Mount Brandon Railtour (1989) - Whitehead Railway Museum

This was the first visit to the Great Southern main line by No.85 “Merlin” - the first time a Great Northern Compound had ever been on Great Southern Railways metals. It was also No.4’s first visit to Killarney and Tralee and both locomotives put up excellent performances. Saturday 13th May: (4+RPSI ECS) Dublin Heuston - Mallow; (85+Cravens) Dublin Heuston - Mallow; (4+RPSI Set) Mallow - Tralee; (85+Cravens) Mallow - Killarney; (85 LE) Killarney - Tralee. Sunday 14th May: (4 LE) Tralee - Mallow; (85+RPSI Set) Tralee - Mallow; (85+RPSI ECS) Mallow - Dublin Connolly; (4+Cravens) Mallow - Dublin Connolly; (85) Dublin Connolly - Belfast Central; (85 ECS) Belfast Central - Belfast CSD. Monday 15th May: (85) Belfast - Bangor - Antrim - York Road - Whitehead.

13/5/1989: The heritage set was barred from double line routes, so No.85 has a train of Cravens on the main line at Portlaoise. (M. Birchenough)

13/5/1989: No.4 leaving Limerick Junction for Mallow with the empty heritage set. (M. Birchenough)

13/5/1989: No.85 is uncoupled to take water at Limerick Junction.

13/5/1989: No.85 rejoining its train at Limerick Junction.

13/5/1989: No.85 leaving Limerick Junction. (J. Hunt)

13/5/1989: Passengers transferred to the heritage set at Mallow and No.4 took them forward. Here the train is crossing an Up train from Tralee at Rathmore. No stewards at the ends of platforms then! (M. Birchenough)

13/5/1989: No.4 in Killarney's headshunt terminus. (M. Birchenough)

13/5/1989: No.4 reverses its train out the main platform at Killarney. (D. Taggart)

13/5/1989: Reversing out of Killarney station. (D. Taggart)

13/5/1989: No.4 and train departing Killarney for Tralee. (D. Taggart)

13/5/1989: No.85 has arrived in Killarney with the Cravens set. It will be stabled here overnight while No.85 runs light to Tralee. (D. Taggart)

13/5/1989: No.4 has shunted the carriages at Tralee. No.85 has arrived light from Killarney. (J. Hunt)

14/5/1989: Both engines at Tralee on Sunday morning. (M. Birchenough)

14/5/1989: No.85 "Merlin" with CIÉ green liveried heritage set entering Farranfore. (B. Pickup)

14/5/1989: No.85 had a runpast at Farranfore. (M. Birchenough)

14/5/1989: No.85 works the tour train into Farranfore again.

14/5/1989: A photo stop at Millstreet.

14/5/1989: A stop at Banteer.

14/5/1989: No.85 and No.4 taking water at Limerick Junction.

14/5/1989: No.85 has its fire cleaned at Limerick Junction on the way back north. (M. Birchenough)

14/5/1989: No.85 leaving the Junction with the empty heritage set. (M. Birchenough)

15/5/1989: No.85 transferring carriages between platforms at Bangor. (M. Birchenough)

15/5/1989: No.85 ready to re-start after a short trip to Bangor.

15/5/1989: The tour train leaving Bangor. The cabin has been decommissioned. (J. Hunt)

15/5/1989: Departure view of No.85 in Bangor. (J. Hunt)

15/5/1989: No.85 has left Lisburn and is heading up the third road to the Antrim branch. (J. Hunt)

15/5/1989: A stop at Crumlin while making its way from Belfast CSD and Bangor to Whitehead via Antrim.

15/5/1989: The last leg - ready for departure from Belfast York Road. (M. Birchenough)

16/5/1989: The Tuesday coach trip featured a tour into County Down, including a short stop at the former GNR(I) station at Ballyroney on the Banbridge to Castlewellan line.