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RPSI Carriage & Wagon
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Carriages
The RPSI has the largest collection of preserved vintage railway carriages in Ireland (and a few wagons too!).
Our carriages are used along with steam haulage for the majority of our day trips from Belfast, Dublin and elsewhere.  They include beautifully restored snack and bar cars, first class vehicles and a number of traditional carriages with a wide variety of origins.  As of 2004, they also include a selection of restored Mark 2 carriages.

On the annual May Railtour (three days of steam to various parts of Ireland), we use a combination of our own carriages as far as possible, aided and abetted by Irish Rail carriages hired for steam haulage.

We generally keep a set of carriages to make up a full train in Dublin, and another at Whitehead. Restoration of carriages is carried out at both our Mullingar and Whitehead sites.

A sample of the quality of coach 351's interior.More recently, in association with FAS, the employment and training agency, and in co-operation with IE, the RPSI embarked upon a most ambitious restoration programme, that of GSWR built Irish State carriage no 351.  The restored vehicle was the Overall Winner (Supreme Champion) in the Heritage Railway Association bi-annual Carriage and Wagon competition.  For this, the RPSI  will hold the "Railway Magazine Lamp" for the years of 2001 and 2002. In addition we received a commemorative plate in the style of a carriage builder's plate. This plate was produced by Swindon Historic Castings, a joint venture between HRA and the local authority. The awards were collected by David Humphries, the RPSI's then Honorary Business Development Officer. The judges commented: "This vehicle is in a class of its own. It was built for Edward VII as an opulent clerestory roofed, single gangwayed saloon. In due course it became the Irish State Coach. After withdrawal in 1970 it survived a fire in Inchicore works, suffered from various forms of rot, and has now been restored by RPSI. The restoration features appropriate furnishings, panelling in the style of Francis I, light fittings in Waterford crystal and wash basins in Connemara marble."

Several unrestored vehicles await attention  - funds and manpower needed!

A full list of our carriage stock is as follows:

Number Original Company Type (Class) Seats Intended/Former Use Date To Traffic Acquired By RPSI Current Location
1 NCC Diesel railcar 64 Belfast – Larne; Ballymena; Cookstown 1933 1991 Whitehead
9 GNR Open brake 3rd (K31) 72 All GNR(I) system 1954 1975 Dublin
50 GNR 1st class saloon (A3) 24 Directors Saloon; engineering staff 1911 1973 Whitehead
68 NCC Compartment 1st/3rd (F3) 56 All NCC system 1922 1978 Whitehead
87 UTA Dining car (B5) 20 Belfast - Londonderry 1950 1976 Whitehead
88 GNR Dining car (B6) 24 Dublin - Belfast  1938 1973 Dublin
91 NCC Compartment brake 3rd (K3) 56 All NCC system 1934 1975 Whitehead
114 GNR Open brake 3rd (L13) 21 All GNR(I) system 1940 1977 Whitehead
238 NCC Compartment 3rd (J12) 64 All NCC system 1922 1975 Embsay
241 NCC Compartment 3rd (J12) 64 All NCC system 1922 1975 Embsay
243 NCC Compartment 3rd (J6) 64 All NCC system 1924 1975 Whitehead
351 GS&WR State saloon 25 Irish President's Coach  1902 1995 Dublin
404 NCC Full brake (V14) 0 Belfast - Londonderry mails 1936 1983 Whitehead
411 NCC Full brake (V14) 0 Belfast - Londonderry mails 1937 1985 Whitehead
813 GS&WR 3rd 60 Local trains 1910 1990 Mullingar
837 GS&WR 3rd 72 Local trains 1902 2002 Mullingar
861 GS&WR 12 wheel brake 52 Rosslare - Cork Express 1906 1972 Whitehead
1097 GSR Composite 1st/2nd/3rd 24 Dublin - Cork expresses 1925 1985 Downpatrick
1142 GS&WR Compartment 1st 56 Dublin - Cork  1921 1973 Dublin
1287 GS&WR Compartment 3rd 64 Dublin suburban/local 1915 1978 Downpatrick
1335 GSR Compartment 3rd 56 Dublin - Cork expresses 1937 1973 Dublin
1383 CIÉ Park Royal open 3rd 72 All CIÉ and Belfast- Dublin 1956 1986 Dublin
1416 CIÉ Park Royal open 3rd 72 All CIÉ and Belfast- Dublin 1956 1985 Dublin
1463 CIÉ Open standard 64 All CIÉ and Belfast - Dublin 1958 1985 Mullingar
1900 GSR Bredin Brake 3rd 50 Dublin - Cork  1935 1986 Dublin
1916 CIÉ Half brake 3rd 24 All CIÉ and Belfast -Dublin 1958 1985 Dublin
2421 CIÉ Dining car 39 All CIÉ and Belfast - Dublin 1956 1985 Dublin
2422 CIÉ Dining car 39 All CIÉ and Belfast - Dublin 1956 1985 Cultra
2423 CIÉ Park Royal snack car 58 All CIÉ and Belfast- Dublin 1956 1985 Dublin
2981 CIÉ Travelling post office 0 Main CIÉ mail routes 1958 1992 Dublin
604 A GSR Bredin Brake 3rd 50 Dublin - Cork  1935 1986 Dublin
62 M MGWR 6 wheel 3rd 60 All MGWR system 1892 1980 Whitehead
Number
Mark
Type (Class)
Seats
Doors
Original Company
Built
Most Recent Number
Acquired By RPSI
Current Location
Status/Condition
180
2a
FK (Corridor First)
42
5
BR ER
1968
13475
2003
Whitehead
In traffic
181
2b
FK (Corridor First)
42
4
BR WR
1969
13487
2003
Whitehead
In traffic
300
2b
SO (Open Standard)
62
4
NIR
1970
822; 934
2003
Whitehead
In traffic
301
2z
TSO (Open Standard)
64
6
BR MR
1967
5207
2003
Whitehead
In traffic
302
2z
TSO (Open Standard)
64
6
BR MR
1967
5135
2003
Whitehead
In traffic
460
2z
BSO (Brake Open Standard)
31
4
BR MR
1966
9382
2003
Whitehead
In traffic
10651
3
Sleeping Car
0
 
BR ER
1980
10651
2004
Whitehead
Not for mainline use.
Awaiting commissioning

Notes re. builders:
Virtually all GNR(I) carriages, including all those listed above, were built by the GNR(I) in their Dundalk works.

Ex- NCC carriages nos 68, 238 and 241 were built by the London, Midland & Scottish Railway at Derby, England. Shipped over to Ireland in 1940s.

Inchicore Works in Dublin produced all the surviving GSWR, GSR and CIE carriage stock listed above.

The MGWR six wheeler, No. 62M, was unusual.  The MGWR built almost all its carriage stock at Broadstone, Dublin, but No. 62M was one of a few examples sub-contracted out to the Ashbury Railway Carriage & Wagon Co., at a time when Broadstone was working to full capacity.

Wagons

Number
Original Company
Type
Capacity
Current Location
Livery
DateTo Traffic
Acquired by RPSI
Status/Condition
Additional Notes
504
GNR
Guinness Grain Van
20 ton
Whitehead
Grey
 
1965
Poor
One side fire damaged.
618
GNR
Parcel Van (P2)
 
Whitehead
Brown 
 
1980
Poor
GNR 788. Vacuum fitted. 
682
CIÉ
Tank Wagon
 
Whitehead
Black
 
1965
Fair
Irish Shell.
697
NCC
Van
10 ton
Whitehead
Brown
 
1980
Fair
4 wheel. Vacuum fitted.
1325
NCC
4 Plank Wagon
 
Whitehead
Grey
1942
1969
Poor
Floorplanks missing.
2518
GNR
Guinness Grain Van
20 ton
Whitehead
Grey
 
1965
Poor
 
3076
LMS NCC
Hand Crane
6.5 ton
Whitehead
Black
1943
1979
Good
Cowans Sheldon. General yard duties.
3169
GNR
Steam Crane
15 ton
Whitehead
Red
1912
1980
Poor
Cowans Sheldon. Requires overhaul.
8309
GS&WR
Ballast Wagon
20 ton
Whitehead
Red
 
1983
Fair
 
23574
CIÉ
Brake Van
20 ton
Whitehead
Grey
 
1983
Poor
PWD 11-82.
5 (?)
NCC
Bogie Flat
20 ton
Whitehead
Black
 
1995
Fair
Carrying turntable.
81
GNR
Brake Van
 
Whitehead
 
 1945
1985
Undergoing a complete overhaul
Steel frame with wooden bodywork. Being fitted with vacuum barke gear.
8112N
GNR
Ballast Wagon
20 ton
Whitehead
Red
 
1983
Fair
 
C355
NCC
3 Plank Wagon
 
Whitehead
 
1942
1979
Fair
Pyramidends with cover bar.
C69
NCC
4 Plank Wagon
 
Whitehead
Red
 
1969
Poor
Floor planks missing.
R1
GSR
Rail Wagon
15 ton
Whitehead
Black
1935
 
In traffic
Ex compartment 3rd 1328.
R2
CIÉ
Rail Wagon
30 ton
Whitehead
Black
1958
 
In traffic
Ex open standard 1469.
R3
CIÉ
Rail Wagon
30 ton
Whitehead
Black
1958
 
In traffic
Ex open standard 1483.
R4
CIÉ
Rail Wagon
30 ton
Whitehead
Black
1958
 
In traffic
Ex half brake 3rd 1915.
R5
GNR
Rail Wagon
30 ton
Whitehead
Black
1948
 
In traffic
Ex brake compartment first 231.
R6
GNR
Rail Wagon
30 ton
Whitehead
Black
1949
 
In traffic
Ex compartment first 227.
 
CIÉ
Flat Wagon
20 ton
Mullingar
 
 
 
 
 

Brake van No.81 is under overhaul and has a special page of its own. Click here to view it.



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