Operations 154

Irish Railway Record Society

Operations

PASSENGER OPERATIONS

Saturday 3 January The Ballybrophy train was worked by 162 + 1 Craven + GSV. As more Limerick drivers were trained on railcars, there was less locomotive haulage.

Sunday 25 January The 13.30 Waterford-Dublin Heuston was formed by 086 + 4 Cravens + GSV. This link has been generally worked by Cravens carriages.

Thursday 22 January The 17.35 Dublin Heuston-Limerick was formed by 229 + 6 Cravens + GSV and departed Portlaoise at 18.41. This is normally a Mk IId link.

Monday 26 January The 17.10 Dublin-Ennis was worked from Limerick to Ennis by 187+189 + 7 Mk III + EGV.

Tuesday 27 January The 07.00 Ennis-Limerick was formed by 2603/04 and departed with 60 passengers. The 08.00 Ennis-Limerick was 124 + 3 push-pull (DT6102), and the 09.45 Ballybrophy-Limerick was formed by the two single car 2700-class railcars, 2751+2753.

Thursday 29 January The 13.30 Ennis-Limerick was formed by 2751+2753 and passed Clarecastle at 13.37.

Sunday 15 February Engineering work resulted in the 08.30 Dublin-Tralee, 09.50 Dublin-Cork, 08.20 Cork-Dublin and 10.50 Cork-Dublin being substituted by bus between Limerick Junction and Thurles. The 09.15 Limerick-Dublin operated via the Nenagh branch, which is normally closed on Sunday mornings. It was formed by 084 + 7 Mk III + EGV and arrived in Heuston at 12.52.

Sunday 22 February The 13.25 Dublin Connolly-Rosslare Europort, which started from Greystones due to DART upgrade works, was formed by 075 + 6 Mk IId + EGV. The 14.30 Rosslare-Dublin Connolly, running to Greyst-ones only, was formed by 072 EGV + 6 Mk IId.

Tuesday 2 March 190 worked the 13.20 Sligo-Dublin after the earlier failure of 074.

Saturday 13 March With no DART upgrade works due to the Skyfest festival, Dublin-Rosslare trains operated normally. The 13.40 Dublin Connolly - Rosslare Europort was formed by 086 + 6 Mk IId + EGV and the 13.25 Rosslare Europort - Maynooth was formed by 072 + EGV + 6 Mk IId.

Saturday 10 April NIR 112 + 2 Cravens + GSV worked the 17.05 Waterford-Rosslare Europort. An 071-class was generally rostered for this working on Saturdays to provide a back-up 071-class locomotive in Rosslare to cover Rosslare-Greystones workings when the line was closed from Bray to Dublin for DART upgrade works. Locomotives 072 and 082 provided motive power for the Rosslare-Greystones workings over Easter weekend.

Friday 16 April The 13.35 Dublin-Tralee was formed by NIR 112 + GSV + 4 Cravens. It overtook the 12.00 Dublin North Wall - Cork North Esk liner, 226 + 12 container pocket wagons, in Portarlington at 14.10.

Saturday 17 April The Ennis-Limerick service continues to perform well. The 12.40 Limerick-Ennis, which has a connection out of the 10.00 Dublin-Limerick, was formed by 2603/04 and had 57 passengers. Its return at 13.30 from Ennis, which connects into the 14.20 Limerick-Dublin, had 43 passengers. Both had no trouble keeping to their generous schedules. Earlier 2603/04 worked the 09.45 Ballybrophy-Limerick. Other workings in Limerick were 2710/09+2751 on the 14.25 Limerick-Ennis and 2753+2714/13 on the 14.35 Limerick-Limerick Junction. The 10.00 Dublin-Limerick, 234 + GSV + 7 Mk IId + EGV, brought the GSV from Dublin to Limerick to make up a back-up locomotive hauled set with the single Cravens carriage held in Limerick.

Sunday 18 April The 12.00 Cork-Tralee was formed by 163+164 + GSV + 4 Cravens. The 15.00 Mallow-Killarney and 16.25 Killarney-Dublin was formed by 231+ 5 Mk III push-pull (DT6101).

Sunday 25 April Ballina branch trains were worked by 224 + GSV + 2 Cravens. The 14.30 Westport-Dublin was 210 + EGV + 7 Mk IId and the 15.40 Westport-Dublin 219 + GSV + 4 Cravens.

Saturday 8 May The 15.00 Limerick-Ballybrophy was formed by 168 + GSV + 2 Cravens.

FREIGHT

Mallow yard closed in January, with traffic diverted to Cork North Esk yard. Mallow yard was cleared of containers on Friday 16 January when 189+164 + 12 container pocket wagons (CPWs) operated an 09.00 Cork North Esk-Mallow and return special. From the previous evening, CPWs commenced operation of the 20.25 North Esk-Dublin North Wall liner. The 12.00 North Wall-Mallow liner, formed by CPWs, was subsequently altered to run to North Esk , with the return working from North Esk to North Wall departing at 21.25. The latter replaced the 20.25 North Esk-North Wall liner.

All rail freight north of Dundalk ceased on Friday 27 February when the last train of palletised kegs for Guinness operated to Belfast Adelaide. Traffic was transferred to road haulage. There are now no freight trains between the island’s two largest cities.

Sligo container depot closed at the end of 2003 and, in March, IÉ told local Councilors that they planned to end rail delivery of palletised kegs for Guinness. This will leave Sligo with only oil trains from Dublin for ESSO and timber trains to Waterford for Coillte.

The area known as the Dardenelles in North Wall yard, consisting of 11 tracks plus the loop, has been cleared to be replaced by 7 tracks. Container loading and the making up of all liners will take place here when the Midland Yard closes for good in June/July. Some of the track came from the former fertiliser factory sidings at Shelton Abbey, Arklow.

CIÉ advertised for 2 acres in Galway for a "freight facility" close to the main arterial road routes. No mention was made of any require-ment for a rail connection. The existing yard in Galway station remains rail connected, but there are no freight trains since the withdrawal of the regular liner in December 2003. Timber trains have not resumed from Galway .

Norfolk Lines A new container train between Waterford Belview Port and Ballina via Kildare has commenced trial operation for Norfolk Lines on three days per week in each direction. The train initially ran on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays in each direction, but this was changed to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Departure from Waterford station is at 07.50, Kildare 10.12-10.25 and arriving in Ballina at 15.26. Initially departure from Ballina was at 14.00 with both trains scheduled to cross in Claremorris, but this was changed to 08.50. Both trains are scheduled to cross in Athlone and the southbound train is scheduled to run-round in Kildare from 13.45 until 14.00 and to arrive in Waterford at 16.20.

In welcoming these new trains, IÉs Freight Manager said that this was the type of traffic IÉ was looking for: ‘Our strategy going forward is to charter trains - to develop train loads of business - as opposed to casual containers here and there’. ‘ Norfolk Line's base customers are Coca-Cola and Baxter Healthcare. Probably Norfolk Line will add other customers to it, and that's when we'll probably increase up to four or five trains in both directions a week’.

The first Ballina-Waterford train ran on the Saturday 28 February from Ballina to Dublin North Wall. It was worked to Waterford on the following Monday night with 14 bogies and kegs on the rear on the Dublin-Waterford liner. Thereafter, trains normally did not run via Dublin .

The first Waterford-Ballina train ran on Monday 1 March and consisted of 073 + 18 laden bogie wagons, passing Cherryville Junction at 10.45 en route from Waterford . The train had ten 47’ 6” and eight 42’ 6” wagons conveying 45’ and 40’ containers respectively. Locomotive 085 took over at Kildare and the train reached Roscommon at 13.40. The first direct southbound working, the 14.00 Ballina-Waterford with 085 + 18 bogies, was on Wednesday 3 March, with the locomotive running round its train in Kildare at 19.00.

On Saturday 6 March, the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina, 085 + 18 bogies, ran late out of Waterford and followed the 11.00 Dublin-Galway from Kildare. It still crossed the 08.50 Ballina-Waterford, NIR 112 + 18 bogies in Athlone. The latter followed a Dublin-Waterford liner, 080 + 2 bogie container wagons + 20 laden four-wheel bulk cement wagons + 7 four-wheel keg beer wagons, from Cherryville Junction to Waterford. This train was the combined Friday 20.10 North Wall-Waterford liner and the Saturday 03.50 North Wall-Waterford bulk cement and it departed Muine Bheag at 15.05. The Cherryville Junction-Waterford line also featured the regular 08.35 Waterford-Ballina empty timber train 073 + 12 bogies, running immediately behind the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina.

On Saturday 13 March, the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina was 081 + 18 bogies. The 08.50 Ballina-Waterford was 074 + 18 bogies, of which 10 were carrying 45’ containers. It passed Geashill at 14.30 and crossed the 08.35 Waterford-Ballina empty timber in Portarlington. Its progress on the Waterford line was slow due to the number of trains moving. It was overtaken by the 15.05 Dublin Heuston-Waterford in Athy, waited there to cross the 14.40 Waterford-Dublin Heuston, crossed the 14.05 Waterford-Drogheda empty cement, 144 + 20 four-wheel wagons, in Carlow and passed the new loop at Ballyhale at 17.45.

On Saturday 20 March the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina Norfolk, 077 + 18 bogies, set back onto the former Ballylinan branch at Athy to allow the RPSI Dublin Heuston-Kilkenny steam special, “4” + GSV + 7 Cravens, be overtaken in the station by the 09.30 Dublin-Waterford, a four-car 2700-class. The 08.50 Ballina-Waterford Norfolk , 074 + 18 bogies, passed Athy at 15.10.

On Saturday 3 April, the 08.50 Ballina-Waterford Norfolk liner, 077 + 18 bogies, crossed the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina 078 +18 bogies in Athlone, crossed the 08.35 Waterford-Ballina empty timber in Clonnydonnin, passed Portarlington at 13.45 and Thomastown at 15.55. It crossed the 13.10 Waterford-Dublin Heuston in Carlow and the 14.40 Waterford-Dublin Heuston on Lavistown Loop.

On Easter Saturday 10 April, the 08.50 Ballina-Waterford Norfolk liner ran well due to late running Galway line passenger trains. It was formed by 147+172 + 18 bogies. It left Athlone ahead of the 11.00 Galway-Dublin passenger, passing Portarlington at 12.55. It crossed the 13.10 Waterford-Dublin passenger in Muine Bheag, but was diverted into Kilkenny as the 14.05 Waterford-Drogheda Platin empty bulk cement, 124+145 + 16 four-wheel wagons, was signalled via Lavistown Loop and it in turn was being followed by the 14.40 Waterford-Dublin passenger. The Norfolk crossed the 14.40 in Kilkenny and passed Lavistown South Junction at 15.35.

By May, the operation of the trial Norfolk liner reduced to ‘As Required’, with only one train operating on some weeks.

Cork North Esk - Waterford Belview Port via Clonmel Norfolk Line container trains were suspended after the collapse of Cahir viaduct in October 2003. In March, this traffic returned to rail, but running Cork - Dublin North Wall - Waterford . The traffic is characterised by heavy 40’ Bulk Concept containerised tanks as well as standard boxes and is now carried on regular Cork-Dublin and Dublin-Waterford liners twice per week.

On Thursday 18 March, 6 of these large tanks were noted on the 22.40 Dublin-Cork liner and on Friday 19 March, 7 were observed on the 20.10 Dublin-Waterford liner. On Wednesday 31 March, the 12.00 Dublin North Wall - Cork North Esk liner consisted of 19 laden container bogies, of which 8 were Bulk Concept tanks.

Timber The Sligo-Waterford timber train continues to operate on Saturdays from Sligo to Dublin North Wall and then to Heuston yard where it stables overnight. On Sundays it runs from Heuston to Waterford at 12.30. On Sunday 18 January, the Dublin-Waterford portion of this train was 146+166 + 12 bogie wagons and departed Heuston at 13.25.

On Saturday 14 February, the 08.35 Waterford-Ballina empty timber train, 233 + 12 bogies, crossed the 09.30 Dublin-Waterford passenger, a 4-car 2600-class, in Athy.

On Saturday 21 February, the Sligo-North Wall-Heuston timber was hauled by 083 from Sligo to North Wall and by NIR 112 from North Wall to Heuston, passing Cabra at 16.30. Next day, it continued from Heuston with 187+163 + 12 bogies and crossed the 14.30 Waterford-Dublin passenger at Thomastown.

On Sunday 29 February, 073 + 12 bogies worked the 12.30 Heuston-Waterford. The locomotive then worked the first Waterford-Ballina Norfolk Liner the next morning.

The 12.30 Heuston-Waterford on Sunday 7 March was 074 + 12 bogies.

The Sligo-Dublin-Waterford laden timber train departed Sligo at 14.00 on Monday 22 March instead of the previous Saturday. It consisted of 175+141 + 12 bogies and crossed the 17.15 Dublin Connolly- Longford at Enfield at 18.07.

The 12.30 Heuston-Waterford on Sunday 4 April was formed by 124+145 + 12 bogies and passed Athy at 13.43.

Liners On Saturday 3 January, a Cork-Dublin North Wall liner, consisting of 221 + 9 bogie wagons, passed Portlaoise at 13.20.

On Saturday 10 January, 210 + 12 laden CPWs passed Hazelhatch at 14.35 on a Mallow-Dublin North Wall liner.

On Sunday 11 January, a Dublin North Wall-Cork North Esk liner operated. It consisted of 204 + 10 bogie wagons + 10 four-wheel oil wagons + 5 four-wheel wagons of palletised beer kegs and passed Ballybrophy at 12.20.

On Friday 23 January, the Dublin-Sligo liner passed Drumcondra at 19.45 with 087 + 2 bogie and 3 four-wheel wagons of beer kegs. It was followed at 20.10 by the Dublin-Ballina liner, 076 + 18 laden bogies.

On Saturday 24 January, the Dublin-Sligo ESSO oil liner, 075 + 10 four-wheel wagons, departed North Wall at 08.30 and crossed the 07.30 Sligo-Dublin Connolly, which was hauled by NIR 112, at Maynooth. Later the same day, the Sligo-North Wall-Heuston timber train, 073 + 12 bogies, arrived in North Wall at 16.00, from where NIR 112 took the train to Heuston. The train was worked from Heuston to Waterford by 074 next day.

On Tuesday 2 March, the 12.00 North Wall - North Esk liner was 213 + 12 laden CPWs and passed Cabra at 12.55.

On Thursday 4 March, the 19.55 Dublin-Ballina liner was NIR 112 + 18 laden bogies. Ten were 40’ containers and eight were DANA bulk tanks.

On Thursday 11 March, NIR 112 + 6 bogie + 4 four-wheel wagons of beer kegs + 4 four-wheel oil wagons were waiting in Limerick Junction to depart to Limerick at 08.08.

On Friday 19 March, the 12.00 Dublin-Cork liner was formed by 212 + 15 bogie wagons and left Limerick Junction at 16.26. On 24 March, the same train was 203 + 12 laden CPWs of which 7 were Hapag-Lloyd containers.

Cement On Saturday 17 January, 189 + 7 bogie bulk cement wagons departed Limerick cement factory for Cork at 10.30.

On Saturday 31 January, the 14.05 Waterford-Drogheda Platin empty cement was 162 + 18 four-wheel wagons and crossed light engine 086 in Thomastown at 14.40.

On Thursday 5 February, the 13.55 Tullamore-Drogheda empty cement was 214 + 18 four-wheel wagons and arrived in North Wall at 15.30. The 14.05 Waterford-Drogheda empty cement, 234 + 20 four-wheel wagons + 4 four-wheel wagons of beer kegs, arrived in North Wall at 18.00.

On Thursday 12 February, a Drogheda-North Wall laden bulk cement passed Rush and Lusk at 15.20 with 169+167 + 18 four-wheel wagons.

On Saturday 14 February, the 14.05 Waterford-Drogheda empty cement was 190 + 20 four-wheel wagons.

A North Wall-Drogheda empty cement, 073 + 20 four-wheel wagons, passed Gormanston at 10.30 on Saturday 27 March. It returned laden through Gormanston at 13.35.

With the closure of the Cherryville Junction-Waterford line for re-signalling between 19 and 28 April and the Limerick Junction-Waterford line closed following the collapse of Cahir viaduct, there was only one route remaining into and out of Waterford , which was via Rosslare Strand. Waterford liner, container and timber trains were cancelled during this period, but cement trains kept running from Drogheda to Waterford via Rosslare Strand.

The first train was the 15.20 Waterford-North Wall empty on Monday 19 April. It consisted of 083 + 22 wagons and crossed the 13.40 Dublin Connolly-Rosslare Europort (085 + EGV + 6 Mk IId) in Rosslare Strand, the 17.25 Connolly-Gorey (6 x 2800-class) in Rathdrum and the 17.55 Maynooth-Rosslare Europort (076 + EGV + 6 Mk IId) in Wicklow. It waited in Rosslare Strand until the departure of the 13.40 before running round.

The first laden train, 09.20 North Wall-Waterford, ran the next day. It consisted of 083 + 16 wagons and ran via Newcomen Junction.

From Wednesday 21 April, empty and laden trains ran each weekday. Failure of a DART at Pearse delayed the laden train, 076 + 21 wagons, and it was held in Enniscorthy from 13.00 to 14.23 to cross the 13.25 Rosslare Europort-Maynooth. It then crossed the 15.20 empty, 083 + 16 wagons, in Wellington Bridge , which was possibly the first occasion there were two cement trains at this location.

On Thursday 22 April, the laden train, 082 + 16 wagons, ran to time and arrived in Waterford before the departure of the 15.20 empty, 076 + 21. The empty train crossed the 17.25 Connolly-Gorey in Arklow and the 17.55 Maynooth-Rosslare Europort in Wicklow.

On Friday 23 April, the 09.20 North Wall-Waterford laden train was 073 + 20 wagons but this stalled on Newcomen bank and was assisted by 076. Accordingly, it was held in Enniscorthy to cross the 13.25 Rosslare Europort-Maynooth and it crossed the 15.20 Waterford-North Wall empty, 074 + 16, in Wellingtonbridge. No trains ran on Saturday 24 April as the Dublin-Rosslare line for DART upgrade works and there was no route available between Dublin and Waterford .

On Monday 26 April, the 09.20 Dublin-Waterford was 074 + 19 wagons and crossed the 13.25 Rosslare Europort-Maynooth in Enniscorthy and the 15.20 Waterford-North Wall empty, 073 + 20, in Wellingtonbridge. Tuesday saw 073 + 20 wagons on the 09.20 from Dublin and 074 + 19 on the 15.20 from Waterford .

The last day of operation via Wexford was on Wednesday 28 April, with 075 + 20 wagons on the 09.20 from Dublin and 073 + 20 wagons on the 15.20 from Waterford . The latter crossed the weedspray train, hauled by 167, in Gorey.

Tara On Monday 2 February, the 10.20 Navan-Alexandra Road Tara lead-zinc ore train was 081 + 12 bogies as far as Drogheda where NIR 112 took over. No. 112 then worked the 15.08 Alexandra Road -Navan with 11 bogies.

On Thursday 5 February, Tara trains were running late due to delays in the Dublin area. NIR 112 + 12 laden bogies crossed a late running 081 + 11 empty bogies in Navan at 11.55. It arrived in North Wall, Dublin , at 13.35.

On Thursday 12 February, NIR 112 worked the 15.08 Alexandra Road-Navan Tara passing Rush and Lusk at 15.45. NIR 112 was still working Tara trains on Wednesday 18 February when it passed Gormanston at 11.25 while working the 10.20 Navan-Alexandra Road .

Shale Workings continue between Kilmastulla and the cement factory at Castlemungret on Monday-Friday. On Tuesday 9 March, 145 + 7 laden bogie wagons passed Killonan Junction at 09.15.

The remainder of this article appears in IRRS Journal Number 154, published June 2004.