2nd November 1968

Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
Colmcille Railtour

Locos Used UTA50 & GWSR186

Route :

Loco(s) Route
UTA50

Belfast York Road - Antrim

GSWR186 + UTA50

Antrim - Aldergrove - Lisburn

GSWR186 + UTA50 Lisburn - Portadown
GWSR186 Portadown - Poyntzpass
GSWR186 + UTA50 Poyntzpass - Dundalk
UTA50 Dundalk - Portadown
GSWR186 + UTA50 Portadown - Belfast Great Victoria Street

Notes :
(1) Terry Jackson comments: this tour was booked to run from Belfast York Road to Coleraine and Londonderry and return. However during the previous day and night, there were severe storms in Northern Ireland and England which, by the time Saturday morning arrived, had caused a lot of damage over a wide area. Together with several friends, I travelled to Belfast on the Ulster Express from Euston on the Friday evening and then on the overnight boat from Heysham. We had a good meal and plenty of wine on the train and once in our cabins we were soon asleep. This was just as well as, on arrival at Belfast, we learned that we had sailed through the storm with Force 9/10 winds.
The proposed tour route was blocked in several places and the organisers arranged a hastily re-arranged tour using the route detailed above. No specific timings were issued but in the circumstances immense credit was due to all those involved with the tour from the R.P.S.I. and the railway staff concerned for their efforts to ensure that everyone who had made it to Belfast had a good day out.


From The John Debens Ticket Collection.

Source : Terry Jackson

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