The Portrush Flyer's back!

[4SRKT]

IMHO the premier seaside steam day out, back this year on 8th, 22nd and 29th August, with the mightly NCC 2-6-4T No. 4. Loco-hauled trains still banned north of Coleraine, so it's bail-ex time at Coleraine onto a railcar stabled there over the weekend. There are two sets stabled there on a Sunday doing nowt, one of which is a DEMU. Here's hoping.......

 

[Drimnagh Road]

Yes it's great that the track can now take locos, I was always afraid that even after the line was relayed, NIR might come up with something along the lines of no paths etc.

Provisionally planned in late June is a Whithead-Dundalk-Coleraine-Belfast-Bangor-Belfast-Whitehead trip, with an NIR 111 loco and the RPSI mk2 set, but advertised and chartered by a private promoter.

 

[4SRKT]

Yes it's great that the track can now take locos, I was always afraid that even after the line was relayed, NIR might come up with something along the lines of no paths etc.

Provisionally planned in late June is a Whithead-Dundalk-Coleraine-Belfast-Bangor-Belfast-Whitehead trip, with an NIR 111 loco and the RPSI mk2 set, but advertised and chartered by a private promoter.

Will the Coleraine > Bangor leg be via Lisburn? Sadly won't be able to do it as I'm doing the Tralee trip on 22nd May, and then taking the deltic to London on 12th June. Coupled with the cost of getting to Northern Ireland, I'd be unlikely to be very popular at home if I announced yet another trip so soon after these.

How come you got an 071 on the Sligo line? I thought that was all operated by plastic DMUs these days.

 

[Drimnagh Road]

Ah, it was the Irish Traction Groups "141 Farewell" charter, however Irish Rail pulled the plug on providing a pair of 141s on Friday night, and 078 worked instead.

Details sketchy about the June trip, flyers were handed out on Saturday but needless to say lost mine. I can't see it operating via Lisburn to be honest. I'll post more when I get more concrete gen.