RPSI Shannon & Suir 06/05/17

While some of you were gadding round Britain either filming GBX or aboard, some of us crossed the Irish Sea for RPSI's annual long weekend. This year I gave the positioning run from Whitehead to Dublin and the diesel-hauled day trip to Killarney a miss, settling for the three days of the core tour: Dublin via Athenry to Limerick on Saturday, Limerick via Waterford and Killarney to Dublin on Sunday, and Dublin to Whitehead on Monday. As with many trips in Britain we had a loco substitution, no. 85 Merlin suffering an overheated middle big-end (presumably on the Thursday), leaving no. 4 to do the business throughout the three days on its own, but it did splendidly.

Someone commented that no.4 must be the fastest tank engine in the world. I have no opinion on that, having timed between quarter-mile posts only on a few occasions and only roughly.

At some of the stations many locals turned out to watch but I saw only a few serious photters. It would be good to see any of their efforts here.

 

Thi s one?

 

ah no you mean this one....

 

Sixmilebridge

 

Waiting to start the unexpected journey north from Dublin

 

Thanks for those. Any more from anyone?

 

Blessed with splendid weather throughout this tour also
featured seamless cross border travel ,something at grave risk from Brexit!
Merlin was particularly photogenic, the damage not coming to light until
after arrival at Dublin.
Dundalk ,as featured, was very atmospheric and memorable.

 

Yes a very enjoyable tour. Will post some excerpts of the best running, but No. 4 and its crews impressive throughout.

Dundalk to Portadown in under 40 mins with no real fireworks uphill and restrained running downhill was a very smart piece of work indeed.

 

yes the running seemed very spirited through 6milebridge.... which surprised me given the state of the nearly new track.... did a ballast train get wheelspin here or something? .....


there also was a distinct kink in the track under the rather narrow bridge at the station (not the one in the pphoto

 

Incidentally ,in the close up shot above ,is that white metal from the failed bearing that is visible under the boiler of Merlin at the Dublin buffer stops ? I didn't notice that when I took the photo and I don't think anyone else had either at that point!