Northern Irish Railways

70 Class No 78

On 27th October 1968 the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Terence O'Neill travelled to Coleraine to officially open the New University of Ulster. The set was headed by power car No 78 which entered service the previous month. The consist was 78-721-701-711- 723-77. The buffet car had been replaced by trailer brake composite 711, perhaps to increase the first class seating. The photograph was taken as the train was passing MP 34 just outside Ballymena. The new Ballymena Academy school in in the background.

Image and Text by Bex Reddy