Page 96 - Rail Express - September 2019

IRISH ANGLE William Watson &Alan McFerran

Intensive timetableservesRoyal

Portrush Openchampionship

NIR ranaspecial timetable forthe 2019 BritishOpen golf championship, which wasbeing held in Northern
Ireland forthe first time since 1951.

NORTHERN Ireland Railways rana specialtimetable in use from July17-21 each morning, and aseries of return Portrush-bound trains from Belfast
revised special timetable on the Belfast sawthe majority of trains operate trains every half hour each evening. It GVS (departuretimesinbrackets)
to Portrush/Londonderry line from between Belfast GVS and Portrush, should be noted that the normal regular between04.25 and 08.10 on July17
July14-21 forthe 148th Open golf with connectionsatColeraine into and interval servicepattern wasgenerally were:Nos. 3016+3022 (04.25),
championship, which washeldatRoyal from Londonderry trains.Aconnecting adhered to during the period of the golf 4020+4018 (05.05),4012+4011(05.33),
Portrush foronlythe second time, after shuttle bus service wasalso operated tournament. All trains served selected 4013+4017 (06.05),3009+3017
agap of 68 years. Justunder238,000 betweenColeraine andPortrush to intermediate stations. (07.10), 3016+3022 (08.10).
spectators were said to have attended augment the train service. Belfast-bound were:Nos. 3002
theevent overall. While Portrush station enjoyedits DMUs USED (05.50 ex-Coleraine), 3022+3016
The initial specialtimetable most intensiveservice since the resort The majority of services during the (06.05 ex-Portrush), 4008 (06.12ex-
indicated that most of the planned hosted theIrish Open golf championship period were worked by six-car DMUs, Londonderry) and 4018+4020 (07.05
extratrains to Portrush forspectators in 2012, the latest arrangementswere but some peak hour ones were worked ex-Portrush).
from the Belfast direction would only operated on the branch within the by three-car units. The yard andsidings The first fivePortrush-bound
serveBelfast Great Victoria Street inflexible ‘One Train Operation’, with at Coleraine were used extensively specials on Sunday, July21, departed
(GVS) and LanyonPlace stations. platform 2being used throughout. to stable trains, with as manyassix GVSathalf-hourlyintervals between
However, with manyvisiting spectators Anumber of through mainline six-car units being accommodated at 06.10 and 08.10, andwereworked
also accommodated at locations services were routed viaPortrush, one time. by Nos 3019+3005, 4011+4012,
en route, it wasdecidedtochange although not publicised as such, and Congestion at the junction station 4017+4013, 4020+4018, 3009+3017.
the arrangements. this wasprobablythe firsttime this on July20saw the infrastructure Therewas also a08.38 ex-GVSformed
This sawaregular timetable, with arrangement hadbeen used. In general, yard at Ballymenaused to stablea of Nos.3014+3006. All the above
some alterations,operatedfromJuly14 therewas ahalf-hourlypattern of six-car 4000 series unit. The siding at Sundaytrains were well patronised
to end of service on the 16. Then a trains to Portrush from Belfast GVS Ballymoneywas not used. departing Belfast. E

NORTHERN IRELAND DART’S 35TH
ANNIVERSARY:
RAILWAYS (NIR) EMU No. 8634 is
pictured at Dublin’s
■ SPECIAL TRAFFIC: The annual Pearse station
historical reenactment ‘Sham on July26, with
Fight’ at ScarvaonJuly13, sawthe aservice to Bray,
runningofthe usual shuttle service almost 35 yearsto
from Portadownfor spectators. This the day(July 23),
series of eight DMU-worked trains since the Dublin
ranfrom09.40 to around 12.00, Area Rapid Transit
with seventrains scheduled to run operations began.
empty to Poyntzpasstocrossover Above the train
andreturn to Portadown. One train is the temporary
returned to Portadownvia Newry.A crash-deck
return shuttle service from Scarva installed at the
to Portadownwas provided later station as part of
the same day. work to refurbish
the trainshed roof,
which will continue
Likeusonfacebook into 2020.
facebook.com/RailExpressMag Cathal O’Brien

DEMU and loco preservation progress at Downpatrick

THE Downpatrick and County Down original type of linoleumfloorcovering adefectiveinjectorwas replaced and internal clean,and an oilchange.
Railway’s ex-NIR two-car 80 Class and ‘Burma Teak’ Formicawall covering, tappets adjusted. No. A39R wasstarted and, after
DEMU,Nos. 69+749, continues to be most of whichwas salvagedfrom The twoother 80 Class vehicles attention to its brakegear, it wasableto
used forcrewtrainingtripsand other scrapped vehicles. Theseat frames were at Downpatrick,Nos. 90 and 752, be moved. The loco, theonlyoperational
non-passenger duties. refurbished off-site and reinstated. The remainstored but have had some one of its class, wasthensubjected to
The preservationistshave also upholstery wasalso reinstated, while cosmetic treatment. an externalwash andits cabs and engine
been activerestoring the interior of repairs to windowframes and doors plus The Irish Traction Group’s ex-CIE/IR room cleaned.
the vehicles to original condition. While other repaintingasrequired wasalso ‘Small’ GM No. 146 continues to be the Elsewhere, theproject to restorethe
the twovehicles were reliveried at York carried out. Vestibules and the driving mainstayofdiesel locomotiveoperations ITG’s former CIE/IR locomotiveNo. 226 to
Road Worksinto the original maroon, cabhave also received attention. at Downpatrick. full working order continues at Carrick-
blue and white colour scheme prior to On the mechanical side,the oilin The group’s other mainline diesels on-Suir.The work has includedfitting
their transfer to Downpatrick on May13, the 4SRKTengineofNo. 69 wasfound based thereare ex-CIE/IR Nos. C231 laminated windscreens and frames,
2018, the interiorsremainedunchanged. to be contaminated,soitreceived an and A39R. While No. C231 remains repairs to bodywork, brakes andelectrical
However, asmall team of volunteers has oilchange(300litres) on June22. The stored, No. A39R has recentlyreceived equipment, andthe reinstatement of the
transformed the interior of driving trailer feed pipe forthe fillupwas run from attentionafter beinginactivefor almost roof section.The latterwas carried out
No. 749 into almost as-newcondition. an IBC (tank container) that washeld three years. This locomotive’s engine using amobilecrane,with the locomotive
The work,which wascarried out aloft by the railway’s excavator.New oil has received heavy maintenance,with positioned on the short section of track
over10months, included fitting the and fuel filters were alsofitted, while renewalofsome components, athorough outside theshed.
96 RAIL EXPRESS September 2019