The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI) is an Irish railway preservation group operating in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1964. The Society has its headquarters at Whitehead, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and a base at Mullingar, County Westmeath.[1] Restoration work is also carried out in the Dublin area.
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The Society runs mainline trains on the Irish railway network using steam traction and vintage carriages. It also owns a small fleet of vintage diesel locomotives. Its longest running and most famous train, the Portrush Flyer, takes day trippers from Belfast to Portrush during the summer. Out of Dublin, several "Sea Breeze" trains are operated over the scenic Rosslare line to Wexford and Rosslare over the course of the Summer.
Each year the Society organises a major weekend event, operating usually from Dublin in May and covering major routes in Ireland at a leisurely pace. Many visitors return year after year from homes as far flung as New Jersey and Berlin. The 2008 tour operated to Waterford[2] and the 2009 tour to Westport.
Excursion trains run throughout the year, primarily at weekends, from both Dublin and Belfast. A operational set of vintage carriages is kept both at Whitehead and in Dublin for these purposes. These trains are frequently packed to capacity, and advance booking is recommended.
An RPSI steam locomotive has on two occasions been used for permanent way work by subcontractors for Northern Ireland Railways. In 2000, 'R. H. Smyth' was employed to pull ballast dropping wagons on the Bleach Green to Antrim line, and in 2005 the engine performed a similar role on the Bleach Green to Whitehead route[3].
On many occasions the RPSI has provided trains for films and television dramas, notably The First Great Train Robbery in 1979[4].
In 1983, the Association of Railway Preservation Societies (now known as the Heritage Railway Association) presented the RPSI with its annual award for 'continuing highly successful operation...of steam excursions', and for the restoration of steam locomotive No. 4 and carriages 87, 1142 and 91[5].
In 1987 the RPSI won a certificate of commendation in the British Coal Annual Steam Heritage Awards for the restoration of No. 85 Merlin[6].
In 2000 the Heritage Railway Association gave the 'Supreme Champion' award in the Carriage and Wagon category to the RPSI for its work on Irish State coach No.351[7].
The HRA has also presented the RPSI with the John Coiley Award for Locomotive Preservation (in 2004, for No. 186[8]); a certificate of commendation in 2006 (for its part in the Bleach Green to Whitehead track relay) and the Wagon Award in 2009 (for the restoration of a GNR(I) Brake van[9][10]).
Chief engineer and Locomotive Officer Peter Scott received an MBE for his services to the Railway Preservation Society in Northern Ireland in the Queen's Birthday Honours list, June 2006[11].
The RPSI owns a total of nine steam and five diesel locomotives, a mixture of large main line and small industrial shunting types, all to the Irish gauge of 5ft 3in. In addition it has had No. 85 'Merlin', last of the GNR(I) Class V, on loan from the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum since the 1980s. The society also owns or cares for a large collection of carriages and wagons of varying ages.
At present, the operational mainline steam locomotive used by the Society is former GSWR Class 101 0-6-0 No.186, shortly to be joined by former DSER K2 class 2-6-0 No.461, which has just been overhauled. This is the only surviving mogul locomotive to have inside cylinders in either Ireland or the UK. Normally, one loco is based in Dublin and one in Whitehead, with locos occasionally being swapped round to suit local requirements.
The RPSI has recently set up a Diesel department with a view to running a few railtours a year using vintage diesel locomotives. 141 class locomotives Nos. 141 and 142 were acquired in 2010, repainted in original CIÉ Black livery. It is planned to acquire another 141 class loco, No. 175, along with 121 class locomotive No. 134 in the near future.[12]
As of 2011, the society has in operation three distinct rakes of carriages. One is made up of a mixture of NIR and BR mk2 vehicles, based at Whitehead.[13] This rake is painted in the RPSI's dark green livery. In Dublin, there exists two further rakes of carriages. One, the "heritage set", is mainly made up of 1950s vintage CIÉ Park Royal and laminate stock, along with some ex-GNR(I), GSR and GSWR vehicles (including 1st corridor No. 1142).[14] These are mostly painted in 1950s CIÉ green livery. The other is made up of ex- Iarnród Éireann Cravens coaches, along with a BR steam heating van.[15] These are being repainted in the RPSI's own blue livery with yellow lining.
The Society's founder members still perform regular maintenance tasks and undertake full engine restorations. They are joined regularly by new volunteers who assist in tasks from boiler repair to carriage painting. Volunteers are always welcome to visit and help at either of the engineering depots.
The satirical online newspaper The Portadown News made reference in 2005 to a 'Railway Preservation society of Northern Ireland'[16].
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