Irish Railway Record Society "The Token Exchange" Railtour

[Thewanderer]

The Irish Railway Record Society is delighted to announce, “The Token Exchange” Railtour has been arranged for Saturday 23rd September 2023.

We will be travelling over the South Tipperary & the Nenagh Branches to view the last mechanically signalled passenger railway lines in Ireland using Electric Train Staff signalling regulations.

Stops will be made at all stations on each route allowing time for photographs. Also at Carrick-on-Suir, The Irish Traction Group will have their base open during our visit so we can view progress on their C Class Locomotive No. 226. The tour is scheduled to operate via the Lavistown Loop, since December 2022 only three passenger trains a week use it and the rarely used connecting line between the Nenagh Branch and the Dublin – Cork line at Ballybrophy.

All timings are indicative until confirmed by Iarnród Éireann.

Timetable:

Dublin Heuston Dep. 07:05
Kildare (Pick Up) Dep. 07:32
Waterford Dep. 09:00
Photo stops between Carrick-on-Suir – Tipperary.
Limerick Arr. 12:20 - Dep. 14:30
Photo stops between Castleconnell - Ballybrophy.
Ballybrophy Arr. 17:01
Portlaoise (Set Down) Arr. 17:28
Portarlington (Set Down) Arr. 17:40
Kildare (Set Down) Arr. 17:55
Dublin Heuston Arr. 18:24
Lunch is at Members/Guests own discretion in Limerick.

Fares:

Members Adult € 55.00
Non-Members Adult € 60.00
Children (under 16) € 30.00

Tickets can be purchased directly at https://irrsrailtour230923.eventbrite.ie

 

[craigybagel]

I had my tickets booked for this the day they started selling them! I'm curious as to how many others travel across from the UK for it, since unlike the RPSI they're giving enough notice for people from abroad to book travel.

 

[Watershed]

I'd certainly be coming along if I weren't already booked on another trip!

A night in Dublin is required for the early start, but the early finish lends itself to returning to Britain on one of the many cheap evening flights (or indeed the ferry).

 

[Thewanderer]

I'd certainly be coming along if I weren't already booked on another trip!

A night in Dublin is required for the early start, but the early finish lends itself to returning to Britain on one of the many cheap evening flights (or indeed the ferry).

See you onboard!

I'd certainly be coming along if I weren't already booked on another trip!

A night in Dublin is required for the early start, but the early finish lends itself to returning to Britain on one of the many cheap evening flights (or indeed the ferry).

Sorry to hear you can't make it. We have some interesting ideas in the pipeline for 2024 so hopefully you'll be able to make one of those.

 

[D6130]

What traction will you be using?

 

[Thewanderer]

What traction will you be using?

A 22000 Class 3ICR unit for this tour (very rare for the Nenagh Branch). Hopefully the ZF transmission fitted set 22007 if its available on the day.

Loco hauled tours aren't an option as the RPSI has that sown up (as they have the only go anywhere carriage rake) and the options available with the IE MKIV carriage fleet is limited to say the least. I'm nipping that in the bud now as I know it will be asked!

 

[D6130]

A 22000 Class 3ICR unit for this tour (very rare for the Nenagh Branch). Hopefully the ZF transmission fitted set 22007 if its available on the day.

Thanks.

 

[craigybagel]

See you onboard!

Assuming this was aimed at me, thanks!

A 22000 Class 3ICR unit for this tour (very rare for the Nenagh Branch). Hopefully the ZF transmission fitted set 22007 if its available on the day.

When I saw you original post didn't reference 22007 I assumed that plan was no longer an option. Glad to see it hasn't been ruled out yet.

Loco hauled tours aren't an option as the RPSI has that sown up (as they have the only go anywhere carriage rake) and the options available with the IE MKIV carriage fleet is limited to say the least. I'm nipping that in the bud now as I know it will be asked!

I did see a few people moaning about that on the IRRS Facebook page alright! I do have happy memories of railtours on the executive train in my teens (including my only previous trip down the branch at Ballybrophy), but I'm just grateful the IRRS are able to run any kind of tour again.

 

[Thewanderer]

Assuming this was aimed at me, thanks!

When I saw you original post didn't reference 22007 I assumed that plan was no longer an option. Glad to see it hasn't been ruled out yet.

It was. I muddled up the quotes!

22063 is now stopped until December 2023 so certainly won't be that set. We'll do our best for 22007 but the usual caveats apply.

 

[GM078]

Great day out from Team IRRS yesterday, relaxed atmosphere, great mileage. Certainly for me and many others it was first time traversing the Nenagh branch in an ICR set, I think the first railtour to allow travel over the direct connection from the Ballybrophy bay to the mainline since the RPSI 3 Day tour in 2013? (Most tours since have been an empty shunt over this bit).

 

[craigybagel]

I'll echo this, it was a great day out (and nice to finally meet the a Wanderer in the flesh having been a fan of his photos for years. I too was surprised about going over the direct connection at Ballybrophy - my only previous trip down the branch was some 20 years ago on an IRRS tour with the executive train, and we were all booted off at Ballybrophy for the shunt. Mind you, with an 071 + 6 MKIIIs it was a bit more complicated than with yesterday's 3 ICR!

Really looking forward to whatever the IRRS have planned next.

 

[Thewanderer]

Photos from the Irish Railway Record Society "The Token Exchange" railtour on Saturday 23rd September are now online at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.c...-Token-Exchange-Saturday-23rd-September-2023/

The railtour operated from Dublin Heuston to Waterford and Limerick formed of an IE 22000 Class 3ICR set 22007. The purpose of the tour was to travel over the last two remaining routes on the Iarnród Éireann (IE) network that retain traditional railway signalling using the Electric Train Staff signalling regulations.

As organiser on behalf of the IRRS, I'll like to thank everyone who travelled with us yesterday and made the tour such an outstanding success.