J4790 : Double-headed steam, Cloghan near Whitehead
taken 42 years ago, near to Whitehead, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland
The line between Belfast York Road and Larne Harbour opened as far to Carrickfergus in 1848 and from Carrickfergus to Larne Harbour in 1862. There were stations at Belfast York Road (1848), Greencastle (1849/1916), Whitehouse (old station 1861/1906 replaced by a new station, further north 1906/1954), Whiteabbey (1848), Bleach Green 1934/1977), Jordanstown (by 1853), Trooperslane (by 1850), Mount (1925/72), Carrickfergus (old station 1848/62), Clipperstown (1925), Carrickfergus (1862), Barn (1925/77), Downshire (originally Downshire Park, 1925), Eden (1925/77), Kilroot (1862/77), Whitehead (first station 1863/64), Whitehead (second station 1864/77), Whitehead (1877), Whitehead Excursion (1907), Ballycarry (1862), Ballylig (now Magheramorne, 1862), Glynn (1864), Larne (1862/1974), Larne Town (new alignment, 1974) and Larne Harbour (1862).
York Road station closed in 1992, replaced by Yorkgate (on a different site) as part of the opening of the new cross-harbour line to Belfast Central.
The line between Belfast Central and Bleach Green Jct is also used by trains serving the Londonderry/Portrush lines.
Sources: Irish Railways Today (1967), the Northern Counties Railway (1973) and Johnson’s Atlas & Gazetteer of the Railways of Ireland (1997).
Formed in 1964, the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI) is a registered charity which preserves steam and diesel locomotives and other rolling stock built for the Irish railway system. The RPSI maintains a museum at Whitehead and operates steam-hauled excursions over the present day Irish railway network for families and enthusiasts.
The purpose of this Shared Description is to provide a single reference point for photographs of RPSI trains. All queries regarding past or future RPSI operations should be directed to the RPSI through its web site: Link