Bart BusschotsFormer Great Northern Railway of Ireland (#GNRi) 4-4-0 #steam loco No. 171 Slieve Gullion pulling “The Midlander” #RPSI special #train around the turn between Matt Goff Bridge and the 13th lock along the #RoyalCanal in #Leixlip. #blackAndWhite
Unlike the steam loco due to pull this #RPSI “The Midlander” special, the #IrishRail 071-class diesel locos have two cabs, so the look the same from both ends! Here the loco is pulling the return leg from #Maynooth back to Dublin along the #RoyalCanal, using the opposite cab to the first leg!
Right on time, but not at all what myself and my fellow train spotters were expecting, the fifty year old diesel loco 071, in it’s commemorative original 1970s livery appeared pulling the #RPSI “the Midlander” ‘steam’ special towards #Maynooth at Pike Bridge on the #RoyalCanal. #IrishRail
Former Great Northern Railway of Ireland (#GNRi) 4-4-0 #steam loco No. 171 Slieve Gullion pulling “The Midlander” out of #Maynooth and back towards Dublin along the #RoyalCanal on an #RPSI special. #BlackAndWhite
With a little help from the channel mixer and some selective adjustments in Photoshop, this nice but not quite perfect colour image makes a striking monochrome! #RPSI #steam #Maynooth #RoyalCanal #BlackAndWhite
Having picked my spot carefully, tested my composition with a Commuter train, the Irish weather played a mean trick on me! A cloud blotted out the foreground sun just as former #GNRi #steam loco No. 171 Slieve Gullion approached #Maynooth along the #RoyalCanal with “The Midlander”! #RPSI
My full series of photos from the #RPSI “Midlander” special #trains on the 17th of May. The two Dublin - Maynooth - Dublin runs were pulled expertly restored steam loco No. 171 Slieve Gullion with its beautiful blue Great Norther Railway of Ireland (GNRi) livery.
https://glass.photo/bbusschots/series/1vG6zfZ8dRniCBTqIwY9ju-2026-05-17-the-midlander
One last glimpse of former Great Northern Railway of Ireland (GNRi) 4-4-0 #steam loco No. 171 Slieve Gullion as it heads for home pulling the last leg of the last “Midlander” #RPSI special #train the weekend before last. The venerable old loco performed flawlessly all day 🙂
A glimpse of former Great Northern Railway of Ireland (GNRi) 4-4-0 #steam loco No. 171 Slieve Gullion working the last leg of the last of the #RPSI “Midlander” special #trains through the trees along the #RoyalCanal between #Maynooth and #Leixlip.
Former Great Northern Railway of Ireland (GNRi) 4-4-0 #steam loco No. 171 Slieve Gullion passing “the Duke’s Harbour” on the #RoyalCanal at Carton House near #Maynooth with an #RPSI “Midlander” special #trian.
