Irish Railway Record Society

Rosslare Line Re-signalling

OLIVER DOYLE, OPERATIONS SCHEMES DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, IÉ

The Rosslare Line re-signalling project was the seventh, and last of IÉ’s schemes to modernise its principal single track routes and was allocated the prefix RL. It was preceded by Ballinasloe-Galway commissioned on 8 June 2003, Athy-Waterford West 28 April 2004, Banteer-Tralee 25 February 2005, Longford-Sligo 19 August 2005, Maynooth-Longford 25 November 2005, and Knockcroghery-Westport/Ballina 4 May 2007. Including the Rosslare Line, 36 signal cabins were closed and replaced by five signalling consoles. The two Sligo Line schemes are on a single console and the Galway Line is on the Central Traffic Control (CTC) mainline system.

The section of the Rosslare Line, from Wicklow to Rosslare Harbour, had been worked for many years by six Electric Train Staff (ETS) sections – adequate for the level of service operating. The intermediate block posts were Rathdrum, Arklow, Gorey, Enniscorthy and Rosslare Strand. From 1877 to 1927 Newcastle to Wicklow was double track but the remainder, between Bray and Rosslare Harbour, has always been single track. At various times there were additional block posts at Newcastle (closed 1968), Wicklow Junction (1927) Glenealy (1964), Avoca (1931), Woodenbridge (1968), Ferns (1976), Macmine Junction (1964), Killurin (1922) Wexford North (1988), Wexford South (1982) Felthouse Junction (1911) and Kilrane (1935). On the Dublin & Southern Eastern Railway, McKenzie & Holland was the main suppliers of signalling equipment and the closure of Wicklow signal cabin ended the use of this company’s equipment on the Irish Rail network.

MODERNISATION

The well established procedures for designing, planning, and installing CTC schemes were followed. The layout at each station was examined to ensure it could cope with the future railcar-only timetable, there being no freight trains on the route. Account had to be taken of permanent way trains and on-track machines as well as ballast loading. The established practice of using a Westinghouse Solid State Interlocking (SSI) to control the system and 3-aspect distant signals throughout was followed. As with the last scheme – the Mayo Line – axle counters, for train detection, were used throughout. Apart from Slaney Bridge level crossing on Wexford Quays, there are only two mid-section controlled level crossings, Ballymanus (MP32³/₄) and Edermine (MP81), which continue to be worked by gatekeepers until they are converted to 4-barrier CCTV-type monitored from Mallow Level Crossing Control Centre. The level crossing keepers are alerted by a buzzer based on the time the train entered the particular section, replacing the need for a signalman to telephone the crossing. The track circuits associated with these two level crossings were converted to axle counter operation during the changeover.

The worked level crossing at the site of the former Wexford South station was converted back to its original ‘user worked’ status and the associated signals removed. The Automatic Open Level Crossing at the Slaney Bridge on Wexford Quays continues to be worked by track circuits and to be interlocked with the road traffic signals. This crossing is monitored by the RL signalman. When a train is approaching the road traffic signals display a Stop aspect, and two miniature red lights flash alternately, indicating to motorists that the red phase may last longer than normal. There are also two full size red lights flashing alternately on the bridge approach. The keys for the ‘manual’ operation of the crossing, in the event of failure, are retained in Wexford station and interlocked with the signalling system. If the keys are removed from their holder, the signalman is given an indication on his console that the crossing is being worked manually.

Pending the expansion of the CTC, the Rosslare Line is worked from a computerised signalling console at Greystones.  Previously the Greystones signalman controlled from the automatic intermediate signals on Bray Head to Greystones down Advanced Starting signal. The section to Wicklow was Track Circuit Block (TCB) with axle counters. The area previously controlled by Greystones was incorporated into the new system and the signals and points identifications changed from a GS to RL prefix. The former Greystones computerised console was housed in the old signal cabin, which was deemed inadequate for the new RL console, so a new steel structure was procured to house the new equipment and provide modern staff facilities. The console has a communications screen, a screen showing trains approaching on the DART system while the Rosslare Line itself is accommodated on three screens. All points motors on the route are Westinghouse Type 63 with the exception of Greystones which retained its Clamplock mechanism – developed primarily for British Railways by Schwihag, Switzerland, the company which supplies IÉ with roller bearings under points blades.

PERMANENT WAY

Where possible in the re-signalling schemes, long radius turnouts and crossings were used to reduce wear and tear and allow higher train speeds, but this was only possible at one location on the Rosslare line (Enniscorthy) due to the restricted space available – Rathdrum being a prime example where there is a masonry arch viaduct, rock cutting and road over-bridge at the Dublin end and a falling gradient and tunnel at the Rosslare end.

Wicklow The Wicklow layout hat been renewed in recent times and it was only necessary to move the siding trap points towards the buffer stops leaving sufficient space to store an on-track machine between it and the buffer stop. This allows a ‘run off’ from the loop when an up train using it is crossing a down train, thereby allowing the latter to be signalled into the station as soon as the up train has arrived in the loop. 

Rathdrum The layout, squeezed into the available space hewn out of rock by the Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railway in 1860-1, has given little scope for change ever since. The station is on a long 1:90 gradient, falling towards Arklow and there has, in the last 90 years, been concern about down trains and permanent way staff working with on-track equipment approaching down this gradient. This concern could not be mitigated and resulted in keeping the siding, known locally as the ‘Wood Siding’, located on the up side at the Rosslare end as a ‘run off’. With all points in their ‘normal’ position, it can be seen from the current station diagram that the route of the down line is made into the run-off. In earlier years, when two long trains required to cross here, the up train would arrive, go forward to the Limit of Shunt board on the Wicklow side and propel back into the Wood Siding to clear the down line. The down train could then enter the station and, after stopping at the platform, proceed towards Arklow.

Arklow   Arklow station is located between two over-bridges, limiting any expansion of platform length. As part of a major IĖ car park project, the siding on the down side was reduced to 50m to facilitate the storage of an on-track machine or a 2-piece railcar.

Gorey  Little change was needed at Gorey as the loop points had been renewed when the line was being re-laid. The ground-frame worked turnout into the siding was renewed and the up siding retained for ballast train loading or passenger train storage.

Enniscorthy All the point work at Enniscorthy was renewed as part of the re-signalling scheme. Prior to the closure, a new Dublin-end loop turnout was installed north of the existing one, while the crossover to the down sidings was removed and temporarily replaced by plain track. The sidings in the vicinity of the former goods store were lifted and new ballast spread. After the closure, the replacement crossover was installed and the sidings restored. While the railway between Enniscorthy and Wexford was closed for the re-signalling project, the opportunity was taken to renew the way-beams on the River Slaney Bridge, at the Rosslare end of the station.

This involved removing the existing bullhead rail, chairs, wooden under-beams and channel iron holding the way-beams. Prior to the closure, two lengths of CWR were laid out on the bridge, one on each side, outside the running rail. New channel irons were positioned on the bridge cross girders, way-beams were fitted into these and steel plates placed on top at intervals. A bolt was then put through the four items and a nut affixed where the bolt projected through the cross girder. After fitting standard Vossloh rail fastenings to the way-beams, the track was fixed to these. All way-beam bridges on IĖ are now subject to a permanent restriction of 25-mph, but this does not affect journey times in the case of this structure. Enniscorthy station, where all trains stop, is immediately to the north and Enniscorthy Tunnel to the south has a 30-mph permanent speed restriction because of the track curvature.

As the loop turnout adjacent to the bridge also had to be renewed, material for the bridge work was brought through the tunnel to the bridge site.

Wexford The Rosslare Line re-signalling scheme presented the opportunity to break the long section between Enniscorthy and Rosslare Strand – passenger trains being allowed 42 minutes to traverse the section including the Wexford stop. This generally presented few problems over the years, apart from the annual opera train, which had to proceed to Rosslare Strand to run around. With new timetable proposals being evaluated, it was highly desirable that it be possible to turn-back passenger trains from Wexford. This facility is provided for at the platform. To allow an up and down train to cross, a 132m loop is provided to the north of the platform. There is also a longer loop within the station sidings, which could be used by ballast trains requiring to run around.

Rosslare Strand The layout here was minimised many years ago so there was no scope for rationalisation. All three turnouts were renewed and the opportunity was taken to change the Y points at the Rosslare Harbour end to a left-hand turnout thereby making the through line towards Dublin straight. An interesting feature of the signalling here was the two wooden starting signal posts for Rosslare Harbour of square pitch-pine, which stood there for 102 years! In the 1906 Fishguard & Rosslare Railways & Harbours Company scheme the main line though Rosslare Strand was to Mallow and the mile posts measured accordingly. However, in the Rosslare Line CTC scheme the mainline was altered to be the Dublin route and Waterford became the ‘diverging’ (branch) route.

Rosslare Europort  When the re-signalling project was being designed a number of issues were raised with the existing station area within the Port of Rosslare Harbour. With few cross-channel passengers using the rail service, the need to streamline the flow of road traffic to and from the ferries and the cost of retaining the existing layout resulted in a decision to relocate the station. It was decided the turntable should be retained for steam-hauled trains. However, the salty sea spray of more than a century had eroded the side plates of the turntable to such an extent that they had large rust holes. The IÉ bridge gang repaired these to give the turntable many more years of useful life.

The new station is a simple affair with a 146m platform constructed of 57 pre-cast concrete ‘U’ shape units of 2.5m width. A pre-cast concrete lid is placed on the ‘U’ sections ready to accept the coping stones, piping for services, back fill and tarmac surface, as well as 1.8m high palisade back fence. A dedicated pathway leads from the seaward end of the platform to the footpath leading to the main terminal building. Where the new footpath crosses the lines to the turntable there is a gated level crossing protected by signals. When a locomotive requires access to the turntable a local operator attends at the level crossing and locks the gates against the pathway and places the Fortress keys of the gates in the receptacle close by. The Signalman can then signal the locomotive to or from the turntable.

The new platform can accommodate two 3-car 22000-class railcars. The adjacent running line terminates in a “run off” with a friction buffer stop. There is a crossover to the up loop siding and turntable. At the Dublin end, a crossover to the siding also provides the potential for a short 3-carriage siding to facilitate swapping around the Dublin and Waterford trains. The loop siding can accommodate eight-railcar trains.

The new station is nearer the village of Rosslare Harbour from where the majority of passengers come from, though it is about 8-minutes walk from the shipping terminal.

ROSSLARE STRAND SIGNALLING

The interface between modern computerised signalling and existing signalling systems always presents designers and operators with an interesting challenge. These interfaces have to be achieved within the existing Rule Book and Signalling Regulations, though usually with special instruction for the location. It is also important that the area of control of each signalman is clearly defined.

For the normal operation of Dublin-Rosslare Europort trains, there is no requirement for a signalman at Rosslare Strand. However, for a train to depart to or arrive from Wellington Bridge, a signalman is required at Rosslare Strand. To streamline the working of the station the signal cabin was moved from the existing 1908-built signal cabin to a new position within the existing station building. The space was once occupied by the parcel/goods area and is adjacent to the booking office. All Rosslare Strand controlled signals have the abbreviation RS. There are no turnouts or crossovers controlled by the RS signalman.

The new signal cabin houses, the Electric Train Staff Instrument, hand generator, OCS (One Control Switch) panel and the apparatus to prove to the signalling system that the ETS for the section to Wellington Bridge has been withdrawn from the ETS instrument. To provide a clear distinction between the area under the control of the signalman for the Rosslare Line and the Rosslare Strand signalman, Grange Big level crossing, just west of the station on the Waterford line, is designated the boundary. The ‘B’ pattern ETS tokens are engraved Rosslare Strand for Grange Big-Wellington Bridge.

The new panel is simple with just three signal switches and three axle counter reset buttons. All the necessary signals and axle counters are displayed on the panel. Two pairs of lights indicate to the RS signalman if a route to or from the Waterford line has been set by the RL signalman, while a third pair indicates if the gatekeeper at Grange Big level crossing has the gates locked ‘closed to the railway’ or ‘closed to the road’. An audible warning is fitted to the bottom right of the panel to call the attention of the RS signalman if a train is approaching or standing at the down home signal on the Waterford line. This does not activate for trains routed to and from the Dublin direction by the CTC signalman.

Method of operation  When a train requires to proceed towards Wellington Bridge, the Rosslare Strand signalman obtains a staff with the permission of the Wellington Bridge signalman. This releases a starting signal control key from the ETS instrument. This key is then placed in the starting signal control lock and turned to operate an electronic switch, which allows signal RS2 to be cleared to a proceed aspect. The signalman then requests RS 3 and RS 2 signals. Signal RS 3 is a slotted signal, also with the identity RL 568, and will only clear to a proceed aspect if both the Rosslare Line signalman at Greystones has requested the route to Wellington Bridge and the Rosslare Strand signalman has requested the signal to clear. Signal RS 2 is the signal controlling entry to the section and is under the sole control of the Rosslare Strand signalman. Grange Big level crossing must be closed against the road and the Fortress keys inserted in the panel at the gates and the key turned in the starting signal control lock before RS 2 will display a green aspect. The Rosslare Strand signalman must also telephone, in the traditional way, the mid-section level crossings at Grange Big, Mayglass, Bridgetown Station, Muchtown, Nicharee, Ballyfrory, Kilcaven No. 1 and Kilcaven No. 2. He must have a response from each of the crossings before clearing RS 2 signal, otherwise he must caution the train when handing over the staff to the driver and then clear the signal.

When a train is approaching from Wellington Bridge the Rosslare Strand signalman requests RS 1 signal, which will only clear to a proceed aspect if Grange Big level crossing is closed against road traffic and the Fortress keys inserted in the panel at the gates and the Rosslare Line signalman has requested the route. RS R1 signal is a repeater for RS1 – in effect a distant signal, and will display either a yellow or double yellow aspect depending on RS 1. RS1, also designated RL 569, will only display a proceed aspect if the Rosslare Line signalman has requested the route into the station.

END OF AN ERA

The Rosslare Line project eliminated two signalling features, the last Electric Train Staff switching out apparatus and the last lock-up key in a lever frame. It is worth noting that Wicklow up home had the second last mechanical ‘repeater’ signal. Only Roscrea up home retains such a signal.

ETS SWITCHING OUT APPARATUS

Given that this is the end of an economic method of the safe operation the railway, it is worth recording the detail of its working. The arrangement allowed Gorey signal cabin to switch out and safely establish a ‘long’ section between Arklow and Enniscorthy. This was worked by an E pattern staff. The Arklow-Gorey short section was worked by a B pattern token while the Gorey-Enniscorthy short section was C pattern. There were two sets of switching-out equipment, one in Enniscorthy and another in Gorey. There were, of course, two ETS instruments in both Arklow and Enniscorthy – one for ‘short’ section to Gorey and one for the ‘long’ section between the two. The system was worked on a single wire for the long section and one wire for each of the short sections.

When it was necessary to switch out Gorey cabin, the signalman first ascertained that the sections either side were clear and the staffs were in their respective instruments. The signalman would then give the special bell-code signal 2-2-2 to Arklow, who would acknowledge by repeating the bell-code signal and hold down the tapper key on the last beat, whereupon the Gorey signalman would withdraw the Arklow section starting signal key and an Gorey-Arklow staff and place it in Slide No. 3. This would release the slide, which the signalman would draw out halfway. He would then set the road for through running, pull out slide No. 1 and then pull Slide No. 3 out fully and withdraw the key for the starting signal in the Arklow direction. The signalman would then pull off all main line up and down signals.  Switching out was then complete and the bell-code 7-5-5 (signal cabin closing) would be given to Enniscorthy. Before going off-duty the signalman had to ascertain that all was in order for the long section working.

At Enniscorthy the signalman obtained the short section staff in the usual way by giving the special bell-code 2-2-2 on the Gorey instrument and turned the starting signal key to normal (Danger). He then placed the staff in Slot No. 2 and drew the slide. This was followed by the special bell-code being given on the Arklow long section instrument. The Arklow signalman repeated the bell code and held down the key on the last beat where upon the Enniscorthy signalman pushed in Slide No. 1 and withdrew the Arklow-Enniscorthy long section staff from the control apparatus. The long section staff was then placed in the long section instrument, putting it ‘in phase’. The signalmen at each end of the long section were then required to withdraw and replace a staff at each end to prove the system was working correctly.

To switch from long-section to short-section, the signalman at Enniscorthy had to ascertain if both Gorey and Arklow were ready for the switch-in. He then gave the special bell-code 4-2 on the long section instrument, which was acknowledged by the Arklow signalman who held down the tapper key on the last beat allowing Enniscorthy to withdraw a long section staff and turn the starting signal key to normal position (Danger). This was placed in Slot No. 1 of the control apparatus and the slide was then drawn out. Slide No. 2 could then be pushed in and the short section staff removed and then restore it to the short section instrument followed by the bell-code 2-5. Normal working was then restored.

At Gorey, all the up and down signals were restored to danger and the respective starting signal keys replaced in the ETS instruments. A special bell-code 4-2 was given to Enniscorthy and a staff for the section obtained. This was placed in Slide No. 4 and the slide pulled out. Slide 3 was pushed in halfway and Slide No. 1 was pushed in followed by Slide No. 3 pushed in fully followed by Slide No. 4. The two ETS staffs for the short sections were then withdrawn from the switching out apparatus and placed in their respective instruments. Bell signal 5-5-5 was then given to Arklow and Enniscorthy indicating that short-section working was restored.

Should shunting be necessary at Gorey during long section working, this was possible by replacing all the main line signals to Danger and placing the long section token in Slide No. 2 and drawing out the slide. Slide No. 1 was then pushed in and the lever frame could then be worked. On completion of the shunting the points were restored for the through line, Slide No. 1 had to be pulled out and all main line signals cleared. Slide No. 2 was then pushed in and the long section staff withdrawn allowing the train to proceed to the next block post.

LEVER FRAME LOCKUP KEY

At the Dublin end of Gorey station layout a ground frame controlled the goods siding. When it was necessary to work the siding points the signalman had to withdraw the key from the lever frame, which limited what he could then work from the cabin – it was basically to just allow trains leave from either the up or down lines towards Enniscorthy. The two-lever ground frame has lever No. 1 released by the key and then lever No. 2 could operate the crossover into the siding. Movements in this situation were hand signalled as no ground discs were provided. On completion of any shunt movement the crossover would be normalised and the ground frame locked up and the key returned to the signal cabin lever frame.

CLOSURE PROCEDURE

The standard method of closing a line for re-signalling was followed. The Waterford District Traffic Executives followed the 07:40 Rosslare Harbour-Dublin train collecting a staff for each section before taking them to the signalman at Wicklow. The final staff – Wicklow-Rathdrum – was withdrawn by the Wicklow signalman, who then exchanged the 7 pause 5 pause 5 bell code (signal cabin closing)  with his Rathdrum colleague forever silencing the Electric Train Staff system on the line after 120 years. The Wicklow signalman then took control of the line to Rosslare Harbour buffer stops and immediately granted the Divisional Engineer absolute possession of the railway from the Wicklow down starting signals to Rosslare Harbour. Work began immediately on all stations to effect the changeover. At Rosslare Europort the line to the pier was disconnected and the track was slewed by earth moving machines to connect it to the line serving the new platform. At the same time the ETS instruments were recovered from the signal cabins, except Gorey, for storage.  Gorey signal cabin is being retained as it was at the closure for preservation in situ.

The possession for the Rosslare Strand-Wellington Bridge section was granted by the Rosslare Strand signalman and for protection purposes the up starting signal No. 8 was retained as was the down distant (No. 26) and home signal from Wellington Bridge (No. 20). These were removed after the possession was handed back.

In order to test any new signalling system a locomotive or railcar is required to operate over the sections and routes at each station. With major permanent way work at Rathdrum and the bridge work on the southern approach to Enniscorthy, locomotive No. 077 was placed in a siding at Rosslare Europort before the closure. It could then test the south end of the line starting on Wednesday 23 April – the tenth day of the closure. The new station skirts the hill leading to the village and terminates at the turntable. The first connection to the pier was provided in 1882 by the Waterford & Wexford Railway and much improved in the great F&RR&HCo. scheme completed in 1906.

At the close of services on Friday 25 April, the possession was extended from Wicklow to Greystones under the control of the Greystones signalman. This facilitated the fitting of point motors and testing of the Wicklow interlocking.

On Saturday night 26 April, the possession was further extended to Bray to facilitate the moving of the existing Greystones (GS) signalling to the Rosslare Line (RL) signalling system. This possession was granted by the CTC signalman who also took over the existing possession between Greystones and Rosslare Europort. This involved moving the electrical connections for the trackside equipment from the old GS interlocking to the new RL one, the only visibility on the ground was the change of signal identity plates from GS to RL.

COMMISSIONING

It was planned to commission the new signalling at 23:59 on Sunday 27 April, but progress was such that the Signal Engineer signed the new signalling into use at 18:30, more than five hours early. At 18:39 the Person in Charge of the Possession (PICOP) handed back the possession to the CTC signalman. At 18:45 the Rosslare Line signalman at Greystones, Colin Jordon, took control of the line from the Bray Head automatic signals to Rosslare Europort buffer stops.  A test train, scheduled to work to Rosslare Europort and remain there to form the 05:25 service to Dundalk the following day, was altered to operate throughout as the 18:30 Connolly-Rosslare Europort. The road coaches for the substitute service were relegated to standby. This service therefore opened the new Rosslare Europort station on evening of 27 April 2008.

REMAINING MECHANICAL SIGNALLING

Following the closure of the Rosslare Line signal cabins there remains only nine standard ETS sections in use on the system:

The 14 remaining mechanical signal cabins in everyday use are Wellington Bridge, Waterford Central, Waterford West, Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Tipperary*, Limerick Junction North*, Limerick Junction South*, Limerick Check, Ennis*, Cork, Glounthaune* (usually switched out), Cobh*, and Navan. The five denoted with an * have plans approved to allow them close in 2009/10, thereby reducing the total to 8.

There are electric cabins at Little Island and Limerick Station – the former being part of the Cobh line re-signalling and closed on 13 October 2008 when the Cobh line sections become Cork-Glounthaune and Glounthaune-Cobh.

PERSONAL RECOLLECTION

It was at Rosslare Harbour that I began my railway career in June 1962, and immediately began researching the history of the port and the rail and shipping services, which was published in JOURNALS 42 & 43. At that time little had changed from the opening of the F&RR&HCo. scheme on 30 August 1906. The boats operated six days a week May to September and three days a week the rest of the year. The main traffic was Irish emigrants from the south of Ireland travelling between their Irish relatives and their work places in cities such as London, Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham. At Christmas and builders holidays in July the two vessels TSS St Andrew and TSS St David would arrive at 5.15am and 6am with up to 2,400 passengers in total, mostly using rail connections. Few passengers used the Fishguard route to access Dublin apart from those resident in West Wales. Two Cork expresses, two Limerick and two Dublin trains would connect with the ships arrivals.

Two train sets, with J-class locomotives, provided a Rosslare Harbour-Wexford 'local service' and I travelled on this service for three years to attend school in Wexford. On my last day of the Leaving Certificate examinations I travelled home on the return working of the steam-hauled, Saturdays Only, Waterford-Wexford market train – just 36 hours to go before I started my railway career.

I was a booking clerk at Rosslare Harbour for four years and when I joined there were more than 800 series of pre-printed tickets to destinations in Ireland, South Wales and England.  Under the F&RR&HCo Act all ticket sales at Rosslare Harbour were to be carried out by the Irish company of the day. Hence tickets from Rosslare Harbour to such places as Fishguard Harbour and London Paddington were headed Córas Iompair Éireann even though the passenger would never traverse CIÉ track! The monthly ‘return of tickets sold’ was forwarded to the British Railways Audit Section at Reading.

In 1963, a side loading ramp provided drive on/off facilities for motor cars and was really the beginning of the end of the traditional boat and train passengers. Also in that year, the little used stations between Rosslare Harbour and Greystones were closed. In 1967, the railway between Waterford and Mallow closed ending the Rosslare Express with its full dining car facility.

Perhaps my most interesting memory of my time at Rosslare Harbour was working occasionally at weekends as 'snatcher man' exchanging the tokens for the driver on specials trains, mainly to Claremorris for Knock. A typical trip would involve going with an empty train at 3am to places like Dungarvan, then all stations to Mallow collecting pilgrims before heading direct via Charleville and Croom to Limerick and on to Claremorris. At Claremorris the guard and snatcher man would book off for seven hours before booking on again in the evening for the return journey which often meant arriving home at 02:00. This was referred to as 'double booking' and being Sunday each booking was paid at twice the normal hourly rate.

I wish to thank the staff at the National Archives, Kew, for assistance in providing historic information.

Copyright © 2008 by Irish Railway Record Society Limited
Revised: January 04, 2016 .