Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th April saw the annual IRRS diesel tour in association with the RPSI, kicking off celebrating 40 years of the 071 Class in use by Iarnrod Eireann. In a change from tradition, this years tour will be over two days and overnighted in Killarney.

On Saturday the routing was: 1025 Connolly - Ballybrophy (all detrain) - Lisduff (for loco to run around) - Ballybrophy (board train) - Nenagh - Limerick - Mallow - Cork - Mallow - Killarney arr 1945.

On Sunday the routing was: 0835 Killarney - Tralee - Killarney (1110 for those needing a lie in!) - Mallow - Limerick Jct - Waterford - Kilkenny - Connolly arr 1909.

4 x 071 Class Locomotives were used during the tour with 083 hauling the train from Connolly to Limerick, 076 from Limerick to Waterford via Killarney & Tralee, 077 from Waterford to Kilkenny & 079 from Kilkenny to Connolly.

As always an enjoyable weekend with excellent timekeeping on all sections of the tour except Ballybrophy to Limerick where we lost about 20 minutes due to sectional running times being rather tight. But some smart work at Limerick resulted in an ontime departure.

Tralee presented a problem early on Sunday morning as they had left 5ICR 22039 and 2600 DMU 2614 + 2617 on the liner road in the station, preventing 076 from running around the Cravens. With no driver available to move them the railtour driver Ken Fox had to do a double shunt from the Liner Road to the Bay Platform before he could bring 076 and the train over to the Liner Road to run around. Thankfully a slightly early arrival in Tralee allowed sufficient time to perform all the shunts and depart ontime at 1010.

The weather departing Tralee was cold and very wet. After Killarney the rain turned to snow and it was a surreal experience powering up the Bower to Rathmore in a scene more at home in December than in April.

Nearing Waterford the weather had improved and a quick engine change ensured an ontime departure for the spin to Kilkenny and onwards to Connolly.

Full Credit must go to the IRRS Program Officer Shane Roberts for organising another successful tour and if the past several years are anything to go by, the 2017 tour will just be as interesting.

Also we cannot forget the RPSI and IE staff involved in the operation of the tour and to making it such a great day out.

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The railtour program, detailing the routing of today's tour is re-produced, with permission below. © Josefstadt / Ciaran Cooney / Irish Railway Record Society.

Dublin Connolly-Islandbridge Junction
Leaving Dublin Connolly station, we travel over the double track North City Loop line to Islandbridge Jct. At North Strand Jct the freight only line from North Wall trails in on the right-hand side, while at Glasnevin Jct the main line to Sligo diverges to the left. From Glasnevin Jct the line to Islandbridge Jct descends steeply and passes under in turn the Sligo line, the Royal Canal and the trackbed of the former line into Broadstone terminus. In 2017 the latter will carry trams on the Luas Cross City line connecting Broombridge with the Green Line at St Stephen’s Green. After passing through the Phoenix Park tunnel (757 yds), we cross the River Liffey and, with Heuston station to be seen on the left-hand side, arrive at Islandbridge Jct.

Islandbridge Junction-Ballybrophy
At Islandbridge Jct we join the double track main line from Dublin to Cork, which trails in on the left-hand side. The section from Dublin to Cherryville Jct (and onward to Carlow) was the first part of the GS&WR’s system to be opened. To cater for forecast increased demand, the line from just west of Inchicore Works to Hazelhatch & Celbridge station was converted to four-track by IÉ in 2009. Approaching Sallins the line crosses the Grand Canal, while to the south of the station we pass the former junction for the line to Tullow and then cross the River Liffey once more. Having crossed the Curragh of Kildare we arrive at Kildare, home to IÉ’s principal on-track machine depot.
Shortly after leaving Kildare we reach Cherryville Jct where the line to Kilkenny and Waterford diverges on the left-hand side. Our route continues in a south-westerly direction, passing through Monasterevan, where we cross the River Barrow on a seven-span girder viaduct. The aqueduct which carries the Barrow branch of the Grand Canal over the river can be seen on the left-hand side, before we cross the remains of the canal’s Mountmellick branch. Approaching Portarlington station there are loops on both sides of the main lines. Behind the Down platform are sidings and a run around loop for ballast trains, while there are further sidings on the Up side.
As we leave Portarlington, the line to Athlone diverges on the right-hand side. Straboe level crossing, in itself an insignificant minor level crossing about two-thirds of the way between Portarlington and Portlaoise, marks the site of the only crash involving a fatality of a non-railway person during the 20 year history of the Great Southern Railways. This was the 1944 collision between the Dublin-Cork Night Mail and a cattle train, which resulted in the death of a post office worker.
Until 1962 Portlaoise was the junction for the lines to Kilkenny, via Abbeyleix, and Mountmellick. The Kilkenny line diverged on the left-hand side a short distance south of the station, while the Mountmellick line left the one to Kilkenny by a trailing junction and passed under the main line before heading in a northerly direction towards its destination. Portlaoise locomotive shed was adjacent to the junction. Today, the remaining stub of the Kilkenny line serves as the access into the large permanent way yard which now occupies the site and the locomotive shed now houses IÉ’s concrete sleeper factory. There is no trace of the Mountmellick line. South of Portlaoise we pass the Laois Traincare Depot, home of IÉ’s Intercity railcar fleet and then, shortly after passing under the M7 motorway, we cross the 3’ gauge line connecting the Bord na Móna factory at Coolnamona, about 1 mile away on the left-hand side, with the bog of the same name on the right-hand side, beyond the motorway.
Approaching Ballybrophy the line from Killonan Jct (the Nenagh branch) can be seen curving into the station on the right-hand side.

Ballybrophy-Killonan Jct
Through a series of shunting manoeuvres the train will gain access to the Nenagh branch. After passing through Roscrea the course of the 12-mile Birr branch (closed in 1963) diverges on the right-hand side. Some six miles after Nenagh we pass the site of the junction for the steeply graded Silvermines branch (closed in 1993) and the after a further five miles we pass the disused Kilmastulla siding (closed 2009) where shale was formerly loaded for transport to the cement factory in Limerick.
Approaching Birdhill the course of the 4-mile branch from Killaloe Pier (closed in 1944) trails in on the right-hand side. At Killonan Jct we join the line from Limerick Jct, which trails in on the left.

 
Killonan Jct-Limerick Colbert
The line from Limerick Jct to Limerick was originally built with double track throughout. As an economy measure the GSR singled the Limerick Jct-Killonan Jct section in 1929 and then two years later the junction at Killonan was removed and the former double track section from there to Limerick was worked as two single lines. The junction was reinstated in 1947.
When the Ennis line was originally built it joined the Limerick-Limerick Jct line at Ennis Junction, about one mile from the current Limerick station. However, in 1910 the junction was removed and the Ennis line was extended the ½-mile to Limerick Check where it trails in on the right-hand side. Also at Limerick Check, the now closed lines to Tralee/Foynes and the cement factory at Castlemungret diverge on the left-hand side and on the same side are the former loco shed, now a bus depot, and Limerick Wagon Works. After passing under the Roxboro Rd bridge we enter Limerick Colbert station.

Limerick Colbert-Limerick Junction
From Limerick Colbert station we return to Killonan Jct. Here the line to Ballybrophy diverges on the left-hand side, while we continue along the route towards Limerick Jct. Approaching Limerick Jct the ‘direct curve’, which gives a connection for trains between Limerick and points on the main line north of Limerick Jct, diverges on the left-hand side, while on the opposite side are the connections into the bay platforms and onto the main line towards Cork. The former main line of the W&LR continues straight ahead, crossing the Dublin-Cork line on a square crossing.

Limerick Junction-Cork
At Limerick Jct we rejoin the Dublin-Cork main line. Nearing Charleville we pass the site of the junctions for the former line to Patrickswell via Croom. At Buttevant we pass the site of the worst accident in the history of CIÉ, the August Bank 3 Holiday 1980 derailment of a Dublin-Cork express which resulted in the deaths of 18 people.
Approaching Mallow, we pass a preserved steam crane plinthed on the left-hand side of the line and beyond this is a large car park built on the site of the former locomotive depot and sidings. The line from Waterford, closed in 1967, also passed through this area before trailing into the main line at the northern end of the Down platform. Leaving Mallow we cross the viaduct which carries the line high above the River Blackwater before passing Killarney Jct, where the line to Killarney and Tralee diverges on the right-hand side. Kilbarry, at the north end of Cork Tunnel, was the site of the original terminus of the line and remained so for some six years while the tunnel was being constructed. Having traversed the 1,355-yard tunnel we arrive at Cork Kent station, noted for its sharply curved through platforms.
From Cork we return to Mallow and then travel south over the Up line to Killarney Jct.

Killarney Junction-Killarney
At Killarney Jct we diverge to the right from the main line to Cork. Shortly after the junction, we pass, on the right-hand side, the now disconnected sidings which formerly served Mallow Beet Factory. Banteer was formerly the junction for the 9-mile branch to Newmarket (closed 1963) and the branch platform and the site of the turntable can be seen on the right. Until 1960 Headford was the junction for the branch to Kenmare, while the station itself closed in 1963. The end of today’s journey is reached when we arrive at the terminal station of Killarney.

Killarney-Tralee Casement
As we depart from Killarney we first reverse into the headshunt alongside the line towards Mallow before setting off towards Tralee. Approaching Farranfore the course of the Valentia Harbour branch, which closed in 1960, trails in on the left-hand side. The Valentia branch was one of the most scenic lines in the country and the terminus was the most westerly station in Europe. Gortatlea was the junction for the 4½ mile branch to Castleisland which trailed in on the right-hand side. Tralee is now the terminus of the line, but formerly it continued to Fenit and to Limerick via the ‘North Kerry’ line.
From Tralee we return to Killarney and thence to Limerick Junction over the route taken on our outward journey.

Limerick Junction-Waterford Plunkett
From Limerick Jct it isn’t a long way to Tipperary, the first station on the cross-country line to Waterford. From Tipperary we continue in a roughly south easterly direction, passing through Cahir, where we cross the River Suir on an impressive 3-span viaduct. The bridge is the site of two major accidents: in 1955 a beet train ran away approaching Cahir from the Waterford direction and crashed through the bridge and plunged into the river killing the driver and fireman, while in 2003 an eastbound cement train derailed on the viaduct, with 12 wagons ending up in the river, fortunately without loss of life.
Clonmel was formerly the junction for the 26-mile branch to Thurles, the first short section of which remains as a siding. At Dunkitt the line from Kilkenny trails in on the left-hand side and runs parallel with our line as far as Waterford West. As we near Waterford West the trackbed of the former line from Mallow trails in on the right-hand side, while a short distance beyond the cabin the Limerick and Kilkenny lines converge into a short section of single track. At the end of the single track section the track leading into the freight yard diverges to the left-hand side while the main line continues on to Waterford Plunkett. This station which once boasted eight platforms now only has a single one. The line serving the former long platform, nos. 3 / 4, connects the freight yard to Belview Port and also leads to the mothballed South Wexford line.

Waterford Plunkett-Kilkenny McDonagh
Leaving Waterford we return to Waterford West where we take the line towards Kilkenny. At Dunkitt our route turns northwards as the line to Limerick diverges on the left-hand side. As part of the Waterford line CTC scheme in 2004 a new loop was commissioned at Ballyhale, replacing the one at Thomastown. Approaching Thomastown, and after passing Jerpoint Abbey on the left-hand side, the line is carried across the River Nore on a bowstring girder bridge which has a span of 65 metres.
The line between Kilkenny and Thomastown opened in 1848. When the line Irish South Eastern Rly opened its line from Carlow two years later a junction between the two lines was made at Lavistown. In 1867 the GS&WR, which had by this time absorbed the ISER, laid a parallel track between Lavistown to Kilkenny and the junction was removed. The two parallel single tracks remained in use until 1979, when, as part of a major re-signalling scheme for the Kilkenny area, the junction at Lavistown was reinstated and the line from there to Kilkenny station reverted to single track. The most recent development has been the 1996 opening of a direct curve connecting the Waterford (at Lavistown South Jct) and Carlow (at Lavistown North Jct) lines, allowing trains not serving Kilkenny bypass the station. The original Lavistown Jct became Lavistown West Jct.
Kilkenny was a through station until the closure of the line to Portlaoise in 1962. In 1997 the original station building was replaced by a new facility located in the former goods store closer to the Lavistown end of the platform. The former freight yard has been redeveloped as an extensive shopping mall and residential units.

Kilkenny McDonagh-Cherryville Junction
Returning to Lavistown West Jct we take the line towards Carlow. At Lavistown North Jct the direct curve trails in on the right-hand side. Until 1963 Bagenalstown (Muine Bheag) was the junction for the 24 mile line to Palace East, where it connected with the North Wexford line. The branch trailed in on the right-hand side at the Lavistown end of the station. A short distance north of Carlow we pass the site of the sidings which formerly served the now demolished beet factory, while at Athy the remains of the Wolfhill colliery branch trail in on the left-hand side as we approach the station. Most recently the stub of the branch served the Tegral factory. At Cherryville Jct we rejoin the Dublin-Cork main line. From here we retrace our outward route back to Dublin Connolly.

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The 071 Class
When Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) was formed in 1945 it inherited a fleet of some 500 steam locomotives, divided into a multiplicity of classes, some with only a small number of members. The fleet had a high average age (approaching 50 years) and a large proportion of the locomotives were out of service at any time. CIÉ soon set about experimenting with diesel traction and in 1947 the first of a fleet of five diesel-electric shunters entered service, the remainder following in 1948. Over the next ten years 130 diesel locomotives and 66 railcars were introduced. The bulk of the locomotive fleet comprised 94 units from Metropolitan Vickers with Crossley engines (A and C classes). By the beginning of the 1960s CIÉ was already experiencing problems with the Crossley engines, leading to low availability and unreliability in service. For its next orders of locomotives CIÉ turned to General Motors in the USA, taking delivery of 15 locomotives in 1961 (121 class) and 37 in 1962 (141 class), thereby starting the company’s long association with the American firm. During the late 1960s/early 1970s the 94 Metro-Vicks were re-engined with General Motors engines. Thus by the mid-1970s CIÉ had a fleet of 221 diesel locomotives, of which 206 were in traffic. Virtually all of the 170 main line locomotives in traffic were in the 950 - 1200 hp range.
However, by the mid-1970s CIÉ was suffering a severe shortage of main line locomotives. This situation had been brought about by a combination of accidents, fires and bomb attacks in Northern Ireland. Also, CIÉ was seeking to improve the power/weight ratio in order to operate heavier and faster services on its main line network. To that end, CIÉ sought tenders for the supply of eighteen high power diesel-electric locomotives in mid-1974 and the contract was subsequently awarded to General Motors.
On 2 September 1976 the MV Tillie Lykes anchored in Dublin Bay, having arrived from New Orleans with the 18 new locomotives for CIÉ. For the journey from the GM plant in Illinois to New Orleans the locomotives had been conveyed by barge down the Mississippi River. At New Orleans the barges, still containing the locomotives, were lifted on board the Tillie Lykes for their trans-Atlantic voyage. Due to its size and weight the vessel was unable to enter Dublin Port, so the barges were off-loaded and towed by tug to the North Wall. There the locomotives were unloaded and placed on their bogies before being towed to Inchicore for commissioning. Unfortunately, due to a protracted industrial relations dispute, the introduction of the 071 class into revenue earning service did not occur until 23 May 1977, when 082 worked the 14:30 Dublin-Cork service.
The 071, designated model JT22CW by General Motors, was, at the time of its delivery, a standard GM export model, modified to suit Irish conditions. The locomotive is 17.4 metres over buffers, 2.9m wide and 4m high. It is carried on two three-axle bogies, each axle being powered by a type D77 axle-hung, nose-suspended traction motor. The 645E3 12-cylinder turbocharged, two-stroke diesel engine develops 2,475 hp gross, of which 2,250 hp is for traction, with the balance going to power auxiliaries. The advantage of opting for a turbocharged engine, as opposed to selecting the Roots blower as used on previous product from GM, can be seen from the fact that while the cylinder blocks in the 071 and 001 classes were dimensionally similar, the former’s gross power output was some 50% greater.
Once in traffic, the 071s took over many of top link duties on the radial routes out of Dublin - the notable exceptions being the Belfast and Rosslare lines. By the end of 1977 the class was also noted on Knock and other special workings. Mid-1979 saw the appearance of 071s on the Rosslare line, while the Dublin-based Enterprise workings went over to 071 haulage in 1982. The prohibition on the use of the class on the Ballina branch was lifted following the rebuilding of the River Moy bridge in 1996.
The introduction of the 201 class locomotives in 1994 and of the 22000 class ICR railcars from 2007 saw the gradual reduction in the use of 071s on passenger workings. Today they are confined to freight and permanent way duties, with the occasional foray on to special passenger workings. All 18 of the fleet are still in service.