In this volume, we visit Ireland to see the variety of steam and diesel services operating in the 1950s and 1960s.
Steam services are shown on the secondary lines at Claremorris and along the western rail corridor serving Ennis, Limerick Junction and on to the south Wexford line to Rosslare, as well as northwards to Wexford Quays. A variety of steam, Metro-Vick and General Motors diesel powered services are seen operating on lines radiating from Dublin and Cork, visiting Mallow, Galway, Sligo and Limerick Junction. Arrivals and departures of the Belfast-Dublin Enterprise expresses are shown in the hands of the Mcintosh GNR(I) V Class 4-4-0 River Class locomotives, which were built by Beyer Peacock in 1948.

Crossing the border into Northern Ireland, stops are made at Goraghwood junction and the port of Warren point and on to Belfast, visiting the engine sheds at Adelaide (Great Northern) and YorkRoad (LMS NCC) in UTA days. Sligo Leitrim tank engines and the Harland and Wolf Harlandic diesel (which was built for the BCDR) are on pilot duties. Suburban services are shown at Bangor and Larne using MED and MPD railcars. A circular tour of Ulster arrives at Londonderry/Derry Foyle Road station via Portadown, Omagh and Strabane, returning to Belfast via the LMS route visiting serving Coleraine, Ballymena and Portrush.

Steam locomotives were used in the construction of the M2 foreshore motorway on the northern shore of Belfast Lough. Northern Ireland Railways used LMSNCC steam locomotives to transport rock fill from Magheramorne Quarry and loading bays on the Larne line. Loading operations are shown in detail together with trains operating along the coastal headlands around Whitehead.

Steam operations are also shown between Derry and Strabane operated by the County Donegal Railway, and on the Ulster Railway route between Belfast to Lisburn celebrating the 150th anniversary of the opening of the railway in 1849.

The programme concludes with summer steam trains to Portrush and diesel locomotive services to Rosslare Europort from the South Wexford line, and from Dublin around Bray Head in County Wicklow.

Irish Railways

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B & R No. 183 DVD Irish Railways Miscellany

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