A tale of two railtours

ENTHUSIASTS enjoyed the opportunity to experience unusual track and rolling stock combinations in April, thanks to two different railtour operators. On April 15, Táilte Tours ran the ‘Suir Lee Knot’ railtour from Cork to Waterford via Limerick Junction and Clonmel, with two IR two-car 2600 Class DMUs Nos. 2608/07+2614/17 over the Limerick Junction to Waterford branch, a route otherwise exclusively worked by InterCity Railcars. Departure from Cork was from platform 3 and via the Up loop which avoids the station. Other unusual track included the loops at Tipperary, Clonmel and Charleville. Over 120 passengers travelled and the tour included a stop at Carrick on Suir to visit the Irish Traction Group base where 1956-built C Class No. 226 was on display and is being restored to working order. On April 22, the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland operated a sold out ‘Sligo Leitrim’ with almost 300 passengers on board and saw the first IÉ 201 Class operate to Sligo on a passenger service. Departing Dublin Connolly, the train consisted of six Cravens coaches and a van and was initially hauled by Belmondliveried No. 216 to M3 Parkway. GM 071 Class No. 075, which earlier ran light to M3 Parkway, returned the train via Drumcondra to Connolly. No. 216 then took the train from Connolly to Sligo which featured stops at selected stations. An extended stop was made at Dromod, giving an opportunity to visit the 3ft gauge Cavan & Leitrim Railway and museum. No. 216 hauled the railtour back from Sligo to Dublin Grand Canal Dock with stops again being made at intermediate stations. Another highlight was that the route to Grand Canal Dock included the short but steeply graded Newcomen Junction-Connolly link line.

IÉ Class 2600 DMU, comprising Nos. 2617+2614+2608+2607 is seen on Carrick on Suir where the 10.00 Cork to Waterford ‘Suir Lee Knot’ railtour paused for a photostop and visit to the Irish Traction Group restoration base.

BOTH: NEIL DINEEN Belmond liveried IÉ 201 Class No. 216 at the buffer stops at Sligo on April 22, marking the first 201 Class hauled passenger train to Sligo with the RPSI’s ‘Sligo Leitrim’ tour. This was in fact No. 216’s second visit to Sligo, having previously visited in 1996 when it was hauled around the network dead by a GM 141 Class on a trial.