Operations 155

Irish Railway Record Society

Operations

PASSENGER OPERATIONS

On Saturday 22 May, the 08.50 Mallow-Cork was formed by 148 + GSV + 3 Cravens. This train then worked the 09.15 Cork-Cobh instead of a railcar. A shortage of railcars saw the 06.45 Gorey-Dundalk and 17.25 Connolly-Gorey links worked by 076 + GSV + 6 Cravens for most of the week ending 28 May.

Westmeath played Offaly in Croke Park , Dublin , on Sunday 23 May. Two specials operated from Mullingar to Connolly. The 11.35 special was formed by a 6-car 2700-class and the 12.15 special by a 4-car 2900-class.

On Sunday 6 June, the 11.00 Mullingar-Dublin Connolly GAA special was formed by 072 + GSV + 9 Cravens + GSV. The 11.30 Mullingar-Connolly special was formed by a 6-car 2700-class railcar that worked empty from Longford.

Ballina branch trains on Public Holiday Monday 7 June were worked by 213 + GSV + 2 Cravens. The 17.25 Ballina-Dublin Heuston was worked by 076 + 7 Mk IId + EGV. On the same day 170+153 were in Ballina on a Norfolk line train and 078 was on a 12-bogie wagon timber train in Westport .

On Sunday 13 June, 076 + GSV + 8 Cravens + GSV worked the 10.40 GAA special from Kilkenny to Dublin . The train had worked down on the 16.30 Heuston-Waterford on Saturday 12 with 078 as motive power. In the opposite direction, 077 + 12 laden bogie wagons formed the Dublin-Waterford leg of the previous day's timber train from Sligo .

Non-availability of a 2700-class railcar on Thursday 17 June saw 213 + 4 Cravens + GSV work the 19.45 Dublin Heuston-Kildare. It departed Hazelhatch at 20.30 and was followed 6 minutes later by the 19.55 North Wall-Ballina liner, 081 + 18 bogies.

On Sunday 20 June, there were two GAA specials from Portlaoise to Connolly for the Laois versus Dublin game. The 11.30 Portlaoise-Connolly was an 8-car 2800-class and arrived at 12.39.The 11.50 was 076 + GSV + 10 Cravens + GSV and arrived at 13.04.

One of the largest scheduled passenger trains now operating is the Fridays-Only 17.05 Dublin Connolly-Sligo, with particularly heavy loadings in winter when the colleges are open. On Friday 9 July, it was formed by 086 + GSV + 9 Cravens + GSV. Other Sligo line trains that evening were a 4-car 2900-class on the 17.15 Dublin Connolly-Longford, 084 + EGV + 8 Mk IId on the 18.10 Connolly-Sligo, 077 + 6 Mk IId + EGV on the 17.55 Sligo-Connolly and a 6-car 2800-class on the 18.50 Pearse-Longford.

On Sunday 11 July, the 17.25 Limerick-Ballybrophy was formed by 162 + GSV + 1 Craven. On Saturday 17 July, 166 +142 + 4 Cravens + GSV formed a relief to the 09.10 Cork-Dublin Heuston.

The Leinster Senior Football Final in Croke Park , Dublin , on Sunday 18 July featured Laois and Westmeath. Three specials operated to Dublin Connolly from Portlaoise and three from Mullingar. The Portlaoise specials were a 4-car car 2800-class, a 6-car 2800-class and 230 + GSV + 9 Cravens + GSV. The Mullingar specials were at 11.00, 11.35 and 12.15 and were formed by a 4-car 2900-class, a 6-car 2800-class and an 8-car 2900-class. The 08.30 Sligo-Dublin was formed by 088 + 8 Mk IId + EGV. The Laois specials were very heavily loaded and the Mullingar specials were all sold out. Due to the low number of seats provided on 2800 and 2900-class railcars, the three Mullingar specials carried fewer passengers than the single Cravens special from Portlaoise and required three times the number of drivers. Additional specials ran from Ballybrophy, Clara and Athlone to Heuston station. The game ended in a draw and was replayed on the following Saturday. Tickets for the two Mullingar specials were sold out on the Wednesday.

A survey of south-side DART operations on Monday morning 26 July (twenty years after its opening) showed 90 out of 114 vehicles in service (79%). These were 66 out of 76 8101-class, 4 out of 10 8201-class, 12 out of 16 8501-class and 8 out of 12 8510-class, made up as 13 6-car and 3 4-car trains.

Traffic on the Ennis-Limerick line continues to be good. On Monday 5 July, the 12.40 Limerick-Ennis, 2603/04 offloaded 80 passengers in Ennis. Its return working, the 13.30 Ennis-Limerick loaded 50 passengers.

The 13.35 Dublin-Tralee on Saturday 24 July was formed by 147+153 + GSV + 4 Cravens.

On Saturday 31 July, NIR 112 developed a fault while working the 11.00 Dublin Heuston-Galway. Locomotives 148+146, which had been on permanent way trains in the preceding weeks, were following the train en route to Portlaoise after being serviced in Inchicore and they took over from 112 in Portarlington. The pair plus EGV + 6 Mk IId returned as the 15.10 Galway-Dublin Heuston and had no trouble maintaining the schedule en route.

On Saturday 7 August, Ballina branch trains were worked by 141+170 + 2 Cravens + GSV. When the 16.01 Manulla Junction-Ballina arrived in Ballina, NIR 112, which had earlier arrived on a Norfolk liner, replaced 141+170 and the train ran empty to Athlone to form a GAA special for returning Mayo supporters. The 18.00 Ballina-Manulla Junction and 20.45 return were substituted by bus to and from Claremorris. The Ballina special took a connection from the 18.35 Dublin Heuston- Galway , as the regular 17.50 Dublin-Westport, 221 + EGV + 7 Mk III, was too early for returning fans. It was followed by a 19.15 Dublin Heuston- Westport special with another NIR locomotive, 8208 + EGV + 8 Mk IId, which called at Castlerea from 21.34 to 21.35.

NIR 112 worked Ballina branch trains on Monday 9 August, before returning to Dublin on the nightly liner. The next day, the 18.40 Dublin Heuston-Portlaoise was formed by 078 + EGV + 6 Mk III instead of the normal railcar set. Locomotive 078 + 7 Mk IId + EGV had earlier worked the 15.10 Galway-Dublin Heuston. The 17.55 Dublin Heuston-Athlone was worked by NIR 112 + GSV + 4 Cravens.

Gaeltacht specials operate throughout out the summer for pupils who wish to improve their Irish language speaking abilities. On Friday 13 August, 076 + GSV + 6 Cravens + GSV passed Cherryville Junction at 11.54 working the 09.40 Galway-Heuston. The next day, 233 + 4 Cravens + GSV served Kildare from 14.23 to 14.26 on a Tralee-Heuston working.

As a consequence of DART upgrade works, which closed Connolly Station on Saturdays and Sundays in August and September, there were very few GAA specials this summer. The weekend of 14/15 August was busy for the GAA, with Westmeath playing Derry and Kerry playing Dublin on Saturday and Cork playing Wexford on Sunday. There were no specials from Wexford or from Mullingar for the Westmeath match, although Athlone, Tralee and Cork specials operated to Heuston. On the Saturday, the Athlone special was formed by 076 + 7 Mk IId + EGV. The 07.50 Tralee-Heuston special was formed by 6-piece Mk III push-pull (DT6104) and passed Kildare at 11.23. The regular 09.10 Cork-Heuston, 215 + 7 Mk III + EGV, had many passengers standing and was preceded by an empty 08.30 Cork-Heuston, 205 + 4 Cravens + GSV. The Sundays-Only 11.50 Greystones-Pearse DART, which conveyed fans for the Wexford match, was a 4-car, 8107/8111, and was extremely full.

Specials operated to Dublin Heuston for the Mayo versus Armagh GAA football game on Sunday 22 August. On the Saturday, there was a 12.00 Ballina-Athlone special to connect into the 13.05 Galway-Dublin. It was formed by 213 + 7 Mk IId + EGV and returned empty from Athlone to Ballina at 15.20. On the Monday, there was a 12.20 Dublin-Ballina, 218 + GSV + 9 Cravens + GSV, as a relief to the 12.55 Dublin-Westport, 210 + EGV + 7 Mk III.

FREIGHT

Norfolk Lines
Ballina-Waterford and Waterford-Ballina trains continue to operate, although in some weeks during the summer the trains operated only once each way. Due to the charging mechanism, the trains only operate if Norfolk Lines are able to fill or nearly fill the full 18 bogies; otherwise it is more economic for Norfolk Lines to send the containers by road. A feature of these trains is the 45’ long containers, which are carried on 47’ 6” long 32000-series vacuum braked bogie-wagons.

On Saturday 15 May, 213 + 18 bogie wagons, worked the 08.50 Ballina-Waterford. It crossed the 08.05 Dublin Heuston-Westport, 232 + 8 Mk III at Castlerea. It then crossed the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina Norfolk , 146+145 + 18 bogies, at Athlone and the 08.35 Waterford-Ballina empty timber train, 081 + 12 bogies, in Clara. The same day, 168 was in Castlerea with a ballast train.

On Tuesday 22 June, the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina Norfolk liner was formed by 077 + 18 laden bogie wagons, of which 15 were carrying 45' containers and 3 were carrying 40' containers. It departed Portarlington at 11.25.

The 08.50 Ballina-Waterford Norfolk liner on Thursday 8 July was formed by 082 + 18 bogies, of which 15 carried 45' containers and 3 carried 40' containers. It crossed the 08.05 Dublin Heuston-Westport in Castlerea. The same day, the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina Norfolk liner was 075 + 18 bogies, of which 13 carried 45' containers and 5 carried 40' containers. The 16.40 Westport-Waterford timber was 076 + 12 bogie wagons and passed Ballyhaunis at 17.50.

On Saturday 24 July, the 08.50 Ballina-Waterford Norfolk was 071 + 18 bogies, of which 15 carried 45' containers and 3 carried 40' containers. In the opposite direction, the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina was 076 + 18 bogies

of which 12 carried 45' containers and 2 carried 40' containers.

Timber
The Sligo-Waterford timber train continues to operate, generally once per week. On Saturday 15 May, the 12.00 Sligo-Dublin Heuston Goods timber train consisted of 085 + 12 laden 60' bogie wagons and arrived in Longford at 14.30. The next day it was worked forward from Heuston Goods to Waterford by 163+167, passing Cherryville Junction at 13.10.

On Saturday 29 May, the 08.35 Waterford-Ballina empty timber train was formed by 146+170 + 12 bogies and passed Clonnydonnin at 13.11. The same day, the Sligo-North Wall laden timber, 073 + 12 bogies, passed Hill of Down at 15.01.

On Saturday 5 June, the 12.00 Sligo-Dublin Heuston Goods timber was formed by 088 + 12 bogies and passed Ballysodare at 12.40. On Saturday 26 June, the Sligo-Dublin timber, 072 + 12 bogies, passed Clonwhelan at 13.38.

Pairs of 141/181-class locomotives continue to work timber trains. On Tuesday 6 July, 177 +144 + 12 bogie wagons passed Hazelhatch at 19.50 with a laden timber train from Sligo to Waterford . On Sunday 18 July, 166+142 + 12 laden timber bogies passed Hazelhatch at 13.25 en route from Heuston Goods to Waterford.

On Sunday 25 July, 088 + 12 laden timber bogie wagons departed Heuston at 13.25 for Waterford . On Saturday 31 July, a laden Ballina-Waterford timber train, 078 + 12 bogie wagons, arrived in Kildare at 07.15 where it crossed with an empty Waterford-Ballina timber train, 076 + 12 bogies.

On Saturday 7 August, 166+177 + 12 laden timber wagons passed Ballyhaunis at 09.25 en route from Westport to Waterford. They were followed at 09.55 by 081 + 18 laden bogies on the 08.50 Ballina-Waterford Norfolk liner. In the opposite direction, NIR 112 + 18 laden bogies worked the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina Norfolk liner. The previous day, an empty Waterford-Westport timber train was left in Tullamore after its locomotive 076 was used to rescue a failed Galway line passenger train.

The timber train’s return journey from Westport on Tuesday 10 August was also delayed after its locomotives, 170+141, were also taken for a passenger train. They replaced failed 202 in Westport off the 13.20 Westport-Dublin Heuston and departed Westport at 14.30. Locomotive 202 had given trouble on the Dublin-Cork line the previous day and was hauled back to Dublin on Saturday14 August by 162 on the Claremorris liner, which had 15 four-wheel keg beer and 10 four-wheel oil wagons. The timber train eventually departed Westport at 20.00 on the Tuesday after locomotive 083 worked light from Ballina to Westport during the day. The laden train, 083 + 12 bogie wagons, crossed an empty Waterford-Ballina timber, 081+ 12 bogie wagons, in Manulla Junction.

North-side DART upgrade works caused disruption to Saturday morning freight services when the line from Glasnevin Junction to North Strand Junction was included in some of the possessions. On Friday 13 August, 074 + 12 bogie wagons worked the 07.50 Waterford-Sligo empty timber. The train was quickly loaded in Sligo and departed Sligo in the path of the 02.00 liner on Saturday 14 August. It arrived back into North Wall at 06.30 before the line was closed. There was another laden timber train from Sligo the following Thursday.

Also on Saturday 14 August, the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina empty timber, 071 + 12 bogies, arrived in Kildare at 09.30 to run round. However, the station was so busy with passengers that staff were not free to uncouple the locomotive and the train eventually departed at 11.20.

On Monday 23 August, locomotive 176 was on its own on an empty 12 bogie timber train. It had run round its train in Kildare at 15.25.

Liners
There have been minor alterations to Dublin-Cork liners, which are now at 12.00, 20.40 and 23.20. Cork-Dublin liners are at 17.50, 21.25 and 22.45.

On Tuesday 18 May, the 14.00 Dundalk-North Wall liner was 074 + 11 four-wheel keg beer wagons and passed Skerries at 15.10. The 04.10 Claremorris-North Wall liner on Saturday 22 May consisted of 082 + 16 four-wheel wagons of keg beer and passed Hazelhatch at 07.15.

Evening liner departures from North Wall were observed at Drumcondra on Tuesday 25 May. An empty timber train, 073 + 12 bogie wagons, passed at 19.22 en route to Sligo . It was followed 7 minutes later by the 19.55 to Sligo , 077 + 11 four-wheel keg beer + 10 four-wheel oil wagons. The 19.55 to Ballina, 087 + 18 bogies, passed at 20.16. The 20.40 to Cork , 229 + 9 bogies + 22 four-wheel wagons, passed at 20.53. The 20.45 Claremorris, 153+170 + 16 four-wheel wagons passed next. Both Cork and Claremorris liners were all keg beer. The 21.30 Limerick , 223 + 10 container-pocket-wagons (CPWs), passed at 21.44. Later departures were not observed.

On Thursday 27 May, the 12.00 North Wall-North Esk liner was formed by 210 + 12 CPW. Later that evening, 081 + 18 bogies departed North Wall at 20.00 on the 19.55 to Ballina.

On Friday 28 May, the 12.00 North Wall-Cork liner was formed by 202 + 12 full CPWs. Later, 072 + 18 bogies departed North Wall on the 19.55 to Ballina. The consist included 10 DANA bulk tanks and 3 40' containers. The next mornings 04.10 Claremorris-North Wall liner, 088 + 12 four-wheel keg beer + 1 former bagged four-wheel cement wagon now used as a stores wagon, was looped in Clara from 11.02 to 11.23 for the 09.40 Dublin Heuston-Galway, 225 + 6 Mk III push-pull (DT6103).

On 1 June, the 02.00 Sligo-North Wall liner hauled by 088 + 9 four-wheel oil + 8 four-wheel keg-beer wagons passed Clonsilla at 09.40.

On Wednesday 2 June, the following were noted passing Balbriggan. Locomotives 175+165 + 15 laden four-wheel cement wagons passed at 14.00 and were followed by 159 working an empty ballast train. NIR 112 passed at 14.55 with a laden Tara Mines train and the 14.00 Dundalk-North Wall passed at 15.15 with 086 + 6 bogie container wagons + 6 four-wheel keg beer wagons.

On Friday 11 June, the 12.00 North Wall-Cork liner was 226 + 12 full CPWs. On Monday 14 June, the 19.55 North Wall-Sligo liner was formed by 075 + 11 four-wheel oil + 8 four-wheel keg beer wagons. It passed Clonsilla at 20.30. On Wednesday 16 June, the 19.55 North Wall-Ballina liner was formed by 212 + 18 bogies and passed Hazelhatch at 20.20. The next day it was formed by 081 + 18 bogies, including 5 DANA bulk tanks, and departed North Wall at 20.00.

On Sunday 27 June, the 13.15 Dublin Heuston-Westport was formed by 232 + EGV + 7 Mk III, the 13.50 Heuston-Galway by 075 + EGV + 7 Mk IIIa (International) and a special liner to Claremorris was formed by 074 + 11 four-wheel keg beer + 1 former bagged four-wheel cement wagon now used as a stores wagon. The special passed Clara at 15.45.

On Wednesday 30 June the 12.00 North Wall-Cork liner was formed by NIR locomotive 8208 + 12 laden CPWs. On Friday 9 July, it was formed by 221 + 12 laden CPWs and passed Claude Road at 12.50.

Saturdays in Kildare can now see relatively little freight activity compared with a few years ago. An exception was 3 July, when 080 + 10 four-wheel keg beer passed at 09.50 en route from Dublin to Claremorris. Ten minutes later the 07.50 Waterford-Ballina Norfolk liner, 075 + 18 bogies, arrived. At 12.00, 177+144 passed with a Dublin-Waterford liner consisting of 3 bogie wagons with large Bulk Concept tanks + 18 four-wheel bulk cement. It crossed the 14.40 Waterford-Dublin Heuston, NIR 209 + 8 Mk III in Ballyhale. The 08.35 Waterford-Ballina empty timber was 082 + 12 bogies and 081 + 18 bogies was on the 08.50 Ballina-Waterford Norfolk liner.

On Friday 9 July, the 19.55 North Wall-Sligo liner was formed by 159+165 + 5 bogie + 4 four-wheel wagons. On Saturday 10 July, 088 + 14 four-wheel cement + 2 four-wheel keg beer passed Ballyhale at 12.44 bound for Waterford . At 15.34, a Waterford-Kilkenny liner 168 + 17 four-wheel keg beer passed Ballyhale. The locomotive then worked light to Dublin , passing Carlow at 17.15.

On Friday 16 July, there was a 15.15 Cork-North Wall liner consisting of 170+124 + 15 bogies, all loaded with Bulk Concept and DANA bulk tanks. The 19.55 North Wall-Ballina liner on Tuesday 20 July was formed by 177+163 + 18 laden bogie wagons.

The 12.00 North Wall-Cork is not always formed by CPWs. On Tuesday 3 August, it was formed by 219 + 3 bogie and 6 four-wheel wagons. On Wednesday 11 August it was formed by 224 + 12 CPWs.

With the commencement of DART upgrade work on Dublin ’s north-side, the 03.10 North Wall-Dundalk liner is deferred to 09.40 on Mondays. On 9 August, it was formed by 175 + 4 four-wheel keg beer wagons and passed East Wall Junction at 10.20.

On Tuesday 10 August, the 12.00 North Wall-Cork was 221 + 12 laden CPWs. It carried 2 containers for Coastal, 2 for P&O-Nedlloyd and 8 refrigerated Maersk containers.

The 02.00 Sligo-North Wall liner on Saturday 21 August was 187+145 + 2 bogie + 4 four-wheel keg beer wagons and stabled over the weekend in the former down Galway platform in Mullingar.

Cement
Due to the temporary closure of the Limerick Junction-Waterford line, a cement trains (sometimes two) continues to run Monday-Friday from Drogheda to Waterford and two from Limerick to Cork . Other cement trains also run from Limerick to Athy, generally on Tuesdays-Fridays, and a Drogheda-Tullamore cement train runs most weekdays.

On Thursday 27 May, the 04.15 Dublin North Wall-Tullamore cement was formed by 088 + 20 four-wheel wagons. On Saturday 29 May, the 11.50 Cork-Limerick empty cement train was formed by 124+187 + 9 bogie wagons. Both locomotives then worked light to Inchicore on Monday 31 in preparation for the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers special next day.

On Thursday 3 June, the 14.05 Waterford-North Wall empty cement was formed by 153+146 + 19 four-wheel wagons, passing Drumcondra at 17.55.

On Wednesday 9 June, the 11.50 Cork-Limerick empty cement, 148+141 + 10 bogie wagons, passed Killonan at 14.15. On Saturday 12 June, 162+124 + 20 laden four-wheel cement wagons passed Sallins at 16.15 en route to Waterford . Fifteen minutes later, 207 + 14 empty four-wheel cement wagons passed in

the up direction while working the 14.05 Waterford-North Wall. Later, the 16.30 Dublin Heuston-Carlow was worked by 076 + 4 Cravens + GSV.

On Friday 18 June, the 11.50 Cork-Limerick empty cement was 153+124 + 8 bogie wagons and the 10.40 Limerick-Cork laden was 172 + 16 four-wheel wagons. On Friday 25 June, the 12.40 Athy-Limerick empty cement was 172 + 18 four-wheel wagons.

On Friday 2 July, the 12.40 Athy-Limerick empty cement was formed by 124+170 + 20 four-wheel wagons and was looped in Thurles for the 13.35 Dublin Heuston-Tralee, 072 + 4 Cravens + GSV. Also that day, 169 hauled the weedspray train from Portlaoise to Waterford, 078 + 20 four-wheel wagons worked the 13.55 Tullamore-North Wall empty cement, NIR Enterprise 209 + 12 CPWs were on the 12.00 North Wall-Cork liner and NIR Enterprise 8208 + 4 Cravens + GSV worked the 11.35 Cork-Dublin Heuston.

On Thursday 22 July, the 14.05 Waterford-North Wall empty cement was 074 + 23 four-wheel wagons and passed Drumcondra at 17.50. Two hours later, 085 + 30 empty four-wheel cement wagons departed North Wall for Drogheda . Next morning, 176+144 + 8 empty four-wheel cement wagons departed North Wall at 10.50 for Drogheda . At 11.55, locomotives 167+153 + 12 laden bogie timber wagons departed at 11.55 for Waterford . They were looped at Hazelhatch for the Fridays-Only 12.30 Dublin Heuston-Limerick. They were followed by the 12.00 North Wall-Cork liner, 231 + 12 CPWs, which in turn was looped in Hazelhatch for the 12.55 Dublin Heuston-Westport. A 14.50 Cork-North Wall liner, 077 + 13 bogie + 10 four-wheel wagons, passed Newbridge at 18.51. An empty Waterford-Dublin cement, 177+163 + 20 four-wheel wagons already passed at 18.15.

On Friday 13 August, the 14.05 Waterford-North Wall empty cement was 170+141 + 20 four-wheel wagons and passed Kildare at 16.30.

Tara
NIR locomotive 112 worked Tara Mines lead and zinc ore trains from Navan to Alexandra Road terminal in North Wall for a period in May and June. It passed Skerries at 15.00 on Tuesday 18 May with 11 laden wagons while working the 13.20 Navan-Alexandra Road . On Friday 21 May, it passed Duleek at 17.00 while working the 15.08 empty Alexandra Road-Navan. On Friday 4 June, 112 + 12 bogies worked the 08.40 Alexandra Road-Navan and 13.20 return. The 10.20 Laden Navan-Alexandra Road was 080 + 11bogies.

On Wednesday 23 June, the 13.20 Navan-Alexandra Road was 080 + 12 laden bogies. The locomotive was taken off at Drogheda to rescue 220 + 8 De Dietrich, which had failed between Dundalk and Drogheda on the 12.30 Belfast-Dublin. Locomotives 142+159, which were working a laden cement from Platin to North Wall, were taken off at Drogheda to work the Tara back to Platin for stabling. The failed De Dietrich set with 220 on rear was towed to Connolly by 080 after the 14.10 Belfast-Connolly.

Shale
These trains continue to be hauled by a single 141 or 181-cass locomotive. On Tuesday 1 June, 164 + 8 laden bogie wagons passed Birdhill at 16.35.

Wagons
IÉ have offered for sale 23 former ammonia bogie wagons, excluding bogies, and 6 stainless steel 20,000 litre tanks formerly used for transporting Acrylonitrile.

The remainder of this article appears in IRRS Journal Number 155, published October 2004.