Operations 157

Irish Railway Record Society

Operations

TIMETABLE

The Kildare stop has been re-instated for the 14:00 Tralee-Dublin. The stop had been removed with the December 2004 timetable change. However, the train is now 2-minutes slower than before its removal.

From 11 April, the 19:30 Cork-Dublin has been slowed down to arrive 10 minutes later at 22:22 . The 21:17 Carlow-Dublin has been deferred to 21:21 and now does all stops to arrive at 22:32 . This allows the 21:50 Kildare-Dublin to be cancelled Monday-Friday, with the set returning empty at 21:35 Kildare-Heuston.

MAIL TRAFFIC

Some of Ireland ’s railways were originally constructed to carry mail traffic and over the years it constituted a very important traffic. In recent years most mail has transferred to road haulage and dedicated mail trains ceased in January 1994 (See JOURNAL 124). Mail continued to be carried in regular passenger trains, but with a declining volume. On Sunday 9 May the last mail was carried by rail when the existing contract between An Post and IÉ ended. The last train to carry mail was the 19:10 Dublin Heuston-Cork.

PASSENGER OPERATIONS

Figures for passenger carryings on the upgraded Ennis service show 58,475 Ennis-Limerick journeys were made in 2004 in comparison with 4,236 in 2003. Significantly, higher revenue earning Ennis-Dublin journeys rose from 46,700 in 2003 to 81,300 in 2004. On another re-laid line Cobh-Cork, passenger numbers in 2004 were 28% higher than 2003.

Punctuality figures for 2004 showed 93.4% of DART and 93.7% of Dublin Commuter trains arrived within 10 minutes of their scheduled time. Mainline rail figures for 2004 were: Sligo 95.9%, Rosslare 94.1%, Waterford 93.8%, Galway 90.4%, Limerick 90.4%, Tralee 89.7%, Cork 86.1% and Westport 81%. The figure for Dublin-Belfast trains was 82%. The overall figure for InterCity trains was 90.2%. Targets were 90% of arrivals within 10-minutes of schedule on Cork , Limerick and Belfast lines and within 15-minutes for Tralee , Galway , Waterford , Mayo, Sligo and Rosslare lines. The reason for the differing targets is because the latter routes are predominantly single line.

IÉ said that a combination of mechanical difficulties on locomotives and speed restrictions associated with infrastructural works, particularly earlier in 2004, resulted in the 90% target not being met on some lines. ‘There was considerable improvement as the year went on over the Westport, Cork, Tralee and Belfast routes and this, together with the continued good performance at the start of this year, means that we are confident of further improvements in 2005’. The figures for January 2005 had shown improvements all round. These show Sligo and Limerick both achieving punctuality of 97%, Rosslare and Waterford at 94.8%, Westport 93%, Galway 91.7%, Cork 91.4% and Tralee 90%. The January 2005 figure for the Belfast line was 86.9%.

The IÉ website is one of the most frequented in the country and IÉ used it to offer heavily discounted fares at the end of February. This promotion was targeted at filling seats on trains with spare capacity by offering day return fares from Dublin to Cork, Tralee, Limerick/Ennis, Belfast for €20 and day returns to Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Rosslare and Waterford for €10. Fares were available for both directions except Belfast-Dublin. They represented savings of up to 65%.

On Saturday 12 February, single-car 2753 worked the 09:45 Ballybrophy-Limerick. On Good Friday 25 March, 2753 worked the 15:00 Limerick-Ballybrophy and 19:00 Ballybrophy-Limerick. On Tuesday 12 April, the 12:40 Limerick-Ennis and 13:30 return were worked by 2753, while 2751 worked Nenagh line trains.

On Monday 14 February, 072 + EGV + 7 Mk IId worked the 07:35 Dublin-Belfast and 10:30 return following the failure of 209 in Dublin . The train used was the 08:30 Dublin-Sligo set and, in turn, this was replaced by turning back at Connolly the Cravens set of the 05:15 Mondays-Only Sligo-Dublin.

On Thursday 27 February, 4-car 2900-class 2953-56 worked the 17:25 Connolly-Gorey instead of the usual 6-car 2800-class. On Good Friday 25 March, the 17:25 Connolly-Gorey started from Pearse due to DART upgrade work and was formed by a 4-car 2900-class. On Saturday 9 April, the down morning Rosslare train started from Pearse at 07:37 and was formed by a 4-car 2900-class. It departed Enniscorthy at 09:56 .

The new Killarney-Mallow-Cork services commenced on Tuesday 29 March as per timetable (See JOURNAL 156). They were formed by 2800-class railcars, with 2807/08 noted regularly working these services. There were 30 passengers on the 06:30 Killarney-Cork on the first day, with 42 on the next day. Cork-Tralee services continued to be formed by locomotive hauled Cravens sets.

A diesel locomotive hauled passenger train is now very rare on the Dublin-Rosslare line. On Friday 8 April, 071 + GSV + 6 Cravens worked empty from Connolly to Arklow at 05:20 for filming purposes. It returned at 07:20 .

FREIGHT

Timber Trains of cut logs continue to run from Ballina, Westport and Sligo to Waterford using three sets of air-braked 60’ wagons. The four-wheel timber wagons, which were used in a previous contract, have lain out of use at various locations for several years. However in early March, a rake of four-wheel timber wagons was taken from storage in Limerick Junction to Limerick Wagon Works and a second rake was taken from Claremorris to North Wall. It is understood that Ennis-Waterford and/or Kerry-Waterford timber trains are under consideration, but the four-wheel wagons will need examination and minor refurbishment before use. The Claremorris wagons were transported on the regular Dublin liner on Tuesday 8 March.

On Sunday 18 January, the Sligo-Waterford laden timber train was worked from Heuston Goods by 080. It consisted of 11 bogie-wagons of which 10 were full. The following Sunday, 141+159 + 10 laden bogies passed Sallins at 13:10 with the Sligo-Waterford timber. It was followed by the 13:15 Heuston-Westport, hauled by 077.

On Saturday 29 January, 071 + 10 bogies worked the Sligo-Waterford timber passing Leixlip Louisa Bridge at 15:30 . On Sunday 6 February, 073 + 10 laden bogies departed Heuston Goods for Waterford at 12:30 with the previous day’s Sligo timber train.

On Wednesday 9 February, 134+171 + 10 laden timber bogies passed Drumcondra at 13:20 en route to North Wall from Sligo. The train earlier crossed the 08:30 Dublin-Sligo, 072 + EGV + 7 Mk IId, in Dromod. Subsequently, 171 failed and was hauled from North Wall to Inchicore by 134. Later, 141+172 worked the train to Waterford , departing at 19:00 . On Sunday 13 February, 217 + 10 laden bogies departed Heuston Goods at 12:50 with the Sligo-Waterford timber.

On Wednesday 16 February, 074 + 10 empty bogies arrived in North Wall at 11:00 en route from Waterford to Sligo . The train is normally inspected in North Wall before departing to Sligo later in the afternoon. The returning laden train departed North Wall next day at 10:30 behind 159+134. The same day, 124+149 worked the 12:40 Athy-Limerick empty cement.

On Saturday 19 February, the Waterford-Ballina empty timber train, 217 + 10 bogies, arrived in Portarlington at 11:00 where it was put into the ground-frame accessed siding on the down side. At 12:10 , 071 + 8 bogie cement wagons passed with a North Wall-Cork train. The same day, 134+159 + 10 bogies of timber, crossed the 13:25 Dublin-Sligo in Mullingar at 14:45 . The next day, the train departed Heuston Goods hauled by 152+177.

On Saturday 26 February, the empty Waterford-Ballina timber was 074 + 12 bogies and it arrived in Kildare at 10:00 .

On Sunday 6 March, 149 +176 + 10 laden bogies passed Cherryville Junction at 14:20 with the Sligo-Waterford timber train. On Monday 7 March, the Ballina-Waterford laden timber, 162+152 + 12 bogies, crossed the Waterford-Westport empty timber, 190+163 + 12 bogies, in Claremorris at 19:00 .

On Sunday 13 March, 141 +171 + 11 bogies worked the 12:30 Heuston-Waterford laden timber train. On Tuesday 22 March, 147 +152 + 10 bogies arrived in North Wall at 12:30 with the Waterford-Sligo empty timber. The train departed for Sligo at 12:50 behind 073.

On Easter Monday 28 March, 081 + 10 bogie wagons worked a 10:45 Heuston Goods- Waterford laden timber train. On Saturday 16 April, 145 +177 + 10 bogies worked a Ballina-Waterford timber. They crossed the 14:25 Dublin-Galway in Geashill and the 14:50 Waterford-Dublin in Athy.

Liners The daily 11:45 Dublin North Wall-Cork North Esk continues to operate and is still generally the full 12 bogies of Container Pocket Wagons (CPWs). On Wednesday 26 January, 222 + 12 laden CPWs were looped in Hazelhatch for passenger trains to overtake. On Thursday 27 January, Enterprise locomotive 209 departed North Wall at 12:50 with 12 laden CPWs. The 11:45 liner was worked by 124+149 + 12 CPWs on Friday 4 February and passed Cabra at 13:05 .

On Tuesday 15 February, 219 + 12 laden CPWs passed Drumcondra at 12:15 with the 11:45 North Wall-Cork liner. The same locomotive was used two days later and departed North Wall at 12:50 with 12 laden CPWs.

On Thursday 10 March, the North Wall-Heuston Guinness transfer was worked by 172+124. On Friday 11 March, 205 arrived in North Wall at 12:15 to work the 11:45 Dublin-Cork liner, consisting of 12 laden CPWs. The locomotive was declared a failure and was replaced by 081, with the train departing at 14:15 . At Islandbridge Junction, 190+163 replaced 081 and the train departed for Cork at 15:10 . It was looped in Ballybrophy at 17:35 . The same day, 141+171 + 8 empty bogie timber wagons departed North Wall at 14:00 for Sligo . The same locomotives were observed working the laden train at Hazelhatch at 13:05 on the Sunday.

On Saturday 19 March, 160 +145 were noted running around an empty ballast train in Enfield . The train departed when the 10:30 Connolly-Enfield, a 4-car 2900-class, arrived. At 12:30 , 086 passed with 3 bogie and 3 four-wheel keg beer wagons bound for Longford.

On Wednesday 23 March, 141 +145 + 18 laden bogies, departed North Wall at 11:00 for Cork . This was the previous evening's 20:40 liner, which had been cancelled. On Thursday 14 April, the previous evening's 20:40 liner departed North Wall at 15:00 . It consisted of 215 + 18 laden 40' container wagons.

On Friday 22 April, the 11:45 North Wall-Cork liner was 221 + 12 laden CPWs. However, the Ballina liner is now reduced in size, as IÉ wants to exit container transport. On Monday 25 April, the train was down to 10 bogies, 9 Dana tanks and 1 20' container hauled by 074.

On Friday 29 April, 215+ 18 full bogie wagons departed North Wall at 14:50 with the previous evening's 20:40 Dublin-Cork liner and the 19:55 Ballina liner departed North Wall at 20:20 with 080 + 10 laden bogies.

The 11.45 Dublin-Cork liner was cancelled on Friday 13 May and replaced by a special from North Wall to Limerick , 185+141 + 10 CPWs, which passed Clondalkin at 11:10 .

Cement On Thursday 20 January, 134 +176 passed Clontarf Road at 16:00 with 18 laden cement wagons from Drogheda . On Tuesday 8 February, 124 +153 + 18 four-wheel cement wagons departed North Wall at 11:40 for Waterford . Ten minutes earlier the other working 121-class, 134 arrived in multiple with 171 on an empty timber train.

Tuesday 8 February saw both remaining 121-class in North Wall at the same time. At 11:30 , 134+171 + 10 empty timber bogies arrived from Waterford . At 11:40 , 124+153 + 18 cement wagons departed for Waterford . Later that afternoon 134+171 left for Sligo with the empty timber train. The late departure of the cement at 11:40 meant that Waterford silo was close to running out of cement and a laden train consisting of 219 + 26 wagons was sent from Cork to Waterford via Cahir to make up supplies. The 201-class was replaced by a pair of 141-class at Limerick Junction. This is the first cement train to operate via Cahir since the Cahir viaduct collapsed in October 2003.

On Wednesday 9 February, the 12:40 Athy-Limerick empty cement was formed by 124+153 + 20 four-wheel wagons. On Saturday 12 February, 217 passed Ballybrophy at 12:05 with 11 empty bogie cement wagons working from Cork to Drogheda .

Cement demand continued to be high in Waterford . On Wednesday 16 February 134+159 + 5 cement wagons departed North Wall at 10:30 an overload for Waterford . This was the second cement train of the day. The same day, 073 + 24 laden wagons passed Portlaoise at 11:50 bound for Cork and 124+149 + 20 wagons were on the 12:40 Athy- Limerick empty cement.

On Tuesday 22 February, 211 + 11 bogies of cement passed Portlaoise at 08:10 en route from North Wall to Cork. The next day, 8208 stalled in the ‘dip’ coming out of North Wall towards Drumcondra when hauling 20-wagons of cement to Cork . It was assisted by 081 at 10:30 and was later observed passing Portlaoise at 13:15 .

The 12:40 Athy-Limerick empty cement on Friday 4 March was formed by 159+134 + 20 four-wheel wagons and passed Dromkeen at 16:26 . On Friday 18 March, 162 +167 + 6 cement wagons bound for Waterford crossed the 12:40 Athy-Limerick, 187+189 + 20 empty cement in Athy. This was the last Athy cement train for some time as the rail served cement silo in Limerick was taken out of service for refurbishment. This was the first time since 1957 that no trains operated from Limerick cement factory for a prolonged period. With the temporary closure of the Limerick factory silo and Cork being served by trains from Platin, Drogheda , this left only three 141/181-class locomotives duties in Limerick . They were one for the Kilmastulla-Mungret shale train, one for Limerick station pilot and one spare.

Also on Friday 18 March, 217 + 11 bogie bulk cement wagons departed North Wall at 11:50 en route to Cork and was followed at 12:55 by the 11:45 North Wall-Cork liner, 219 + 12 laden CPWs.

On Monday 18 April, 073 + 35 four-wheel empty wagons passed Drumcondra at 17:55 with the Waterford-Drogheda empty cement. On Thursday 21 April, 186 +176 + 35 four-wheel empty wagons worked an empty cement train from North Wall to Drogheda . The same day saw both remaining 121-class in Athy when 124+149 working the Waterford-Drogheda empty cement passed 166+134 + 12 timber (11 full) bound for Waterford . The same pair was on the Waterford-Drogheda empty cement on Friday 22 April with 25 wagons. On Wednesday 27 April, the train was 152+153 + 24 wagons and passed Drumcondra at 17:55 .

On Saturday 30 April, 153+152 + 20 bulk cement + 2 four-wheel keg beer wagons departed North Wall for Waterford at 10:15. The same day, 134+166 worked the 07:50 Waterford-Westport empty timber train.

Tara On Tuesday 8 March, the 13:20 Navan-Alexandra Road, 080 + 12 bogies, passed Balbriggan at 15:00 . It was followed by the 14:00 Dundalk-North Wall liner, 086 + 5 bogie + 2 four-wheel keg beer wagons. The bogie wagons were all 42' 6" wagons modified to carry pallets of kegs. The same day, 171+166 + 10 empty timber wagons departed North Wall at 13:00 for Sligo . Earlier, 134+159 + 30 empty four-wheel cement wagons departed North Wall at 10:00 for Drogheda , arriving back with 20 laden wagons at 17:20 .

The remainder of this article appears in IRRS Journal Number 157, published June 2005.