THIRD TIME LUCKY AS ‘JEEP’ RETURNS TO WHITEHEAD
It was third time lucky for the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s ‘WT’ 2-6-4T No. 4 when it returned to Whitehead on June 24. Two previous attempts to repatriate the LMS(NCC) ‘Jeep’ from Dublin had been thwarted by mechanical issues. On
May 14, the locomotive was counted out because of broken firebars, and on June 10 it was failed again at Dublin Connolly shed with a loose right-hand piston head. On both occasions, GNR(I) Compound No. 85 Merlin was called upon to haul the train back to Whitehead.
On June 24, just 36 hours after hauling the ‘Steam & Jazz’ special, No. 85 worked light engine from Whitehead to Dublin in the morning, and the Translink Northern Ireland Railways crew brought No. 4 back.
The Compound 4-4-0’s next outings were due to be braking tests in Dublin on July 7, and then the ‘Sea Breeze’ to Rosslare on July 8, but all RPSI railtours during late June and early July were instead diesel-hauled owing to the lineside fire risk (see News). The RPSI hopes to use ‘Q’ 4-4-0 No. 131 on three ‘Portrush Flyer’ trains on August 5, 12 and 19. The newly restored GNR(I) engine was due to receive its 60mph certification in early July.
The ‘Flyers’ are expected to stop short at Coleraine, with passengers transferring to a service train for the six-mile run down the branch to the coast. Portrush station is currently undergoing a major rebuild and platform capacity is limited.