Next month, a rail tour operated by Táilte Tours from Dublin to Killarney, will include first use of a Mk.IV passenger set on the Limerick Junction to Limerick line.

The branch from Limerick Junction to Limerick was on the original mainline of the Waterford, Limerick & Western Railway, but the line is now the preserve of railcars.

Mk.IV carriages are mainly confined to the Dublin-Cork line, although Táilte Tours has previously used them on a rail tour from Dublin to Tralee.

The “Great Southern Railway Centennial Railtour” is set to run from Dublin Heuston and Kildare to Killarney on Saturday 16th November to mark the centenary of the initial amalgamation of the Great Southern Railway in November 1924, which in January 2025 became the Great Southern Railways.

The tour will be hauled by a 201 class GM locomotive, and make the diversion from Limerick Junction to Limerick on its way to Killarney. As well as being rarely seen on the Limerick branch, Mk.IV carriages are also rare visitors to the Kerry branch as railcars also took over working on that branch in the late 2000s.

The Great Southern Railway Centennial Railtour is the latest tour to be organised by Táilte Tours CLG. It is a voluntary group named after one of Ireland‘s largest steam locomotives and runs rail tours and other railway-themed events throughout Ireland to raise funds for and awareness about Irish railway heritage.

Tickets for the Great Southern Railway Centennial Railtour can be purchased online at www.tailtetours.com, and Rail Advent subscribers are entitled to a discount.

“This is definitely one for the history books. We’re always looking for new railtour ideas, and had quite a few requests from enthusiasts for a Mk.IV run over the Limerick line. This tied in nicely with the theme of the Great Southern Railway Centennial, enabling us to visit a few of the historic company’s main routes. Thanks to the wonderful cooperation of the Sales and Planning teams in Iarnród Éireann, we’ve been able to make this happen”.

Niall Kelly, Co-Founder & Marketing Officer of Táilte Tours CLG