Irish Railways: A3R - ITG Mayo Metro-Vick June 1999

Описание: Footage from the ITG Mayo Metro-Vick railtour featuring A class locomotives ‘A3r’ in June 1999.

The railtour is capturing climbing away from Claremorris enroute to Ballina. This railtour proved to be the last A class to operate West of the Shannon.

A3R operated faultlessly on the day, working the train from Dublin Connolly to Ballina and back.

Background:

Towards the end of 1998, the ITG finally managed to obtain the necessary insurance cover to start main line running

Their first passenger working to utilise their own locomotive was the ‘Silver Cloud’ railtour from Dublin to Waterford, Waterford to Rosslare Europort and back from Rosslare Europort to Dublin in January 1999. During 1999 the ITG operated four railtours, these being:
23rd January 1999 - Silver Cloud Railtour
27th March 1999 - Back in Black Railtour
12th June 1999 - Mayo Metro-Vick Railtour
9th October 1999 - Leitrim Leprechaun Railtour

Although these railtours managed to re-coup the hefty insurance costs, falling passenger numbers meant that it could not be sustained for a second year. The decision was taken to suspend main line running for an indefinite period until it was deemed financial viable once again

However, it was decided to run a final ‘mini-railtour’ in connection with the Group’s 10th Annual General Meeting which was being held at Inchicore Works on Saturday 13th November 1999. This railtour was only open to those members who attended the AGM, and invited guests. The railtour ran from Dublin Heuston to Wicklow and back. This outing proved to be the last outing of an A Class locomotive on the mainline.

ITG website

Irish Traction Grouphttps://www.irishtractiongroup.comIrish Traction Group

“A3r” now resides in storage at the Downpatrick and Country Down Railway.

https://www.downrail.co.uk/rollingsto...