Irish Railway Record Society

TRACK

Limerick Junction   Significant track rationalisation has taken place ahead of re-signalling of the station area. Both North and South signal cabins will be replaced by CTC controlled from Dublin in 2008. This will close the gap in CTC on the Dublin-Cork line. On Sunday 8 October, all track and sidings on the up side at the south end were disconnected and associated signals taken out of use. These included Platform 4, which was normally used for Waterford trains and accessed via the level crossing. Sidings disconnected included those connected to the south of Platform 3 (up direction signalled for Cork-Dublin trains only).

Further rationalisation took place on Tuesday 10 October when the ground frame controlled run-round line (middle siding) on Platform 2 (normally used by Limerick trains) was disconnected and subsequently removed. The ‘back line’, which ran through the level crossing, was shortened to a 100m long siding and a buffer stop was installed. The level crossing is now out of use. Platform 4 is being demolished and along with redundant siding and track space will be used for additional badly needed car parking spaces.

Bay Platform 2 was closed from Monday 6 to Friday 10 November to allow point Nos. 19A, 19B at Keane’s Points, No. 21 turnout to bay platforms and No. 25 turnout to Platform 2 to be renewed and beam relaying with CWR on concrete sleepers of the section of plain track on the Limerick-Waterford line between the station area and the direct curve at the Limerick end. Some Limerick-Limerick Junction services were diverted to Thurles where they made connections to Dublin line trains, while others were substituted by bus. Direct Dublin-Limerick and Dublin-Cork line trains were unaffected. Limerick-Waterford trains were substituted by bus between Limerick Junction and Tipperary .

Similar arrangements were in place between Monday 20 and Friday 24 November to allow the track on Platform 2 to be renewed. On Friday 24 November, the ‘back line’ was taken out of use and subsequently removed. A new turnout and traps No. 32 was commissioned on Platform 2. It accesses a new 96m long siding parallel to Platform 2. A new yellow-red colour light signal was commissioned on Platform 2 reading to the buffer stop. A co-sighted colour light shunt signal reads to the new siding, which will allow a railcar to be stored while another is at the platform. An additional platform face served by the diverted ‘back line’ will be constructed by shortening Platform 2, thus allowing Waterford and Limerick trains to be handled simultaneously

Limerick-Rosslare Europort   On Saturday 30 September and Sunday 1 October, there were partial closures in Limerick station to allow renewal of 73A and 73B points. Ennis trains were substituted by bus and Limerick-Ballybrophy trains started from Castleconnell. Ballybrophy-Limerick trains ran to Birdhill.

The Limerick Junction-Waterford line was closed daily between 08:30 and 17:00 from Monday 2 October until Saturday 4 November to permit re-laying with second-hand materials. It was similarly closed between Monday 4 and Saturday 16 December.

On Sunday 17 September, crossover No. 28, which connected the down main line to the freight yard at Waterford West, was removed, as were associated signals. Facing crossover No. 22 at Waterford West was renewed.

In 2006, 6.16 miles Limerick Junction-Waterford and 1.41 miles Waterford-Rosslare Strand were re-laid with second-hand materials.

Ballybrophy-Killonan Junction   The section between Birdhill and Limerick was closed from 09:00 until 16:00 daily from Monday 13 November to Saturday 25 November to allow track re-laying. The 10:10 Ballybrophy-Limerick operated to Birdhill and the 16:40 Limerick-Ballybrophy started from Birdhill, with bus transfers to/from Limerick . Kilmastulla-Limerick Cement Works shale trains were cancelled.

The section between Ballybrophy and Roscrea was closed from 09:15 until 17:15 daily from Monday 27 November to Saturday 16 December for track re-laying. The 07:00 Limerick-Ballybrophy returned empty to Roscrea on arrival and formed the continuation of the 10:10 Ballybrophy-Limerick. Passengers were bussed from Ballybrophy to Roscrea. All other trains operated normally. In 2006, 2.4 miles were re-laid with second hand materials.

Athlone-Westport/Ballina   Work on installing new track and points in preparation for re-signalling continues at most stations between Roscommon and Westport/Ballina. The siding in Knockcroghery has been renewed.

New turnouts for the loop and permanent way siding at the Dublin end of Castlerea were installed in November but were not connected up. The new layout at the Dublin end will see the main line from Roscommon run directly into the up platform where the main station buildings are, instead of the down platform as a present.

In Ballyhaunis, a new crossover to the up side sidings was installed in December.

On 31 October, turnout No. 21 at the west of Claremorris was renewed and re-aligned so that the mainline now goes through the up platform instead of the down platform. Turnout No. 25, which connects the down platform line to the former Ballinrobe line (now connected to Platform 3 and the Tuam line), was also renewed in a new location towards Manulla, but was not connected up pending re-signalling. All connections to the freight sidings on the up side have been removed.

In September, trackbed preparation work commenced at Manulla Junction for the new junction between Westport and Ballina lines. A new turnout on the mainline at the Castlebar end of the existing platform was installed in November. It will be part of a pair of facing turnouts with approximately 200m of plain track between them. Trains from Claremorris to Ballina will use these to access the Ballina branch instead of the existing turnout at the Dublin end, which will be removed i.e. trains to Ballina will serve the existing Westport face of the platform before diverging. Ballina-Manulla trains will use the existing Ballina face of the platform, but this will be a Bay. The new layout will allow trains from Westport and Ballina to approach Manulla simultaneously; unlike at present where Westport trains are regularly blocked until Ballina trains arrive in Manulla.

In Ballina, crossover No. 56 between main line and yard at the Manulla end was renewed on Monday 16 October. Work at Westport included installing a new turnout at the Dublin end, stabilisation of an embankment and removal of the former cattle siding.

Platin ( Drogheda )-Navan   In 2006, 5 miles were re-laid with second hand materials.

Portarlington-Athlone   The points at the Dublin end of Clara loop were renewed on the night of 11/12 November.

  The remainder of this article appears in IRRS Journal number 162, published February 2007.

Copyright © 2007 by Irish Railway Record Society Ltd.
Revised: February 18, 2007 .