Larne Alive (2006) - Whitehead Railway Museum

Larne Borough Council chartered a steam train from the Railway Preservation Society to run in conjunction with their "Larne Alive" summer festival. It ran on Saturday 3rd June 2006 and was well patronised by local people enjoying the festival.

The day started at dawn with a fire being lit in the locomotive. Here No.186 starts to raise a head of steam for the day's work ahead. She is less than clean and will need much elbow grease to get her shining in the way the passengers expect!

The train of six carriages is assembled at the old excursion platform, and No.186 is coupled to her train.

The train arrives at Carrickfergus, and the first load of festival goers climb aboard for the short journey to Larne. A trainee RPSI fireman reaches underneath the boiler to top up the oil in No.186's motion.

Here No.186 runs round the train at Carrickfergus.

"Something old" - No.186, built in 1879, "Something new" - the NIR C3K unit on the left, "Something borrowed" - the entire train chartered for the day and "Something blue" - the Castle class railcar on the right.

Now loaded with passengers, the train makes its way to Larne. Here it skirts Belfast Lough just east of Downshire station.

No.186 puts on a vigorous performance as she climbs uphill away from Magheramorne halt.

At Larne Harbour station the European Highlander lies alongside the quay while No.186 has her tender water tank refilled. The blue hose on the ground attaches into a fitting in the tender, allowing speedy and efficient filling.

"Is it full yet?" - James looks down into the large water tank as water gushes in. Over 1,500 gallons were taken on in under half an hour.

As soon as the tank was full, No.186 scurried back up the line to collect her carriages.

A volunteer, already blackened by cleaning the engine earlier in the day, collects the hoses used to fill the tank. Behind him another volunteer rolls up the last hose.

No.186 has collected her carriages and is ready to bring them back to Carrickfergus. In the background Stena Leader loads with cars and lorries for the next sailing to Fleetwood.

Running tender first, the train of returning day trippers is observed by a nesting swan on the short causeway just north of Magheramorne.

Now running on recently relaid track, No.186 rounds the headland of White Head.

The train approaches the picturesque White Harbour en route to Carrickfergus.

Now with the passengers safely returned to Carrickfergus, No.186 brings the empty train back to Whitehead.

The six coaches are now enjoying a busy retirement, at more sedate speeds than on the crack expresses of thirty years ago.

At the end of the day No.186 returned to Whitehead. The day was not yet over for the volunteers who had still to shunt the carriages and put the engine away ready for the next outing later in the month.