Irish Railway Record Society

Glounthaune-Midleton Re-opening

OLIVER DOYLE, OPERATIONS SCHEMES DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, IÉ

The proposal for the re-opening of the Glounthaune-Midleton section dates back to a 1992 study – The Cork Land Use Transportation Study – generally referred to as the LUTS report. This was supplemented in a June 2000 report prepared for Irish Rail by Ove Arup & Partners - A Strategic Review of the Cork Suburban Rail Network. This was prepared in consultation with Cork Corporation and Cork County Council. When the Transport 21 investment program was being prepared, the re-opening of Glounthaune-Midleton was included and €75m allocated.

HISTORIC BACKGROUND

East Cork, in pre-railway days, was a very self contained agricultural area with a relatively sparse population though it does have its own diocese in both the Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland religions - Cloyne. The area is bounded to the east by the estuary of the River Blackwater, the south is on the broad Atlantic Coast and the Western side is along Cork Harbour and the River Lee. There were two towns of note, Midleton and Youghal. The latter has a long maritime history and in recent times is famed for carpet production, while Midleton is renowned for distilling producing Midleton Reserve – a fine whiskey.

The 1839-1845 25” Ordnance Survey maps show large residences dotted along the northern bank of the River Lee, surrounded by trees with lodges at the entrances from the main road along the river’s edge. Nearer to Cork were three terraces, Myrtlehill and Woodhill Terrace and Villas, close to the main road. All these features were to cause difficulty in getting space for the railway. As the residents of the terraces acquired motor vehicles, the lack of parking and standing room between the road and the railway at the three Woodhill level crossings posed a major problem for the railway. This was expected to get worse with the increase in train frequency following the introduction of the Midleton service.

The first proposal for a railway across East Cork was by the Cork & Waterford Railway supported by the Great Western Railway in Great Britain. However, this failed to materialise and a much smaller scheme, the Cork & Youghal Railway was promoted. The Bill received Royal Assent in 1854.

The line was opened in four sections:

Miles

Cork Summerhill-Dunkettle 1 Oct 1860    2 ³/₄

Dunkettle-Midleton            10 Nov 1859   9 ³/₄

Midleton-Killeagh              27 Feb 1860    7 ³/₄

Killeagh-Youghal              23 May 1860   6 ¹/₂

From the opening of the first section from Dunkettle until the Summerhill section became available, a horse drawn omnibus left King St, Cork, 40 minutes before a train was due to depart Dunkettle. Captain H. W. Tyler RE was appointed to inspect the line and did so on 4 November 1859 penning his six-page report that evening at Cork.

I have the honour to report for the information of the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade, that, in compliance with the instructions contained in your letter of 31^st ultimo I have today inspected the Cork and Youghal Railway between Dunkettle and Middleton [sic – this repeats throughout the report].

This is a single line 9¹/₄ miles long, commencing at a temporary terminus at Dunkettle 3¹/₄ miles from Cork and extending to a second temporary terminus at Middleton. Land has been purchased, and the bridges have been constructed, with a view to the line being doubled at a future period.

The permanent way is of a satisfactory description. The rail weight 64 lbs to the linear yard and are in lengths of 17, and 20 feet. They are of {} section and are fished at the joints, with wrought iron plates, and 4 screw bolts and nuts. Six fang bolts are employed to each rail, besides a proportion of jagged spikes, to secure them to the sleepers.

The sleepers are chiefly of Baltic timber, but partly also of larch, and laid transversely, two feet apart at the joints, and 3 feet elsewhere.

The steepest gradient has an inclination of 1 in 198, and the sharpest curve 60 chains.

There are nine bridges on the line with spans of 28 feet each, constructed with masonary, brickwork, cast-iron and timber. The railway passes over 4 openings of 20 feet each, carried by wrought iron plate girders, and there are three smaller bridges under the line, built with timber tops upon masonry abutments.

A level crossing, at 11m 27 ch from the fixed point at Cork, which is marked in the details furnished by the company as a public road appears to be only, as it is marked in the company’s book of reference, an occupation road. It leads from the coach road to 3 or 4 very small farmers, and a lodge and gatekeeper have been provided at the level crossing, in consequence of a decision of the Government Arbitrator.

This portion of railway is to be worked with a train-staff, to ensure safety on the single line; and I understand that a Certificate to that effect has been signed by the Chairman and Secretary, and either has been, or is to be, transmitted to their Lordships. The following matters still require to be attended to:-

The Killacloyne road to be fenced off from the railway and the traffic to be turned over a new bridge which has been constructed for it.

A mile of fencing to be supplied at a short distance from Middleton, and the fencing to be completed in time on other portions of the line, and the approaches connected with it.

A bridge and viaduct near Middleton to be strengthened with larger timbers placed under the rails; and these to be better secured to the planking than the present longitudinal timbers.

The drainage to be improved in the cuttings designated as Nos. 6, and 16.

The distant signals to be shifted to a considerably greater distance from the stations.

Larger disks to be placed as signals upon the level crossing gates.

The gates to be hung at the level crossing 11m 27ch from the fixed point.

A permanent water tank, which has been erected at Middleton, to be altered, so as to be 4 feet from the rails instead of being less than 3 feet from them, as a portion of it is at present.

A little rock to be taken from the sides of two rock cuttings near Middleton.

On account of these requirements, I have to report my opinion, that the opening of the Cork & Youghal Railway, between Dunkettle and Middleton, would, by reason of the imcompleteness of the works, be attended with danger to the public using the same.

The Engineer has, however, about 400 men; and ample materials; and he is confident of being able to complete these matters by Thursday next. At his urgent request, I have undertaken to go over the line again on that morning, and when I shall have done so, I propose to make a further report upon it for their Lordships’ information.

I have the honour to be

Your obedient servant

H. W. Tyler

Capt R. Engineers

The following day, 5 November, the C&YR’s Engineers Office at Cork wrote to the Board of Trade advising that Captain Tyler had agreed to remain in Cork until the 10^th inst. to see if certain requirements could be carried out for the proposed opening from Dunkettle to Midleton on 12 November. On the appointed date Captain Tyler re-inspected the line and in a short letter to the BoT, written in Cork, stated the C&YR ‘may now be opened without danger to the public’.

The initial section was opened by the Lord Lieutenant, the Earl of Carlisle, who also cut the first sod for the Queenstown Branch on the same day. The initial Summerhill-Dunkettle service was horse-drawn over temporary track and the line had to be closed after seven months – May 1861 to allow the permanent track to be laid. Eventually, on 30 December 1861, the first steam-hauled train left Cork (Summerhill) for Youghal.

Construction of the Queenstown Junction-Queenstown branch was slow as the Admiralty objected that Slatty and Belvelley viaducts would obstruct the navigation and this resulted in a six-month delay. The branch opened on 10 March 1862 and always had heavier traffic than the Youghal line.

The C&YR was never prosperous and was eventually sold to the Great Southern & Western Railway for £310,000 – about half the cost of its construction. The GS&WR began operating the line on 1 August 1865. After taking over the C&YR, the GS&WR altered the mileposts on the Cork-Queenstown line to read from Dublin (Kingsbridge) and Youghal became the branch with the MP 0 at Queenstown Junction.

In 1868 the GS&WR provided a connection with the C&Y section at Grattan Hill and in the following year the line between Cork and Queenstown Junction was doubled. When the footbridges giving access to the houses at Woodhill were constructed, they provided for double track. These bridges, Nos. 409-411, have attractive red brick abutments, incorporating a semicircular arch at the top, on which are the bed stones for the footbridge spans. The original spans are likely to have been of wooden construction, which were replaced by wrought iron structures about a century ago. On the river side, the approach steps have a landing half way and the railing is original wrought iron, though some modern strengthening has been carried out.

Double track from Queenstown Junction to Queenstown was completed in 1882.

On 1 July 1876, the Dublin-Cork day mail train was extended to Queenstown and continued until the Civil War when, on 8 August 1922, the bridges to Great Island were damaged. Local trains operated to Summerhill terminus until 2 February 1893 when they were transferred to the new Glanmire Road station. The track remained in situ and the right of way was maintained until the end of 1927 by running one train every year.

The Youghal branch had four or five passenger trains on weekdays with an additional ‘express’ service on Wednesdays calling at Midleton only and taking 45 minutes. There were two Sunday trains in Winter and numerous extras in Summer depending on demand. Until the late 1960s, several sets of 6-wheel carriages were stabled at Cork for Summer excursions.

Cobh always had a good service and as early as the Summer of 1863 a train left both Cork and Cobh on the hour throughout the day – an early regular interval timetable!

The Cobh Junction-Youghal section lost its passenger service and Dunkettle Station closed from 1 February 1963. On 17 March 1988, two football specials were the final trains to operate over the line. This was the occasion of the GAA Club Championships when Midleton were playing Athenry in the Hurling Final at Croke Park. Over 800 passengers travelled from Midleton in a Mk II and a Cravens set. One special was scheduled and the second was ‘if required’ but did run.

Some stations have had name changes; Queenstown became Cobh about 1925 and at the same time Queenstown Junction became Cobh Junction before being renamed again on 27 August 1994, becoming Glounthaune. I have not been able to ascertain the origin of the name Glounthaune as the area was known as New Glanmire early last century. Carrigtohill had a spelling change about 1910 altering it to Carrigtwohill. Midleton opened as Midleton, Ballinacurra & Cloyne but by 1910 was known simply as Midleton.

PLANNING THE RE-OPENING

The most important part of the planning for the re-opening was to prepare and application for a Railway Order, submit it to the Minister for Transport and then prepare submissions for the Public Enquiry which would follow. A fundamental of the application was to be able to operate a 15-minute service on both the Cobh and Midleton lines.

MYRTLEHILL & WOODHILL

The main obstacle to any significant increase in frequency between Cork and Glounthaune was the operation of the three level crossings - Woodhill No. 2 & 3 and Myrtlehill (Woodhill No. 1 having closed several years ago). Within 755 yards, between 165 miles 1,545 yards and 166 miles 540 yards, there were four level crossings, Myrtlehill, Woodhill Nos. 1, 2, & 3 – just south of Cork station. The application for the Order included the closure and replacement of the Woodhill level crossings by the construction of a bridge to span both lines and the adjacent N25 Cork-Waterford road. This involved landing one approach ramp in a section of the River Lee which had to be reclaimed and a T junction provided with the city bound carriage way of the N25. The Railway Order also empowered IÉ to eliminate user worked level crossings by providing alternative infrastructure.

Originally there were three terraces of houses and one large ‘gentleman’s’ residence between the rock-face and the river. When the former C&YR was converted to double line and space was tight, crossings with restricted visibility were provided. Little could be done to eliminate Myrtlehill level crossing, XC238, but to minimise the time the crossing is closed to road traffic it was converted to a four-barrier locally operated level crossing at 22:00 on Tuesday 28 July 2009. The existing slotted signal arrangements continue to apply but worked by a 3-lever ground frame, replacing the 5-lever one. The reduction was achieved by the wicket gates having been removed some time ago.

The new bridge, No. 409a, to eliminate the Woodhill crossings. is adjacent to bridge No. 409 (one of three distinctive footbridges) and is a bow-string steel arch structure with a cast concrete deck. The bridge was constructed on site and the concrete deck poured. Using a 600-tonne lift capacity crane, the bridge was lifted into position on Good Friday 8 April 2009 during a road closure and railway possession. The concrete abutments were cast in situ and faced with masonry. On the Woodhill Terrace side, the approach ramps are parallel to the railway the higher part of these were also precast and during the Cobh line closure, from 13 to 21 October 2008. Scaffolding was erected along the walls and abutment and eleven stone masons working side by side worked long hours to carry out the masonry facing.

However, during the preparatory work for the bridge on the River Lee site, some of the original masonry wall of the main road collapsed in the early afternoon of Wednesday 29 October and the main road had to be closed causing major road traffic disruption until sufficient back fill could be brought to the site to avoid the road collapsing. The road re-opened the following morning. It is expected the bridge will be opened for road traffic in November 2009 and the two Woodhill crossings closed.

In order to operate the new Midleton service before the road bridge opens, an improved signalling and communications arrangement was implemented at Myrtlehill and Woodhill.

Coupled with the conversion of Myrtlehill to a four-barrier crossing, the Cork Up Home signal CK109 was converted to colour light type and slotted with Myrtlehill. Cork Down Advance Starter has always been the protecting signal for Myrtlehill for down trains. When trains are departing Cork or Glounthaune, the relevant signalman telephones Myrtlehill level crossing keeper, who then closes the gates against the roadway. If a user requires to cross at Woodhill, there is a level crossing keeper in attendance who communicates with the Myrtlehill level crossing keeper and advises if the line is clear for the crossing. Meanwhile the Permanent Speed Restriction of 10mph through the crossing remains in place.

PERMANENT WAY

Route Description The new permanent way runs from MP 0 at Glounthaune to the Midleton siding buffer stop beyond MP 6¹/₄. The line speed is 60mph. There will be a double junction layout at Glounthaune and the two lines will merge some 600m beyond the junction thereby enabling two trains to cross on the branch – in fact the available train length will be in excess of 200m and the up and down signals will have full overlaps without fouling the points. The route is single track throughout with a long passing loop at Carrigtwohill. On the approach to Midleton station, at Midleton level crossing (known previously as Midleton Station Gates), there is a turnout to the down platform track. The total length of single track sections is 7,132 metres – 4.43 miles.

Route preparation The line had been derelict for nearly 30 years, the sleepers decayed, rails rusted and the track-bed contaminated by vegetation. First the track-bed had to be prepared by removing the old rail for scrapping and the sleepers for proper disposal, and then a 500mm layer of the old ballast and track-bed was removed. Considerable drainage works had to be then effected.

Ballast The ballast was delivered direct from two Munster quarries, Dermot Costello Quarry Products Ltd. and Bobby O’Connell & Sons Ltd. The initial layer of ballast, 29,000 tonnes, was part of the main civil engineering contract and spread on site by the delivering lorries. After the track was laid, a further 35,000 tonnes of ballast was spread by two contractors, Duffy and Doyle, using rail mounted hoppers and earth-moving machines. A total of 64,000 tonnes were used for the project. The average depth of ballast is 300mm below bottom of sleeper.

New Rail The new 54kg/m rail was supplied by Corus, Hyange, France, and the concrete sleepers were procured from Germany. The sleepers were first conveyed by barge up the Rhein to Rotterdam where they were transhipped to a sea-going vessel for the voyage to Dublin. The track is fixed to the sleepers by Vossloh fittings. This was the first project where all track welding were carried out by contractors. All tracks were tamped using the latest IÉ computer technology and all tracks had the Dynamic Track Stabiliser operate over them so as to minimise settlement and maintenance costs as soon as passenger services operate.

Points & Crossings The points and crossing were supplied by Corus Cogifur and assembled in situ. Concrete bearers, rather than wooden sleepers, were used throughout. Shallow switch blades on Schwihag rollers, now the standard on IÉ, were fitted to eliminate the need for slide chair lubrication. Crossings are cast manganese welded to the 54kg/m rail.

SIGNALLING

Originally it was planned to have the new Cobh line signalling completed before the re-opening of the Midleton line but, as this was not achieved, the existing layout at Glounthaune, installed in 1981, was retained and the associated signalling modified.

When the Cobh line signalling is being commissioned, the existing main line crossover and down line turnout will be renewed. The former down line turnout to the branch at the Cork end of the crossover will be restored. This will re-instate the double junction. Meanwhile the Cobh line is worked on the Absolute Block system using Harper’s Block Instruments with two sections, Cork-Glounthaune-Cobh. The only other occurrence of this working on IÉ is Waterford West-Waterford Central.

There is a loop at Carrigtwohill, with 1,898 metres between the turnouts allowing trains to cross at speed. Neither the up nor down lines have bi-directional signalling. The station is located at the western end of the loop and the turnout at the Midleton end is a long P21-28 allowing a speed of 60mph in both directions. However, at the Cork end there is a diverging speed limit of 30mph, but all trains stop at Carrigtwohill and would be slowing to stop.

At Midleton the main route is to the up platform, the station building side, while CE491 signal with a route indicator allows passenger trains arrive on No. 2 platform, though with the first timetable, the use of this platform will not be necessary. Both platform routes have a single aspect signal fixed at Danger at the Youghal end and there is a run-off beyond both of these signals to cater for any accidental over-run. Beyond the Platform No. 1 run-off, there is a trap points protecting the main road from a 221m-long siding for storing disabled trains, permanent way trains or on-track machines. There is no run-around facility and on the rare occasions when a permanent way train will operate over the branch a second locomotive will follow the train in and haul it back to Cork.

The signalling on the branch is operated by a standard Solid State Interlocking (SSI) supplied by Westinghouse, Chippenham, with the console and associated communications equipment in Glounthaune signal cabin. The SSI is located at Cork station. The signalling prefix is CE (Cork East). The existing 20-lever Railway Signal Company frame remains in use. The interface between the existing mechanical signalling and the new computerised signalling is by slotted signals. Up and down Cobh trains will continue to be mechanically signalled. To allow a down Midleton train leave Glounthaune platform, mechanical lever No. 16 must be pulled and the route set in the SSI system to have signal CE480 display a green aspect. In the up direction, the former branch outer home No. 4 has been converted to a colour light signal displaying either a red or yellow aspect.

As the Midleton signalling is not on a full CTC system, it is not possible to operate the Customer Information displays, so the signalman must advice the Mallow security monitoring person of service disruption so that announcements can be made.

BUILDINGS

The four platforms on the branch are 90m long – sufficient for four 21m–long suburban railcar vehicles (84m) plus 6m stopping leeway for the drivers.

Due to restricted space and access at the old Carrigtwohill station, it was decided to build a new station immediately to the west of the earlier station at MP 2¹/₂ complete with a 200 space car-park.

First the new up and down platforms were constructed using Z shape pre-cast concrete sections track-side while the back walls are of mass concrete with some concrete block sections. The space between was filled with sub-grade stone material and compacted, before a 100mm concrete sub-surface was laid followed by a 25mm tarmacadam finish surface. Two lift shafts were cast in situ and lifts were then installed. A footbridge supplied by Ballyhaile Ltd spans the two tracks. There are waiting shelters on both platforms with a capacity for 20 passengers. The former station building was restored and is in use as a signal and communications equipment room.

The existing Midleton platforms were sub-standard. First the existing gradient of 1:250 through the platforms had to be altered to 1:500 – the current standard. The up platform was completely rebuilt using Z sections while the down platform of mass concrete construction had its surface level altered in line with the revised track level. The same concrete slab and tarmacadam surface as in Carrigtwohill completed the platforms.

The original distinctive C&YR station building of red brick, with two chimney stacks of limestone and redbrick in addition to two of a simple design, was in poor condition. The building was completely gutted and the chimneys reconstructed in concrete block as far as the roof level from where the original design was replicated using new red brick and the original limestone pieces. A new roof and awning was incorporated. The reconstructed building contains SSI and Telecommunications equipment, as well a room for the electrical supply gear. The planning authority insisted that the former mechanical signal cabin be restored and this was completely rebuilt, including the brick base, using new materials. The signalling backup generator is housed on the ground floor with the former wooden operating floor being of concrete to ensure it is fire proof There is limited parking on the up side, but a 300-space car park is provided on the down side with lifts and a footbridge connecting both platforms.

BRANCH LEVEL CROSSINGS

The re-opening of a derelict railway requires all level crossings, particularly user-worked ones, conform to the latest standards in terms of visibility of trains by the users, and also volume of traffic over the crossing. Given that the line has a 60mph permanent speed restriction, the users must have approximately 20 seconds depending on several criteria. In the reconstruction of the railway some level crossings could not continue as U type without imposing permanent speed restrictions less than the line speed

 Before closure, there were two controlled level crossings between Glounthaune and Midleton – Water Rock (5miles 545yards) and Midleton Station Gates (6miles 380yards). These were re-instated as 4-barrier CCTV crossings remotely monitored from Mallow Level Crossing Control Centre. Ford level crossing (5miles 1,026yards), originally a user-worked crossing (U type), had a sufficient volume of road traffic to warrant re-instating as a 4-barrier CCTV remotely monitored crossing.

There were other user worked level crossings on the route, Harper’s Island gave access to the small island of that name – an important nature reserve – and was on a sharp curve which would have required a PSR if it were to remain. It was deemed cost effective to provide an overbridge (OB1A). Ballyrichardmore (4miles 1,440yards) was eliminated by the construction of a small length of public Road. Kennels level crossing was eliminated in the construction of the Midleton Inner Relief Road.

BRIDGES

The four masonry arch bridges which were being retained (OBs 2, 4, 6 & 8) had their parapets reinforced by steel bars inserted into holes drilled vertically through the parapet walls. On the approach ramps, cast concrete walls, with masonry facing, were constructed to mitigate the risk of vehicles entering the running line. All new overbridges are of concrete construction.

There is only one underbridge of any significance, that over the Owenacurra River, a relatively minor waterway near Midleton. The new concrete deck rests on the two original C&YR masonry piers of double track width but still awaiting the second line of rails 140 years later!

CORK STATION ISSUES

The transfer of services from the Summerhill line to Glanmire Road station necessitated some difficult track to engineer with minimum radius curves, about 175m, and crossing Lower Glanmire Road. Rising on a 1:79¹/₂ gradient from the three Cork Bay Platforms and passing a minimum distance from the corner of the locomotive shed, the line curves left over the bridge before turning right to join the track bed of the old C&YR adjacent to a sheer rock-face.

With only the Cobh line service to cater for, the trackwork was rationalised over the years and there is only a single track for a short distance leading to these platforms. Given that both the Cobh and Midleton lines will be signalled for four trains per hour in each direction, this single lead in to the platforms will need to be altered to double track in the future.

SECURITY & MONITORING

With the two branch stations being unstaffed, it was planned to have a new purpose built Security Monitoring Centre at Mallow Level Crossing Control Centre. When it was being developed a room was incorporated into the design for the Security Centre. It was also agreed that an increased number of Level Crossing Controllers would rotate between the level crossing and the security monitoring.

The SMC is staffed by one person continuously, who not alone monitors the 62 CCTV cameras, but makes station announcements, alters the customer information displays as required and responds to the two types of help points – Emergency and Information.

Copyright © 2009 by Irish Railway Record Society Limited
Revised: January 04, 2016 .