The "201 @ 30" Railtour | 15/06/24

On the 9th of June 1994 the first unit, number 201 “River Shannon”, was famously delivered by an Antonov An-124-100, registered as UR-82066, to Dublin from London Ontario, Canada with stops en route for fuelling at Montreal, Gander, & Reykjavik, Iceland. It was decided to deliver it by air to allow clearance tests and driver training to commence in advance of delivery consisting of the remainder of the locos ordered. The 112-ton locomotive became the heaviest object ever carried into an Irish airport and was the second-heaviest object ever flown by air. The remainder of the 201s were delivered across the Atlantic Ocean, into Dublin Port and finally brought to the Inchicore works.

On the 16th of June 2024, the "201 @ 30" railtour was outed by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI), using a 201 Class diesel locomotive on this occasion. The first leg of the journey was from Dublin Heuston to Kildare (covered by 071 Class loco number 084), with a photo stop at Newbridge. 219 "River Anner" arrived from Heuston, coupling up to the train and leaving Kildare for Dublin Connolly, with photo stops at Hazelhatch & Celbridge and Clondalkin/Fonthill. The next leg of the journey commenced once we left Connolly, bound for Rosslare in county Wexford (including photo stops Bray, Greystones, Kilcoole, Wicklow, Rathdrum, Gorey, Enniscorthy, Wexford, Rosslare Strand and Rosslare Europort).

Chapters:
0:00 - 24:24 | Heuston to Kildare (Hauled by 084).
24:24 - 26:29 | ICRs 22248 + 22305 arrive and depart Kildare on a Portlaoise commuter service.
26:29 - 30:54 | 219 "River Tolka" arrives from Heuston and couples to the train.
30:54 - 59:48 | Kildare to Connolly (Hauled by 219).
59:48 - 1:46:57 | Connolly to Wexford.
1:46:57 - 1:49:01 | The railtour heads further down south, returning after a 2-and-a-half-hour stop in Rosslare.
1:49:01 - 1:50:02 | Wexford to Connolly.
1:50:02 - 1:51:45 | 219 departs Connolly, bringing the "Dublin set" to the Inchicore Works.
1:51:45 - 1:54:41 | Slideshow.

Camcorder: Panasonic HC-V180.
Camera: Nikon D3100.
Editor: VSDC Video Editor.
Thumbnail Editor: Pixlr.
Slideshow music: "5:32 pm" and "Flowers" by The Deli.

Enjoy!