‘JEEP’ BACK ON THE FRONT LINE
The RPSI’S LMS-NCC ‘WT’ 2-6-4T No. 4 is set to return to the main line at the end of October, following repairs to a damaged coupling rod bearing. The locomotive is set to operate the morning Hallowe’en trips between Dublin and Maynooth on Sunday October 30, with 2‑6‑0 No. 461 rostered for the afternoon turns. No. 4 triggered a hot box detector on the Dublin‑Cork line on August 21 (SR458), and the problem was traced to an overheated coupling rod bearing. Peter Scott, the RPSI locomotive officer, said: “We were fortunate that the problem was detected at such an early stage in the journey to Kilkenny. “Our examination showed that there was just slight damage to the whitemetal in the bearing. “The rod was taken back to Whitehead, where the bush was removed, re‑metalled, machined and then returned to Dublin Connolly shed, where it was re‑fitted. We hope to organise a running‑ in trip between now and October.” The detailed examination of the ‘Jeep’ disclosed that the oil pot on the bearing was full, but that there was a blocked restrictor on the feed passages to the bearing. Joe McKeown, Dublin Area Operations Officer, said: “Our original proposal was to use the scenic coastal line to Greystones for our Hallowe’en trains, but Iarnrod Rail are carrying out trackwork maintenance on the Dublin & South Eastern that weekend, so we have opted to run to Maynooth instead.” Greystones will feature, however, on the RPSI’s ‘Santa Specials’ from Dublin, which involve two steam‑hauled return runs every Saturday and Sunday on the three weekends before Christmas. Remarkably, tickets were sold out within a fortnight of sales opening in late August ‑ both for the steam runs and also for additional Saturday afternoon diesel runs. Mr McKeown said: “Our Santa trains have always been extremely popular, and traditionally sell out in under two weeks. “We have an email database of more than 5,000 people who we notify as soon as the tickets go on sale, and that always seems to do the trick.”