| 1964 | Society is formed at meeting in Belfast (30th September). |
| 1965 | First steam railtour operates: Belfast York Road - Portrush - Portadown - Belfast Great Victoria Street. |
| 1966 | Society sets up home at Whitehead Excursion Station on Belfast - Larne line. |
| 1967 | "Dalriada" Railtour is the first to use a locomotive (No.186) owned by the Society. "Cuchulainn" Railtour, Belfast - Dundalk & return, is the first venture on to CIÉ metals. |
| 1968 | "St. Ciaran" Railtour is first two-day event, with overnight in Athlone. |
| 1969 | First Open Day is held at Whitehead, with 3 locomotives in steam. |
| 1970 | NIR's last year to use steam locomotives. Society launches appeal to buy No.4. |
| 1971 | Work starts on locomotive shed extension at Whitehead. No.4 arrives with the Society. |
| 1972 | No.186 hauls the "North Kerry" Railtour, Limerick - Tralee & return. |
| 1973 | First season of "Portrush Flyer" trains is operated. |
| 1974 | First Schools' Day is held at Whitehead. |
| 1975 | The "Burma Road" Railtour traverses the Claremorris - Sligo line. Society gains recognition as a charity. |
| 1976 | No.4 becomes first steam locomotive to pass through the new Belfast Central Station. Enterprise Ulster commences a huge work programme at Whitehead, including excavations to create new siding space and rebuilding the platform. |
| 1977 | Mullingar is established as a base for restoration of locomotive No.184. No.461 also comes into RPSI care. |
| 1978 | No.184 & No.186 star in the film "The First Great Train Robbery". Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland and Leslie-Anne Down also appear! |
| 1979 | Whitehead shed extension finally gets a roof. RPSI sales van takes to the road. |
| 1980 | No.171 hauls first "Steam Enterprise" train, Belfast - Dublin & return, one week late due to a bomb on the line. |
| 1981 | "Ben Bulben" Railtour traverses Mullingar - Sligo line, and the Society completes its coverage of every railway line still open in Ireland. |
| 1982 | Locomotive wheel lathe from Belfast York Road is installed at Whitehead. |
| 1983 | Society receives the Association of Railway Preservation Societies Annual Award for: "Operation during 1983 - and for many years past - of steam excursions". No.184 stars in the TV series "The Irish R.M."; Peter Bowles and Bryan Murray also appear! |
| 1984 | No.4 hauls ballast trains for NIR during running-in after an overhaul. |
| 1985 | No.85 "Merlin", on loan from the UFTM, enters service after an overhaul sponsored by the late Lord Dunleath. The Whitehead Railway Project (a youth training scheme run by NIACRO) completes the restoration of former LMS NCC coach 68. |
| 1986 | Society purchases nine coaches from CIÉ to establish a train based in the Republic. Enterprise Ulster installs the former Ballymena turntable in Coleraine. |
| 1987 | On 11th August, NIR charters Society train hauled by No.85 for re-enactment of first "Enterprise Express" exactly 40 years earlier. |
| 1988 | Series of Dublin-based public one-day steam trips is run to celebrate the Dublin Millennium. |
| 1989 | Series of Belfast based public one-day steam trips is run to celebrate 150 years of Ulster railways. |
| 1990 | NIR Locomotive Inspector, and good friend of the Society, Frank Dunlop retires. |
| 1991 | President Mary Robinson officially launches No.461 after its restoration after over 30 years out of traffic. |
| 1992 | Belfast's new Yorkgate Station becomes the starting point for the first series of northern mainline Santa Steam Trains. |
| 1993 | No.171 assists the movement of vehicles from the Belfast Transport Museum to the new Railway Gallery of the UFTM at Cultra. Work progresses on the new Whitehead carriage shed, financed with grant aid from the Ireland Fund and the European Regional Development Fund. |
| 1994 | No.85 becomes the first steam locomotive to cross the new Dargan Bridge over the River Lagan in Belfast. No.171 & No.461 feature in the BBC's "Derry To Kerry Great Railway Journey" with Michael Palin. |
| 1995 | No.171 & No.461 star in the film "Michael Collins". Liam Neeson and Julia Roberts also appear! No.85 becomes the first steam locomotive to enter the new Great Victoria Street Station, Belfast. |
| 1996 | Nos. 85, 171, 186 & 461 appear at Dublin's Inchicore Works 150th anniversary celebrations. |
| 1997 | New locomotive workshop, incorporating a 100-year-old overhead crane, is completed at Whitehead. |
| 1998 | Iron foundry is established at Whitehead. No.461 helps to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the MGWR into Mullingar. |
| 1999 | No.85 helps Irish Rail to celebrate the 150th anniversaries of the arrival of the railway in Dundalk and Cork. |
| 2000 | President Mary McAleese officially launches recently restored Irish State Coach No.351. No.3 "R.H. Smyth" is hired by Henry Boot Ltd. to assist with relaying the Bleach Green - Antrim line. |
| 2001 | The "Northern Counties" Railtour becomes the first Northern Ireland based two day railtour. Irish State Coach 351 is awarded the Supreme Champion in the HRA Carriage and Wagon Awards. |
| 2002 | Dr. Joan Smyth, Chair of the N.I. Transport Holding Co., re-launches No.4 after its 10 year overhaul. Application to become a registered museum is approved on 19th October. |
| 2003 | The Whitehead based train of wooden body coaches is used for its final season. |
| 2004 | 50th edition of the Society's magazine "Five Foot Three" is published. The 30th season of Winter meetings in St. Jude's Hall, Belfast, is completed. First public operation of new Mk2 coaches. No.186 returns to traffic after 24 years. The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland celebrates its 40th anniversary with a gala evening at Cultra. |
| 2005 | HRA's Coiley Award is presented for restoration of No.186 to main line status. Between August and December "R.H. Smyth" is on hire to Amec Spie to work on relaying of the Bleach Green to Whitehead line. |
| 2006 | Official opening on 4th July of the "Henry Dunleath Workshop" at Whitehead. Locomotive Officer Peter Scott receives an MBE for his contribution to railway heritage. |
| 2007 | Press release on 30th January as Whitehead depot is officially bought from Carrickfergus Borough Council. The Society gains full Accredited Museum status on 27th November. |
| 2008 | GNR brake van No.81 is immaculately restored by a team of younger members at Whitehead. Secondary Door Locking fitted to Mk2 coaches for operation in Northern Ireland. Mk2 diner 547 returns to traffic. First Cravens coaches into preservation operate. |
| 2009 | Tony Renehan, the first driver to spend his entire steam career on RPSI trains, retires after the "Top Link" railtour to Cork. Society purchases first of class diesel locomotives GM B141 and B142 from Irish Rail. |
| 2010 | Society wins Heritage Railway Association Carriage & Wagon Award (Wagon Category) for the restoration of GNR brake van No.81. |
| 2011 | At an EGM the "Council" becomes the "Board". Subsidiary company Heritage Engineering Ireland is set up. Dr Joan Smyth and Robert C. Guinness appointed as Vice-Presidents. |
| 2012 | Nora Owen appointed as Vice-President. In August work starts on new Whitehead station building. |
| 2013 | Offers of funding amounting to £2.4m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and GROW South Antrim announced. New Whitehead Excursion Station building is completed. |
| 2014 | Celebrations for 50th Anniversary year. Work commences on the second phase of development at Whitehead funded by GROW. |
| 2015 | On 31st January, locomotive No.131 steamed for the first time in over 50 years, and had its first test on the main line on 22nd February. Society wins the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. Building work commences on massive museum and workshop development at Whitehead funded by Tourism NI and HLF. |
| 2016 | HM Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh travel on Royal Train (No.85 "Merlin" and 5 Mk2 carriages) from Coleraine to Bellarena. |
| 2017 | The Whitehead Railway Museum opens to the public on 1st March. |
| 2018 | The Whitehead Railway Museum wins the Heritage Railway Association’s prestigious Manisty Award for Excellence. GNR(I) Q Class locomotive No.131 returns to mainline service, having been derelict since 1962. Lord O’Neill retires as President, having been in the role since 1964! He is succeeded by Dr Joan Smyth. |
| 2019 | The 50th annual weekend railtour, the "Waterford & Limerick", takes place. No.4 returns to traffic after a complete set of new tyres is fitted - a major project! New build W Class locomotive No.105 is announced. |
| 2020 | In March the coronavirus lockdown ceases all public trains until resumption of train rides in August, but cease again in October. |
| 2021 | Whitehead train rides resume again on 29th May. First mainline train in 18 months runs on 2nd October for testing and reassessment. |
| 2023 | Death of Translink steam driver Noel Playfair on 16th January temporarily curtails mainline steam from Whitehead. On 1st April, No.131 returns to Dublin in steam for the first time since the early 1960s. |
