[Heritage] A steam train is now a more popular along the East coast than an A class

Run_to_da_hills · 21-07-2010 2:38pm #1

its sad to think that the only current functional A Class locomotive is held in captivity in a stand alone railway yard across the border, just like an animal locked up in a zoo.

Anyone over the age of 25 living in this country would remember these fine locos as they were a part and piece of the furniture of CIE.

They played a good part in my life too having my rear garden leading on directly to a suburban embankment bar the metals. I could tell the time of the day. (Roughly

) from my bedroom from the sound of the things.

I also spent my childhood traveling to school on them, then again with my career with the lighthouse service traveling the length and breath of the country on the "Super Trains".

I am sure if the Irish Traction group and IR got together and organized specialty "dinner" runs with one of these pulling a set of MK 3's along the east coast it would gather much more interest than any steam run as more people would have had known them.

Old Supertrain add from the 70's

]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po_I7tFEL-8

Ham'nd'egger · 21-07-2010 2:42pm

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

its sad to think that the only current functional A Class locomotive is held in captivity in a stand alone rail train yard across the border, just like an animal locked up in a zoo.

Anyone over the age of 25 living in this country would remember these fine locos as they were a part and piece of the furniture of CIE.

They played a good part in my life too having my rear garden leading on directly to a suburban embankment bar the metals. I could tell the time of the day. (Roughly ) from my bedroom from the sound of the things.

I also spent my childhood traveling to school on them, then again with my career with the lighthouse service traveling the length and breath of the country on the "Super Trains".

I am sure if the Irish Traction group and IR got together and organized specialty "dinner" runs with one of these pulling a set of MK 3's along the east coast it would gather much more interest than any steam run as more people would have had known them.

Old Supertrain add. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po_I7tFEL-8
Edit can someone embed it?

The ITG tried a 001 class tour before but apparently the loco failed in Limerick!

Cookie_Monster · 21-07-2010 2:45pm

003 and 039 both work don't they?

EDIT:
003 in A3R guise works but is destined for misery in Moyasta
039 is up at Downpatrick

ITG info

Judgement Day · 21-07-2010 2:50pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po_I7tFEL-8

Good advert shame about the video quality. From the days before the product got lost in the message. It well illustrates the (then) advantage of rail over road. Far better than paying Craig Doyle too much for irrelevant rubbish 'style over substance' advertising.

Judgement Day · 21-07-2010 2:54pm

The (Ah) A-class! My last railtour - still have the souvenir ITG pint glass that I drank my way across the country with. So bored with trains at that stage that I didn't even bother taking any pics. Here is the only (rather poor I'm afraid) video of the great day from YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGxziX3TQek

Run_to_da_hills · 21-07-2010 3:00pm

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

003 and 039 both work don't they?

EDIT:
003 in A3R guise works but is destined for misery in Moyasta
039 is up at Downpatrick

Keeping any rolling stock outdoors at Moyasta would be an extermination camp compared to Downpatrick, Strong westerly sea breeze, salt air and mechanical deterioration from lack of use. The faith of 003 is now sealed. :mad:

Stark · 21-07-2010 3:28pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po_I7tFEL-8

Good advert shame about the video quality. From the days before the product got lost in the message. It well illustrates the (then) advantage of rail over road. Far better than paying Craig Doyle too much for irrelevant rubbish 'style over substance' advertising.

Problem is now you'd comparing a slow rocky journey over poorly maintained train tracks squeezed into a cramped carriage to a drive on the newly completed M8 and M6 motorways in a more modern climate controlled car.

Transportuser09 · 21-07-2010 4:07pm

Nice vids. At a guess though steam trips are more popular with the general (non-enthusiast) public. Any RPSI trip I've been on and you'll only see a handful of gricer types. There no doubt would also be issues converting an A class to airbrakes (needed to haul mk3s).

Rud · 21-07-2010 11:04pm

Speaking of locos out of use everytime i have gone buy Inchicore in a train over the last while and see one of the remaining 121s just rotting away between carraiges is a sad sight,never mind the one that's down in Moyasta under cover,god knows if they will ever get back running on a proper track again.It would be something special to see that A class on railtour duty

21-07-2010 11:11pm

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

I am sure if the Irish Traction group and IR got together and organized specialty "dinner" runs with one of these pulling a set of MK 3's along the east coast it would gather much more interest than any steam run as more people would have had known them.

No air brakes on an A - Cravens or Mk2s only. Not sure about the C though, have heard conflicting reports over whether they had air or not.

Judgement Day wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po_I7tFEL-8

Good advert shame about the video quality. From the days before the product got lost in the message. It well illustrates the (then) advantage of rail over road. Far better than paying Craig Doyle too much for irrelevant rubbish 'style over substance' advertising.

I uploaded this clip from the 1976 edition of Reeling In The Years, however the video quality in the programme is as you see here.

Baron de Robeck · 21-07-2010 11:23pm

The locos at Moyasta are under tarpaulins and will go inside the museum building which is expected to be built soon. I do agree with the point that the mechanics will suffer from lack of use as the proposed mixed gauge line will not be long enough to exercise them.

A39 completed a number of tours during it's active year in preservation which was 1995 or thereabouts. A3r suffered a few minor problems which prevented its use on tours.

I would love to see an A class active on tours but the biggest obstacle apart from a financial one is the strained relations between the ITG and Irish Rail. This is the main reason the locos are at Moyasta in the first place.

Loco 134 is now owned by the RPSI and is being cared for at Inchicore.

Run_to_da_hills · 21-07-2010 11:51pm

Baron de Robeck wrote: »

The locos at Moyasta are under tarpaulins and will go inside the museum building which is expected to be built soon. I do agree with the point that the mechanics will suffer from lack of use as the proposed mixed gauge line will not be long enough to exercise them.

A39 completed a number of tours during it's active year in preservation which was 1995 or thereabouts. A3r suffered a few minor problems which prevented its use on tours.

I would love to see an A class active on tours but the biggest obstacle apart from a financial one is the strained relations between the ITG and Irish Rail. This is the main reason the locos are at Moyasta in the first place.

Loco 134 is now owned by the RPSI and is being cared for at Inchicore.

Its a great pity that the RPSI did not get their hands on any of the A's when they were going a begging. At the time it didn't interest them. Perhaps if the ITG were to sell off 003 to them we could see it back on railtours again.

015 is good enough as a static exhibit for Moyasta and would not take too much to lump the rest of it together.

orangetrain · 22-07-2010 1:27am

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

its sad to think that the only current functional A Class locomotive is held in captivity in a stand alone railway yard across the border, just like an animal locked up in a zoo.

Anyone over the age of 25 living in this country would remember these fine locos as they were a part and piece of the furniture of CIE.

They played a good part in my life too having my rear garden leading on directly to a suburban embankment bar the metals. I could tell the time of the day. (Roughly ) from my bedroom from the sound of the things.

I also spent my childhood traveling to school on them, then again with my career with the lighthouse service traveling the length and breath of the country on the "Super Trains".

I am sure if the Irish Traction group and IR got together and organized specialty "dinner" runs with one of these pulling a set of MK 3's along the east coast it would gather much more interest than any steam run as more people would have had known them.

Old Supertrain add from the 70's

]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po_I7tFEL-8

Thats a cool idea, an A class down the east coast with a dining train would be a fine sight.

I read in a RPSI newsletter earlier this year that a group have come to them to set up a diesel section, maybe they might run tours like this with 141 and 134?

Cookie_Monster · 22-07-2010 8:29am

they have both 124 and 134 do they not.

have to run them in pairs, not the same otherwise, especially these two who spent the majority of their life together.

Run_to_da_hills · 22-07-2010 8:52am

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

they have both 124 and 134 do they not.

have to run them in pairs, not the same otherwise, especially these two who spent the majority of their life together.

AFAIK ITG has 124 and the RPSI has 134 Looks like they may have together on this one.

lord lucan · 22-07-2010 9:01am

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

they have both 124 and 134 do they not.

have to run them in pairs, not the same otherwise, especially these two who spent the majority of their life together.

The ITG have 124,that's down in Moyasta already. The RPSI have 134,but it's still down in Inchicore with B141 afaik.

Run_to_da_hills · 22-07-2010 9:31am

lord lucan wrote: »

The ITG have 124,that's down in Moyasta already. The RPSI have 134,but it's still down in Inchicore with B141 afaik.

That rules out having them in pairs for the forseen future. :mad:

lord lucan · 22-07-2010 9:51am

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

That rules out having them in pairs for the forseen future. :mad:

The RPSI could run a 141 & 121 together,that's as good as it's gonna get for the foreseeable future.

Run_to_da_hills · 22-07-2010 9:56am

lord lucan wrote: »

The RPSI could run a 141 & 121 together,that's as good as it's gonna get for the foreseeable future.

Not the same. :mad:

Judgement Day · 22-07-2010 10:05am

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Not the same. :mad:

It's worse - it's horrible. 2 X 121 = Great. 2 x 141 = Great. 121 + 141 = Awful. From a photogenic point of view anyway.

Run_to_da_hills · 22-07-2010 10:25am

Judgement Day wrote: »

It's worse - it's horrible. 2 X 121 = Great. 2 x 141 = Great. 121 + 141 = Awful. From a photogenic point of view anyway.

I don't CIE ever stooped that low.

Cookie_Monster · 22-07-2010 10:31am

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

I don't CIE ever stooped that low.

I've seen a lot of photos with 121 + 141 together, happened a fair bit I suspect

question: are 124 and 134 the only ones of class to survive?
I'm getting a bit confused trying to keep track of whats where

lord lucan · 22-07-2010 10:44am

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I've seen a lot of photos with 121 + 141 together, happened a fair bit I suspect

question: are 124 and 134 the only ones of class to survive?
I'm getting a bit confused trying to keep track of whats where

Yep,they're the last of them. The rest have gone to the scapper. I'm just happy that a couple have survived. They've always been my favourite loco.:)

And the combo of a 141 & 121 was pretty common,particularly in the mid-nineties when the 121's were on push/pull duties with a MKIII set on the Northern line.

orangetrain · 22-07-2010 6:19pm

Well its not a complete engine but I saw a cab from a 121 at the Cavan and Leitrim railway in Dromad. I still think 134+B141 would be a fine sight. The newsletter also said the RPSI might get a third 141 class engine, didn't say which though.

Judgement Day · 22-07-2010 6:38pm

orangetrain wrote: »

Well its not a complete engine but I saw a cab from a 121 at the Cavan and Leitrim railway in Dromad. I still think 134+B141 would be a fine sight. The newsletter also said the RPSI might get a third 141 class engine, didn't say which though.

Sure it wasn't an ice cream van?

orangetrain · 22-07-2010 8:36pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

Sure it wasn't an ice cream van?

Ha ha, yes there was some of them too. A great variety. Even planes!:)

22-07-2010 9:39pm

orangetrain wrote: »

Well its not a complete engine but I saw a cab from a 121 at the Cavan and Leitrim railway in Dromad. I still think 134+B141 would be a fine sight. The newsletter also said the RPSI might get a third 141 class engine, didn't say which though.

Here it is, along with an RTÉ OB van:

Run_to_da_hills · 22-07-2010 9:41pm

Karsini wrote: »

Here it is, along with an RTÉ OB van:

Where is the rest of it? :mad:

Judgement Day · 22-07-2010 9:55pm

Ahh, Dromod - a sight/site to make sore eyes!

Run_to_da_hills · 22-07-2010 10:47pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

Ahh, Dromod - a sight/site to make sore eyes!

I missed the last ITG trip up there, when is the next?

orangetrain · 23-07-2010 12:20am

I think its open most Sundays, you could go up on the Sligo train (narrow gauge line is just across the carpark).

[Heritage] A steam train is now a more popular along the East coast than an A class

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