© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2011 Most years, around Easter, the Shropshire Railway Society makes a trip across the Irish sea for a look at the railways over there. On this occasion, the objective was a trip down the main line to Cork, for an afternoon in the southern city. A combination of rail and ferry travel got us to Dublin Heuston in time for breakfast, before joining a Tralee- bound service hauled by IR no. 074. We changed at Mallow to a Cork-bound service in the hands of IR no. 216. On arrival at Cork we gathered for a pre-arranged visit to Glanmire Depot. There wasn't much around - two or three locomotives, a number of wagons - and, on a train of cement wagons at the nearby cement terminal, no. 207 in Enterprise livery. An interesting survivor is the turntable, still rail- connected. After the depot visit, the question arose "What now?". My mind had been made up before we arrived in Cork - a ride down to Cobh. Several years ago I had travelled on an Irish Traction Group railtour, "The Sligo Avoider". It had been scheduled to run to Cork and Cobh, but a derailment found us heading north from Limerick to Athenry and back via Athlone. So I had to go, hadn't I? In the event, a small group made its way down the branch, culminating in a fine pint (or two...) of Murphy's and a bite to eat in the attractive coastal town. Sadly, the branch has succumbed to the railcar invasion - our ride was in Japanese- built unit no 2614. And so we began to retrace our steps back to Shrewsbury. There was a little time to kill on returning to Cork - giving time to take the picture of the 1848-built Bury no 36, and no 169 on a Tralee train. In the last picture, it is seen pulling away from Cork - alongside no 232 which, a little later, would haul us back to Dublin on the long ride home. Link: Shropshire Railway Society