A review of what 2009 has been for me and of course other enthusiasts. It's been a good wee year with having a few diesel haulage trips on Irish Rail along with others.

Commentary in the actual photo will describe things alot better.

Irish Train Scenes wishes all viewers a happy christmas and a happy 2010 with lots of loco haulage!

GSWR 186 worked the Mince Pie & Mulled wine 2009 special to Coleriane, first time a steam train has been on relayed track to Coleraine.

However several hiccups occured on the day, first of all:

1. Time was lost on the Bleach Green due locomotive problems
2. Becuase of that path was lost and held at Ballymena to cross 1335xLondonderry
3. Yet again after that delay late arrival in Coleraine.
4. After turning 186 on turntable decision taken to hold train until 1730 when service trains had cleared
5. Then after that, got to Ballymena and not enough water in tank, so
6. At Antrim water hydrant used to fill 186 and left there at 1956 (2h20m late)

A very eventful day!

3012 spends Christmas day in Coleraine

Well first of all it was a visit to GVS where a few usual CAF's were in operation.
On the 1410 GVS/Londonderry a quick photo a Ballymoney was taken as the snow there was unreal!

Evening in Coleraine seen 3019 & 3022 hook up to get to Belfast on the 1930! 459 previously operated this night on the 1828 Coleraine/York Road, reason being to get all 450 class DEMU's in York Road over the Christmas period.

Irish Train Scenes would like to wish all viewers a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2010!

209 working the 0630 Dublin/York Road Transfer with 7613, and also others on snowy NIR!

457 failed at Kilroot on the 0857xLarne/Central due to fuel starvastion. 456 on the 0912xCentral/Carrick was sent ED to Kilroot to rescue the failure and dragged it into Carrick at 5mph arriving at 1035. This meant that the 0930 & 1000x Carrick services were both cancelled as both sets were occupied.
82 & 94 arrived at 1039 on the 0957xLarne, however 456 detached from the failure and ran express to Central with passengers of the failed set.

3010 was also present working the 1100xCarrick/Central

82 & 94 then departed after 456 had left with the express to Central. 457 then lay in Platform 3 at Carrick until 1158 when 456 then came back empty to get 457 to drag it to York Road. After a few prepartions and checks were made by the crew the 456 & 457 left Carrick at 1225 - 5mins in front of the service train. 456 & 457 had to travel to York Road at a reduced speed as this was hauling a failure.

Other news also was that the 4 car 80 class (90 & 93 ) ventured again to Coleraine on the 0655xCentral but unfortunetly I wasnt able to get it!

3017 on the 1257xLarne while we all get a chance to see 69 at York Road & 9004 alongside her! - In wonderful weather conditions too

4 was fixed for the last santa steam train on Irish rail after failing last saturday and having 208 replace it on the sunday.

4 seen at Connolly working the 1005 Connolly/Pearse ECS working to form the 1045 to Maynooth

In the early hours of the 18th Dec, a security alert was started in the Botanic area. The Railway line was closed between Central & GVS from then until 1230 on Friday Afternoon.

The 0650 Belfast/Dublin was cancelled while the 0800 to Dublin was a CAF railcar and operated from GVS. The 1030 was the usual dede set which came from dublin on the 0735 while the 0935xDublin was a railcar but unconfirmed which.

The line re opened at 1230hrs causing more chaos to the railways espicailly at Central. In the morning time Central was extremely packed out with all trains terminating there.

However while this fun was going on, Enthusiasts got an early christmas present with 90 & 93 working the 0650 Central/Londonderry and 0910 return. This is because there was not enough CAF railcars to operate the daily diagram. This is the first refurbished 80 class on the Londonderry line

94-754-747-82 entered service on the 17th as the second refurbished 4 piece. Its first passenger working was the 1725 GVS/Larne. However 94-754 & 747 have already worked passenger services, leaving only 82 the only vehicle not to have worked a passenger service since being refurbished. 82 was dedicated to sandite duties with 97 this year and also the year before.

On the same day, 93-752-749-90 was also working the 1642 Central/Larne service which meant that there was 2 refurbished 80 class in passenger service on the same day which hasnt happened for almost 2 years now.

In york road waiting to be commisoned is, 69-733-738-89

GSWR 186 Working Northern santa specials, however south was 208 working them as Loco 4 is failed due to broken tubes!

Otherwise a few CAF's here and there!

At 1015am I got a call to say that 144 was working north with 7608! So it was a quick rush in the car to York Road to get it arriving.

It arrived there at 1057 and left again LE at 1108!

7608 is to repainted into Enterprise Livery and attached to the set for power for the train. This means that the Head End Power will be out of use on the locomotives. It is expected that NIR will have 4 Mk3 Generator vans

Travelling on 3004 on the 1705xLY/GVS

90 & 93 working the 0957xLarne at Downshire

208 working the 1810 to Dublin at Central

186 passing Eden on the 1255 Whitehead/Central Santa Steam!

Also is 3023 approaching Downshire

After getting a txt the night before about 37423 & 44790 working Workington shuttles near Carlisle, that was the plan for the Thursday morning. So after getting a Mc Donalds Breakie i headed to Carlisle on a voyager then a 153 to Maryport to get the loco hauled shuttle. After doing that I headed back to Glasgow then to Ayr, and onto Stranraer for the 1955 boat home!

Just a quick trip into Glasgow and back on a class 91 both ways whilst also covering the Underground again

Worked my way from Stranraer to Edinburgh via Ayr,Glasgow CL & Queen St. Then covered 67023 on the fife circle with Mk2 Stock. After that i had a quick run to Queen street and back then watched the shunting movements at Edinburgh of all 3 sleepers combining into one which made up to be a 16 coached train worked the 0124 Edinburgh/London Euston with only 90039 on the front

To begin off :

0555 Central/Carrick 0620
0623 Carrick/GVS 0655
0700 GVS/Carrick 0734
0807 Carrick/Central 0835
0843 Central/Larne 0941
0957 Larne/Central 1057
1112 Central/Yorkgate 1116
1137 Yorkgate/GVS 1152
1210 GVS/Lisburn 1231
1238 Lisburn/Central 1309
1312 Central/Greenisland 1327
1344 Greenisland/Central 1404
1410 Central/Portadown 1438
1501 Portadown/Central 1536
1542 Central/Greenisland 1556
1609 Greenisland/Central 1628
1642 Central/Carrick 1705

233 unusually in Platform 1 at Belfast Central on the 1235 to Dublin with 8 bogies!

A morning at Eden which consisted of getting 3014 on 0850 Central/Larne & RPSI 4 on 0932 Whitehead/Dublin Loco Swap for 186 in return.

4 has been trapped north since the viaduct collapse. The intention to swap locomotives was intented for September time but because of Malahide they couldn't.

A trip from Downshire (NIR) to Midelton (IE) consisting off:

3022 Downshire/Central
207 Central/Dublin
217 Dublin/Cork
26s to Mildeton & Back
231 to Heuston
208 to Belfast
451 back to Downshire

From 25th August 2007 until 1st September 2007 I spent a weeks holiday on Irish Rail, basing myself at Tullamore at a holiday home with family. A great week of 071s and Loco haulage. I came across these pictures so I thought i'd share them to show the memories of IE

93 & 90 working the 0843 Central/Larne. For the last few days its been a 450 or CAF but after a test train working on Sunday the 4 piece was cleared by mechanical staff to be fit for service. Howvever, several times on the journey Power Car 90 shut down and had to be restarted.

Following the failure of 451 on this diagram earlier that morning, 3014 was allocated to work the diagram which showed up for the 0843 Central/Larne. This train is normally booked for the 4 car 80 class but unfortunatley on this day it was in the depot for repairs!

Morning at Yorkgate and also daytime sandite there too!

Not to mention a few shots at Coleraine including 456 on the Branch!

Sandite set, 82-97-754-94 seen on the Dargan Bridge (taken from car) and also Bridge End on the 1420 Portadown/Bangor Daytime sandite run!

a few shots along the NIR route from Downshire to Lisburn including 113 & 111 at York Road

451 worked the 1444 Larne/GVS failing at Ballycarry. It was late leaving Larne and crossed the 1419 GVS/Larne @ Magheramorne which then meant the 1544xLarne was stuck behind it.

However 456 on the 1519 GVS/Larne ran Empty from Whitehead and hauled 451 to York Road as a 6 car 450.

1544xLarne (459) arrived into Downshire 88 mins late!

LMSNCC No 4 at Eden on 1212 Central/Whitehead and see on return journey at Whitehead

Also 454 & 456 on Duties on the Larne Line

Apart from the odd railcar here and there,

071 on 1220 Waterford-Westport ety timber
086 on 1020 Ballina-North Wall IWT Liner

A sunday wandering on NIR which includes -

459 on 0820 Larne-Central
A view of York Road line up
228 on 0935 Central-Drogheda
3017 on Portrush Branch Duties
228 on ECS of 1640xDrogheda/Central
3012 on Larne Line Duties @ Central

453 on 1142 Central-Larne @ Downshire
459 on 1157 Larne-Central @ Downshire
9001 on ECS x York Road @ Central
82-97-754-94 on Sandite Duties @ Central on way to Portadown and also on return run @ Central en route to Bangor

82-97-752-94 on Sandite duties - 97 has failed and it is not allowed to operate with only 82 running so 94 has been added to the set and 752 has been also added as its attached to 94

90 & 93 on 1600 Carrick/Central and usual evening Diagrams

ECS Enterprise stock seen on Dargan Bridge with 228 on shove duty

94 - 754 - 97 - 82 is the new formation!

P/C- DT-SAND-P/C

Driver of the special at Portrush,
Tom Mc Crum standing beside 46 at Portrush! Currently served 46 years service (about 13 years on the sick).

First of all, we see 113 at York Road in the motorway siding, then 228 off the 1033xDrogheda going ECS to York Road for fuel,

Then a trip to Victoria Square dome was made and seen there is 783 leading the 1157xLarne across the Dargan Bridge.

Finally heading home 97 was caught at Central working the, 1255 Portadown-York Road Empty working after failing last night in Portadown on nightshift sandite duties. 97 was shut down and it returned with only 82 driving.

When going home 8918 was captured at York Road and 458 at Downshire on the 1357xLarne!

Pictures of NIR Hunslets 101 & 102,
GSWR 184 Steam
LMSNCC 4
85
171
NIR MkII's
IE MkII's

All pictures taken with permission

The following locations on a good day out:

Connolly
Pearse
Boston Sidings
Grand Canal Dock
Sydney Parade
Heuston
Islandbridge Jctn
Phenox Park Tunnel
Hazelhatch
Inchicore

074 on 1020 Ballina/North Wall IWT Liner
075 on 1250 Pearse-Portloaise Material Train
088 on Heuston/Inchicore TAXI

207 on 1600 Hueston/Cork
208 on 1700 Heuston/Cork
230 on 1800 Heuston/Cork

Inchicore -
Enterprise set seen also with a few 201's as well


CAF 8113 - youtube channel

113 in the Motorway siding with Gatwicks, 911-948-947-945-946-8918 (DVT)

also 782 GVS