| The Dalriada International
Railtour - more information:
The 40th anniversary of the ending of steam
traction on Northern Ireland Railways coincides with our 2010 May railtour
and appropriately, for the first time since 2001, the International Railtour
will visit Northern Ireland as its destination. The Dalriada Railtour will
feature around 500 steam and 113 diesel-hauled miles over three days.
It is planned that both LMS (NCC) 2-6-4
WT class locomotive
No.4 and GSWR 0 6 0 J15 class locomotive
No.186 will be used. Our comfortable RPSI Mk2 carriage
set will be used throughout.
End of Steam Background
While main line steam ended on British
Rail in August 1968, steam haulage continued on NIR until 1970. The principal
steam work was to haul quarry waste (spoil) from near Larne to the Belfast
Lough foreshore for the use in the construction of a motorway. The last
spoil train operated on Saturday 2nd May 1970 while the last passenger
train had operated at Easter. Belfast (York Road) depot effectively closed
to steam traction by the end of that May. The spoil trains marked not only
the last commercial use of steam traction in Ireland but also the last
example of Company revenue earning broad-gauge steam operation in the British
Isles.
The Dalriada
Railtour Programme:
Saturday 8th May
No.186: Dublin (Connolly) - Whitehead.
No.4: Whitehead - Carrickfergus - Larne
Harbour - Belfast Central.
Evening meal in the Europa Hotel
Sunday 9th May
No.186: Belfast GVS - Bangor - Whitehead.
No.4: Whitehead - Ballymena - Coleraine
- Lisburn - Belfast Central. Locomotives cannot work beyond Coleraine until
the Portrush Branch is relayed in the autumn.
Monday 10th May
No.4: Belfast Central - Dublin (Connolly).
GM: Dublin (Connolly) - Belfast - Whitehead.
Fares: £165 (Under 16/Over
65, £140). Non member supplement of £25 applies.
Fringe
Activities:
Thursday 6th May (£25)
Carriage positioning train: GM diesel
and Mk2s from Whitehead to Dublin (Connolly), with pick up at Carrickfergus,
Belfast Central, Lisburn and Portadown.
Friday 7th May (£43)
"South Wexford Railtour": Departs from
Dublin Connolly. The route features the very scenic Dublin and South Eastern
Railway line with its challenging banks. Reversing at Rosslare Strand the
train takes the scarcely used South Wexford line. Return from Waterford
is via the Kilkenny line using the Lavistown Direct Curve. Motive power
will be Irish Rail 071 class GM. Full
booking form now available.
Tuesday 11th May (£35)
Coach tour from Belfast with a heritage
theme. Includes lunch.
Fares: All,
or separate, elements of the Heritage Weekend can be booked:
• The Thursday diesel-hauled carriage
positioning train.
• The Friday diesel-hauled railtour.
• The Dalriada Railtour (Saturday, Sunday
& Monday). Adult and Under 16/Over 65 fares.
• The Tuesday coach tour (includes lunch).
Booking:
To book the main railtour, please download
the advance booking form by clicking here and post to us
to reserve your places on the railtour. As ever, our plans may have
to be revised before the event.
To book the "South Wexford" Diesel Railtour,
please download this tours full
booking form and post to us.
Full booking forms for the other sections
of the tour will be available shortly.
A special thank you to Iarnród Éireann
and Northern Ireland Railways for facilitating this comprehensive steam
and diesel operation. |
