Irish Railway Record Society

Journal 167 Operations

PASSENGER OPERATIONS

Saturday 31 May This was a public holiday weekend. The 11:25 Mallow-Tralee connection out of the 09:00 Dublin-Cork departed Mallow with over 200 passengers in a 2-car 2700-class. The 12:46 Mallow-Cork was 4-piece Mk III push-pull (216) and was lightly loaded. This set later worked the 15:25 Mallow-Tralee. Push-pull and Mk III sets regularly operated Mallow-Tralee services during the summer, as many of the 2700-class are being overhauled.

Thursday 5 June 081 + EGV + 6 Mk III worked the 09:15 Galway-Dublin. The locomotive later worked the 17:10 Dublin-Athlone with EGV + 6 Mk III.

Friday 6 June The 17:35 Limerick-Dublin was 073 + 5 Mk III + EGV.

Tuesday 10 June A derailment at Bray station resulted in the DART fleet being temporarily reduced by 16 carriages while vehicles were inspected and repaired. In the following weeks several peak period trains were reduced to 4-car, with subsequent crowding. No. 8626 was out of service while undergoing repairs in Inchicore in July.

Friday 20 June 084 + EGV + 5 Mk III worked the Fridays-Only 16:15 Dublin-Ballina.

Thursday 26 June 079 + EGV + 5 Mk III worked the 17:10 Dublin-Athlone.

Sunday 29 June Westmeath and Dublin played in a GAA match in Croke Park , Dublin . The Maynooth-Dublin section was very busy. The well filled 09:00 Sligo-Connolly, 2 x 3-car ICR, passed Drumcondra at 12:03. The 11:36 Maynooth-Pearse regular, 8 x 29000-class, was very full and served Drumcondra from 12:23/25. A well filled special from Mullingar, 8 x 29000-class, passed Drumcondra at 12:30. The 12:00 Maynooth-Connolly special, 8 x 29000-class, was well filled and served Drumcondra from 12:44/46. The 12:15 Maynooth-Connolly special, 8 x 29000-class, was very heavily loaded and served Drumcondra from 13:03/05. The 12:30 Maynooth-Pearse regular, 8 x 29000-class, was also very heavily loaded and served Drumcondra from 13:14/16.

Friday 11 July 075 + EGV + 5 Mk III worked the 16:15 Dublin-Ballina and 083 + EGV + 5 Mk III worked the 17:10 Dublin-Athlone.

Sunday 13 July 078 + EGV + 6 Mk III worked the 10:35 Athlone-Westport.

Tuesday 29 July 083 + EGV + 6 Mk III worked the 15:05 Dublin-Waterford and 073 + EGV + 6 Mk III worked the 17:50 Dublin-Galway.

Friday 1 August This was a public holiday weekend. The 13:25 Dublin-Limerick was a 3-car ICR and was extremely full. The 16:15 Dublin-Ballina was 073 + EGV + 6 Mk III.

Sunday 10 August Croke Park was the venue for the All Ireland Hurling Semi-Final between Kilkenny and Cork and the All Ireland Football Quarter Final between Kildare and Cork . The following up trains were noted passing Cherryville Junction: 07:30 ex-Cork 4005 + 7 Mk IV + 224 at 09:39, 08:05 special ex-Waterford 201 + 6 Mk III + EGV at 09:46, 08:00 special ex-Cork 217 + 6 Mk III + EGV at 09:59, 08:35 ex-Limerick 2 x 3-car ICR at 10:16, 08:25 ex-Galway 202 + 7 Mk III + EGV at 10:35, 07:15 ex-Tralee extended 225 + 7 Mk III + EGV at 10:40, 08:30 ex-Cork 4007 + 7 Mk IV + 223 at 10:47, 08:50 special ex-Waterford 228 + 5 Push-Pull (DT6105) blocked from 10:47/10:51, 07:45 ex-Westport 2 x 3-car ICR at 10:58. The following were Kildare observations: 2 x 3-car special departed at 11:10, 11:10 Kildare-Heuston 4-car 29000-class departed at 11:15, 09:25 Waterford-Heuston 203 + 7 Mk III + EGV served Kildare from 11:27/29. A Gaeltacht special from Galway to Heuston, 212 + 7 Mk III + EGV served Kildare from 11:44/48 and the 10:35 Limerick-Heuston 213 + 7 Mk III + EGV served Kildare from 12:20/22.

Friday 15 August 225 + EGV + 6 Mk III worked the 16:15 Ballina.

Sunday 17 August The All Ireland Hurling Semi-Final was between Waterford and Tipperary . The following were observed passing Cherryville Junction in the up direction:

08:00 Cork 4008 + 7 Mk IV + 219 10:10

08:35 Waterford spl 074 + 6 Mk III + EGV 10:16

08:35 Limerick 2 x 3-car ICR 10:20

08:25 Galway 204 + 7 Mk III + EGV 10:35

08:30 Cork 4004 + 7 Mk IV + 218 10:41

07:45 Westport 2 x 3-car ICR 10:51

09:25 Waterford 225 + 7 Mk III + EGV 11:17

10:00 Lim Jctn spl 2 x 3-car ICR 11:23

10:15 Waterford spl 213 + 7 Mk III + EGV 11:38

10:35 Limerick 205 + 8 Mk III + EGV 12:25

Friday 22 August The 09:15 Galway-Dublin was 072 + 6 Mk III + EGV.

Sunday 7 September The All Ireland Hurling Finals featured Waterford and Kilkenny in the Senior and Galway and Kilkenny in the Minor. The following were observed passing Cherryville Junction in the up direction:

08:15 Kilkenny spl 4 x 2700-class 09:10/18

07:40 Galway spl 211 + 7 Mk III + EGV 09:42

Ballast Tamper 738 10:10

08:40 Kilkenny spl 2x3-car ICR 10:12/18

08:35 Limerick 2 x 3-car ICR 10:23

08:10 Waterford spl 202 + 7 Mk III + EGV 10:32

08:25 Galway 2 x 3-car ICR 10:38

07:45 Westport 2 x 3-car ICR 10:51

08:45 Waterford spl 6102 + 4 push-pull + 220 11:01

09:10 Waterford spl 201 + 7 Mk III + EGV 11:14

09:25 Waterford 203 + 8 Mk III + EGV 11:34

09:50 Limerick spl 210 + 7 Mk III + EGV 11:45

09:30 Cork 4005 + 7 Mk IV + 226 11:52

10:25 Waterford spl 072 + 7 Mk III + EGV 10:02/04

10:35 Limerick 4008 + 7 Mk IV + 215 12:16

Some Waterford specials operated via Lavistown Loop, others via Kilkenny. The 08:40 Kilkenny special was blocked by the ballast tamper and the 10:35 ex-Limerick was operating from Thurles only due to the replacement of the Multeen River Bridge .

Fridays-Only Limerick-Ennis The Limerick-Ennis portion of the Fridays-Only 17:05 Dublin-Ennis with Mk III carriages and its empty return to Limerick is the only regular 141/181-class passenger working. The following locomotives have been used: 171+162 on 23 May and on 13 June, 142+146 on 27 June, 171+162 on 4 July, 141+142 on 18 July, 141+146 on 25 July and 142+146 on 15 and 22 August.

Nenagh-Limerick Commuter The new 07:55 Nenagh-Limerick commuter service, which commenced on Monday 1 September, required a low cost innovation to the signalling system on the Nenagh branch to allow a train split in Nenagh and one portion return to Limerick while the first portion continued on to Roscrea and Ballybrophy. The new ‘One Direction Token’ system is based on previously used ‘banking staff’s’, whereby a second staff allowed a banking locomotive to return to its base after banking a train through a part of a single track section. The block section on the Nenagh line is Birdhill-Roscrea with intermediate stations at Nenagh and Cloughjordan and the new service was to start from Nenagh. Full details will appear in a future JOURNAL.

The new system for Nenagh-Birdhill was commissioned at 06:45 on Thursday 28 August. The 06:44 Limerick–Ballybrophy operated as a splitting train for training purposes on this and the following day.

On Monday 1 September, 2709/10/20/21 worked the 06:44 Limerick-Ballybrophy as far as Nenagh where the train was split. Set 2720/21 worked to Ballybrophy at 07:49, while 2709/10 worked the first 07:55 Nenagh-Limerick service. About 30 people travelled to Limerick . Return trains from Limerick are available at 16:45 and 17:47. An IÉ spokesperson said ‘the new Nenagh-Limerick commuter service marks the culmination of a number of years work and cooperation between Nenagh Rail Partnership and Iarnród Éireann’.

22000-class Links The fleet is now taking over most operations based in Heuston station. By August, Monday-Friday additions since JOURNAL 166 included the following:

06:30 Carlow-Dublin

09:30 Dublin-Waterford, 13:15 return

09:10 Dublin-Galway, 13:10 return

11:10 Dublin-Galway, 15:05 return

17:35 Dublin-Carlow, 19:03 ety to Portlaoise

20:05 Dublin-Carlow, 21:25 return

05:20 Galway-Dublin, 19:15 Dublin-Galway

3-car 22000-class InterCity railcars (ICRs) have also taken over Dublin-Portlaoise/Thurles services from Mk III push-pulls and some Dublin-Kildare/Portlaoise commuter duties from 29000-class. One 29000-class and one 22000-class was in service during July, with the heavier loading services being worked by the 4-car 29000-class. The 21:45 Dublin-Kildare is worked by a pair of 3-car 22000-class.

FUTURE OF FREIGHT

Cork Port Following a public hearing, An Bord Pleanála refused permission for a major new port at Ringaskiddy in Cork harbour that was planned to replace the existing facility at Tivoli . The Bord Pleanála Inspector and the Bord both said that absence of a rail connection was a major factor in their decision. Both quoted absence of a rail connection as a primary reason for the refusal.

The Inspector’s Conclusions and Recommendations said: ‘I accept that the Port of Cork has produced evidence that there is little factual financial commitment to rail-based freight transport at present. However, I have demonstrated that in policy terms, such a commitment is apparent, particularly in the case of Regional Planning Guidelines and the CASP which highlight the rail line as an inherent advantage of the port. Rail based freight transport is likely to become a more attractive option into the future, as road-based transport becomes less and less sustainable. To ignore the potential benefit of a rail head having regard to the desirability to move away from road based transport, would be at best questionable and at worst irresponsible in my opinion’.

The Bord concurred: ‘The proposed development entails the relocation of commercial freight activities of the Port of Cork from its existing location at Tivoli Docks, which is served by a railway line and has reasonably direct access to the national road network, to a location to the south-east of Cork city at Ringaskiddy which is not connected to the national rail system and would be totally reliant on road-based transport’.

‘While the Board accepts that there is a need to move port activities from Tivoli Docks and expand at other location(s) within the Cork Harbour area, it is considered that the proposed development would:

(a) result in much of the port related traffic traversing the city road network which would adversely impact on the carrying capacity of the strategic road network in and around Cork city

(b) be unable to make use of rail freight carrying facilities in the future and would, therefore, represent a retrograde step in terms of sustainable transport planning.

The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area’.

Local TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said the board's decision ‘clearly highlighted the need for a return to rail in the years to come as a means of transporting freight in order to reduce CO₂ emissions’.

Dublin Port The Port has applied to An Bord Pleanála for permission to extend the harbour to the east on its north bank. Previous applications have been controversial and have not been approved. The latest application notes that it is planned to extend the existing rail line into the new harbour area. This line, last used by Coastal Containers, is currently unused.

Statistics Figures released in July show that the number of goods vehicles on Irish roads continue to grow while rail freight continues to contract. They rose 9% between 2006 and 2007 to 345,673 vehicles. In 1985, there were only 93,369 goods vehicles on Irish roads.

Freight Facilities In June, IÉ advertised for the disposal of the out-of-use 30-year old 1,000 tonne cement silo in Athenry.

Wagons In June, IÉ advertised for ‘expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates for the conversion of up to 24 low floor rail freight pocket wagons to be amended for use as spoil or other materials removal and/or importing wagons on the rail network. The conversion will include for the provision of a conveyor system on the wagons to allow continuous loading/unloading of materials’. The pocket wagons were used on container trains from December 2002 until July 2005 and were bought with EU support.

In August, IÉ advertised ‘to replace its current bogie cement fleet with either:

a)   New dedicated bogie rail vehicles by purchase or lease or part exchange or

b)   Refurbished bogie rail vehicles by purchase or lease or part exchange or

c)   Purchase or lease of ISO standard tank containers

Total quantity or scope estimated at between 24 - 60 dedicated rail vehicles or between 52 -126 tank containers depending on container size ... The contract may permit an option for additional rail vehicles or container tanks’. It is believed that the replacements are for the 1960’s four-wheel bulk wagons known as ‘bubbles’ and not the existing bogie wagons (one set of 12) dating from 1979.

All remaining fertiliser and Asahi wagons stored in Rathpeacon have been cut up. Further fertiliser wagons were cut up in Inchicore in July and four-wheel timber wagons were cut up in Waterford in August.

FREIGHT AND DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS

Thursday 1 May 177+152 passed Clondalkin at 12:00 with 1 bogie track panel. They were followed by 190+146 with a laden ballast train for the Dublin-Belfast line.

Friday 2 May 190+146 arrived in North Wall at 13:00 with 10 empty ballast hoppers. Next day, the ballast train was at Skerries for crossover work (site of Tara Mines train derailment earlier in the year).

Sunday 4 May 141 was stabled in Gort with a re-laying train for WRC work.

Public Holiday Monday 5 May 078 + 11 laden bogies worked the laden Sligo-Dublin-Waterford timber train.

Wednesday 7 May 086 + 9 empty bogie cement wagons from Cork passed Cabra at 18:50; this working usually follows the 18:04 Newbridge-Heuston.

Thursday 8 May 081 + 10 laden bogies passed Islandbridge at 10:30 with laden Sligo-North Wall-Waterford timber. 076 passed at 10:40 with 1 bogie track panel from Portlaoise to North Wall.

Friday 16 May 071 + 11 laden cement bogies destined for Cork arrived in North Wall from Platin at 12:00. 071 then returned to Platin with 21 empty four-wheel cement wagons.

Tuesday 20 May 075 + 18 laden bogies worked the Waterford-Ballina Norfolk liner and 078 + 18 laden bogies worked the Ballina-Waterford, Norfolk liner. At 18:55, 086 + 11 empty bogie cement wagons passed Cabra en route from Cork to Platin.

Sunday 25 May 074 + 11 bogies worked Sligo-Dublin-Waterford timber.

Friday 30 May 149 departed North Wall at 10:40 with a 'wagon liner’ for Limerick Wagon Works, it consisted of 1 Tara wagon + 4 ballast wagons + 6 four-wheel wheel cement wagons. 076 + 11 bogies worked the empty timber train from Waterford to North Wall and 082 worked it on to Sligo . The following Sunday, 082 passed Phoenix Park Station at 11:35 with the laden Sligo timber and was observed passing Hazelhatch at 12:50.

Tuesday 3 June At 19:00, 085 + 10 empty bogie cement wagons from Cork passed Cabra

Friday 6 June 077 + 15 ballast wagons departed North Wall at 12:00 for Portlaoise.

Tuesday 10 June 084 + 11 bogies worked the 09:20 Navan-North Wall Tara. 072 + 19 four-wheel wagons worked the empty Tullamore cement to Platin.

Thursday 12 June 087 + 10 laden bogies passed Clondalkin at 10:35 with the laden Sligo-North Wall-Waterford timber.

Friday 13 June 177+147 was stabled in Gort with a concrete sleeper train.

Sunday 15 June 071 + 11 bogies worked the Sligo-Waterford timber from North Wall.

Thursday 19 June A regular working is a bogie or sometimes two of wheel sets between Limerick Wagon Works and Inchicore Works, which generally operates once per week. 144 + 1 wagon worked the 10:10 Limerick-Inchicore. Also that day, 083 + 1 bogie track panel + 15 former barytes spoil wagons worked 10:15 Portlaoise-North Wall. 073 + 11 bogies worked the 10:05 North Wall-Waterford laden timber. 071 + 18 laden bogies worked the 08:15 Ballina-Waterford Norfolk liner and 075 + 18 laden bogies worked the 07:55 Waterford -Ballina Norfolk . 085 + 17 empty four-wheel wagons departed North Wall at 09:50 for Platin.

Friday 20 June 084 + 20 empty four-wheel wagons from Tullamore passed Cabra at 09:30. 085 took the wagons from North Wall to Platin, departing at 10:55. 072 worked the 09:20 Navan-North Wall Tara Mines. 071 + 11 bogies worked the 06:25 Waterford-North Wall timber.

Sunday 22 June 152 arrived in North Wall at 11:50 from Dromod hauling a dead 141 on an empty ballast train. 082 + 11 bogies worked the Sligo-Waterford timber from North Wall.

Tuesday 24 June 083 departed North Wall at 09:30 with a laden barytes train of spoil. 071 worked 20 laden cement wagons from Platin to North Wall. It later passed Fairview at 12:25 with 10 empty bogie wagons en route to Platin, while 074 worked the Tullamore cement.

Sunday 27 June 086 passed Cabra at 12:40 with 17 barytes wagons (5 full) from Portarlington en route to North Wall.

Sunday 29 June 087 + 11 bogies worked the Sligo-Waterford timber from North Wall.

Tuesday 1 July 079 passed Cherry Orchard at 05:30 with a ‘Wagon Liner’ of 1 Tara + 3 ballast + 7 cement wagons from North Wall to Limerick Wagon Works.

Friday 4 July 078 + 12 bogies worked the 06:25 empty timber Waterford-North Wall. 086 worked an empty steel train Portlaoise-Waterford to collect new rail.

Sunday 6 July Re-laying was being completed at the Dargle River Bridge in Bray. 077 was on laden ballast and 079 was on barytes spoil train. 073 + 12 bogies worked the Sligo timber train from North Wall to Waterford .

Friday 11 July 071 + 12 bogies worked the 09:20 Navan-North Wall Tara train. The empty beam re-laying train, 177+147 + 9 bogies, arrived in Portlaoise at 12:35 from the WRC.

Monday 14 July 073 + 12 bogies passed Cherry Orchard at 10:20 with the Sligo-Waterford timber.

Thursday 17 July 086 arrived in North Wall with barytes spoil wagons for crossover removal work Merrion-Booterstown. 080 + 34 empty bulk cement wagons passed Rush at 16:00 en route to Platin.

Sunday 20 July 074 arrived into North Wall at 07:00 with laden barytes wagons of spoil from Booterstown crossovers removal.

Monday 21 July 086 + 15 laden ballast wagons passed Blackrock at 12:50 for Gorey.

Tuesday 22 July 086 worked light engine Gorey-Greystones before hauling 2 empty rail wagons Greystones-North Wall. 079 worked an empty steel train Portlaoise-Waterford.

Wednesday 23 July 075 + 1 Tara wagon + 20 four-wheel cement wagons were looped in Sallins for the 10.00 Dublin-Cork.

Thursday 24 July 146 + 1 wheel-carrier was looped in Sallins for the 10.00 Dublin-Cork.

Tuesday 29 July 077 departed North Wall at 11:15 with a laden spoil train for Portarlington. This spoil had worked from Booterstown early on Sunday 27.

Wednesday 30 July 074 + 12 bogies worked the 09:20 Navan-North Wall Tara mines train.

Monday 11 August 087 departed Heuston Goods at 10:05 with barytes wagons of spoil for unloading at Portarlington.

Tuesday 12 August 079 worked an empty Portlaoise-Waterford steel train. 085 + 18 laden bogies worked the Waterford-Ballina Norfolk liner, while 071 + 18 bogies worked the Ballina-Waterford Norfolk liner.

Wednesday 13 August 079 returned to Portlaoise with the laden steel train. 087 passed Park West at 12:45 with empty barytes wagons for North Wall.

Thursday 14 August 083 failed on the Tullamore cement, 074 was sent to rescue and 074+083 arrived in North Wall at 12:05. 074 departed at 12:20 with the 20 laden wagons for Tullamore. 071 on an empty timber for Ballina crossed with Ballina-Waterford Norfolk liner (085) in Bagenalstown at 13:20.

Friday 15 August 073 + 20 four-wheel laden cement wagons from Platin arrived in North Wall at 11:55.  073 brought 11 empty bogie cement wagons back to Platin. 075 + 12 bogies departed North Wall at 11:50 with empty timber for Sligo . 081 + 4 UBC containers + 4 bulk tanks + 4 Norfolk containers worked the Ballina-Waterford Norfolk liner. 085 + 18 laden (13 containers + 5 Dana tanks) worked the Waterford-Ballina Norfolk liner. 087 worked an empty steel train to Waterford .

Wednesday 20 August 217 + 20 four-wheel wagons worked the Platin-Tullamore cement. 075 worked the 09:20 Navan-North Wall Tara Mines. 073 + 20 laden cement wagons worked Platin-North Wall and 073 returned to Platin with 15 empty cement wagons from Tullamore.

Thursday 21 August The 13:20 Dublin- Belfast left Connolly 40 minutes late, thus delaying 073 + 10 empty bogie cement for Platin. This was then followed 4 minutes later by the 14:00 empty Tara , 080 + 12 bogies.

Sunday 24 August 162+171 worked ballast trains discharging between Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir. They also worked ballast trains from Clonmel in the previous week.

Saturday 30 August 081 + 11 bogies passed Phoenix Park station at 16:20 with the Sligo-Waterford timber. Next day, 086 + 12 bogies worked the train to Waterford , a laden bogie having been added in North Wall.

Monday 1 September 141 was on a ballast train at Crusheen and 175+187 was on the Beam re-laying train at Kiltartan on the WRC.

Tuesday 9 September 080 + 18 laden bogies worked the Waterford-Ballina Norfolk liner. In Athy, it crossed with 079 working a down Long Welded Rail train. 085 + 18 bogies worked the Ballina-Waterford Norfolk, both liners crossed in Portarlington. 205 worked the Tullamore cement, but was later despatched to Westport to replace failed 086 on a timber train.

075 + 20 four-wheel laden cement wagons arrived in North Wall from Platin at 11:32. 075 departed back to Platin at 11:56 with 20 empty wagons for Platin. 082 + 11 bogies arrived in North Wall at 11:44 with the 09.20 Navan-North Wall Tara Mines.

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