Photos from the Blue Thunderer Tour, organised by Ian Walsh. Well done to Ian and his crew for a fantastic day out!!

Photos from my rover round Ireland, capturing the ever changing scene of Irish Rail.

July rover out and about on both rails and road photographing the changing scene of Irish rail. Enjoy!

Photos from my April trip around Ireland

Pics from a week-end out on the rails

Scenes that are no more on Irish Railways,
(Images scaled down due to space problems)

Pics from my 8 day rover taken at the End of Oct/Start of Nov

Pics taken from my 10 day Rover around Ireland

Pics of the MRSI's 111 Day tour

Pictures of Irish Freight wagons from around Ireland.

pictures of Steam engines on Irish Tracks preserved by the R.P.S.I

This year's sugar beet season (2005) was the last beet season. As Greencore has descided to close the Mallow Factory in May 2006, which will halt the sugar beet trains from Wellingtonbridge to Mallow Beet Factory. It was the last factory to reamin in beet production in Ireland.

Mk3 Push-Pull, Mk4 Push-Pull and the Enterprise Push-Pull coaches

Built by BREL and CIE of Inchicore they started to entered service in 1986. 102 coaches were built, (including Restaurant, Exectuive, Composites, Citygold, and Generator vans) for Intercity work from Dublin Heuston to Cork, Tralee, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, and Westport. However, with the intoduction of the Mk4's they have displaced a number of Mk3 sets from the Cork line and onto other routes. With the introduction of the 22000 units it is expected that all of the Mk3s will be withdrawn within the next few years

These were built in 1972 by BREL in Derby, with finishing been done by CIE in Inchicore in Dublin. 72 were ornginally built, (including Standard, Composite, First Class, Restaurant and Generator vans) They were used all over the Irish Rail network, however all have now been withdrawn and cut-up, replaced by the 22000 units. Three Mk2's have escaped the mechanical grab, a standard, an ex first and the presidentail coach.

These coaches were built by Cravens of Sheffield and CIE in Inchicore. 55 were built in total, all with standard class accomidation and two with a micro buffet. The were heated by steam and had flourecent lighting, both of which was powered by a steam generator van. There were two varients of Generator vans, one nicknamed "dutch vans" so called because they were designed by a Dutch engineer. The other type of vans were nicknamed "BR Vans" so called because they were converted from British Rail Mk1 Brake coaches. They were used all over the Irish Rail network, on passenger and sporting fistures. They were phased out with the intorduction of the 29000 units and the last set was withdrawn in December 2006. The Railway Preseveration Society have preserved a few of these historic coaches.

The 22000s were built by Rotem of Koera and the frist delivery took place in March 2007. 183 cars have been ordered and are formed into 31 three car sets and 15 six car sets. The first route they were introduced was the Sligo line on the 18th December 2007 to replace the last Mk2 set that was in use and to displace the 29000s to shorter runs that they are more suited for. The plan is that the 22000s will replace all loco haulage in Ireland, bar the Dublin Heuston-Cork route with Mk4 push-pull stock and the Dublin Connolly-Belfast Di-Dectric Push-Pull stock, both of which are hauled by 201s

The 29000s were delivered in 2 batches, the first batch was delivered in 2002, the second in 2005. The first batch consisted of 80 cars, while the second consisted of 36 cars. They are made up into 4 car formations. They are used on the Dundalk-Drogheda-Connolly commuter runs, along with the Connolly-Rosslare and Connolly Sligo runs (displacing Mk2s) for which they are not suited for. They are beeing replaced on the Sligo and Rosslare lines with the new 22000 Inter City units. They are also used on the Heuston-Kildare-Carlow commuter runs.

The 2800s were built by the Tokyu Car Corporation of Japan and entered service in 2000. They are almost identical to the 2600 units and can run in multiple with them. 20 cars were ordered and made into forations of 2 cars. They can work in multiple with the 2600 units and are maily used on the Dundalk-Drogheda-Pearce commuter workings, and also used on the Dublin Connolly-Rosslare Inter City runs

The 2700s were built by GEC Alsthom of Spain and intorduced to traffic in 1998. 27 were built, 25 (formed into 2-car formations) 1 spare (now converted and used in mulitple with a spare 2600) and two with a cab at each end for use as a single unit. Initially they were used on the Drogheda-Pearce workings, however with the introduction of the 29000s they were used on the Rosslare line-displacing the Mk2s in 2004. They only lasted a year or so before beeing replaced with 2800 and 29000 units. The 2700s now work the cross country route from Rosslare-Waterford-Limerick, Limerick-Ennis, and Cork-Mallow-Tralee services replacing the Cravens coaches which had worked those routes for many years

The 2600 Class were the first 'modern' diesel railcars to arrive in Ireland in 1993/1994. 17 cars were bought and fixed into sets of 2 (with one spare vehicle, which has now been converted for use with a 2700 class spare vehicle) They can operate upto an 8-car formation. Initially they were used from Dublin Heuston-Kidlare locals but now they are used for Dundalk-Drogheda-Dublin Connolly locals, Cork area locals and Ballina-Manulla Junction runs

The 15 members of the 121 class were the first of diesel locomotives built in America for an Irish Railway. They built in 1960 in America by General Motors. These locomotives were unique in Ireland as they only had one cab while all other main line diesel locomotives had 2 cabs. They were numbered from 121-135. The last two survivors, Nos. 124 and 134 were both withdrawn at the start of June 2008, thus ending the oldest diesel locomotives running in Ireland. It is hoped that they will go into preserveration.

The 141s are basicially the same as the 121s except they have a cab at each end. The were built by General Motors of America between 1962-1963
37 were built, and now only 11 remain, with only a few remaining on Permanent Way duties.

Loco numbers left in service are as follows: 141, 142, 144, 146, 147, 152, 162, 167, 171, 175 and 177
A number of these are now only used on Pilot duties

Loco numbers indicated with a star have since been cut-up

The 12 members of the 181 class were built by General Motors in 1966. Almost identical to the earlier 141s except with a 1,100hp engine as opposed to a 950 hp engine that was fitted to the 121 and 141 class.
They are now in the process of beeing with-drawn and cut-up due to new railcars taking over some 201 and 071's passenger duties, allowing them to be used on freight and Permant Way to displace the 181s. The only regular working for a 181 is working Permanent Way trains. The only loco left in existance is 190. Locos with a star beside them have since been scrapped.

Built in 1976 in America by General Motors for Irish Rail all 18 are currently in service. They are numbered 071-088
They are currently beeing overhauled and re-painted into a new 'Freight' livery.
Locos that are in the new livery are as follows: 071, 075, 080, 081, 082, 085, and 086
The 071s generally work the Mk2 links, but it is not un-common for them to work the Mk3 links as well in the unavilability of a 201 class. They are also widely used on freight traffic, and are expected to be used on Permamant Way links to displace the last remaining 141 and 181 class locos. The 071s are also used on 'Thunderbird' dutides in the event of a failure of a passenger or freight train.
Northern Ireland Railways's Class 111's were built in America by General Motors in 1981 and 1987. They are numbered 111-113

The 201 Class locos were built in America and were delivered to Ireland in 1994 and 1995, the first number, 201 was delivered by air! 32 were built for Irish Rail (No.s 201-207 and 210-234) and 2 were built for Northern Ireland Railways (208 and 209)
As regards liverys the following applies as of 09th Jan 2008:
201-205 and 211-214- Iarnrod Eireann Orange Livery with Yellow End
206, 208, 209 and 230- Enterprise Livery
207 and 233- Enterprise Livery with Yellow End
215-219, 221-229, 231 and 234- Intercity Silver and Green Livery with Yellow End
210, 220 and 232- Orniginal 201 Livery

The 201s work most of Irish Rail's passenger duties, and occasionally work freight trains