Galway Mini CTC

Irish Railway Record Society

Galway Mini CTC

Following the Knockcroghery accident, on 8 November 1997, a major relaying programme to renew more than 400 miles of track was implemented. The Galway line was the first to be renewed. This covered the plain track sections between the stations but not the station layouts. It was also decided that four routes (Galway, Waterford, Kerry and Sligo) should have a simplified CTC system provided in conjunction with a total renewal of the station layouts. Much of the track layouts in the stations were designed for a traffic pattern no longer extant. In MGWR era and into CIÉ days, the Galway passenger service was four trains each way daily with through coaches to and from Westport and Sligo. It was only with the arrival of the AEC railcars in 1954 that the Sligo line had its own through services from Westland Row. The evening Westland Row-Galway and the morning return was a double-diesel, to use the railway term of the day, two 4-car AEC sets which divided at Athlone and coupled up again in the morning thereby proving a Westport through service. After the demise of the railcars, the Galway and Westport lines became independent – each having their own through services. The arrival of the Mark ll carriages in 1973 led to longer trains but retaining the four services each way daily. This lasted until the Athlone commuter service was extended to work to and from Galway thereby creating a fifth though service each way on weekdays, breaking a pattern that existed since Victorian times.

With the arrival of the 071 locomotives and the Mark lll carriages, nine vehicle trains became the norm – far from the 4-4-0 steam locomotive and three or four carriages in the MGWR days for which the line was designed. On the freight side, Ballinasloe was designed to cater for the great fair days when up to six cattle specials would operate to North Wall. This traffic is no longer available with the change in cattle dealing from fairs to cattle marts and, in more recent times, with the arrival of meat factories and few cattle exported live.

Athenry layout was fitting of a major junction, originally with double junctions at both ends and two turntables. Galway has always had its layout constrained by the approach lines being over Lough Atalia Bridge spanning what is, in effect, an inlet of the Atlantic.

Before the mini-CTC project, sections of the layouts were life expired and signed out of use leading to difficulties in operation. Special instructions covered the degraded conditions.

The fundamental difference between mini-CTC systems and traditional CTC is the use of axle counters between stations instead of track circuits. It is only in recent years that reliable, reasonable cost axle counters have become available. Also, mini-CTC does not have CAWS (Continuous Automatic Warning System).

In designing the layouts, modern train sizes and operating requirements were leading considerations and the emphasis was keeping the layouts simple and easy to maintain. In case of failure, a simple layout is faster to scotch and clip points and get trains moving quickly. A design consideration, on the Galway, Sligo and Kerry lines, is the signalling of the station level crossings. There are three on the Galway line (Ballinasloe, Woodlawn and Athenry), four on the Kerry (Banteer, Millstreet, Rathmore and Farranfore) and one on the Sligo (Killucan). With ongoing difficulties with timetabling trains between Ballinasloe and Athenry and outline plans to increase passenger train frequency on the Galway line the 30-minute block section between Athenry and Ballinasloe needed an intermediate loop. This was provided at Woodlawn making the sections from Galway to Athlone 16, 10, 13, and 19 minutes (stop to stop) in length for a 9 coach Mark lll and 071 or 201-class locomotive. Previously the sections were 16, 23 (assuming no stop at Woodlawn or Attymon), and 19.

Today, the scheduled traffic on the line on weekdays is five passenger trains in each direction and a return freight train from Galway to Athlone at night. On Sundays there are also five return passenger workings but concentrated on the afternoon. Occasionally, there are passenger specials either for sporting fixtures or to cater for the high number of students who travel in summer to learn Irish in the Gaeltacht area in the west of the county.

The new layout at Ballinasloe has simply up and down lines so trains may be crossed and a siding on the up side. In the current timetable, no trains are scheduled to cross at Ballinasloe. To avoid blocking the busy level crossing when trains were in the station the turnout at the Dublin end was moved westward to eliminate the problem.

Woodlawn never had a second platform or loop but had an eccentric layout whereby trains could cross by one propelling into a siding to let the other pass. The new layout provides a simple passing loop with no traps or sidings. In the current timetable the 16.50 from Heuston to Galway does not call at Woodlawn but crosses the 18.20 from Galway to Dublin, which does serve Woodlawn.

The once complex layout at Athenry, built largely to cater for cattle specials arriving and departing in four directions, was greatly simplified. The connection to the Claremorris line was not retained as the line is currently out of use. In the event of the line re-opening a connection could be made as part of the line’s possible re-construction. At the western end there is a power operated connection to the Ennis line and a siding trails in for freight or ballast loading. Special arrangements exist for the inter-working between the CTC and Ennis signalmen when trains require to operate between Athenry and Ennis. The are two trap points controlling access to the Ennis line. It is not signalled for passenger movements.

Any major re-designing of the Galway station layout is made difficult by the nature of the site. Some simplification of the layout took place but perhaps, the most significant change was the provision of the locomotive release at the buffer-stop end of the main platform. To avoid having to reverse trains out onto Lough Atalia bridge to allow the locomotive run around, trains now discharge their passengers and set back to clear the crossover. The locomotive is then uncoupled and pulls forward to allow the signalman reverse the crossover, permitting the locomotive to go out onto the bridge where the driver can change ends through the engine. The locomotive comes back onto the train, propels it a short distance almost to the buffer stops and ready to board passengers.

Level crossings at stations are all four-barrier CCTV monitored type. These are controlled form adjacent rooms known as Re-locatable Equipment Buildings. During the initial six months of operation they are worked from the local pedestal panel normally only used in the event of control being lost at the CTC. The lights and barrier movements are initiated by approaching trains suitably timed. When all four barriers are down the gate operator checks that the crossing is clear and clears the vital control to allow the protecting signals give a proceed aspect. The Automatic Open Crossings, designated type LB, at Healys, Frenchfort and Garraun are monitored by Athlone, as is Oranmore AHBs. Other level crossings have telephone communication with the Athlone ECP. All points are operated by Westinghouse type 63 machines.

The mini-CTC projects do not include any upgrade at mid-section level crossings except where they are close to stations such as at Athenry where Caherryon to the east and Castle Lambert on the Galway side are both included in the Athenry signalling. Separate projects are dealing with mid-section crossings.

The new mini-CTC systems are based on a central computer system, supplied by Westinghouse Rail Systems Ltd. of Chippenham, working all the locations. Hence, all signals and points have a GL (Galway Line) identity. The system has three parallel processors and two have to agree before a route is set. Fibre-optic lines link the computer with the stations. Axle counters work the plain track sections between the stations. The axle counters communicate with each other, also, using the IÉ fibre-optic network. Should the cable between two axle-counters be damaged, the system will seek an alternative route, such as Athenry-Woodlawn via Ennis - Limerick - Portarlington – Athlone. Copper data lines link the fibre-optic cable at stations with the various station modules. Track circuits are provided from the down home signal berth track through the station area to the up home signal berth on through stations.

The Galway line console – known as Galway Line ECP - is located in Athlone in the same building as the Athlone Emergency Control Panel. The latter is used to operate Athlone in the event of the CTC losing control.

The line-side signal and point modules each have 2 computers/loaded Eproms and each module has a unique number which is addressed by the interlocking in Athlone up to a maximum of 63 modules. Each point module can handle 4 point ends, with signal modules handling 2 four-aspect signals including route indicators. Each module is ‘listening’ to both data streams simultaneously. The modules receive a ‘heart beat’ signal every 0.6 seconds to ensure they are working and communication is still active to the Galway Line interlocking.

The workstation consists of two Flatron colour screens giving the layout and indications. The signalman operates the system using a roller ball and a keyboard similar to most modern CTC systems. The mainline train radio system was extended to cover the entire route. The system is equipped with SPAD (Signal Passed At Danger) indications so that in the event of a driver passing a signal at danger an alarm is immediately activated and the signalman can immediately contact the driver directly.

To facilitate installation of points and crossings there were a series of permanent way possessions during the month prior to the week the line closed for commissioning of the system. During this week a locomotive was used to test the routes. The new system was commissioned at 16.45 on 8 June 2003 with Signalman Kieran Kelly the first signalman.

ATHENRY-ENNIS SECTION

The section between Athenry and Ennis is worked by the Manual Token System with special arrangements. All the movements are under the control of the Ennis signalman. In the up direction the section commences at a “Stop & Obtain Instructions” board on the opposite side of the track to the “Limit of Shunt” board. At Athenry it terminates at a similar board beyond which are two trap points facing in opposite directions. These ensures no train enters or leaves the section without the agreement of the Ennis and Galway Line signalmen (either in Athlone if locally controlled or the CTC).

In the down direction the section commences at a “Stop and Obtain Instructions” board on the Athenry side of the traps and terminates at the Ennis Outer Home signal. The manual token is normally housed in the “Line Closed” apparatus in Ennis cabin. This is associated with the AHBs in the Ennis-Athenry section (Kiltartan, Ardrahan & Craughwell). Before a train can leave Ennis, the signalman must ascertain from the Galway Line signalman that the line is clear at Athenry station for the train to exit the section. He removes the token from the Line Closed apparatus and hands it to the driver who is instructed to proceed to the “Stop and Obtain Instructions” board at Athenry. Upon arrival the guard takes the token to a special panel where he inserts the token and rotates it 90 degrees. If the hand-operating crank handle for the traps is also in the panel, the guard obtains the permission of the Galway Line signalman to close the traps using a switch on the panel. This allows the train enter Athenry station. On observing the tail-lamp the guard advises the Ennis signalman that the train has left the section and opens the trap points.

The guard then places the token in a subsidiary instrument and holds down the tapper key to allow the Ennis signalman withdraw a token. This is placed in the “Line Closed” apparatus, ready for the next movement from Ennis to Athenry. Should the next movement be from Athenry the down train proceeds to the “Stop & Obtain Instructions” board and the guard goes to the subsidiary instrument and requests the Ennis signalman for a token, When the token is obtained and inserted in the panel the traps are closed, the train enters the section clear of the traps which are then closed. The token removed from the panel. Upon arrival in Ennis the token is stored in the “Line Closed” apparatus.

Mr. Pat Judge, was the engineer in charge of installing the system and Training Executive David O’Keefe provided the training for the four signalmen who currently operate the system.