Double headed NIR GM

[Colin_McLeod]

I recently came across this photograph I took in February 1981 when 111 "Great Northern" and 112 "Northern Counties" had just been named and were about to depart from Belfast Central with their first run to Dublin.  Time for another trip to Murphy Models!!

 

 

 

[kirley]

Great picture, thanks for sharing

[Hunslet 102]

Great nostalgic photo Colin,thanks for sharing

[Accurascale Fran]

This was also done in the mid 90s with their then new 201s. I believe the acceleration was 'brisk'. So brisk in fact that it damaged the coupliers on the coaches!

[LaGrange]

Was done a few times, as until the early noughties NIR were a bit more 'laid back' when it came to railtours etc. 071+111 were also paired up for a railtour in 1990. I was on the tour in 1996 that featured 208+209, it also had 111+112 earlier in the day, and 6400bhp was utterly insane - but brilliant

[LaGrange]

I recently came across this photograph I took in February 1981 when 111 "Great Northern" and 112 "Northern Counties" had just been named and were about to depart from Belfast Central with their first run to Dublin. 

 

111_112 8102.jpg

111 was taken off at Dundalk though

[LaGrange]

Ive looked closer at that photo - even then 111/2 had the tops of their horns trimmed down slightly. Im told it was for 1/2 bridges on the Antrim-Lisburn line

[Guest CPRAIL3000]

Great shot and thanks for sharing.  There was a story went about that a NIR GM actually had the horns strike a bridge when they first arrived but I am not sure how true that tale is!

[Colin_McLeod]

The story about the horns is correct.  111 &112 were traveling under their own power from Dublin docks to York Road at the time. The horns were cut in situ to permit onward travel to York Road.  I remember watching the pair coming through Whiteabbey later that night.

[NoelG]

The story about the horns is correct.  111 &112 were traveling under their own power from Dublin docks to York Road at the time. The horns were cut in situ to permit onward travel to York Road.  I remember watching the pair coming through Whiteabbey later that night.

That's bizarre, the loading gauge that tight on part of the network was really that marginal?

 

I wonder was it a case of the track bed being too high due to years of ballast build up rather then the bridge being too low.  It reminds one of cruisers passing under Ballyconnell bridge on the SEW, only millimetres to spare.