South Wexford Railtour (1978) - Whitehead Railway Museum

This was the time of filming for the "First Great Train Robbery" and so No.186 is in the film livery, as is No.184 which the tour train meets up with on the Sunday. Saturday 10th June: (4 ECS) Dublin Pearse Dublin Heuston; (4) Dublin Heuston - Limerick Junction - Carrick-on-Suir; (186 LE) Waterford - Carrick-on-Suir; (4+186) Carrick-on-Suir - Waterford; (186) Waterford - New Ross & return; (186 LE) Waterford - Rosslare Strand - Wexford South; (4) Waterford - Rosslare Strand - Wexford South; (4 LE) Wexford South - Rosslare Harbour; (186) Wexford South - Wexford North; (186 LE) Wexford North - Rosslare Harbour. No.186 was being prepared at Waterford for the New Ross trip when summoned to assist No.4. (No.4’s heavy use of water was due to running some distance with the steam brake inadvertently on.) Sunday 11th June: (186 LE) Rosslare Harbour - Wexford North; (186) Wexford North - Rosslare Pier; (4+186) Rosslare - Waterford - Limerick Junction; (4) Limerick Junction - Dublin Pearse. At Cahir No.4 was detached and ran light across the viaduct, where double-heading was not permitted. Monday 12th June: (4) Dublin Pearse - Lisburn - Antrim - Belfast YR - Whitehead.

8/6/1978: No.4, moving the train to Dublin in advance of the tour, crosses the Craigmore Viaduct. (J. Hunt)

8/6/1978: The positioning train enters Drogheda across the River Boyne. (J. Hunt)

10/6/1978: The main tour started out of Dublin Heuston, but here No.4 is lifting the train out of the sidings at Pearse where it had been stored for a couple of days. Note the distinctive signal cabin. (B. Pickup)

10/6/1978: Crossing the River Barrow at Monasterevan. (T.M. Bagworth)

10/6/1978: The first stop out of Dublin was at Ballybrophy for water.

10/6/1978: Charles Friel looks on to make sure the water bag stays in place.

10/6/1978: No.4 and GS&WR 12-wheeler 861 make a fine sight at the Ballybrophy stop.

10/6/1978: No.4 and train passing Thurles. (T.M. Bagworth)

10/6/1978: With the shed in Thurles still available, No.184 was there in its film livery. (J. Hunt)

10/6/1978: No.4 and train have arrived in Limerick Junction.

10/6/1978: No.4 in the yard at Limerick Junction for water.

10/6/1978: A bit of shunting was required to clear the platforms at Limerick Junction for service trains.

10/6/1978: Waterford driver Jack O'Neill having a quiet moment before leaving Limerick Junction.

10/6/1978: The staff for Tipperary is in the fireman's hand as No.4 crosses the Cork main line. (J. Hunt)

10/6/1978: No.4 approaching Cahir. (T.M. Bagworth)

10/6/1978: Water was running low on No.4 so No.186 was sent from Waterford to meet the tour train at Carrick-on-Suir. No.186 has just coupled to the train.

10/6/1978: No.4 coupled to the front of the train and double-headed to Waterford, where it is seen in the main through platform.

10/6/1978: A large number of passengers took to a lineside bus to chase No.186 and three carriages to New Ross, seen here approaching Abbey Junction. (J. Hunt)

10/6/1978: The train was captured from the main Waterford to New Ross road.

10/6/1978: The same lineside location as the train speeds away.

10/6/1978: The vantage point has changed to the other side of the line for a shot across the valley.

10/6/1978: Another lineside location on the way to New Ross. (J. Hunt)

10/6/1978: The approach to New Ross, with the River Barrow in the background.

10/6/1978: The main road lined with photographers as No.186 slows for the level crossing into New Ross.

10/6/1978: Entering New Ross station, by then only a goods facility. (J. Hunt)

10/6/1978: No.186 has run round its train at New Ross. (T.M. Bagworth)

10/6/1978: While No.186 ran round at New Ross and took the train back to Waterford, the lineside bus went down the opposite bank of the river to Kilmokea, where after a long wait No.4 came out of Waterford and was caught crossing the Barrow Bridge.

10/6/1978: No.4 comes off the Barrow Bridge and enters Kilmokea. (J. Hunt)

10/6/1978: No.4 approaching Rosslare Strand. (T.M. Bagworth)

10/6/1978: No.4 at Rosslare Strand; it will run to Wexford South, set down tour participants, leave the carriages there and run light to Rosslare Harbour to stable. No.186 will collect the train for stabling in Wexford North, then run back to the Harbour.

11/6/1978: The tour passengers have overnighted in Wexford, No.4, No.186 and coach 114 at Rosslare Harbour. On Sunday morning No.186, seen on Wexford Quay, has come to collect the train and passengers.

11/6/1978: Not too many people about to see this early morning movement.

11/6/1978: No.186 has attached the van to the Dublin end of the train at Wexford North. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978. The locomotive has uncoupled again and is about to change ends to head south with the train.

11/6/1978: Heading south along Wexford Quay to meet up with No.4 at Rosslare Harbour. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: No.186 arriving at Rosslare Strand from Wexford, on the way to the Harbour. (T.M. Bagworth)

11/6/1978: No.186 has hauled the train onto the pier at Rosslare Harbour, run round, and is now coming back towards the mainland.

11/6/1978: The farm machinery beside the train in the previous shot can be seen in the background in this view. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: No.4 coming from the locomotive yard at Rosslare Harbour. (T.M. Bagworth)

11/6/1978: A service train departs north from Rosslare Harbour. No.186 has its train on the pier and No.4 waits to join it. (T.M. Bagworth)

11/6/1978: No.4 has coupled to the train and the pair are double-heading. They have just entered the South Wexford line and are seen at Killinick.

11/6/1978: A head-on view at Killinick. (T.M. Bagworth)

11/6/1978: A fine view at Bridgetown. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: A runpast at Duncormick.

11/6/1978: A lineside bus took photographers to Taylorstown Viaduct.

11/6/1978: The double-headed train powering away from Taylorstown.

11/6/1978: A stop at Ballycullane. (T.M. Bagworth)

11/6/1978: Two locomotives on the Barrow Bridge. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: No.4 and No.186 have arrived in Waterford. (R. Collins)

11/6/1978: No.4 and No.186 have uncoupled and move to the yard at Waterford for water and coal. (R. Collins)

11/6/1978: Passing the yard on leaving Waterford. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: No.4 and No.186 hurry past Kilsheelan as signalman Tom Logan waits to hand over the staff for Clonmel. (R. Collins)

11/6/1978: Fine weather and countryside near Clonmel. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: No.186 at Clonmel, detached to take water. (T.M. Bagworth)

11/6/1978: No.4 has been detached at Cahir and crossed the viaduct light. Here waiting for No.186 and train to catch up. (T.M. Bagworth)

11/6/1978. Crossing the viaduct at Cahir. No.4 was uncoupled to run ahead as there was a weight restriction on the bridge. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: Another view of the viaduct at Cahir.

11/6/1978: No.4 and No.186 leaving Cahir. (T.M. Bagworth)

11/6/1978: A closer view of No.4 and No.186 leaving Cahir. (T.M. Bagworth)

11/6/1978: No.184 had run light from Thurles and was waiting at Limerick Junction for the tour train. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: No.184 in Limerick Junction yard. (T.M. Bagworth)

11/6/1978: No.186 (having turned on the triangle), No.184 and No.4 all in steam at Limerick Junction. (T.M. Bagworth)

11/6/1978: The tour train has arrived at Limerick Junction and No.186, after turning on the triangle, has coupled to No.184 in the yard. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: No.4 has joined the J15s in the yard. A rare shot of 3 RPSI locomotives in steam.

11/6/1978: Both locomotives have steam up for the run south to Cork for more film work. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: The coupled J15s leave the yard. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: The locomotives pose for photographs at the rear of the tour train. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: No.4 has the road for the main line north, while the J15s blow off in the rear. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: The film stars, with a van in tow, depart Limerick Junction for Cork. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1978: At Ballybrophy, No.4 left the train on the Up platform and ran to the column on the Down platform for water. Here it is backing on to its train again.

11/6/1978: Entering Phoenix Park tunnel on the way to Pearse.

12/6/1978: On Monday morning tour participants gathered at Dublin Pearse, and here No.4 is entering from the Connolly direction.

12/6/1978: No.4 at the south end of Pearse.

12/6/1978: No.4 running round its train at Pearse.

12/6/1978: No.4, returning the tour train to Belfast, is at Howth Junction. Many changes since this was taken - the signal box and semaphores disappeared in the 1980s with the DART, and the Kilbarrack flats have been demolished. (B. Pickup)

12/6/1978: Water stop at Drogheda.

12/6/1978: Norman Foster and Peter Scott, among others, may be seen in this view of Drogheda.

12/6/1978: No.4 climbs towards Adavoyle. (J. Hunt)

12/6/1978: Inspector Frank Dunlop heading for the footplate at Portadown.

12/6/1978: Portadown - was this a parcel/newspaper still running in 1978?

12/6/1978: Entering the bay platform at Lisburn, ready for the reversal to Antrim. (J. Hunt)

12/6/1978: No.4 running round at Antrim, as viewed from the GNR(I) yard.

12/6/1978: Savouring the racetrack at Bleach Green in the way into Belfast York Road.