Seandún Railtour (1976)

Saturday 12th June: (171) Dublin Heuston - Cork; (186) Cork - Youghal - Cobh Junction; (171 LE) Cork - Cobh Junction; (171) Cobh Junction - Cobh - North Esk Yard - Cork; (186 LE) Cobh Junction - Cork. Sunday 13th June: (186) Cork - Cobh - Cork; (186+171) Cork - Rathpeacon - Cork - Mallow; (171) Mallow - Dublin Heuston - Belfast Central - Belfast CSD; (186 LE) Mallow - Mullingar. All photographs by J.A. Cassells, unless otherwise noted.

10/6/1976: No.171 and train approach Pearse. The train will be stabled in the south sidings here until the Saturday of the tour.

10/6/1976: No.171 and train enter Pearse.

10/6/1976: A northbound service train departs from Pearse.

12/6/1976: No.171 has hauled the train from Dublin Heuston, and is taking water at Ballybrophy.

12/6/1976: A closer look at Ballybrophy's water crane.

12/6/1976: No.171 is in the yard at Limerick Junction for water.

12/6/1976: Limerick Junction's massive water tank is in the distance, and the station is visible to the right.

12/6/1976: Assorted stock at the former Fermoy bay platform at Mallow, probably for the Permanent Way Department.

12/6/1976: No.171 seen from the Down bay platform at Mallow. The Down platform starter is off for the Cork direction.

12/6/1976: No.171 is now on the Down platform at Mallow. (D O'Regan)

12/6/1976: The train has arrived in Cork with No.171. No.186 is waiting in the bay for the Youghal leg.

12/6/1976: No.171 lightens the load by one coach for No.186's trip to Youghal.

12/6/1976: At Cork, No.186 has coupled up to take the train to Youghal.

12/6/1976: No.186 at Middleton on the way to Youghal.

12/6/1976: A large crowd greets No.186's arrival in Youghal.

12/6/1976: Youghal's turntable was thankfully still operable - for 121 diesels.

12/6/1976: GS&WR 12-wheeler 861 was a popular carriage to travel in. Seen at Youghal.

12/6/1976: No.186 has turned at Youghal which gives the opportunity for the crew to tidy the tender, and for the local children to visit the footplate.

12/6/1976: RPSI crew had at work shovelling coal on the tender.

12/6/1976: At Cobh Junction, No.171 was waiting and hauled the train from there to Cobh, which still had two platforms.

12/6/1976: No.171 has come off the train and is pictured in the turntable siding at the Cork end of Cobh.

13/6/1976: At Cork's locomotive shed area on the Sunday morning (we think).

13/6/1976: No.171 and No.186 get up steam at Cork.

13/6/1976: The locomotives getting ready for their double-header. A fine collection of vans can be seen in the background.

13/6/1976: 031 on an Up train emerges from Cork tunnel at Kilbarry.

13/6/1976: Steam and smoke precede the train out of Cork tunnel.

13/6/1976: No.171 is the first to emerge from the tunnel.

13/6/1976: Both locos are clear of the tunnel, but leave a trail of smoke and steam behind them.

13/6/1976: An Up service crosses Kilnap Viaduct, just south of Rathpeacon.

13/6/1976: The train has run as far as Rathpeacon, where the double-header has swapped ends and is heading back to Cork over Kilnap Viaduct.

13/6/1976: No.186 on the avoiding line around the back of Cork station.

13/6/1976: No.186 on the avoiding line around the back of Cork station.