10th - 12th May 2003

Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
The Plains of Mayo Railtour

Locos Used ???, 221 & steam: 4 & 85

Route:

Date Loco Stock Route
10/05 4 6x Cravens Dublin Connolly - Islandbridge Jn - Portarlington - Clara - Athlone - Claremorris - Westport
10/05 4 6x Cravens (1) Westport - Claremorris (1)
10/05 221 ??? (1) Claremorris - Westport (1)
11/05 221 ??? (1) Westport - Claremorris (1)
11/05 4 6x Cravens (1) Claremorris - Ballina (1)
11/05 4 6x Cravens Ballina - Claremorris - Athlone - Clara - Portarlington (2) - Islandbridge Jn - Dublin Connolly
11/05 85 4x Cravens
(different set)
Dublin Connolly - Howth Junction - Drogheda - Dundalk - Newry - Lisburn - Belfast Great Victoria Street
12/05 (4) ???? ???? Whitehead RPSI - Whitehead NIR - Carrickfergus - Bleach Green Jn - Belfast Central
12/05 (4) NIR GM 6x RPSI Belfast Central - Bleach Green Jn - Carrickfergus - Whitehead NIR
12/05 (4) 85 6x RPSI Whitehead NIR - Larne Harbour
12/05 (4) 85 6x RPSI Larne Harbour - Whitehead NIR - Carrickfergus - Bleach Green Jn - Belfast Yorkgate
12/05 (4) 85 6x RPSI Belfast Yorkgate - Bleach Green Jn - Templepatrick - Antrim - Ballymena
12/05 (4) 85 6x RPSI Ballymena - Antrim
12/05 (4) NIR GM 6x RPSI Antrim - Lisburn (3)
12/05 (4) ??? ??? (3) Lisburn - (?via reversal at Belfast Great Victoria Street?) - Belfast Central (3)
12/05 (4) 85 6x RPSI Belfast Central - Bleach Green Jn - Carrickfergus - Whitehead NIR - Whitehead RPSI

Notes :
(1) Chris Totty comments: The runs from and to Westport and Ballina were basically servicing/positioning runs. The tour proper finished on 10 May at Westport but there was an opportunity to travel on the ECS to Claremorris with loco 4 and return to Westport on the 20:50 service train hauled by IE 221. This was so the loco could be serviced at Claremorris. On the Sunday morning the later risers were bussed from Westport to Ballina but there was the opportunity to travel on the 08:05 service train, again hauled by 221, to Claremorris and then travel on the positioning run to Ballina hauled by loco 4.
(2) Passengers had to alight at Portarlington so the train could set-back to take water from a hydrant on a road overbridge.
(3) Chris Totty comments: Due to the restriction on RPSI carriages being used on the Belfast - Dublin main line, passengers had to detrain at Lisburn and catch the 17:27 service train to Belfast Central (I presume this went via Belfast Great Victoria Street where it would have reversed). The NIR GM loco took the empty RPSI carriages to Belfast Central via the direct curve whilst 85 was booked to run light engine direct from Antrim to Belfast Central (via Templepatrick).
(4) Route & loco confirmation required for 12th May. Booked to have been formed using six RPSI carriages.

Source : Chris Totty (on the trains throughout on 10th & 11th May)

Timings (Booked Only)
(from Chris Totty)

10th May

Mileposts Location Booked
0 Dublin Connolly 09.10d
½ North Strand Jn 09/15
2¾ Glasnevin Jn 09/20
4¾/½ Islandbridge Jn 09/27
2½ Inchicore Advanced Staring Signal 09/35
10 Hazelhatch 09/44
18 Sallins 09/54
25½ Newbridge 10/03
30 Kildare 10/10
32½ Cherryville Jn 10/14
41¾ Portarlington 10w30a ~ 10w55d [Up Platform]
50½ Geashill Loop 11/10
58 Tullamore 11/22
65 Clara 11/34
73 Clonnydonnin Loop 11/47
81/78¼ Athlone 12w01a ~ 12w30d [P1]
90 Knockcroghery 12/51
96¼ Roscommon 13p02a ~ 13p10d
112½ Castlerea 13p36a ~ 13p46d
122¼ Ballyhaunis 14wx06a ~ 14wx30d [Up Platform]
135 Claremorris 14p50a ~ 15p00d
145¾ Manulla Junction 15/19
150¼ Castlebar 15p27a ~ 15p35d
161¼ Westport 15w55a ~ 16w55d
150¼ Castlebar 17/15
145¾ Manulla Junction 17/23
135 Claremorris 17.40a

11th May

Mileposts Location Booked
135 Claremorris 09.07d
145¾ Manulla Junction 09/26
156¾ Foxford 09/44
166½ Ballina 10w00a ~ 10w35d
156¾ Foxford 10p53a ~ 11p05d
145¾ Manulla Junction 11p25a ~ 11p33d
135 Claremorris 11wx53a ~ 12wx25d
122¼ Ballyhaunis 12p45a ~ 12p53d
112½ Castlerea 13w14 ~ 13w35
96¼ Roscommon 14/05
90 Knockcroghery 14/15
81 Athlone 14wx32a ~ 15wx55d
73 Clonnydonnin Loop 16/10
65 Clara 16/22
58 Tullamore 16/35
50½ Geashill Loop 16/48
41¾ Portarlington 17w04 ~ 17w51 [Down Main]
32½ Cherryville Jn 18/05
30 Kildare 18/09
25½ Newbridge 18/19
10 Hazelhatch 18/40
½/4¾ Islandbridge Jn 18/56
2¾ Glasnevin Jn 19/02
½ North Strand Jn 19.08 ~ 19.10
0 Dublin Connolly 19L15a ~ 19L35d
31¾ Drogheda 20w20 ~ 20w30
? Dundalk ??/??
? Portadown 21.37 ~ 21.40
105 Lisburn 22w08 ~ 22w16
112½ Belfast Great Victoria Street 22.30a

12th May

Location Booked
Whitehead (RPSI) 10.03d
Belfast Central 10.44a ~ 11.3d
Belfast Yorkgate 11x08 ~ 11x12
Carrickfergus 11.32 ~ 11.40
Whitehead (NIR) 11L50 ~ 12L02
Magheramourne 12x11 ~ 12x16
Larne 12.25a ~ 13.00d
Whitehead (NIR) 13x18 ~ 13x26
Belfast Yorkgate 14.06 ~ 14.18
Antrim 14x46 ~ 14x51
Ballymena 15w11 ~ 15w30
Antrim 15L55 ~ 16L29
Crumlin 16.42 ~ 16.46
Ballinderry 16.56 ~ 17.00
Lisburn 17.12a ~ 17.27d
Belfast Central 17.49a ~ 18.04d
Whitehead (RPSI) 18.50a


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