Irish Rail’s 071 class diesels are 40-year old work-horse locomotives that are now largely assigned to permanent way and freight trains.
Ten years ago, Irish Rail’s 071s still regular worked passenger services in addition to their other duties. I made a point of photographing the 071s on both main line and branch passenger trains.
Irish Rail 075 was still in relatively fresh orange and black paint when I made this detailed view at Ballina, County Mayo on 14 April 2006. Exposed on Fujichrome.The class leader; engine 071 rests with the Ballina Branch train at Claremorris, County Mayo. Note the wisp of steam from the generator-van at the back. The 071s did not have provision for steam heat or HEP (head end power). Exposed on Fujichrome.Before the headlight came into view, I could hear the 12-cylinder 645 diesel roaring away. Here an 071 is seen in ‘run-8’ (maximum throttle) as it leads a short Mark2 set from Limerick up Ballybrophy Bank on its way to Dublin. I made this vignette on 9 December 2006. Such scenes would soon become a memory.
Among the features of my presentation to the Irish Railway Record Society this coming Thursday (10 March 2016) will be my vintage images of the 071 at work.
The talk will begin at 7:30 pm at the IRRS Dublin premises near Heuston Station.
