The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland ran a train pulled by steam locomotive number 461 from Connolly Station, Dublin to McDonagh Station, Kilkenny on Sunday 18/5/14. At around 12midday the train passed over the viaduct over the River Barrow, just south of Muine Bheag (Bagenalstown), Co. Carlow where East Cork Camera Group member, James Brady captured the event in this video.
The run was part of the RPSI’s 45th International railtour entitled ‘Saint Canice Railtour’ which runs from 17/5/14 – 19/5/14 and which we first heard about from Finbarr O’Neill during his talk to the Group on 15/4/14. Since the trip to Kilkenny would be the nearest the steam trains would get to Cork during this railtour, members of the Group resolved to try to capture the event in some form or other. We settled on the viaduct over the river Barrow at Muine Bheag as one place to shoot and also McDonagh station in Kilkenny where the train would stop for a couple of hours.
Following an early departure from the Midleton Park Hotel, we scoped out our location at the viaduct and breakfasted in Muine Bheag which was just beginning to awaken on this quiet Sunday morning. As well as providing the hearty start to the day, the eatery also provided coincidentally precise inspiration with its charming paintings of steam locomotives that had visited the town in past times.
Suitably bolstered on the double, we returned to the viaduct and set up the gear: one remote camera with wide angle lens set by the river bank, two hand-operated cameras and one video camera. Rain threatened and some drops did fall but thankfully we escaped the downpour that would arrive soon afterwards.
Fully set up, we awaited the arrival of the star of the show and right on cue, a whistle was heard in the distance along with the ever increasing rumble of an approaching train. Then, despite the advance warning, locomotive 461 pulling seven coaches seemed to appear out of nowhere and, accompanied by a crescendo of shutter clicks, crossed the viaduct and was gone with nothing but a whiff of burning coal left in the air. But for the absent ‘clickity clack’ sound, long since smothered by the development of continuous welded rail, this could have been a scene from 1922, the year that this enduring servant to Irish rail transport was built.
By the time we reached McDonagh station in Kilkenny, which is a cul-de-sac for rail traffic, the engine had already been uncoupled from its coaches, which were standing at platform 2, and was in the process of turning around at the Lavistown Loop Line outside the town in preparation for the return journey. Personnel from the RPSI and Irish Rail in hi-vis attire were busy preparing for the return of the locomotive to the station where routine maintenance would be carried out in a siding prior to departure. Despite the fact that each had their jobs to do, they made time to answer some rookie questions from enquiring photographers and, while ensuring all safety points were observed, were most accommodating in allowing us photograph the unfolding scene.
Volunteers all, the RPSI members are clearly and rightly enamoured of their locomotives and other rolling stock which have all been lovingly and painstakingly restored in their spare time. I suspect that only God knows the number of hours spent by the many people involved over the years, that has culminated in the trip covered in this post. Well done to all and thanks to everyone for your generosity to us during our short time with you in Kilkenny and Carlow. We hope to see you in Cork some time soon.
Please mouse over the image below to see and activate the slideshow controls. Enjoy.
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All photos by James Brady and Denis Barry.