By the end of the 1950s, steam had already mostly disappeared from passenger work in the Republic of Ireland, yet it lingered on in Northern Ireland. In fact, it lasted longer there than anywhere else on the main line within the British Isles.

The products of General Motors came to dominate locomotive-hauled freight and passenger work in the entire 32 Counties, whilst electrification transformed travel in and around Dublin. Preservation has ensured that much of what might have vanished in the way of infrastructure, the iconic narrow gauge and a wonderful variety of locomotives is still there to be enjoyed by both the Irish and visitors from near and far.

With over 200 images, this is a visual journey around the Emerald Isle, starting in the 1960s and moving through to modern times, showing the various traction, locomotives and stations that have made Ireland’s railways what they are today.