Evening folks,
A few photos from St. Patricks day with photos of:
234 0735 Waterford - Heuston at Carlow.
22037 0730 Heuston - Waterford at Carlow.
2723+2726+2711+2712 0925 Waterford - Connolly GAA Special at Milford.
22015+22021 1010 Waterford - Connolly GAA Special at Milford.
212 1130 Heuston - Waterford at Cush between Cherryville and Athy.
The 1200 Heuston - Cork MKIV crossing Monastervin Viaduct.
Photos now online at:
http://thewanderersirishrailphotos.fotopic.net/c1668579_1.html
The Wanderer.
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Hi The Wanderer
Just thought I'd post here to say cheers for your ongoing updates, which I follow with interest! I was in and around Dublin at the weekend, travelled mostly on the Dart services but also one of the CAF 29000 class DMUs on a Drogheda service up the coast between Bray and Connolly. Impressed with both types of stock, though the feeling of the DMU was rather sparse inside, and the line speed was painfully slow!!
Impressed also by the look of the new Intercity DMUs (22000 class?) and also happened to see an Enterprise service departing Connolly for Belfast. Great noise and clag for a modern loco I thought, despite being GM-built like our 66s. Also passed the depot outside Heuston on a sightseeing bus and had a good view of old and new locos and coaches, including Mk 3s and the CAF Mk 4 stock. Obviously IE have spent a lot of money on new stock in recent years.
Finally on the way back to the airport through the port area we passed what I think was East Wall depot? I saw a orange flash above a wall which I realised when the view opened out was the end of the rake of International coaches which I recognised from
this picture...
Anyway, good to see it all for real and will follow this thread closely in future. Thanks!
I wonder if any of the International or Mk 3 stock will ever end up back on British metals as suggested elsewhere on this forum?
Hi Royston Vasey,
I hope you enjoyed your visit to Dublin.
The 29000's are a high capacity commuter DMU. Creature comforts it hasn't got! I.E. have also used these on Dublin - Sligo services for a couple of years before the Intercity 22000's were introduced. I said it before and i'll say it again. The 22000's built by Rotem are the finest DMU to operate in Ireland and the UK. Quite, fast and comfortable.
The 201's on the Dublin - Belfast service use HEP (ETS for our UK friends) to power the coaches. This is the only service to use this function. All other coaching stock uses Generator Vans. This means the 201's even while standing still are screaming with the engine in (I think) notch 5 all the time.
A 201 on the Heuston side is a different machine
The Heuston VP (Depot) is on its last legs. I even worked there for a while. With the 22000's being introduced and the Cravens, MK2's and MK3's all being withdrawn the workload of the depot has been reduced to the bare bone. MK4 servicing has now transferred to Inchicore and once all the MK3 and MK3 Push / Pull stock is withdrawn Heuston VP will be closed.
Once the MK3's are gone the oldest passenger rolling stock in Ireland with date from 1983, these being the Class 8100 class EMU's used on the DART service. These have recently been refurbished by siemens. The 2nd oldest rolling stock will be the Class 2600 DMU's built by Tokyu Car Company, dating from 1993. Of note these were the first Japanese rolling stock to be built for the European market. Since then I.E. have ordered the Class 2800 DMU and the 8500, 8510 & 8520 family of EMU's from Tokyu. Tokyu also supplied bogies to Rotem for the 22000 Class using a modified bogie of the same type found on the Class 2800 DMU's.
The bus back to the airport must have gone via the Port Tunnel? The you would have passed East Wall Yard. There is currently 2 rakes of coaches stored here (8 MK3 and 8 Internationals.)
It's rumoured that some of the International rake has been sold. I've no idea of the buyers though.
Once again I hope you enjoyed the trip and come again soon!
Regards,
The Wanderer.