Operations 165

Irish Railway Record Society

Journal 165 Operations

PASSENGER TRAFFIC

The regular interval hourly service on the Dublin-Cork line is continuing to do well. In December, IÉ said that passenger numbers were up by 20% year to date.

Even before the new 22000-class trains were introduced and the higher frequency timetable was introduced in January IÉ said that that passenger growth was very high on the Dublin-Sligo line. In 2006, 1.13m passenger journeys were made, compared to 950,000 in 2005. In September, IÉ said ‘Already, the indications are that the latest figures will be surpassed in 2007, with a 17% increase reported to date’.

Passenger numbers between Limerick and Ennis increased from 52,000 in 2003 to over 180,000 in 2006. IÉ said that this increase was sustained in 2007 with a further 10% increase in the first nine months of 2007.

On 28 December, IÉ said that overall passenger numbers for 2007 were estimated at 46.3 million, up 7% on the previous record of 43.3 million journeys in 2006.

PASSENGER OPERATIONS

Friday 7 September 071-class continue to work passenger services in and out of Heuston. On this day 080 worked the 05:05 Athlone-Dublin, the 11:10 Dublin-Galway and 15:05 Galway-Dublin. 081 worked the 06:30 Carlow-Dublin and 083 worked the 09:15 Galway-Dublin and 16:15 Dublin-Ballina (FO).

Wednesday 26 September Due to earlier disruption on the Cork-Dublin line, which meant that trains sets were out sequence, 8-car Mk IV set 4002 hauled by 219 was used on the 18:40 Heuston-Thurles instead of the usual Mk III push-pull.

Sunday 7 October The 14:25 Westport-Dublin was 088 + 7 Mk IId + EGV and the 15:30 Westport-Dublin was 074 + 6 Mk IId + EGV.

Wednesday 17 October The 18:30 Dublin-Tralee was 072 + 6 Mk III + EGV.

Monday 22 October The 06:55 Sligo-Dublin was 072 + 7 Mk IId + EGV.

Monday 29 October The 14:50 Westport-Dublin was 082 + 7 Mk IId + EGV, with 073 working the 18:05 Westport-Dublin.

Friday 2 November 080 hauled the 07:35 Limerick-Dublin and 082 worked the 11:10 Dublin-Galway.

Friday 9 November The 17:00 Dublin-Cork was reduced in size from 8 Mk IV to 7 Mk IV and was heavily overcrowded. The Tralee connection at Mallow was an 8-car Mk III set instead of the usual railcar and was practically filled with passengers from the 17:00.

Wednesday 28 November The 08:55 Sligo-Dublin and 17:05 return were worked by 079 + EGV + 6 Mk IId. The latter was hauled by 076 on Wednesday 5 December.

Saturday 15 December Due to the number of shoppers, the 08:55 Sligo-Dublin and 19:05 return were locomotive hauled trains instead of railcars, 083 + EGV + 6 Mk IId.

Auxiliaries Business is so good on Dublin-Galway trains that a relief operates on some Fridays. It departs Dublin at 14:45 and returns from Galway at 18:35. On some Sundays in December there was a 19:15 Heuston-Galway relief, with the empty train returning to Athlone.

FREIGHT OPERATIONS

Thursday 23 August 087 + 8 empty Tara Mines wagons was waiting to depart North Wall for Navan at 17:55.

Friday 7 September The 08:15 Ballina-Waterford Norfolk liner was formed by 073 + 18 bogies, while the 07:50 Waterford-Ballina Norfolk liner was 079 + 18 bogies. 076 + 11 empty timber wagons passed through Athy at 08:30 and 149+142 passed south through Kildare at 12:45 with a train of ballast spoil.

Monday 10 September The 12:20 Waterford-Westport empty cut logs (timber) was 074 + 12 bogie wagons. The laden Westport-Waterford timber was 078 + 12 wagons and passed Clonnydonnin at 19:25

Wednesday 12 September 141+166 + 34 four-wheel cement wagons + one four-wheel flat wagon arrived in Limerick Junction at 17:30 while working the Waterford-Limerick empty cement. 169+185 + 22 laden cement departed Limerick Junction at 17:50 for Waterford. 177 + 7 bogie wagons departed Limerick Check at 15:35 with an empty Castlemungret (Limerick) - Kilmastulla (Birdhill) shale train. 175 was the Limerick pilot and 165 was spare at Limerick.

Thursday 13 September 185+169 + 22 wagons worked the empty Waterford-Limerick cement and 166+141 + 22 wagons worked the laden cement, both trains running in altered paths due to track re-laying. They crossed in Limerick, with the laden departing at 17:00. 177 worked shale trains again that day.

Friday 14 September The Ballina-Waterford Norfolk liner was formed by 079 + 18 bogies and passed Tullamore at 11:35, while the Waterford-Ballina Norfolk liner was 077 + 18 bogies and passed Tullamore at 12:05. 079 + 12 wagons laden with timber arrived in Athlone at 19:00 from Westport.

Tuesday 14 September 077 + 18 bogies worked the Waterford-Ballina Norfolk and 073 + 18 bogies worked Ballina-Waterford train, crossing in Portarlington.

Friday 12 October 163+171 arrived in North Wall at 13:30 from Portlaoise with a permanent way train consisting of 2 flat bogie wagons with

new track panels and 18 former Barytes wagons (5 laden with ballast). 081 + 13 empty Tara departed North Wall at 13:25 and 078 + 12 laden Tara bogies arrived at 13:50.

Sunday 14 October 167+147 + 11 bogies passed Hazelhatch at 12:50 with the Sligo-Waterford timber train.

Friday 19 October 081 + 11 bogies passed Raheny at 12:45 on the 09:20 North Wall-Navan empty Tara and 076 + 9 bogies passed Raheny at 15:20 on the 12:20 laden train. The Ballina-Waterford Norfolk was 077 + 18 bogies and the Waterford-Ballina was 079 + 18 bogies.

Saturday 27 October 080 + 12 bogies arrived in Longford at 14:10 with the Sligo-Waterford timber train.

Monday 29 October 190+146 + plough van + 15 ballast wagons + plough van were stabled in Portarlington. 163 + plough van + 15 ballast wagons + plough van were stabled in Claremorris and 152+169 + 12 timber wagons were stabled in Westport.

Friday 2 November 085 + 18 wagons departed Kildare at 10:35 for Westport with the Waterford-Ballina Norfolk liner. Later, 079 + 18 wagons departed Kildare at 13:30 with the Ballina-Waterford Norfolk. 075 departed North Wall at 12:20 with the empty Sligo timber train, 081 arrived at 11:55 with 20 bulk cement from Platin and departed with 19 empties at 12:30.

Tuesday 13 November 124+177 + 11 bogies passed Cabra at 11:50 with the empty Waterford-Sligo timber train. They departed North Wall at 12:35. Next day they returned from Sligo, passing Drumcondra at 16:25.

Thursday 15 November 184+185 departed North Wall at 15:00 with the laden Sligo-Waterford timber.

Friday 16 November 169 was the Kilmastulla-Castlemungret shale train locomotive. 177 + 1 ballast wagon + plough van passed Limerick Junction at 13:15 en route to Portlaoise.

Sunday 18 November 184+185 passed Heuston at 14:15 with the laden Sligo-Waterford timber train.

Tuesday 20 November 177+167 + 18 laden barytes of spoil passed Drumcondra at 10:40, en route to Portlaoise.

Sunday 25 November 079 arrived in North Wall at 12:30 with the laden timber from Sligo, departing at 14:00 behind 177+167.

Friday 30 November 082 + 12 empty wagons passed Raheny at 15:50 with empty ore wagons for Tara Mines.

Sunday 2 December 084 + 12 wagons worked the Sligo-North Wall-Waterford laden timber train from Dublin. 087 + 12 empty timer wagons were stabled in Waterford.

Tuesday 18 December 124+162 worked the empty Sligo timber from Waterford. 124 was replaced by 163 in North Wall and 124 returned to Inchicore.

Wednesday 19 December 079 + 15 barytes wagons laden with spoil passed Islandbridge at 11:50 heading south.

The remainder of this article appears in IRRS Journal number 165, published February 2008.