Irish Railway Record Society
TRACK
Limerick-Rosslare Europort The Limerick Junction-Waterford line was closed to permit re-laying with second-hand materials from May until mid-June. Buses substituted for trains between 08:30 and 17:00. There was further re-laying between Carrick-on-Suir and Waterford necessitating bus substitution in September. On Tuesday 5 September, 141+177 + 6 bogies of new concrete sleepers departed Kildare at 13:00 for Clonmel. Track re-laid was MP523/4-531/8, MP671/2-68, MP681/2-70 and MP71-72.
Ballybrophy-Killonan Junction In mid August, the 10:10 Ballybrophy-Limerick was substituted by bus to allow re-laying with second-hand materials of over a mile of track between Ballybrophy and Roscrea.
Drogheda-Navan There has been further re-laying with second-hand materials of sections of track between MP53/4-83/4. On Friday 19 May, 141+152 passed Drumcondra at 11:00 with 8 bogies of second-hand track panels for the Navan Branch.
Claremorris-Athenry An Inspection car traversed the line on Friday 9 June.
Weedspray The annual programme started on Tuesday 2 May when 168 hauled the weed spraying train from its base in Portlaoise to Arklow. The Athenry-Ennis section was sprayed on Tuesday 9 May. All lines sprayed in 2005 were sprayed again this year.
BRIDGES AND TUNNELS
Major structural repairs have been carried out to UB147, UB208 and UB214, all on the Waterford-Rosslare line, as well as repairs to UB199 Limerick-Waterford. OB28 Dublin-Waterford (masonry arch bridge into the Bord na Mona depot at Kilberry, near Athy) was renewed on 13 August.
Major strengthening works on UB125 River Suck Bridge at Ballinasloe commenced on 10 July. This work is programmed for completion by the end of 2006. In September, work commenced on replacing the waybeams on UB16 Limerick-Ennis (River Shannon).
Installation of a new underpass near MP1411/2 and excavations at MP1167/8 near Knocklong on the Dublin-Cork line resulted in the replacement of late evening trains by bus between Charleville and Mallow on Saturday 20 and early on Sunday 21 May. Similar arrangements were in place for renewal of OB279 near Knocklong on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 July.
A new footbridge is being built over the Royal Canal at Ashtown on the Dublin-Sligo line. Two overbridges are being built for the Gorey bypass. They are at 51 miles 590 yards (OB262A) and 61 miles 250 yards (OB287C). A new overbridge OB91A is being built at 37 miles 440 yards Tipperary-Clonmel.
SIGNALLING
Re-signalling Work on re-signalling the Knockcroghery-Westport and Manulla Junction-Ballina lines continues. This project and the complimentary project to re-signal level crossings between stations represents an investment of approximately €28m. Work also continues on re-signalling the Wicklow-Rosslare Europort line.