27th - 28th April 1999

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
The Irish Executive

Route :

Notes :
(1) Timing sheet showed Limerick Junction but with no reversal!
(2) Owing to a landslide the train was diverted - booked route was via Athenry to Galway then back via Athenry and Athlone to Portarlington and Dublin Heuston.

082 at Sallins & Naas on April 27th.

Source & photo : Robert Frise (on the train throughout)

Tour Review
(by Robert Frise)

This was HRT's first venture on the Emerald Isle.

The tour ran mid week due to demands on the coaching stock at the weekends. The tour commenced on Monday 26th April 1999 when we boarded a Ryan Airways flight to Dublin. (Some of our party flew from Stansted). Coaches were at the Airport to meet us for a tour of Dublin. One memorable event was when we boarded the coach, the driver introduced himself and broke the news that Jill Dando had been shot dead.

After the tour of Dublin we were taken out of the City to the Citywest Hotel where an evening of traditional Irish entertainment had been laid on. Tuesday morning we were taken to the suburban station of Sallins & Naas This station is now unmanned and the station buildings boarded up. The train arrived late and when we boarded we were lucky enough to be seated in the Irish Executive Coach. One half of this coach has fixed seating and tables and the second half is a lounge area. This is coupled to another coach with lounge seating and a bar at the end.

After the service of a traditional Irish Breakfast the bar opens!

The train ran into Dublin taking the through lines to Dublin Connolly (avoiding the terminus at Dublin Heuston) and then round the coast via Wicklow to Rathdrum. From here coaches took us to the village of Avoca used for the filming of Ballykissangel. While we were off the train it ran forward to Arklow where we rejoined it.

Throughout the tour music was played over the P.A. system which did not please some people. The commentary was supplied by a delightful guy by the name of Frank. On the first day he was having trouble with feedback on the P.A. system. After a while he announced "I have found out what the problem is I was making the announcements from outside the train" much to everyone's amusement.

The train continued to Rosslare Europort. Here there was chance for a fifteen minute leg stretch, in the bracing winds off the Irish Sea, while the locomotive ran round its train. We then reversed and ran to Waterford. Coaches were on hand to take us to the Waterford Crystal factory. We were back in time to explore a small part of Waterford. Another memorable moment was standing on the platform at Waterford in the warm evening sunshine, drinking a pint of proper Irish Guinness, in a proper glass purchased from the bar car, while waiting for the train to depart. Some fortunate passengers managed to get an invite in to the signal box. The train departed on time and dinner was enjoyed on the way back to Dublin Heuston.

On Wednesday we departed once again from Sallins & Naas this time in the opposite direction to to Limerick. After a locomotive change and reversal we headed off to Ennis where coaches took us to the Bunratty Castle & Folk Museum. This Museum has a collection of old crofters cottages and buildings including a traditional Irish country pub called Macs. Another excuse for a Guinness.

Even my wife June was into drinking Guinness by this time.

Back on the coaches to Ennis where the problems began. We were waiting for departure to Galway when the news came through that contractors had undermined a railway embankment and the line was now closed. The locomotives had to run round their train and take us back to Limerick. The tour organizers, to their credit, hastily managed to arrange with the tourist board a short coach trip to Limerick Castle. Irish Railway asked what we wanted to do. We asked if we could return along the little used line through Roscrea and the connection to the main line at Ballybrophy. A very rare piece of track!

This required a reversal over the connection on to the main line...No problem for Iarnrod Eireann, your wish is their command.

Frank continued to give his stimulating commentary. Another classic example occurred before we reached Ballybrophy. He said "Guess what its another castle" and then proceeded to tell us it was the finest example of a Norman Castle in the area. A few minutes later he said " I've been asked - What side of the train is the castle" "I don't know" which caused some amusement. This was followed a few minutes later by the announcement " I have some good news and some bad news for you the good news is that it’s the finest example of a Norman Castle in the area, the bad news is you won't be able to see it" By now the train was in hysterics. The regulars were having a drink in the bar with him before reaching Dublin. He said he was sorry about his commentary and explained that it was his first time. We assured him that his commentary had made the trip! Frank then joined the regulars for a group photograph.

Thursday came and it was back to Dublin Airport for Ryan Airways flight FR334 back to Luton.

The whole experience left us wanting more but apart from a few mainly coach based trips HRT hasn't obliged.

Robert Frise

Timings: (Booked Only)
(from Robert Frise)

27/04 :

28/04:

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