Spring 2013

Photos from January to June 2013, featuring some PWD workings, such as the weed spraying train on a number of itineraries including the disused South Wexford line, in addition a to other misc freight/passenger workings. Also depicted is the new slate-grey livery of locomotive 071 working the sprayer and Tara Mines trains.
NIR's locomotive No.112 'Northern Counties' approaches Clongriffin Station with a southbound RPSI 'Enterprise' special consisting of Mk2 coaching stock and a dutch generator van. The special returned north behind steam traction. 071 Class No.072 arrives into East Wall with the morning 9:20 loaded ore train from Tara Mines to Alexandra Road. The orange door obtained from a withdrawn 141 Class locomotive is clearly visible. In a rather shabby condition, locomotive No.084 shunts a rake of empty ballast hoppers (HOBS) at East Wall yard.
Having shunted the HOBs wagons in East Wall yard, No.084 backs a single Tara Mines ore wagon onto the front of sister locomotive No.073 which is coupled to the Sperry train. 201 Class locomotive No.22 in Intercity livery approaches Shanderry Bridge west of Portarlington with the loaded Ballina to Waterford timber train. Seen passing the same location at Shanderry is a 3-car ICR set, No.22263, heading for Dublin Heuston.
Approaching Shanderry Bridge from the Portarlington direction, 071 Class locomotive No.080 works a lightly loaded Waterford to Ballina DFDS liner consisting of the pocket container (CPW) wagons. 201 Class locomotive No.231 powers the 09:35 Dublin to Belfast 'Enterprise' on the approach to the Army Camp Bridge just north of Gormanston station. 29000 Class railcar No.29105 leads an 8-car set past Gormanston Army Camp with a morning commuter service from Dublin to Drogheda.
Heading from the Drogheda direction, ICR set No.22212 works a southbound commuter service to Dublin. 071 Class No.072 works the morning 09:20 loaded ore train from Tara Mines to Alexandra Road, with the rake of wagons sporting trace of their red ex-works livery. 071 Class locomotive No.073 passes the former lime kiln building on the approach to Stacumny Bridge near Hazelhatch with the LWR train from Portlaoise to Dublin North Wall.
Sister locomotive No.080 heads south past Stacumny working a rake of empty HOBs wagons from North Wall to Portlaoise. NIR 4000 Class railcar No.4011 pauses at Adelaide with a stopping service into Belfast City. Behind the wooden fencing is the new railcar depot at Adelaide. With Belfast City centre on the horizon, 4011 departs Adelaide station with a northbound service. The former rail-served Guinness yard was once sited to the left beyond the high fencing.
NIR 4000 Class railcar No.4010 is seen departing Lisburn station with an afternoon stopping service to Bangor. The steam age water column is still regularly used by RPSI locomotives. Repainted into the new slate grey livery, 071 Class leader No.071 complete with warning boards, awaits departure from Rosslare Strand for Waterford via the disused South Wexford line with the Irish Rail weed spraying train. Another view of locomotive No.071, awaiting the road west to Waterford at Rosslare Strand, the line of which can be seen diverging in front of the engine. The yellow tanks, mounted on two 40ft bogey wagons, contain water.
Having departed Rosslare Strand, locomotive 071 heads past the site of the former Killinick Station (closed Sept 1976) as it works the weed spray train towards Waterford. Until 1910, a direct line to Wexford diverged to the north here. The only signficant station left on the disused South Wexford line is Wellingtonbridge, where locomotive No.071 is captured again working the weed spray train towards Waterford. The spray is visible towards the rear of the train being ommited from the Mk1 (ex generator) van. The next station west of Wellingtonbridge is Ballycullane, now just a single platform and seen in a forlorn state as locomotive 072 with the weed sprayer passes through. The passenger services over the South Wexford line ceased in 2010.
Last view of 071 and the weed spraying train operating on the South Wexford line is at Campile, another single platform station, which until 1987 was a significant blockpost for sugar beet trains. 071 Class No.083 takes the curve at Fenniscourt south of Bagenalstown on the Waterford line, seen heading the DFDS Ballina-Waterford liner train. Another view of the Waterford bound DFDS liner, seen taking the S-curve at Fenniscourt.
Seen passing the 15½ milepost on the Rush bank is 29000 Class railcar No.29422, descending the gradient with a southbound commuter service from Drogheda to Dublin. 071 Class No.079 heads up the bank from Rush & Lusk, north of the station of the same name, with the weed sprayer, en route from Dublin to Dundalk. The Irish Rail weed spraying train, seen ascending the gradient up Rush & Lusk bank, en route from North Wall to Dundalk.
Locomotive No.076 accelerates out of Drogheda and past Colp Bridge with the 12:20 loaded Tara Mines to Dublin Port ore train. On the horizon to the right can be seen the one time rail served Boyne Road cement factory. As the Dublin bound Tara Mines train disappears into the distance, 201 Class No.206 slows on the approach to Colp Bridge with a Dublin to Belfast 'Enterprise'. Another 'Enterprise' locomotive, No.233, propels the 12:35 Belfast to Dublin service, seen heading south away from Drogheda at Colp Bridge.
Having moved off weed spraying duties, locomotive No.071 approaches Colp Bridge as it works the empty Alexandra Road to Tara Mines ore train prior to diverging onto the Navan branch. 29000 Class railcar No.29105 is glimpsed on the rear of a southbound Drogheda-Dublin service, seen passing Colp near Drogheda. Railcar No.22226 leads a southbound Drogheda-Dublin 6-car ICR set on the approach to the Army Camp Bridge, between Gormanston and Mosney.
071 Class No.079 is captured returning from Dundalk with the weed spraying train at Donabate station, recently refurbished with resurfaced platforms and modern footbridge. Viewed from Newtown Bridge, 071 Class No.071 is at milepost 5½ on the ex GNR(I) Navan branch as it works the morning Tara Mines to Alexandra Road loaded ore train. Caught again, No.071 coasts on the approach to the bridge adjacent to Gormanston Army Camp as it leads the morning 09:20 Tara Mines to Dublin Port train.
A Welsh visitor at Dublin's Heuston station; Ffestiniog Railway 0-4-0 locomotive No.1 'Princess', which until the 24th June was on display by platform 6 as part of the 'The Gathering'.