Cú na Mara Railtour (1977)

Thursday 9th June: (4) Whitehead - Belfast YR - Antrim - Lisburn - Dublin Connolly; Saturday 11th June: (4) Dublin Heuston - Limerick Junction Direct Curve - Limerick; (186 LE) Mullingar - Athlone - Athenry - Limerick; (186) Limerick - Athenry - Galway; (4 LE) Limerick - Limerick Junction Direct Curve - Portarlington - Athlone - Galway. Sunday 12th June: (186) Galway - Athenry - Claremorris - Athenry; (4 LE) Galway - Athenry; (4+186) Athenry - Woodlawn; (4) Woodlawn - Athlone - Mullingar - Dublin Connolly - Belfast Central; (186 LE) Woodlawn - Athlone - Mullingar.

9/6/1977: No.4 has arrived in Dublin with the empty carriages from Whitehead and has gone to the former D&SER turntable at Connolly. (Courtesy A. Garrett)

9/6/1977: No.4 on the D&SER turntable at Dublin Connolly. (Courtesy A. Garrett)

11/6/1977: No.4 with a spotless 861 under the roof at Dublin Heuston. (R. Joanes)

11/6/1977: No.4 ready for departure from Heuston. (Courtesy A. Garrett)

11/6/1977: The first stop was at Kildare. (R. Joanes)

11/6/1977: Taking water at Ballybrophy. A vast crowd of passengers and public, with photographer Joe St.Leger on the bottom right. (R. Joanes)

11/6/1977: A view of the train along Ballybrophy platform. (Courtesy A. Garrett)

11/6/1977: The train took the direct curve at Limerick Junction to reach Limerick. No.186 took over and is crossing the River Shannon on the line to Ennis. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1977: There was a photo stop at Ballycar on the way north. (Courtesy A. Garrett)

11/6/1977: No.186 viewed through the cabin window at Ballycar. (R. Joanes)

11/6/1977: No.186 at Ennis. (R. Joanes)

11/6/1977: West Clare Railway No.5 "Slieve Callan" on display at Ennis. Note the vintage CIE buses. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1977: No.186 crossing the River Claureen, north of Ennis. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1977: The train has arrived at Athenry. No.186 has turned and is now at the Galway end of the train. (R. Joanes)

11/6/1977: Departing Athenry for Galway. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1977: Under the overall roof in Galway. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1977: At Galway, No.186 has shunted its train and is heading for the shed. The evening mail train is in the bay platform. (J. Hunt)

11/6/1977: No.186 has turned and stabled in the shed at Galway. (J. Hunt)

12/6/1977: On the Sunday morning there was a return trip to Claremorris. Here No.186 is passing Claremorris Southern Yard on the way to the main station. (R. Joanes)

12/6/1977: The tour train entering Claremorris from the Tuam line. (J. Hunt)

12/6/1977: Taking water at Claremorris from the tank on the Ballinrobe platform. The bogie carriage is 517A. (R. Joanes)

12/6/1977: B170 crosses the tour train at Tuam, heading north on what was probably a Knock special. (R. Joanes)

12/6/1977: On the way south again, No.186 on a photo stop at Ballyglunin. (R. Joanes)

12/6/1977: Another view of Ballygluniun, the famous 'Quiet Man' station. (Courtesy A. Garrett)

12/6/1977: The train nearing Athenry. (C. Gammell)

12/6/1977: The tour train enters Athenry again. No.4, which had run light from Limerick to Galway via Portarlington the previous evening, waits in a siding. (J. Hunt)

12/6/1977: No.186 on the turntable at Athenry. (J. Hunt)

12/6/1977: No.4, piloting No.186, is stopped at Attymon Junction. The line on the left to Loughrea has been closed for two years. (R. Joanes)

12/6/1977: The double-headed train leaving Attymon Junction. (J. Hunt)

12/6/1977: Double-headed runpast at Woodlawn. (R. Joanes)

12/6/1977: After the runpast, No.186 ran light to Mullingar and No.4 took the train forward. Seen here at Mullingar's Up Galway platform. (Courtesy A. Garrett)