Winter 2013

Photos from the period September-December featuring one last visit to the Kildare area for liner/timber freight trains before the days got shorter, and the last of the RPSI specials of 2013. The following station galleries have been added/updated : Bessbrook, Bush, Carlingford, Dundalk Quay Street.
201 Class locomotive No.221 works south across the Curragh with a Mk4 Dublin - Cork express. 071 Class locomotive No.086 has just one timber wagon in tow as it works an Up wagon transfer from Limerick to Dublin. The door from a withdrawn black & orange liveried 141 Class locomotive is quite evident on the engine. Locomotive No.074 takes the curves through Fenniscourt, south of Bagenalstown, with the Waterford to Ballina DFDS liner, formed of the pocket container wagons.
Locomotive No.074 is captured again, having reversed its DFDS liner train in Kildare and is now heading west towards Ballina at Cherryville Jct. Locomotive No.081 heads through the quiet station at Monasterevin with the loaded Westport to Ballina timber train. Locomotive No.081 is seen a little later heading its Waterford bouund timber train near Oghill, south of Cherryville Junction. The old double-track formation is clearly visible on this stretch of the Waterford line between Cherryville and Athy.
071 Class loco No.077, in its slate-grey livery, rests in the ballast siding in East Wall yard, Dublin, as the British Airways A380 approaches while taking part in Dublin's Flightfest festival. 201 Class locomotive No.222 approaches the site of Cherry Orchard station with the up Ballina to North Wall IWT liner train, while an ICR passes south with a service from Dublin. The new Cherry Orchard station is visible in the distance. The 071 Class leader, No.071 (renumbered 0117071), takes a rake of empty flat wagons past the site of Cherry Orchard station with a Portlaoise bound PWD train. The convergence of the slow and fast lines from Hazelhatch are visible behind the train.
NIR 111 Class locomotive No.8113, leads the RPSI's Mk2 stock across the impressive Craigmore Viaduct, just north of Newry, with the Belfast bound 'Across The Tracks' special from Dundalk. Ex Dublin & South Eastern K2 Class 4-6-0 locomotive No.461 makes an impressive sight as it climbs up the gradient from Drumcondra station with the first 2013 RPSI 'Santa Special' to Maynooth. Another view of locomotive No.461, seen just west of Drumcondra Station as it leads the RPSI 'Santa Special' past Claude Road footbridge.
The following day, locomotive No.461 is captured at Glasnevin Junction as it takes the morning RPSI 'Santa Special' to Maynooth. The Great Southern & Western line from Islandbridge converges from the left, while the Midland Great Western's Liffey Branch diverges to the right. LHB 8100 Class No.8321 leads a 4-car DART into platform 7 at Dublin's Connolly station on a morning Howth to Bray service. 071 Class locomotive No.073 brings the Craven coaches out of platfom 3 at Connolly Station prior to running around the stock and heading to Pearse station to form an RPSI 'Santa Special'.
No.073 now emerges from the 'wash road' at Connolly station with the RPSI's 1960s built Craven coaches which will form the 'Santa Special' to Maynooth. The first three coaches are in the new RPSI blue livery. Locomotive No.461 is captured passing the site of Shackleton's Mill Siding en route from Dublin to Maynooth with the RPSI 'Santa Special'. No.461 is captured a little later, seen working tender first from Maynooth near Leixlip with the returning 'Santa Special' to Dublin.