Irish Railway Record Society
Journal
164 TRACK
Dublin-Cork The track in platform 1 at Limerick Junction, the main platform used by down Dublin-Cork trains and most up Cork-Dublin trains, was excavated and renewed on Saturday evening 23 and Sunday morning 24 June. Single line working over the down road from Thurles to Charleville took place from 17:40 on the Saturday. Saturday’s 18:00 Dublin-Cork, 20:00 Dublin-Cork, 18:40 Dublin-Thurles, 17:30 Cork-Dublin, 19:30 Cork-Dublin and 21:10 Thurles-Dublin were cancelled. Other services were altered to make Limerick connections at Thurles.
Dublin-Rosslare Europort IÉ agreed to two line closures to facilitate the demolition of the West Stand at Lansdowne Road stadium, which is constructed over the Dublin-Rosslare line (See photograph on Page 119, JOURNAL 163). The first closure was from Saturday 4 to Monday 6 August inclusive. Approximately 2,000 tonnes of stand and another 2,000 tonnes of terracing were demolished in 62 hours. In comparison, the East Stand took a month to demolish.
IÉ had to remove overhead line equipment from the stand and erect new portal masts to support it. The pair of crossovers under the Stand had been temporarily taken out of use before the demolition. IÉ also took the opportunity to work on the new eastern entrance at Pearse station - see details later.
DART services were substituted by bus between Tara Street and Sydney Parade. Maynooth and Northern line trains operated to and from Connolly instead of Pearse and Rosslare services were substituted by bus between Dublin and Greystones. Rail services resumed on schedule on Tuesday morning.
On Friday 3 August, locomotives 190+152 were on a materials train in North Wall waiting for the possession to commence at Pearse. The train was on the down road in Pearse unloading materials next day. On Tuesday 7 August, 190+152 + the empty materials train + 18 laden Barytes wagons of spoil departed Heuston Goods at 11:55 for Portlaoise. Due to its length it fouled the passenger lines at Heuston and it had to depart ahead of the 12:00 Heuston-Cork, which then overtook it in The Gullet between Heuston and Inchicore. It passed Cherry Orchard at 12:35.
There will be another closure during the October public holiday weekend when it is planned to construct a large underpass under the line. The underpass will allow alternative pedestrian access to the level crossing.
Dublin-Belfast A small section on both lines between Connolly and Ossory Road Junction has been re-laid using hardwood sleepers. However, a further small section between Ossory Road and East Wall Junctions remains to be re-laid and the line is subject to a 20-mph speed restriction that significantly reduces capacity in the Connolly area.
Dublin-Sligo Lack of a suitable refuge siding at Clonsilla causes some Docklands-Clonsilla trains to run Clonsilla-Maynooth-Clonsilla. In order to eliminate these movements a new turn-back siding has been installed on the up side in Clonsilla near the start of the former Navan line.
On Sunday 29 July the down starting signal and associated shunt signal was moved back towards Dublin by 47m. Late Saturday night and early Sunday morning trains on 11/12 August were cancelled between Dublin and Maynooth to allow installation of points. On Friday 10 August, 149+166 + 1 bogie of new track panels + 18 empty (Barytes) spoil wagons arrived in North Wall in preparation work at Clonsilla.
Entry and exit from the new siding is via shunt signals. The facing crossover was moved 205-metres towards Dublin. A new four-aspect up stop signal protects the turnout and traps from the siding. A banner repeater is situated 148-metres from this signal.
Points and signals were commissioned during an overnight closure on Saturday/Sunday 25/26 August. The existing Westinghouse Westrace signalling was extended to control the new installation.
Portarlington-Athlone The former beet loading sidings on the up side at Tullamore were taken out of use and associated signals and points removed on Sunday 10 June. On the same day the points for the loop at the Athlone end were renewed and moved 49m towards Athlone. Prior to this renewal it was not possible to cross two 18-bogie container trains in Tullamore if they contained any 47’ 6” wagons. The cement silo siding on the down side remains out of use with cement being brought in and out by road.
Athlone-Westport The speed limit through Knockcroghery has been raised from 10-mph to 50-mph following installation of CTC.
Limerick-Rosslare Europort Beam re-laying between Limerick Junction and Tipperary (MP213/4-243/4) resulted in substitution by bus of the 07:00 Rosslare Europort-Limerick Junction from Waterford, the 09:50 Limerick Junction-Waterford, 11:47 Waterford-Limerick Junction and 16:35 Limerick Junction-Waterford during weekdays in May. Other short lengths of track re-laid were in the following sections: MP30-301/2, MP501/2-521/2, MP72-733/4 and MP751/2 -761/2.
Ballybrophy-Killonan Junction The Killonan-Birdhill section was closed from 08:00 on Saturday 24 June to 17:00 next day to allow gantry re-laying with second hand materials. Trains were substituted by bus. The same section was closed between 09:35 to 15:15 from Monday 2 July to Saturday 8 July. The re-laid was between MP44-453/4. Small lengths of track have also been re-laid in the following sections: MP371/2-38, MP493/4-513/4.
Platin (Drogheda)-Navan Re-laying with second hand materials has taken place between MP12-123/4 and of Platin yard loop.
On
Friday 8 June, 190+152 + 8 bogies of track panels + Donnelli re-laying gantries
departed North Wall for the Navan branch. At 12:30 on Friday 20 July, 171+134
arrived in North Wall with a track relaying train and departed at 13:25 for the
Navan branch behind the 13:20 Connolly-Belfast Enterprise.
Next day, the train was observed at MP12 west of Beauparc where track was being
re-laid. The train departed Navan for North Wall at 13:00 on Sunday and worked
North Wall-Portlaoise next day.
Ennis-Athenry
Work
on re-laying the track commenced during the summer, starting from the Athenry
end. Excavations have been made under overbridges to lower the trackbed for new
track, which will be laid with concrete sleepers. Old track panels have been
removed and new drains installed. Excavations have also been made at cuttings to
improve views at level crossings and the excavated materials were used for side
filling at embankments. Other work included fencing, weedspraying and drainage.
Mullingar-Athlone
An inspection car traversed the line on Thursday 16 August.