The last trains on the County Donegal Railway ran in 1959, but for many years two locomotives and a variety of rolling stock were stored in the open at Strabane having been bought by an American purchaser who had planned to build a private railway back in the USA. After almost ten years it seems remarkable that so much was still intact but this was how it looked on 24 April 1968

Another view of the graveyard at Strabane on 24 April 1968. By this stage the broad gauge line which had formerly provided a direct link between Derry and Dublin had also been closed and replaced by a jointly operated coach service involving CIE and Ulsterbus

In 1968 CIE locos were indicated by class letters. B173 is one a batch of 37 General Motors Bo-Bo diesels dating from 1962 seen here within the confines of Inchicore Works on 20 April 1968

One of the oldest diesel classes on CIE was the C class dating from 1959. They were built in England by Metropolitan Vickers and originally ran with 550 hp Crossley engines, in which condition green liveried C223 was seen at Tralee on 22 April 1968

CIE built a variety of diesel shunters using German parts, and three examples were seen at Inchicore works with G614 nearest the camera on 20 April 1968

By 1994 the oldest diesel locomotives on what had by then become Iarnrod Eireann were the 001 class, originally built in the 1950s with Crossley engines but rebuilt in 1968 with 1325 hp General Motors power units to become the most powerful locos on the system for a while. 003 of the batch was at Inchicore on 20 May 1994, by which time some of these locos had been withdrawn

Another view of 003 at Inchicore on 20 May 1994

This example of the 001 class, 054 seen at Inchicore on 20 May 1994, is one of six in the class with uprated General Motors engines developing 1650 hp, together with rewound traction motors permitting the maximum speed to be raised from 75 mph to 80 mph

The 072 class introduced in 1976 brought a step change in power on offer. 18 locos of 2450 hp were introduced to the heaviest trains. 075 awaits departure from Dublin Connolly on 20 May 1994 with what is probably a service for Belfast

The direct service from Waterford to Dublin involves a reversal at Kilkenny where the line runs into the stub terminal. General Motors Co-Co 077 runs past its train of BR built air-conditioned mark 11d stock whilst in charge of the evening service from Waterford back to the capital on 21 May 1994

Another view of 077 having run round and coming forward to be recoupled to its train at Kilkenny on 21 May 1994. We were travelling on this train back to Dublin and dared not linger too long on the footbridge as the station work her was performed quite smartly

A pair of 071 class Co-Co diesels approach Dublin Heuston past the castellated walls of Inchicore works with a passenger working from the south of the country on 20 May 1994

Another of the 071 class, 084, seen at Dublin Heuston on 20 May 1994 about to depart with a train for the south

The line from Dublin to Rosslare includes this interesting stretch where the train runs right alongside Wexford harbour. 129 is at the head of the train

Another view taken from the train as 129 skirts Wexford harbour on 21 May 1994 with a train from Dublin to Rosslare

General Motors Bo-Bo diesel 129 dating from 1961 on arrival at Rosslare with its train from the capital on 21 May 1994

The 121 class were the first General Motors diesels bought by CIE in 1961. They had cabs at one end only and were equipped with 950 hp engines. They were often used on services to Rosslare, where there is a facility to turn the engine on a triangle, and this was where I got this shot of 129 on 21 May 1994

121 class GM diesel 132 was undergoing repair at Inchicore on 20 May 1994

An example of the 141 class on General Motors Bo-Bo types dating from 1962 was 145 seen manoevring at Dublin Heuston on 20 May 1994

The 141 class consisted of 37 locos, basically similar to the 121 class but with cabs at both ends. They were delivered from 1962 onwards. 146 was undergoing general repair at Inchicore on 20 May 1994

Another view of 146 at Inchicore on 20 May 1994

Twelve more locos of 1100 hp were delivered by General Motors in 1966 and formed the 181 class. 185 is seen departing from Dublin Heuston on 20 May 1994

In 1993-4 Irish Rail took delivery of 17 railcars which had been built in Japan by the Tokyu Car Corporation of Yokohama. They were formed into 8 two-car sets with one spare car. In 1994 they were being trialled on a veriety of secondary services and the first pair 2602 and 2601 are seen approaching Dublin Heuston on 20 May 1994

The following day the same set had found its way south to Waterford where I got this shot. The 2600 class are clearly based on the Sprinter concept, but the bodies have the small windows characteristic of Japanese rolling stock. They have Cummins engines with hydraulic transmissions using a Niigata three stage gearbox