My introduction to Irish Railways

My first visit to the Irish Republic came in May 1982 and having travelled overnight from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire it was a case of catching the train which turned out to comprise a motley collection of coaches and a generator van hauled by this C class BoBo. Seen here on arrival at Dublin Connolly this locomotive was one of a batch supplied by Metropolitan Vickers in 1956 from their Dukinfield works. Originally powered by a Crossley ESTV8, the engine proved to be unreliable and they were eventually replaced with General Motors power units by CIÉ at Inchicore Works, Dublin.