Irish Railway Record Society

TRACK

Dublin-Cork Planning continues for renewing and upgrading the Dublin-Cork line, which will be done over a number of years. IÉ described the proposed work: [It] ‘consists of the renewal of the track infrastructure predominantly made up of formation rehabilitation, ballast replacement and rail and sleeper re-laying. The objective is to provide safe, reliable and high quality track infrastructure on the route with a maximisation of design speeds (160 km/hr) [100-mph] and alignment improvements where possible ... Signalling system renewal does not form a part of the works ... Works will be carried out with a minimisation of impact on passenger services’.

In June, IÉ sought contractors to survey all buried cables and services on the line. In July, IÉ sought ‘expressions of interest from qualified bodies to assist in the execution of the works associated with the renewal of the track infrastructure on this line ...’

‘For the purpose of the renewal works, the line has been divided into 15 route sections (Lots). The possession regimes will vary on these route sections, from night possessions only (longer at weekend) in the commuter areas to continuous possessions on one line in the areas that have minimal commuter traffic. Works are to be carried out using high output systems which represent best international practices for execution of this type of work and which are optimal for the track possessions available. It is envisaged that works packages for different groups of route sections will be tendered separately depending on the track possessions available and the systems of work best suited to these’.

‘This notice covers Work Package 1 which includes Lots 3, 4 & 5. Provision of track finishing machines (Dynamic Track Stabilising, tamping, regulating etc.) may be provided for the contractor to operate under this contract or will be provided as supports under separate contractual arrangement’.

The enquiry quoted the following ‘lots’ and mileage:

These correspond to where existing crossovers are located.

Limerick Junction Preparation work for re-signalling continues. A new longer higher speed trailing crossover (No. 23) was installed between up and down Cork lines over the weekend of 6/7 September during the line closure for installing the river bridge at Multeen between Thurles and Limerick Junction (see below). The crossover is used by trains departing towards Cork from the main platform (No. 1) to rejoin the down main line. It had been fabricated in the yard opposite the station and to allow it be moved into place the up direction home semaphore signal (Nos.  4/6) was re-located from the down side to the up side.

Cork-Cobh The line speed limit has been altered. The differential speed limit boards for ‘Railcars’ and ‘All other Trains’ have been removed and all trains can now operate at 50 mph. This had been one of the few locations on IÉ with differential speed limits, which are a very common method used in the UK and other countries to allow lighter railcars operate at higher speeds than locomotives.

Dublin-Rosslare Europort The facing and trailing pair of crossovers between Merrion Gates and Booterstown are life expired. A 25-mph speed limit has been in force for some time. The point blades were removed during weekend night time possessions at the end of July, with the remainder of the crossovers subsequently removed. In September, the 25-mph speed limit remained in force as the replacement track awaited welding.

Dublin-Belfast A programme of renewing points and crossovers in Connolly is underway. Work takes place at night at weekends.

Limerick-Waterford. Continuous welded rail (CWR) on concrete sleepers has been installed between MP43¹/₄-44¹/₄, MP60³/₄-63, MP64¹/₂-65¹/₈. CWR has now been installed on approximately 42% of the Limerick Junction-Waterford section, with the Limerick Junction-Tipperary complete. Ballast trains associated with re-laying have been operating from a base in Clonmel during the summer

Waterford-Rosslare Europort Re-laying with CWR on hardwood timber sleepers took place in June between MP93¹/₂-97¹/₈ in the Wellingtonbridge-Rosslare Strand section. On Thursday 19 June, 080 was in charge of the Donnelli gantry re-laying train at the scene. The train off-loaded the old track panels at the site of the former Duncormick station, where they were scrapped. CWR is now in place on approximately 12% of the line, mostly east of Wellingtonbridge station.

Limerick-Ballybrophy Further re-laying work took place during the summer months, with 2¹/₃ miles re-laid this year to the end of August.

At this stage, CWR on concrete sleepers had been installed continuously from Killonan Junction (MP52¹/₂) to Kilmastulla shale sidings (MP40⁷/₈), with the exception of the Birdhill station area. However, there were considerable lengths of rail clamped awaiting Thermit welding. CWR is also installed between MP6-6³/₄ Ballybrophy-Roscrea. The remainder of the line is jointed track.

Wagons In July, IÉ sought ‘expressions of interest from relevant companies for the design, manufacture, supply, delivery, commissioning and testing of up to 24 Rail Mounted High capacity versatile railway stone ballast delivery wagons... The wagons will be required to operate in tandem with an overall modern ballast cleaning system’. The contract was estimated at between €15m and €16m.

Track Machines In July, IÉ advertised for ‘the design, manufacture, supply, delivery, commissioning and testing of one rail mounted high output ballast cleaning machine... The machine will be required to operate in tandem with an overall modern ballast cleaning system and with new ballast wagons and/or spoil discharge wagons. The contact value was estimated at between €6m and €7m.

IÉ already owns one elderly Plasser & Thuerer ballast cleaner, No. 780 delivered in July 1979, but this has been out of service for some time. It has been undergoing major refurbishment in Mullingar. New bogies have been purchased and they were fitted on 28 June. The cleaner was towed to Dublin by 077 on Thursday 11 September.

IÉ also advertised for ‘the design, manufacture, supply, delivery, commissioning and testing of one Rail Mounted High Output Track Tamping Machine... The contact value was estimated at between €5m and €6m.

Procurement IÉ has placed a contract with PDM Ltd, Oldmilltown, Kill, Co. Kildare for the supply of ‘an estimated 20,000 softwood treated timber sleepers over the course of the next three years ... to be produced from North European Redwood or Maritime Pine. Other varieties of species will be considered’.

In August, IÉ has advertised for framework agreements lasting 3 years for the supply of:

Weedspray Despite commissioning of a new spray train last year, no weedspray train operated this year. However, road-rail vehicles were used in many locations.

SIGNALLING

Train Radio IÉ intends to implement a GSM-R mobile communications system over sections of the rail network. This will be phased and implemented on a prioritised basis over a number of years. IÉ advertised for ‘a consultant to progress the first phase of the project to tender stage. The initial implementation of GSM-R will be for “voice” services; however the design will take cognisance of possible future application of ETCS while not necessarily providing the required signal field strengths and redundancy requirement in this initial phase. The first phase of the project will cover the DART electrified line and the fitting of GSM-R mobiles to the electric fleet. It is intended that the infrastructure provided in this first phase will have sufficient capacity to cater for all trains on this route and be expandable to cover the entire rail network in the future’.

Hot Axle Box Detectors A new detector was commissioned on 7 July near MP98 in the Ballinasloe-Woodlawn section on the Galway line. It is monitored by CTC in Dublin .

Signal Heads A programme of replacing all signals on the Howth branch with LED type took place in September.

BRIDGES AND TUNNELS

Shannon Bridge In July, IÉ advertised for ‘applications ... from experienced Steel Fabricators who wish to be included on a tender list for the fabrication of a 4-span railway bridge over the River Shannon near Drumsna, Co. Leitrim. The bridge carries the single-track Mullingar-Sligo railway line. The renewal of the existing 6-span bridge is scheduled to take place early in 2009. The scope of the Works for which applications are now invited is for the supply, fabrication, painting and delivery to site of all 4-spans. Delivery will be to an area beside the railway near the village of Drumsna . The new bridge will have 4-spans, 2 x 25m, 2 x 22.5m. All four spans will be of similar construction, consisting of a pair of Warren trusses supporting cross beams and plated deck. The overall width of the bridge spans is 5.08m. A walkway will also be fabricated, which will be bolted to the outside of the trusses, on one side of the bridge.

Multeen River Bridge (UB247) During the summer, a substantial new bridge was constructed in a field adjacent to the Dublin-Cork line to replace the existing structure at 99 miles 692 yards. The old bridge was a three span steel bridge, while the new one has three pre-cast concrete units. A 1,000 tonne crane was used, with the maximum lift of 120 tonnes.

The old bridge was removed and the new bridge was installed in a complete line closure from 20:30 Friday 5 until 10:00 Sunday 7 September. During this period, all services were cancelled between Thurles and Mallow. Substitute buses services operated and a revised timetable also applied.

On Saturday, the following trains were cancelled: Dublin-Cork 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00 and Cork-Dublin 05:15, 09:30, 11:30, 13:30, 15:30, 17:30, 19:30. The 07:00, 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:00, 21:00 Dublin-Cork operated to Thurles, with substitute buses onwards to Cork and Mallow for the Tralee line. The 06:30, 07:30, 08:30, 10:30, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30 Cork-Dublin operated from Thurles, with substitute buses departing from Cork up to 45 minutes earlier. The 18:35 Dublin-Tralee was substituted by bus between Thurles and Mallow, as was the 06:30 Tralee-Dublin.

Dublin-Limerick services operated at 10:25, 12:25, 13:25, 15:25, 17:25 and were substituted by bus between Thurles and Limerick . Limerick-Dublin was served by a 05:45 bus to Thurles and by trains via the Nenagh line at 06:44 regular, 07:35 special, 12:15 special, 14:15 special and 16:45 regular. Specials ran non-stop from Limerick to Ballybrophy, returning empty at 08:38, 15:15 and 16:05. All Nenagh line trains were 2-car 2700-class. Line capacity did not allow Dublin-Limerick specials to operate via Nenagh and most passengers had to put up with bus connections from Thurles to Limerick .

There were also alterations to Limerick-Ennis and Waterford-Limerick Junction services.

On Sunday, the 08:10 Dublin-Tralee and 10:00 Dublin-Cork were substituted by bus between Thurles and Mallow as were the 08:30, 10:30 Cork-Dublin and 08:35, 10:35 Limerick-Dublin. No additional services operated via Nenagh and there were alterations to Tralee and Limerick Junction-Limerick services in the morning. All other services operated normally.

Maintenance Structural repairs to Span 15 of the Barrow Bridge (UB140 at 81 miles 1,494 yards Waterford-Rosslare) were completed in July and this span was subsequently painted. Structural repairs to the signal cabin supports were also carried out.

Preparation work is continuing to UB7 at 0 miles 630 yards Connolly-Ossory Road Junction, under planned weekend possessions for the deck renewal which is programmed for September 2009.

Emergency repairs were carried out to the cast iron fascia panels on Balbriggan Viaduct (UB56 at 21 miles 1,109 yards) following storm damage to this 11-span viaduct on 25 May. Following bridge strikes, repairs were carried out to UB117 at 82 miles 1,628 yards and UB170 at 126 miles 630 yards Dublin-Galway.

New Bridges New road building in the Waterford area is resulting in construction of many new bridges over railway lines. New bridges are being constructed at 74 miles 1,755 yards and 75 miles 950 yards in the Carrick-on-Suir-Waterford section, at 56 miles 391 yards and 47 miles 1,467 yards Ballyhale-Waterford, at 33 miles 783 yards Lavistown-Ballyhale, at 76 miles 704 yards and 70 miles 332 yards in the Muine Bheag-Lavistown section.

A new overbridge is under construction at the sharp curve at former Wicklow Junction at the Murrough, Wicklow, as part of a new road scheme. This will permit closure of Chemical Yard level crossing, which is subject to a 5 mph speed restriction.

LEVEL CROSSINGS

Barriers The programme of converting manually operated level crossings to four-barrier type continues. Keelogues in the Manulla Junction-Ballina section was converted on 22 May. Ahane No. 2 in the Farranfore-Tralee section was converted on 28 May. Islandeady in the Manulla Junction-Westport section was converted on 29 May. Lisaniska in the Manulla Junction-Ballina section was converted on 6 June. Culleen in the Athlone-Knockcroghery section was converted on 19 June. Holywell and Hazelhill in the Ballyhaunis-Claremorris section were converted on 27 June. Headford in the Mallow-Tralee section was converted on 25 July. In the Muine Bheag-Kilkenny section, Gowran was converted on 8 August and Highrath on 15 August. Mullinavat in the Ballyhale-Waterford section was converted on 29 August.

Control using CCTV of the six Mayo line crossings noted above plus Rockfield in the Manulla Junction-Westport section was transferred to Athlone Level Crossing Control Centre between 30 June and 4 July. Control of eight Tralee line crossings was transferred to Mallow Level Crossing Control centre between 11 and 15 August. They were Rathcoole No. 3, Freemount, Headford, Killeen , Ballyhar, Ballinelane, Ahane No. 2 and Bealagrellagh.

Closures In June, IÉ applied for permission to South Tipperary County Council to build a 569m long local road to allow closure of Bishopwood level crossing XC128 at MP98¹/₄. Bishopwood is currently the first open public level crossing on the Dublin-Cork line after leaving Dublin . If it is closed the first open crossing will then be Grange at MP103³/₄. This is to be converted from an AHB to a full-barrier type. It will have new protecting signals installed as part of the Limerick Junction re-signalling scheme.

In July following legal advice, South Tipperary County councillors voted to accept the recommendation of an independent Inspector who agreed with IÉs request to extinguish the right-of-way through Kyle and Milltown level crossings near Limerick Junction and allow them to be closed. Kyle is on the Dublin-Cork line just north of Limerick Junction and Milltown is at the Limerick end of Limerick Junction Loop (Direct Curve). IÉ has been granted planning permission to build 1 km of new road to provide alternative access. IÉ made the application in November 2006 and the issue caused upset among some councillors. They were advised that following an oral hearing the Inspector recommended closure on safety grounds and they could be held liable if they refused the application and a safety incident occurred.

Overbridge OB008D is under construction at MP44 Portarlington-Athlone to allow closure of level crossing XA007. OB20F is under construction to allow closure of crossing XL43 Linfield at 12 miles 1,220 yards Dromkeen-Limerick Junction.

Copyright © 2008 by Irish Railway Record Society Ltd.
Revised: December 29, 2008 .