Irish Railways

A Metropolitan- Vickers, built in Manchester A class 001 Co-Co no 056

stands in the mothballed Athlone platform at Mullingar

with the early morning Mullingar / Dublin service in July 1989.

This loco, introduced to traffic during August 1956,

lost its Metropolitan Vickers engine during rebuilding in November 1969.

The loco soldiered on until withdrawal in October 1992.

General Motors class 201 no 229 “River Maine”

awaits departure from Dublin Connolly on 24 July 1996.

This class of loco, weighing 112 tons and fitted with a GM D 43 engine,

was built in Ontario Canada by General Motors in 1995.

GM class 181, no 183, rolls onto the motive power depot

at Dublin Connolly in July 1989.

This 67 ton loco was built by General Motors

at La Grange, Illinois, in 1966.

Manchester-built Metropolitan Vickers C class loco no. 221

awaits departure from Dublin Connolly in July 1989.

This 1957-built loco lost its Metro-Vic engine

during rebuilding in February 1972

General Motors built class 14,1 No 147,

roars out of Dublin Connolly station

removing the empty stock from the Sligo service

to the carriage sidings for servicing on 11 August 1993.

This class of loco was built in America at La Grange, Illinois in 1962

General Motors class 121, built in 1960 at La Grange, Illinois

awaits the road at Dublin Connolly on 11 August 1993.

These single-cab locos always hauled trains

with the cab leading when running singly.

Class 071, No 071, coasts through Longford on a tank train in July 1996.

The class 071s were built by General Motors at their La Grange plant

in Illinois in 1976.

General Motors class 141, No 167,

is given the road at Mullingar

with the early evening departure to Sligo

on 24th July 1996.

NIR class 11,1 No 112 “Northern Counties”, departs Dublin Connolly

bound for Belfast during July 1989.

This small class of three locos were built by General Motors

at their La Grange plant, Illinois, in the early 1980s,

initially for use on Belfast/Dublin services.

Two GM Class 141 diesel locos stand at rest in the yard

at Dublin Connolly motive power depot

awaiting their next call of duty in July 1989.

Fresh from the paint shops, GM class 141 167 awaits departure

from Dublin Connolly station

with the tea time 17:15 departure for Sligo

on 24 July 1996.

The driver of GM class 071, no 085,

catches the token thrown by the Mullingar signal man

as the service departs Mullingar

with the 13:25 ex Sligo to Dublin service on 15 August 2002.

(The photo is taken from the huge signal cabin at Mullingar)

GM class 071 rolls into Mullingar

with the 14:39 service to Sligo on 12 August 2002.

Note the signal cabin and the large booking hall building.

Also of interest is the floral display.

Close up of cab of GM class 201 diesel, No 207 “River Boyne ” .

The unusual positioning of the nameplate is worth noting,

as is the fact that,

if the loco was viewed from the other side,

the name would read “ABHAINN NA BOINNE”

Taken on 24 July 1996

The magnificent Midland Great Western refreshment room/booking office

at Mullingar Station.

The line curving to the right leads to Sligo, and the bay to its right

served the Cavan branch.

Off picture, to the left of the refreshment room, is the

mothballed line to Athlone and Galway.

The picture is taken from the base of the signal cabin in August 2002.

With just nine months before its withdrawal,

Metropolitan Vickers A class 001 No 048, in very poor external condition,

shunts stock at Dublin Connolly on 11 August 1993

The spotless interior of Mullingar's signal box taken on the 15 August 1993.

With the recently completed signal works, which has seen semaphore signals replaced with electric colour lights,

the signal box is still in situ but mothballed out of use.

The exterior of the impressive Midland Great Western

signal cabin at Mullingar, unfortunately now redundant

but happily preserved in situ

and noted on 22 Oct 2008

The impressive main train shed at Dublin Connolly station

Commuter DMU 29103 rolls into Mullingar on 22 October 2008

with the 09:05 departure from Dublin Connolly to Sligo.

Commuter DMU 29403 prepares to depart Mullingar

with the 10:12 to Sligo

on 22 October 2008.

The sleek lines and attractive livery of the latest inter city units

on Irish Rail at Dublin Connolly

captured on 22 October 2008.

A pair of new Inter-City units, which have ousted the old GM diesels

from front line services,

stand at rest in Dublin Connolly station

after working in the 09:00 departure from Sligo (arrival Dublin 11:58)

on 22 October 2008.

Commuter DMU 2805 prepares to depart Dublin Connolly

with the 12:05 departure for Drogheda (arrives 12:59)

also on 22 October 2008.

Two commuter DMUs stand in Dublin Connolly station.

Note the turntable and water tower in the background

on 22 October 2008.

003 Class 071, no 080, stands at rest

outside Dublin Connolly MPD, awaiting its next turn of duty.

This loco was built in 1976 by General Motors

in their famous La Grange works in Illinois USA.

It is currently adorned in Irish Rail's Black and Silver freight livery.

006 Driver's eye view of the road out of Dublin Connolly.

The MPD can be made out on the right.

On departure, this Sligo-bound service will curve away to the left,

and the route to Belfast straight ahead.

007 The attractive lattice roof of Dublin Connolly's station,

with its recently renewed platforms,

enhance the smooth lines of class 22000 six-car surburban unit 22242

as it rolls fresh from the depot into the platform

ready to form a Sligo service

on 26 July 2010.

008 Class 22000 (a six-car set) 22342

pokes its cab from

under the station canopy at Dublin Connolly,

catching the bright sunlight

on 26 July 2010.

009 Inter City liveried River class 201 unit 227, RIVER LAUNE,

stands at Dublin Connolly on 26 July 2010,

awaiting departure on the 13:20 Dublin /Belfast Enterprise service.

This class of diesel was built by General Motors in 1994/5.

Some members of the class have both English and Irish nameplates,

and other class members, although allocated names, never received them.

In the case of this loco 227, it has just English nameplates.

014 Class 22000 six car Outer Suburban unit 22342

stands at Mullingar at 12:16 on 26 July 2010

after arriving on time with the 11:05 departure from Dublin Connolly.

The service then continued to Sligo, with a timetabled 14:10 arrival.

020 A very neat and tidy Longford Station

complete with atractive footbridge (bridge no. 451)

and signal box on 27 July 2010.

Built by the Midland and Great Western Railway,

the station opened in 1855.

021 The old goods shed and evocative old yard crane

contrast with the colour light signal (SL795)

at Longford

July 2010.

027 Set 7 a three-car unit, consisting of 22307, 22407 and 22207,

arrives at Longford

on 27 July 2010.

030 Set 7 departs Longford,

framed by the ornate MGW footbridge

on 27 July 2010.

032 Old railway age meets new railway age “crane and cab”

at Longford

July 2010

034 Float (for Castlepollard) Station July 2010.

is situated on the Cavan branch, close to Inny Junction,

and was built by the MGW,

This station and its goods shed are amazing survivors from MGW days.

Opened in 1856, the station closed to passengers in 1947

but did see occasional freight up to 1960,

after which the track was lifted.

035 Float station July 2010, with platforms still in situ.

The old MGW goods shed can be seen beyond the station.

036 Float Station July 2010,

viewed from the road looking down the trackbed.

The old pedestrian gate and level crossing gate post still stand.

Unfortunately, the MGW signal box, “Float Station Crossing,

which was situated on the left of the track bed,

has long since been demolished.

047 The mothballed Athlone branch line

at Mullingar Station

July 2010

049 The early morning sun catches class 22000 / 22323

as it departs Mullingar

with the 08:17 service to Sligo

on 28 July 2010.

050 The impressive mothballed Mullingar Signal Box

July 2010.

053 Class 22000 22241 rolls into Mullingar

with the 08:55 departure for Dublin Connolly (arrive 10:05),

the train having departed Sligo at 07:00.

055 Internal view of class 22000 unit.

Built by Rotem (Korea) and Mitsui (Tokyo), they are Irish Rail's latest Inter-City units.

They have a top speed of 100 mph, and are designed to operate as three, six or nine car sets.

The design also allows them to operate up to eighteen cars in case of emergency.

As can be seen, they are finished to a high standard,

and seats line up with windows, unlike most of the UK's units.

056 River class 209, 209, which was allocated River Foyle name plates but was never given them,

stands at Dublin Connolly,

having just arrived on an Enterprise service from Belfast.

Note the not to be moved sign in place

as the loco and stock receive attention from service staff,

prior to its return journey to Belfast

058 Cab view of 209 at Dublin Connolly 28 July 2010.

060 Class 22000, 22241, a six car suburban unit,

is serviced at Platform 1 Dublin Connolly

having arrived with a service from Sligo.

061 Class 29000 four car outer suburban unit 29407

shares the stop blocks at Dublin Connolly

with class 22000, 22132

062 Class 22000, 22332, stands under the impressive train shed

at Dublin Connolly

28 July 2010

063 Contrasting front ends and liveries class 22000 and class 29000

at Dublin Connolly

28 July 2010.

065 The impressive frontage of Dublin Heuston Station

(formally Dublin Kingsbridge)

066 Dublin Heuston Station train shed 28 July 2010

with a couple of class 22000's awaiting departure.

067 A pair of 22000 units stand at the buffer stops in platforms two and three

at Dublin Heuston Station

on 28 July 2010.

068 A six car class 22000 stands awaiting the road

at Dublin Heuston's rather isolated platform 10.

070 A three car class 22000 unit departs Dublin Heuston.

The loco servicing point can just be glimpsed behind the back carriage,

and stored passenger stock, in the old orange and black livery,

is visible in the distant yard.

072 The impressive side-entrance to Dublin Heuston Station July 2010

073 Dart unit crosses the River Liffey July 2010

074 Eight car class 29000 unit arrives at Dublin Tara Street on 28 July 2010.

077 Dart unit 8622 awaits departure from Dublin Tara Street on 28 July 2010.

078 Class 29000 29107 rolls into Dublin Tara Street

with plenty of passengers waiting to join on 28 July 2010.

082 Dart unit class 8520, built in Japan no 8621,

awaits departure with a service to Bray 28 July 2010.

083 Two dart units cross at Dublin Tara Street Station on 28 July 2010.

Unit 8128 is a class 8100, built by Siemens in Germany,

and unit 8621 is a class 8520, built by Tokyo Corporation of Japan.

085 Dart class 8500, no 8603 arrives at Dublin Tara Street Station

on 28 July 2010

090 Typical MGW red brick and limestone water tower and turntable

at Dublin Connolly Station

July 2010.

091 Class 29000, built by CAF in Spain, framed by an arch

at Dublin Connolly Station

July 2010.

092 Two class 29000 units await the evening peak

at Dublin Connolly Station

28 July 2010.

094 The driver of River Class 201 no 233

catches up on the news in Dublin's evening paper,

whilst awaiting departure

on the 16:50 Enterprise service to Belfast.

Note the Irish nameplate.

The nameplate on the other side of the cab will be in English

095 29000 class units, 29415, 29113, stand

at Dublin Connolly

on 28 July 2010

096 Two class 29000 units await tea-time departure

from Dublin Connolly on 28 July 2010.

To the left of 29415 and 29113 sits River Class 201, no 233

RIVER CLARE / ABHAINNE NA CHLAIR

awaiting departure with the 16-50 Enterprise service to Belfast.

097 River class 201, 233, blasts out of Dublin Connolly

with the 16:50 Enterprise service to Belfast on 28 July 2010.

100 DVT at rear of Enterprise service. class 201 at front.

101 A bit of luck here with a very geometrical

and symetrical line-up of front ends

at Dublin Connolly

July 2010.

102 Two 29000 units at rest at the blocks

at Dublin Connolly

28 July 2010.

103 Very impressive performance figures

Dublin Connolly July 2010.

105 Station frontage Dublin Connolly,

formally Dublin Amiens Street.

106 Luas tram station terminus Dublin Connolly

with Alstom Citadis type 301, tram 3010, awaiting departure.

111 Two Class 2800 Arrow two-car sets snake

into Dublin Connolly Station,

led by unit 2084

on 28 July 2010.

112 Class 8100 Dart, unit 8334,

arrives at Dublin Connolly

on 28 July 2010.

113 Class 8100 Dart, unit 8135,

contrasts with the old water tower

at Dublin Connolly

28 July 2010.

114 Class 22000 six car suburban set 22242

glides into Dublin Connolly

to form the 17:05 departure to Sligo

on 28 July 2010.

115 Class 22000 unit stands at Mullingar

awaiting departure with the 18:14 service to Sligo.