RPSI 'The Spare Link' tour (24-25th March 2012).

[GM078]

Including the first steam visit to the Howth branch since before the DART opened.

Planned loco is 461, coaching stock to be the RPSI Cravens set.

‘The Spare Link’

A special excursion to mark the retirement and acknowledge the assistance over the years to the RPSI of driver Dan Renehan.

Dublin - Dunboyne - Rosslare - Wexford on Saturday 24th March 2012
Wexford - Wicklow - Howth - Dublin on Sunday 25th March 2012

A two-day, steam hauled event featuring the recently re-opened line to Dunboyne, the scenic Dublin and South Eastern line along the East Coast and a return to steam on the Howth branch.

Tickets: €70/£60

Outline times are:
Saturday: Depart Dublin Connolly 09:50
Sunday: Arrive Dublin Connolly 15:55

Waiting List Booking Form

Note the initial seating allocation is now full, a booking form for the waiting list is available, passengers will be informed of the outcome by the end of February.

 

[I T S]

I assume a diesel loco will be required from Howth to Dublin?

 

[4SRKT]

And from Dublin to 'Dunboyne' (not M3 Parkway?)?

 

[GM078]

I assume a diesel loco will be required from Howth to Dublin?

Yep.

And from Dublin to 'Dunboyne' (not M3 Parkway?)?

No there's a runaround facility in M3 Parkway or whatever it likes to call itself. The reason it wasn't used on the September tour was because the train was heading back into Docklands where 186 would have had to been shunt released anyway. I suspect the reason such a facility exists in Dunboyne/M3P is because it was only meant to be phase 1 of 2 of the Navan line reopening project, a set of points would have been eventually needed at the far end anyway where it to become a passing loop. Whereas in the case of Midleton there was never any official plan to reopen the line further.

 

[Drimnagh Road]

This bears all the ingredients be a great social weekend: new loco, leisurely, and a night out in Wexford always pleases and of course some rear track around Dublin too for steam!

 

[4SRKT]

Shame I won't be able to make this, it sounds like a lot of fun. I've got three visits to Ireland pencilled in in 2012, for the 450 farewell, the RPSI May thing, and the Portrush Flyer. A fourth will be taking the **** somewhat, especially as with a night in Wexford this one will be more ching heavy than the others.

 

[GM078]

The initial seating allocation for this tour is now sold out. A waiting list booking form is available here. Availability of seats will be confirmed by the end of February.

 

[Drimnagh Road]

GM078,

the form is the same as the normal one. Do we enclose payment with this one? Or wait to hear if there is space.

cheers

 

[GM078]

GM078,

the form is the same as the normal one. Do we enclose payment with this one? Or wait to hear if there is space.

cheers

Yeah you include payment with this one. Obviously nothing is cashed until they're sure of space being available.

 

[GM078]

Only a few tickets left for the Spare Link, so it's advised that intending passengers book soon.

However, there are still tickets available for the '171 For 171' diesel (071 class requested) tour on April 21st.

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
In advance of this tour visiting the Howth branch in two weekends time, locomotive 228 did a route-knowledge refresher trip down the branch today. Pictures here:
http://smu.gs/wHvybU

 

[GM078]

Has a 201 ever operated on the branch before? I've heard of a case where a mkIII push-pull set on a special was specifically 121 operated to avoid a 201 (this was after 121s were replaced by 201s on Dublin area push-pulls).

 

[Csalem]

The general consensus is that was the first visit of a 201 to Howth. I thought one may have gone down when the signals were upgraded but I seem to be alone in that belief.

 

[GM078]

It will be interesting to see what gets sent out to haul the Cravens back in on the last leg of the tour... but hey, 071 or 201 a loco on the Howth branch is an event in itself! I was on an ITG tour in the early 2000s which involved 175 out to Howth and NIR 112 back in - having recently viewed photos of that tour on another site it seems that Craven 1505 was one of the carriages used (as was 1508 obviously) it had just received a repaint prior to working that tour, co-incidentally it will also be on this tour though its paint job has by now seen better days.

I believe the aforementioned ITG tour was the last visit of a loco hauled passenger to Howth to date.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Tickets were sent earlier this week so should be with participants now or soon.

 

[Drimnagh Road]

There's a good chance we'll get an 071, should be one spare at Connolly shed off the Taras

 

[GM078]

There's a good chance we'll get an 071, should be one spare at Connolly shed off the Taras

Quite possible, I recall someone telling me that it's sometimes easier to procure an 071 because they're not as tied up as the 201s... don't know how true that is though.

Actually not sure if 461 herself has been to Howth before, certainly not in preservation. I know either her or 462 was stored in Sutton for a while towards the end of steam but don't know if the K2s would have ever reached Howth itself.

 

[Klepht01]

Hi I am making my first trip to Ireland which co-insides with this railtour.
Hence I hope to take an hour off and go and see it somewhere.
Having never been to Ireland before I am unfamilure with the network and services.

I was wondering if anyone could provide outline times for the railtour or suggest where I might be able to find them?

 

[I T S]

Saturday 24TH March 2012
Dublin Connolly 09:50
Drumcondra 09:57
Clonsilla 10:10
M3 Parkway 10:22

M3 Parkway 10:50
Dunboyne 10:55 / 11:05
Clonsilla 11:12
Drumcondra 11:29
Dublin Connolly 11:35
Pearse 11:38
Dun Laoghaire 12:00
Bray 12:20
Greystones 12:29 / 12:39 (Water)
Wicklow 12:54
Rathdrum 13:07 / 13:15
Arklow 13:33
Gorey 13:46 / 14:01 (Water and cross the Up Rosslare)
Enniscorthy 14:25
Wexford 14:58 / 15:03
Rosslare Strand 15:18
Rosslare Harbour 15:25


Rosslare Harbour 16:10
Rosslare Strand 16:15 / 16:23
Wexford 16:42


Sunday 25th March 2012

Wexford 10:55
Enniscorthy 11:23 / 11:33
Gorey 11:56 / 12:09 (Water and cross the Down Rosslare)
Arklow 12:22
Rathdrum 12:40 / 12:50
Wicklow 13:06 / 13:16
Greystones 13:32 / 13:46 (Water and cross a DART arrival)
Bray 13:55
Dun Laoghaire 14:05
Pearse 14:23
Connolly 14:27
Howth Jctn 14:43
Howth 14:55

Howth 15:20
Sutton 15:24 / 15:34
Howth Jctn 15:36
Dublin Connolly 15:55


GSR 461 & Cravens will work throughout until Howth (14:58) , where it will be detached and a IE Diesel Locomotive will arrive LE from Connolly and hook onto the back of the train and work the 1520 Spl to Connolly. 461 will then follow light

Hope this helps

 

[GM078]

Hi I am making my first trip to Ireland which co-insides with this railtour.
Hence I hope to take an hour off and go and see it somewhere.
Having never been to Ireland before I am unfamilure with the network and services.

I was wondering if anyone could provide outline times for the railtour or suggest where I might be able to find them?

If you don't have your own transport and want to go photo it somewhere along the DSER you're probably better off getting the bus; Bus Éireann's Dublin-Rosslare service is hourly throughout the day, whereas you'll be along time waiting around if you use the equivalent rail service.

Dublin-Arklow-Gorey-Enniscorthy-Wexford-Rosslare 002 Bus timetable (note the majority of 002 services during the day don't go through Wicklow town, if visiting Wicklow during the day use the 133 service)

Dublin-Wicklow 133 Bus timetable

http://www.irishrail.ie/media/11_DublinRosslareEuroport111.pdf

 

[Klepht01]

Thank you both that is excellent very kind of you. I am sure I shall enjoy Ireland a great deal and plan to return to travel on one of the multi-day annual railtours in the near future

 

[I T S]

GM078 - Maybe you will you know? How many tickets are left for this trip?

 

[GM078]

GM078 - Maybe you will you know? How many tickets are left for this trip?

As far as I know it's sold out I'm afraid.

 

[neildimmer]

Evening All

I have been given a couple of photos of
461 Great Southern Railway K2 class 2-6-0 at Wexford with the RPSI Tour ‘The Spare Link’ 25 March 2012 by David Heath

http://railway-photography.smugmug....Steam/21021631_KrbckZ#!i=1764286781&k=dqrnJ5B
http://railway-photography.smugmug....Steam/21021631_KrbckZ#!i=1764286311&k=mJhtnZ3

Neil

 

[I T S]

http://chrisplayfair.smugmug.com/Ra...ur-24/22106800_N6zm2h#!i=1765286961&k=Nbd84PP

A collection of photos from the RPSI event to Wexford

Enjoy

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
My shots from the weekend now online. Locations include Connolly, M3 Parkway, Dunboyne, Hansfield, Killiney, Kilcoole, Howth, and Clontarf Road. Pictures here:
http://smu.gs/GUGSuy

Enjoy!

 

[Thewanderer]

Good evening all,

Now that I have had a good nights sleep after a great weekend in Wexford I have uploaded 62 photos of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's "The Spare Link" Railtour to M3 Parkway, Wexford and the return to Howth of a Steam Train since 1981.

On a by note as there is no run round loop in Howth, Loco 217 hauled the train back from Howth to Connolly becoming the first 201 passenger working on the branch. Loco 228 was the first 201 class loco on the branch running Light Engine earlier last week to pass out drivers on the Howth Branch for the tour.

Pictures from the two day tour: http://smu.gs/GVcT5R

Enjoy!
The Wanderer.