limerick. It will later run with two coaches to Limerick Junction to turn. (J. Hunt)

16/5/1982: On Sunday morning there was a trip to Foynes and No.184 is seen between Limerick and Adare.

16/5/1982: No.184 is approaching Foynes.

16/5/1982: No.184 has run round its train at Foynes.

16/5/1982: No.184 leaving Foynes again.

16/5/1982: Photo stop at Askeaton. (J. Coleman)

16/5/1982: At Ballingrane, the train backed up along the North Kerry line for a runpast. The line to Foynes is on the right.

16/5/1982: No.184 at Ballingrane.

16/5/1982: Crossing the River Maigue at Adare.

16/5/1982: No.184 at Adare.

16/5/1982: At Patrickswell, once the junction for the line to Charleville. (J. Hunt)

16/5/1982: Back at Limerick No.171 was being prepared. (D. O'Mordha)

16/5/1982: No.171 moves from the shed back to the station. (D. O'Mordha)

16/5/1982: No.184 has had a quick service and is coming away from the shed. (D. O'Mordha)

16/5/1982: As No.184 backs down to the station, No.171 can be seen waiting to come on front. (D. O'Mordha)

16/5/1982: No.171 and No.184 departing Limerick. (J. Hunt)

16/5/1982: The double-header has stopped at Nenagh.

16/5/1982: A photo stop at Roscrea. No.184 has come off and will go light to Mullingar. No.171 will go forward with the train.

16/5/1982: No.171 coming into Ballybrophy off the Nenagh line. The signals are (l-r): Bay, Up Main, Down Main. (A. Vaughan)

16/5/1982: No.171 on the turntable at Ballybrophy.

16/5/1982: No.171 being turned at Ballybrophy. (A. Vaughan)

16/5/1982: No.171 has turned and is ready to depart Ballybrophy for Dublin. (A. Vaughan)

16/5/1982: No.171 has hauled the train up to Dublin and is seen near Cabra on the way to Connolly.

16/5/1982: The photographer is at Newcomen Junction as the train passes North Strand. The locomotive was failed at Connolly and operated no further. (J. Hunt)

17/5/1982: On the Monday No.171 was operated light from Connolly to Whitehead and is seen at Dundalk.

17/5/1982: No.131 at Dundalk.