THE Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI), in association with NI Railways (NIR) and Iarnród Éireann (IE), operated Santa Specials in the Belfast and Dublin areas in the run-up to Christmas.
While all the Belfast trips were powered by steam traction, six of the 18 Dublin trains were to be hauled by diesel locomotives. The sold-out Dublin specials ran from Connolly to Maynooth and return on December 3/4, 10/11 and 17/18. The 10.05 and 13.30 from Connolly on Saturdays and the 10.35 and 14.05 ex-Connolly on Sundays were booked for steam with the 16.10 (Saturdays) and 16.50 (Sundays) ex Connolly booked for diesel haulage.
On December 3, GM No. 077 hauled the (steam-heat) stock for the specials, formed of eight Cravens coaches and “BR” van No. 3173, as empty coaching stock (ECS) from Inchicore to Connolly. No. 077 was also booked to work the 16.10 special. However, steam locomotive No. 85 failed upon arrival at Maynooth while hauling the 10.05 from Connolly.
