Birthday by the seaside for steam favourite, Merlin
ONE of Ireland’s most famous steam locomotives is heading to the seaside to celebrate its 85th birthday.
No. 85 Merlin was built for the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) by Beyer Peacock in Manchester in 1932 and is the sole survivor of a class of five engines.
The locomotive is on longterm loan from National Museums Northern Ireland to the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI).
The engine has been overhauled several times by the RPSI at its Whitehead engineering base.
Already this year it has visited such far-flung parts of the Irish railway system as Killarney, Kilkenny, Limerick and Dublin.
To mark its 85th anniversary, the blue-liveried express locomotive will be heading to the north coast with the Portrush Flyer steam special. The train, which runs on Sundays, July 30, August 6, 13, 20 and 27, will take day-trippers from Whitehead and Belfast to Portrush.
Mervyn Darragh, the RPSI operations officer, said they were delighted that No. 85 would be marking its anniversary in such good form.
“No. 85 was withdrawn from service as long ago as 1963 and wentintostoreanddisplayuntil the1980swhentheenginecame into our care,” Mr Darragh explained.
“With its striking blue livery it is one of our most popular steam engines and it always turns heads and attracts waves as it steams through the countryside.
“The Portrush Flyer has been a fixture in the RPSI’s summer season since we first ran it in 1973. It takes its name from a famous express train of the 1930s.
“For some people the steam train revives memories while for others it is a brand new experience, a day out with a difference for all the family or perhaps a chance to celebrate a birthday or party.”
The train leaves Whitehead at 10am, Belfast Central at 11.30am and returns from Portrush at 5.20pm. Details are available at www.steamtrainsireland.com