After over a year of planning, lifting, hauling, and hoping, locomotive A3R finally arrived in Downpatrick on Sunday 27th June – the last of the four Irish Traction Group (ITG) locos to make the move from Moyasta, Co Clare. Huge thanks to everyone who followed the journey, lent a hand, or just sent good wishes. It’s a great relief to have the whole batch safely in their new home at last. She is of course a sister locomotive to the popular A39R, meaning that we now have two A Class locomotives at Downpatrick.
A3R was part of the first big wave of dieselisation on Irish railways back in 1955, part of the 60-strong A Class. She was the first of the A class locomotives to enter service, and also the last to run under Iarnród Éireann ownership back in 1995.
Hats off to the ITG volunteers, both at Carrick and Downpatrick, absolute legends. Now, time for a rest… then back to the restoration slog! And as always we need new hands to make this happen.
