Following on from our very successful trip to Kilkenny and Carlow on 18/5/14 for the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's St. Canice Railtour, we decided to head in that direction again for the RPSI's 'Marble City' run featuring the same steam locomotive No. 461. On arrival at McDonagh station in Kilkenny, the bad news was that there had been a problem up the line and the RPSI train would arrive late and would be hauled by a diesel locomotive. The fate of locomotive 461 was unknown but the word was that it would arrive in Kilkenny some time later.
12.40pm Waterford - Dublin at Bagenalstown - Denis Barry
That being the case, we decided to head for Muine Bheag (Bagenalstown), Co. Carlow in the hope of catching a glimpse there. On arrival, the news was that the RPSI train had already arrived in Kilkenny and the scheduled, 12.40pm Waterford to Dublin train had left. We reckoned that the Waterford to Dublin should be with us very soon and sure enough, within minutes it rounded the bend just south of the Bagenalstown viaduct and sped past us just feet from our position on the public road.
As is the case with train photography, you wait, it passes, it's all over before you know it and you hope you have something in the can. And here we were, two Cork men in Carlow photographing a run-of-the-mill, diesel, inter-city train that we could just as easily have done at home! Having digested the anticlimax and irony of it all we decided to move on. Then, while packing the gear, a faint rumble was heard and, low and behold, there was locomotive 461 steaming hurriedly towards us on a solo run to Kilkenny to rejoin the RPSI train. In the mad scramble that ensued, only a few frames were got off but the scene was captured successfully by Matt Dornan. Shoot successful, day saved! Phew!
Locomotive 461 Kilkenny bound at Bagenalstown - Matt Dornan
Happy to have captured the photo we came for, we left Bagenalstown somewhat re-vitalised and visited The Reptile Zoo in Gowran, Co. Kilkenny where, though basking lazily in the high humidity, some of the animals were happy to pose for our cameras. Slow moving and predictable, there would be no more surprises today!
Mouse over the image below to see and operate the slideshow controls and photographer details. Enjoy.
