VOL. 27 FEBRUARY 2017 No. 192 JOURNAL OF THE...

JOURNAL OF THE

IRISH RAILWAYRECORD SOCIETY

VOL. 27 FEBRUARY 2017 No. 192

FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE:

ARIGNA TO ADOON, 14 JUNE 1936

DERAILMENT AT RUSH, 5 JANUARY 1963

PHOENIX PARK TUNNEL PASSENGER SERVICES

A TRIO OF SIDINGS, ST.JOHN’S, ATHY BRICK, AND SROUGHMORE

CONTENTS

A Tale of Three Sidings 194St. John’s Siding, Enniscorthy Norman Campion 195Athy Brick Yard Siding Barry Carse & Michael Walsh 200Sroughmore Siding Michael Walsh 202Obituaries 208IRRS London Area Meeting at Irish Embassy in London 212The Rush Derailment, 5 January 1963 Aidan Langley 214Achill Branch Communications Tom Wall 222Passenger Services through the Phoenix Park Tunnel Alan O’Rourke 227The Boyne Viaduct – Heritage Award Oliver Doyle 231GSR Special Arigna to Adoon, June 14 1936 Michael Davies 232Tramways restored – the story of a library book Tim Moriarty 23470th Anniversary Supper – Dublin 236Reviews 237, 256Observations and Comments 238Irish Railway News 239

Cover Illustration: On Tuesday 18 October 2016, the14:20 Dublin Heuston - CorkBelmond Grand Hibernian train isseen passing Mallow Hospital, Co.Cork during its last tour for the 2016season. (Photo © Finbarr O’Neill)

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ISSN 0332-4656

Hon. Editor:Position vacantHon. Asst. Editor:Position vacantEditorial Team:Barry CarseCiarán CooneyKieran MarshallMichael J. Walsh

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193

Former Tralee & Dingle locomotive No. 4T pictured with a train of cattle wagons, most likely in the mid 1950s. The location is not certain but may be near Drumshanbo, on the line towards Ballinamore. (Photo © Les Hyland - IRRSCollection)

VOL. 27 FEBRUARY 2017 No. 192

JOURNAL OF THE

IRISH RAILWAYRECORD SOCIETY

194

IntroductionIn the heyday of the railways as common

carriers, sidings were essential elements in thehandling of goods traffic. In Ireland, most goodssidings were features of stations handling bothpassenger and goods traffic. Stations catering forgoods only were relatively rare in Ireland, apartfrom the cities and some larger towns, e.g.Ballymena and Omagh, where freight was handledat a location separate from the passenger station.

Public service sidings, for the delivery orreception of specific traffics, were however

A Tale of Three SidingsST. JOHN’S, ENNISCORTHY; ATHY BRICK; SROUGHMORE

provided at more numerous locations, while privatesidings, catering for the needs of specific industriesor businesses, were also a feature of the railnetwork, and indeed a few still survive.

Barry Carse’s reference to Athy Brick Siding,Journal 191, p 175, has led to research into thatlong-gone facility, the second of our ‘three sidings”.Finally, Norman Campion’s article followingprompted further study of the ephemeral siding atSroughmore. Hence the third part of of our “Tale ofThree Sidings”.

GS&WR J15 Class No. 105 and J9 Class No. 251, both 0-6-0, as seen northbound on the No. 2 ballast train at the junction for the St. John’s siding, Enniscorthy, about 1961. (Photo © Drew Donaldson)

195

The former grain mill at St. John’s, on the southbank of the River Urrin immediately south ofEnniscorthy town, is understood to date from 1885,and to have replaced or incorporated features froman earlier water mill of 1858 on the same site.1 Aweir on the Urrin upstream of the mill site providedthe required flow of water for this water mill. TheUrrin also provided access to the mills from thelarger River Slaney for small vessels.

St. John’s Siding,serving the mill of thesame name of MessrsSamuel and Abraham GDavis, was located at MP781⁄2 on the Enniscorthy toWexford line, on thebanks of the river Slaneyapproximately 1 milesouth of Enniscorthy.

The siding wasconstructed as part of a‘barter deal’ proposed inNovember 1869 for theDW&WR extension southof Enniscorthy. Messrs S& AG Davis offered toforego a claim forcompensation for therailway to traverse theirlands at St John’s inexchange for theprovision of a siding totheir mill.2 ThomasEdwards, the contractorfor the Wexford extension,would undoubtedly haveconstructed the sidings aspart of his contract withthe DW&WR. The railsused for the siding at St.John’s were those from ashort branch that had beeninstalled at Sroughmore(between Rathdrum andAvoca) in 1865 to serve the Connorree MiningCompany, but which had ceased to be used in1869.3

The opening date for the St. John’s Siding hasgenerally been given as 18734, but Gerald Beesleybelieves it to be pretty certain that the ‘official’opening date of St John’s siding would have been

St. John’s Siding EnniscorthyS. & A.G. Davis Ltd.NORMAN CAMPIONwith additional material from MICHAEL WALSH, GERALD BEESLEY, DAVID HOUSTON and ERNIE SHEPHERD

17 August 1872, the same as that for the wholeextension to Wexford (Carcur), half a mile short ofthe present-day Wexford station, which opened in1874. However, it is just possible that some wagonmovements may have occurred betweenEnniscorthy and St. John’s once the Enniscorthytunnel had been completed.

The siding trailed in by a crossover from the Upside. A ground frame, released by a key on the

section train staff, not onlyoperated the connectingpoints to St. John’s siding butalso controlled Up and Downsignals interlocked with thepoints. At least in GSR days,the headshunt of the siding,alongside the main line, wasused by a Mr Kavanagh forhandling cement, tiles andgeneral traffic, for which aloading bank was provided.5This bank does not howeverappear in the earlier mapsfrom the 1900s.

The Kavanaghs were asuccessful local businessfamily, who lived in St. John’sHouse, approximately 1⁄2 milesouth of the Mill. In recentyears, the house became ahotel, under the name St.John’s Manor, but thissubsequently went out ofbusiness. Military training in“Kavanagh’s field” at St.John’s is recalled in materialfrom the Bureau of MilitaryHistory.6

Also on the St. John’s sitewas a foundry, established byThomas Jessop Davis, whichis believed to have remained

1 http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=WX&regno=156040262 Ernie Shepherd and Gerry Beesley, Dublin & SouthEastern Railway (Midland Publishing Limited, 1998), 21.3 Ibid, 21, 67.4 Ibid, 21,5 Ibid, 72, 117.6 http://cultura-project.eu/1916/?=artefact/WS1198

Extract from one-inch Ordnance Survey sheet 158 published 1902, based on a survey of 1898, showingthe Enniscorthy area. The St. John’s Mills Siding spuris to be seen where the River Urrin enters the Slaney.

196

A TALE OF THREE SIDINGS: ST. JOHN’S SIDING ENNISCORTHY - S. & A.G. DAVIS LTD.

St. John’s Bridge

Kavanagh’s Siding

St. John’s Mills

River Urrin

River Slaney

To Enniscorthy

To Wexford

MP951/2 l Hut

Ground Frame

Legend

Railway, 5’ 3” gauge

Public roads

A map derived from the 25” inch surveys available on the OSI Public Viewer, showing a diagrammatic representation of thetrack layout of the St. John’s Mills siding and in the yard at the St. John’s Mills, for the period 1900-1910 approximately,

197


St. John’s Bridge

River Urrin

River Slaney

To Enniscorthy

Legend


Public roads

St. John’s Mills

Foundry

Legend


Public roads

NotesPortion of siding A to B (80 yd) to be liftedPortion of siding B to C to be buriedCIÉ District Engineers Office, Waterford 10 May 1956

CP = CapstanBH = Boiler HouseGI = Grain Intake

River Urrin

Warehouse

MillGrain

StorageProposed new

buffer stop

Silos

GI

BH

GICPC

B

A

250’ APPROX.

80 yds

fuel oil. Dispatch of finished goods in the early dayswas by rail, later replaced by road transport, first bysteam lorry and then by diesel lorries. Most of thetrade was to local and county areas.

in operation until the early 1960s. Local manholecovers and other cast iron items are understood tostill bear the Jessop Davis or St. John’s Foundrymark.7

At St. John’s Mill, several tracks facilitated theintake of raw materials – grain and otheringredients for the production, plus coal for theboiler house. This provided power and heatingincluding grain drying. Later, coal was replaced by

7 http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=WX&regno=15604025

Top: Enlarged detail of the Mill yard in the 1900-1910period.

Bottom: A diagrammatic representation of the tracklayout at the Mills in 1956, derived from a CIÉ CivilEngineers’ drawing showing changes planned atthat time.

198


A view of the Mills site, taken from the north bank of the River Urrin, with traffic on the road from Enniscorthy town in theforeground. (Scanned from a framed print – courtesy Norman Campion)

A splendid view at the north end of Enniscorthy Station in the 1930s. 0-6-0 locomotive No. 446 of J8 Class is formerD&SER No. 66 Dublin, built by Beyer Peacock in 1912, and appears to be arriving with a short southbound goods. D19Class No. 44 is much older, a GS&WR 4-4-0 built at Inchicore in 1878. It survived until 1950. (Photo © WA Camwell -IRRS Collection)

199


Ordnance Survey maps from the early 1900sshow three parallel loop tracks, the southernmost ofwhich, along with a northward-extending stub,appears to have served the Foundry. In a drawing of10 May 1956 stamped by the District Engineer’sOffice in Waterford, the Foundry loop and stub areno longer shown. This 1956 drawing indicated theintention to remove the remaining loop track and tobury the longer stub track extending between thewarehouse and the Mill to the bank of the Urrin. It isnot at present known whether this final alterationwas carried out.

At this period, wagons with bagged ingredientswere off-loaded into the warehouse. Thosecontaining bagged grain were placed on theadjacent siding, where the contents were tipped intoan intake hopper, which brought the grain across tothe grain storage area. This wagon handling wasachieved by using a powered capstan and ropes formoving the wagons along the tracks and from oneline to another. Sometimes wagons were placed onthe track down the mill yard at a discharge point ata location originally used for unloading bagged graindelivered by sailing barges known as cotts fromcoastal shipping on Wexford Quays.

Most of the grain delivered by rail was collectedfrom the grain silos of R & H Hall in Waterford andcame via New Ross and Macmine Junction.Consignments of up to 300-400 tons of animal feedingredients were not uncommon and would mean40-50 wagons being delivered into the mill yard.

Wagons for the Mill were sorted and assembledin Enniscorthy station and then delivered to thesidings by the Enniscorthy pilot engine. At one time,up to three trips per day could be required, involvingthe movement of up to 50 wagons of flour.8

The goods trains listed in the June 1955 WTT(Working Timetable) make interesting reading. The03:20 goods from North Wall reached Enniscorthyat 14:50 hauled by a steam locomotive of LoadGroup E. At 15:40, a mixed train left for Wexford withonly a brief stop at Macmine Junction. This mixedtrain, mainly for school traffic, returned at 18:15 fromWexford. A steam locomotive of Load Group C wasbooked for the 20:40 Up night goods from Wexfordto North Wall. It called at Macmine from 21:10 until21:50, taking a connection from the 17:45 goodsfrom Waterford, which was allowed 1 hour forshunting at Macmine. These North Wexford goodstrains were worked by steam locomotives of LoadGroup J. The 21:20 Down night goods (Load GroupC) from North Wall reached Enniscorthy at 04:09and at Macmine made connection with the 04:45goods from Wexford to Waterford, so Macmine wasbusy between 05:00 and 06:05. The final goods trainto mention is the 07:15 from Enniscorthy to NorthWall worked by a locomotive of load class E, as inthe Down direction. From all the above, it is possibleto see that the pilot engine at Enniscorthy was inaction from 05:45 until 14:45 and from 19:30 to24:00. It was possible that the pilot engine wouldvisit St. John’s siding during the early shift while

wagons to and from Waterford would be worked viaMacmine on the Up and Down night goods and theNorth Wexford goods trains. There were two driversbased in Enniscorthy: Watty Millar andPrendergast.

Load Class E locomotives included:-623 (J5) Class 0-6-0 (former MGWR)442 (J8) Class 0-6-0 (former D&SER)249 (J9) Class 0-6-0 (former GS&WR)Load Class C locomotives included:-257 (J4) Class 0-6-0 (former GS&WR)461 (K2) 2-6-0 (former D&SER)355 (K3) Class 2-6-0 (former GS&WR)368 (K4) Class 2-6-0 (former GS&WR)The J8 included No. 444, former D&SER No. 18

named Enniscorthy. The 23-strong fleet of J5locomotives worked mainly on the Midland.

It is important to note that the inclusion of aparticular Locomotive Class in a Load Group doesnot mean that all locomotives of that Class couldbe used on any particular route. David Houstonpoints out that the J5 Class were prohibited fromoperating south of Dún Laoghaire. David alsoadvises that there is no evidence of the K3 or K4Classes having worked on the South Eastern. Inpractice, the Load Group C engines on the Downand Up Wexford night goods would have been Nos.461 and 462, and other former D&SER engines ofLoad Group E would have seen service on theEnniscorthy goods.

In May 1956, to use the language of the CIÉweekly circular, diesel-electric locomotive linkswere introduced on the D&SE. The locomotive ofthe 03:30 Down goods to Enniscorthy would formthe 19:30 Light Engine from Enniscorthy to Wexfordto work the Up night goods from there at 20:45.Similarly a DE light engine would leave Wexford at06:15 (not in the WTT) to work the 07:15 goods toNorth Wall.

The North Wexford between New Ross andMacmine was closed completely with effect fromMonday 1 April 1963, thereby severing the routefrom Waterford, and closure of St. John’s Sidingfollowed in 1965. So far as is known, no passengertrain ever operated onto the Siding.9

That is the story of St. John’s Siding atEnniscorthy. There were many other private sidingsin the area and it is hoped to cover these in anotherforthcoming article. Many thanks to Ernie Shepherdand Barry Carse for their help.

8 Ernie Shepherd and Gerry Beesley, Dublin & SouthEastern Railway (Midland Publishing Limited, 1998), 72,117.9 Tom Wall, IRRS Outings, (IRRS unpublished).

200

In Journal 191, p175, Barry Carse noted “that the(1946) WTT (working timetable) listed the Athy BrickSiding, but no trains were booked to serve it. It waslocated a little over a mile north of Athy station, onthe Up side, and was accessed by a facing turnoutcoming from Athy.”

Research in the Society’s collection of GS&WRcirculars and timetables hasprovided more information onthis little-known and long-forgotten siding, whileOrdnance survey maps fromthe early 20th century alsoallow the layout at thislocation to be established.

The same research hasalso enabled us to providedefinitive information on thesingling of the line betweenCherryville Junction andCarlow to provide rails for theAthy & Wolfhill CollieryRailway and the Castle-comer Colliery Railway.

START OF SERVICE TOATHY BRICK YARD

SIDINGThe Siding was not listed

in the station bank for theCarlow line in the WTT fromNov 1, 1899 until furthernotice. In the next followingissue of the WTT in the IRRScollection, that dated fromJun 1, 1900 until furthernotice, the Siding appearedfor the first time.

There are no weeklyGS&WR circulars in theIRRS collection from before 1901. There aresporadic circulars from 1901-1910. The first full setis for 1910. Thus it is not possible to determine adate of installation for this Siding from circulars.

In the 1900 WTT, the Siding was served, in theUp direction only, by an evening 20:50 “all stations”goods from Bagenalstown to Kingsbridge, whichwas scheduled to spend 40 minutes at the “ATHY(Brick Siding)” – 23:15-23:55. In the WTT fromNovember 1902 to February 1903, this train now leftKilkenny at 18:45, was at Athy from 23:23 to 00:48,and served the “Bk. Sd.”, as the WTT by nowreferred to it for just 10 minutes, from 00:53 to 01:03.The detailed timings varied slightly over the years,but the call at the Brick Yard Siding was always alate-night event. The siding had a short headshunt,and presumably wagons were moved to and from

Athy Brick Yard SidingBARRY CARSE & MICHAEL J WALSH

the Brickworks by horse, the locomotive merelyworking wagons to and from the headshunt.

REMOVAL OF ATHY BRICK YARD SIDINGCONNECTION

GS&WR Circular No. 1566 for week endingSaturday, 14 September, 1918 records, under the

heading CASTLECOMERCOLLIERIES’ RAILWAY, that onSunday, 14 September, 1918,the Down line Kildangan – Athywas to be dispensed with andETS (electric train staff)introduced over former Up line.Loop facing points were to beprovided at Kildangan from theAthy direction and the Athy BrickYard Siding connection was tobe removed. The records for1917-18 are not necessarilycomplete, but the final WTT inthe Society’s collection to showa train calling at the “Bk. Sd.” isdated March 1917 (presumably1 March, but that is not stated).The next WTT in the collection isnot until December 1918. Thecirculars may enable an earlierdefinitive date for cessation ofservice to the siding to beestablished, but with thedisconnection of the siding on 14September 1918, it couldcertainly not have had anyservice after that date. Despitethis, Athy Brick Yard Sidingremained listed in the WTTs, formore than another forty years,until at least 1957!

SINGLING FROM CHERRYVILLE JUNCTION TOCARLOW

GS&WR Circular No. 1497 for week endingSaturday, 19 May, 1917 records that on Sunday, 3June, 1917, the Down line Athy – Mageney was to bedispensed with and ETS introduced over the formerUp line.

Circular No. 1500 for week ending Saturday, 9June, 1917 records, under the heading ATHY ANDWOLFHILL COLLIERY RAILWAY, that on Sunday, 3June, 1917, the Down line Mageney – Carlow was tobe dispensed with and ETS introduced over the formerUp line. The work must not have been done on thisdate, because precisely the same entry appeared inCircular No. 1501 for the following week endingSaturday, 16 June, 1917, with the singling now to becarried out on Sunday, 10 June, 1917.

l MP43

l MP431/2

l MP44

l MP45

An extract from Ordnance Survey one-inch Sheet128 revised 1898, published 1900, and printedfrom transfer to stone 1904. Relevant railway mile-posts have been inserted. The Brick Works isshown to the left of MP431⁄2, on the west side of theroad. At the time of the survey, the siding had notbeen installed.

201

A TALE OF THREE SIDINGS: ATHY BRICK YARD SIDING

Athy Brick Works

Barrowford Townland

Barrowford House

To CherryvilleJunction

To Athy

Foot Bridge

Pump House

Level Crossing(field access)

Field Track

l MP431/2

Tramway

Riv

er B

arro

w

Legend


Tramway, gauge unknown

Public roads

Athy Brick Works

To Athy

Foot Bridge

Level Crossing

Legend


Tramway, gauge unknown

Tramway

Kiln

KilnChy.

Chy.

Chy.

Public roads

To CherryvilleJunction

Athy Brick Works, overall site layout, based on OS 25” Maps from 1900-1910. The presence of the “tramway”, presumably to bring clay to the factory, is interesting, and where it terminates, there some kind of feature continuing tothe bank of the River Barrow, perhaps a ditch, as a footbridge is shown across it.

Athy Brick Works, detailed layout of GS&WR Siding and Brick Works, based on OS 25” Maps from 1900-1910. The junction arrangement with the then double track Cherryville Junction-Athy section is surprising, in particular the facingcrossover. The first reaction might be to suspect a mapping error, but the OS have proven to be remarkably accurate intheir surveying work, and in other instances where a railway or tramway track arrangement was thought to be improbable, independent verification of the accuracy of the mapping has been forthcoming.

A new signal cabin at Athy was commissioned onSunday, January 27, 1918, (Circular No. 1534 forweek ending Saturday, 9 June, 1918) and thesingling between Kildangan and Athy followed on 14September, as reported already above.

In the final stage, on Sunday, November 24, 1917(Circular No. 1577 for week ending Saturday,November 24, 1918), the Down line CherryvilleJunction – Kildangan was dispensed with and ETSintroduced over the former Up line, with ETSinstruments in Cherryville and Kildangan cabins.Thus initially Kildangan retained its second platform

and a working loop. By the time of the 1935 Appendix,Kildangan had only one platform in use, as was thecase from then on up to closure. It was demoted to aHalt in the early 1930s, appearing for the first time asKildangan Halt in the WTT effective from 1 July 1932.

The date when Kildangan ceased to be a crossingplace and lost its signal cabin remains to beestablished. Most likely, however, this took placeduring the great wave of singling and weeding-out ofredundant crossing loops that was carried out by theGSR between 1925 and 1930.

202

BACKGROUNDReceipt of Norman Campion’s paper on St.

John’s Siding sparked the thought of linking it with anaccount of the Sroughmore Siding, of which little isknown; not surprising as it went out of use around150 years ago! But research through mining andindustrial archaeology reports and old maps, as wellas inspection on the ground, turned up someinteresting information and suggested an alternativelocation for this siding from that generally quoted.

RAILWAY HISTORY REFERENCESIn his invaluable series of papers in what the Irish

railways were doing 100 years earlier, GR Mahonprovided the following references to SroughmoreSiding:

“At Shroughmore [sic], south of Rathdrum, asiding was installed for the Connorree Mining Co.’smineral traffic to Kingstown.” 1

“The Connorree Mining Co. siding near Avocawas ordered to be taken up and this was dulydone.” 2

“The Connorree Mining Company asked for therestoration of its siding, about 21⁄2 miles north ofOvoca, which had cost about £450 to lay; therequest was refused as ‘unadviseable’.” 3

Shepherd and Beesley provide the followingdetails:

“In June 1865, an estimate for £419.2s.2d wassubmitted by Cotton & Flemyng for a short branch tothe Connorree Mining Company; this was providedbut was short-lived, being taken out in 1869 due tonon-payment of charges.” 4

“A short branch was installed at Sroughmore forthe use of the Connorree Mining Company in 1865,being removed four years later due to non-paymentof carriage charges.” 5

“On the down side, a mile beyond Rathdrum,

Sroughmore SidingMICHAEL J WALSH

sidings were installed in 1901 for the Balleece QuarryCompany. Two miles further on, there was a siding atConnorree which was in operation between 1864 and1869 in connection with the adjoining mines.Cronebane or Tigroney siding, a little over a milebeyond Connooree, had a somewhat longer and moresuccessful existence.” 6

Shepherd and Beesley also provide the followingdistance data for the Rathdrum-Avoca section:7

m. ch. location37.24 Rathdrum38.17 Balleece Siding40.20 Connorree Siding41.30 Cronebane Siding42.66 Ovoca (Avoca from 1912)Johnson8 has exactly the same distances,

suggesting that his data is from the same source. Thedistance given between “Connorree” Siding and Avocais thus 21⁄2 miles, as per Mahon.

MINING REPORT REFERENCESAn account 9 of the Connarree [sic] Mine from

l MP37

l MP38

l MP39

l MP40

SROUGHMORE

CONNOREEMINE SITECONNARY

UPPER

l MP41

l MP42

MP401/4

Figure 1. An extract from Ordnance Survey one-inch mapping, c. 1900. Relevant railway mileposts along withother data, viz. some townland names and the site of theConnary Mine, have been inserted.

1 George Mahon, “Irish Railways in 1865”, IRRS Journal45 (1968): 175.2 George Mahon, “Irish Railways in 1869”, IRRS Journal55 (1971): 773 George Mahon, “Irish Railways in 1871”, IRRS Journal63 (1971): 1864 Ernie Shepherd and Gerry Beesley, Dublin & SouthEastern Railway (Midland Publishing Limited, 1998), 21.5 Ibid, 67.6 Ibid, 115.7 Ibid, 154.8 Stephen Johnson, Johnson’s Atlas & Gazetteer of theRailways of Ireland (Midland Publishing Limited, 1997),85.9 JB Jukes and GV du Noyer, Memoirs of the GeologicalSurvey (Longmans 1869), 43. Available athttp://www.geologicalmaps.net/IrishHistMapsDownload/B02071.pdf.

203

A TALE OF THREE SIDINGS: SROUGHMORE SIDING

1869 describes the main shaft as at the summit of thehill and being about 85 fathoms deep. Copper hadformerly been recovered, but the mine was then beingworked for sulphur ore.

A further Memoir of 1888 reports that the Connary[sic] Mine is now abandoned, but that “Some fewyears ago an endless wire rope was put up, to beworked by a turbine erected near Sroughmore oldglebe house, the wire rope running on pulleys toConnary engine shaft, a distance of over a mile. Thismode of pumping water from the mine has been quitea failure, and the works, as already stated, are nowabandoned”. 10

Remarkably two of the towers than carried thisrope survive, and a third is located in a tipped-overcondition at the Connary mine site. 11

The 1888 Memoir also incidentally notes that “Theremains of a tramway to Arklow is still in existence asfar as Newbridge”. 12

A third (and final for the present study) “Memoir”published in 1922 provides an overview of the historyof Connary (aka Connaree, Connery, Connarree andConnoree, but not apparently Connorree as perMahon, and Shepherd and Beesley.13 However, asection of “Connorree” was deposited in 1876 in theHome Office as that of an abandoned mine. In the1869 Memoir, the Company is sometimes called theConnary Mining Company, but its official name seemsalways to have been the Connorree Mining Company.The 1869 Memoir also has Sroughmore in the text,but Shroughmore in its Index! Production of copperat Connary was 3,682 tons of ore in 1863, but only79 tons in 1865. The final record of any kind of outputfrom the mine was in 1885 (98 tons of “bluestone”).14

MAP REFERENCESThe extract from a one-inch map of the early

1900s (Fig. 1), with mileposts marked, shows that ifthe Connorree Company’s Siding was indeed 21⁄2miles north of Avoca, then it would have beenbetween the crossing of the Avonmore River justsouth of MP40 and the “Lion’s Bridge”, just north ofthe “Meeting of the Waters”. The railway is, in thissection, on a low embankment. There is no indicationon the larger scale maps from this period of any likelysite for a siding, or indeed any obvious road accessto the lineside. Also the railway here runs through the“Meetings” townland, the Sroughmore townland beingsome 11⁄2 miles to the north.15

So where was the siding? Going back to GeorgeMahon’s first mention of it, it would seem that theSroughmore townland is likely to be the best place tolook. Fig. 2 is derived from the incomparably usefuland informative Ordnance Survey Ireland publicviewer website16, which allows inspection of historic25” maps from the 1900-10 period, along with earlier6” maps and aerial photographic data from 1995-2005.

Fig. 2 shows most of the Sroughmore townlandand to its south, part of Connary Upper. The Connarymine site extends over parts of both townlands. Theline of the endless rope drive is also marked on the

map, as well as the locations of the towers whichcarried it, all of which are indicated on the 25” mapsas then in situ. The two towers surviving as of 2014are specifically identified. The north end of the ropedrives allows the likely location of the turbine to bepinpointed.

Fig. 3 is an enlargement of the area in the vicinityof the turbine, and is of exceptional historical interest.We can see what appears to have been the headrace to the site of the turbine, commencing at theRathdrum No. 2 Tunnel alongside the railway,passing under the railway by way of a bridge, whichstill exists, as well as the tail race leading back to theAvonmore River, at right angles to the head race.

The Sroughmore “old glebe house” and theroadway leading to it are not clearly indicated in the25” map, but information from the pre-railway 6” maphas been added, as indicated. It appears that by the1900-10 period, the old glebe house was no longerin use as a residence, the roadway to it no longerbeing shown as such.

Most interesting from the railway point of view isthe roadway curving away from the railway,immediately south of the Rathdrum No. 3 Tunnel,directly at the Sroughmore townland boundary. Aftera gentle initial curve away from the railway, it crossesover a small stream by way of a bridge or culvert,and then runs in a straight line, with a relatively widealignment, to a location beyond the end of the headrace, where it becomes an unfenced and morewinding track. The portion running from the railwayhas a fence on its eastern side, but is marked asmostly unfenced on the western side.

The stream bridged by this alignment seems topass over the turbine head race, but it may be thatby the time of the 1900-10 survey, the head and tailraces may have been largely dry. There alsoappears to be a small bridge over this stream,possibly a footbridge, at the railway underbridge.

10 E Hull and RJ Cruise, Memoirs of the GeologicalSurvey (HMSO 1888), 29, 30. Available athttp://www.geologicalmaps.net/IrishHistMapsDownload/B02083.pdfDownload/B02083.pdf.11 Wicklow - County Geological Site Report – Avoca -Sroughmore. Available at https://www.gsi.ie/NR/rdonlyres/8F792381-38B4-45B2-9FFA-C9FABBDEE73C/0/WW005_Avoca_Sroughmore.pdf12 E Hull and RJ Cruise, Memoirs of the GeologicalSurvey (HMSO 1888), 34.13 GAJ Cole, Memoirs of the Geological Survey(Stationery Office, Dublin, 1922), 33. Available athttp://www.geologicalmaps.net/IrishHistMapsDownload/B02083.pdfDownload/B02138.pdf.14 Ibid, 115.15 https://www.townlands.ie/ provides boundary maps formany Irish townlands. For Sroughmore, seehttps://www.townlands.ie/wicklow/arklow/castlemacadam/cronebane/sroughmore/16 Access point http://maps.osi.ie/ publicviewer/#V2,578432,756724,0,10

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SROUGHMORE

CONNARY UPPER

Tower existing 2014

Possible site of old glebe house

Rive

r Avo

nmor

e

Tower existing 2014

Connary Mine Workings

Legend

Railway

Endless rope

Tower for rope

Public roads

Non-public roads

Non-public roads notshown on 25” map

Figure 2. An enlargement of the top left hand region of the previousmap. The railway is shown from the Rathdrum No. 3 Tunnel to whereit has crossed to the west bank of the Avonmore, along with the various watercourses shown on the 1900-1910 25” maps, namely theheadrace, the tailrace, and the culvert or ditch running down to theAvonmore alongside the railway. The alignment curving away from therailway immediately south of the No. 3 Tunnel and then continuing ina straight line to a location beyond the end of the headrace stands outas a highly artificial construct in this hilly countryside. The two under-bridges, that beneath the railway for the headrace, and that where theculvert passes under the alignment, are also shown.

Opposite: Figure 3. A map of the Sroughmore and Connary Mine area,based on OS 25” Maps from 1900-1910. The probable site of the oldglebe house is indicated, along with the route of the wire rope powerdrive between the turbine and the mine. On the 1900-1910 maps, allof the towers appear to have been still in existence, but by the time ofthe Wicklow Geological Site Report, c. 2014, only two were remained.These are specifically indicated.

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Legend

Railway

Endless rope

Tower for rope

Non-public roads

Non-public roads notshown on 25” map

Possible site of old glebe house

Roadway not shown on 25” map

Possible site of turbine

Curved alignment

Cutting

RathdrumNo. 3 Tunnel

RathdrumNo. 2 Tunnel

Embankment

Straight alignment

Culv

ert o

r str

eam

Tailrace

Hea

drac

e

Rive

r Avo

nmor

e

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A Google Earth view of the area shown in the detailed map on the previous page. The courses of the head- and tailracescan be clearly identified, and the artificiality of the alignment extending from the railway is again apparent.

A photograph of the above location in 2016, taken from the nearest public road. The linear alignment has now beenbrought into use as a farm road, since 2005, extending to the right from the bales. The underbridge over the former headrace, long since out of use, survives, and can be seen towards the right of the earth field. (Photo © Michael J Walsh)


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There are some buildings on the river side of therailway near the No. 3 Tunnel, which were possiblyaccessed on foot by way of this bridge and throughthe rail underbridge.

The present diagrammatic maps have beenprepared to illustrate those features relevant to thepossible site of the siding, but the material on the OSIwebsite contains a wealth of additional detail.Reference to the web material is stronglyrecommended.

So have we found the true location of theSroughmore siding? The gentle diverging curvefollowed by the longer straight section fits the bill. Alsoat the point of divergence from the line, theembankment height in the eastern side of the line isquite low, as the railway leaves the mouth of the No.3 Tunnel, but could have been built up sufficiently atthe time the siding was connected, if this was indeedits location.

So what does the site look like today? Throughthe miracles of Google Earth, we can now inspect thissite by way of a satellite image, Fig. 4. The informationfrom this is quite astonishing. The lines of thesometime headrace and tailrace can be clearly seenin the field between the suggested siding alignmentand the railway. The curve between the suggestedsiding location towards the railway is very evident.There is a hint of the culvert under this roadway, atthe field boundary.

Also apparent is a more recent deviation by whichthe current roadway on this suggested sidingalignment climbs onto the hillside above the No. 3Tunnel. This development appears to be quite recent,because there is no roadway on the alignment in the2005 ortho view (aerial photograph) on the OSIwebsite.

Fig. 5 is a photograph taken from the public roadsoutheast of the site. The underbridge on the railwaycan be clearly seen, while the suggested alignment ofthe siding can be seen as now in use as a farm road.

SROUGHMORE SIDING?Have we located Sroughmore Siding? Possibly,

but a cautious verdict would be “not proven”. Somepress reports of AGMs of the Connorree MiningCompany for the early 1860s suggest a thrivingbusiness, but the collapse in output for 1865 paintsanother picture. Did the Company make a final effortto retrieve the fortunes of its failing business? Wedon’t currently know when the endless rope andturbine were installed, but if this dated from the mid-1860s, then, for the new DW&WR, opened in 1863,the possibility of inward traffic to the ConnorreeCompany for the building of this venture would surelyhave been attractive? Possibly sufficiently attractive toconstruct a siding at a rather remarkable location,immediately at the end of a short tunnel and on asteep hillside above the Avonmore River.

The Cronebane Siding, installed in 1884, was alsolocated at a constrained location, and while the railsof this siding were still visible into the 1960s, themines which it was to serve had been largely

abandoned even by the time of the 1888 Memoiralready adverted to, so it didn’t have much moresuccess than Sroughmore.

It seems likely that further press reports of theacitivities at Connary may exist, because given thenature of the wire rope project, it must have attractedinterest at the time. Also its lack of technical successwould surely have been recorded in the mining orengineering press. It was essentially a largescaleversion of a belt drive, or a flying rope drive as usedfor overheard cranes. Perhaps the deficiency was inthe turbine rather than the concept, because theavailable head to drive the turbine at theSroughmore site can hardly have been very great.

Wire rope power transmission was usedsuccessfully in Switzerland in the 1860s17 and oneinstallation has survived. A similar drive was alsoused for the Sassi-Superga hill railway in Turin, usingthe Agudio system, in which a driving cable ran alongthe side of the track and passed around two largepulleys on each side of the drive car. The pulleysdrove cog wheels that propelled a train made up ofthe drive car (only occupied by the driver and abrakeman) and up to three passenger cars.

All such rope drives were attempts to supplyenergy to points distant from where the energy wasgenerated, but when electricity came along, mostsuch schemes were superseded, because electricitywas so much more convenient.

SROUGHMORE AND CONNARYApart from the location of the siding, the

Sroughmore and Connary areas are of interest fortheir industrial archaeology. The mine site atConnary, although not accessible to the public, is anexample of a largely unchanged, small 19th centurymining complex.

The hamlet at Connary, some 700 feet above sealevel, is attractive in its own right, with a small Churchof Ireland (Anglican) church, still in use. There hasbeen the idea for many years of developing a “minestrail” through this spectacular but little known area,which is nonetheless only a few miles from theWexford motorway.

CONCLUSIONIt is hoped that this short account may encourage

researchers with special knowledge of the mininghistory of this area to delve further into the story ofthe Sroughmore site, and especially the wire ropedrive. We would hope at some time to be able tocomplete the story of Sroughmore and its siding.

17 http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2013/03/the-mechanical-transmission-of-power-3-wire-ropes.html

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JOHN O’MEARA (1921-2016)Born on 16 October 1921, John O’Meara lived

in Ballymote, Co. Sligo, until 1934, during whichtime he developed a deep passion for the railway,becoming friendly with many of the engine crewseven at this early age. Sadly, in that year, John’sfather died, and John went to live in Claremorris,where his fascination with the railway businessremained undiminished. In the early 1940s, oncompletion of schooling, John went to live in Dublin,where he pursued a successful commercial career,while also continuing his railway interests andtravels.

In 1957, John married Marie Noone, and theywent on to have four children and, later,grandchildren, and to enjoy a long and happy lifetogether. While John’s railway enthusiasm neverwaned, he managed to combine this with a full andactive family life, a balance not always easilyachieved, but no doubt facilitated by John’s warmand engaging personality.

JOHN AND THE SOCIETYJohn O’Meara’s name first appeared in the

Society’s membership list in Journal No. 3 of July1948, with an address at 116 Lower Baggot Street,Dublin. John was soon active in the Society’sformal structures. In Journal No. 7 of Summer1950, he is recorded as “assisting”, along with SamCarse, in “making arrangements for meetings”. Atthe AGM of 28 September 1950, he is recorded asserving on the Committee as “Liaison Officer” andwas re-elected to the Committee at its fifth AGM on20 September 1951. He was again re-elected in1953, and in 1954 was serving as Hon. AssistantSecretary. In 1955, there was a rare event, acontested election for the Committee, in whichJohn topped the poll. In 1957, he presented his firstpaper to the Society, “The Meath Road”. That yearalso brought another contested election, in whichJohn once again topped the poll, and took up thepost of “Programme Secretary”. Anothermomentous change of 1957 was John’s addresschanging to Beaumont Crescent, where he andMarie continued to live for their long married lifetogether.

By the AGM of 1958, John’s title had changed to“Acting Programme Secretary” and he alsopresented the Secretary’s Report at that meeting.In the Summer of 1959, John led the Society’s firstlengthy tour, an eight-day journey around Irelandin June, using mostly service trains with somespecials to cover non-passenger lines. Thehighlight for the only Junior Branch participant inthe group was an incomparable day on theDonegal, railcar to Letterkenny, carriage on thegoods from Letterkenny to Donegal Town, and aspecial railcar on the branch to Ballyshannon. Anever-to-be-forgotten experience in the Donegal’slast year, and with sunshine from Strabaneonwards, after a damp start. In that year, theSociety had 312 members, 165 being located in

Ireland, this information being reported to the 1959AGM by the indefatigable John, on this occasionspeaking on behalf of the “Acting Secretary”.

1960 brought John’s second paper to theSociety, “The Beet Campaign of 1959”. At the 1960AGM, John’s title became “Hon. ProgrammeSecretary”. However, in Society Bulletin No. 4 [seeendnote], of October 1963, the terse statementappeared that “Members have been informed thatMr. J. O’Meara has resigned from the position ofHon. Programme Organiser, and that theCommittee has appointed Mr. P. J. Currivan to actin his place in a temporary capacity.” Apparentlythere had been tensions, and not for the first time,between John and PJ Currivan about John’s non-adherence to the programme set out in the circularfor an outing. In fairness to John, deviations fromplan were not always within the Society’s control,as witness our return from Baltimore, arriving atKingsbridge at 03:40 on St. Patrick’s Day, 1961 (orrather the following day), and getting back fromRosslare via Waterford at 00:05 in September thesame year!

Memories are of a fractious and uncomfortableAGM that year, but the outcome was that P JCurrivan went on to occupy the role of ProgrammeOrganiser until 1973, a period which saw also thesecond and final Steam Tour of Ireland in 1964,while John stood aside from the Society for a periodof years.

JOHN AS AN AUTHORHappily the passage of time saw a resumption

of participation in the Society by John and on 19March 1977, he delivered a paper on the subject ofWhit Week, 1961. That was the first of a series oftalks and papers by John, several multi-part, whichwere subsequently published in the Journal,twenty-six in total so far, with a few still to appear inprint. A full list of published papers appears below.

John was certainly one our more prolific authorsand his presentations always attracted substantialattendances. He had a unique talent for recreatingvividly in words the railway ambience of the past.He had astonishing recall for the journeys he made,but his papers were always underpinned by originalresearch in the Society’s Library and Archive. Johnhad a particular rapport with railway staff, especiallyenginemen, and his ability to remember those withwhom he travelled on the footplate more that half acentury ago was legendary. John’s final talk to theSociety took place on 14 February 2008, when heread his paper “Banteer to Kenmare”.

The contribution of his wife Marie must also beacknowledged, who typed out his papers fromJohn’s manuscript notes. John’s prolific output wasenabled in no small measure by Marie’s behind thescenes activity. Marie was also most supportive ofJohn in his railway activities. On a night when Johnwas to present a talk to the Society, sheunfortunately suffered a fall in their home and hadto go to hospital. Despite the circumstances, she

Obituary

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OBITUARIES

John O’Meara in characteristic pose at Clara in May 1951. No. 654 is a 650/G2 Class 2-4-0, formerly MGWR No. 28,and very appropriately once named Clara. (Photo © Kevin A Murray - IRRS Collection)

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OBITUARIES

insisted on John’s going to the Society meeting andpresenting his paper! Happily, she made a goodrecovery, but John was inevitably a little distractedduring his talk.

John was a loyal attender at Society meetingsand had his regular position, in one of the severalthrone-like heavy railway officer chairs which cameto the Society from the GNR offices, and while thechair has not remained vacant, it remains acontinuing reminder of one of the Society’s mostesteemed and respected members.

It is agreeable to record also that the Societyhonoured John with Honorary Membership on 7September 2006. On 8 November 2011, at a lunch

in Dundalk, this distinction was likewise conferredon Desmond Coakham, who travelled from Belfastfor the occasion. John and Marie were alsopresent at this lunch, to mark John and Desmond’sshared 90th year.

John passed away on 23 September 2016 atthe age of 94. The funeral took place on 27September. The Society was represented at hisfuneral and members also paid their respects athis lying in repose the previous evening. Weextend our sympathy to John’s wife Marie, theirchildren Paul, Anne, Clare and Eoin, John’ssisters, his grandchildren, and his very manyfriends. MJW

JOHN’S PAPERS FOR THE SOCIETY

Title Journal No. Issue Vol. No. Page Nos.The Meath Road 20 Spring 1957 4 218-240The Beet Campaign of 1959 26 Spring 1960 5 228-251Whit Week 1961 – Part 1 75 February 1978 13 168-170Whit Week 1961 – Part 2 75 February 1978 13 179-182The Beet Campaign of 1980-81 86 October 1981 14 283-289Thurles to Shelton via Waterford 94 June 1984 15 219-231The Royal Visit of 1953 98 October 1985 15 412-420Shelton to Bray – Part 1 100 June 1986 16 70-81Shelton to Bray – Part 1 101 October 1986 16 133-143The Ballinrobe Branch 103 June 1987 16 214-226The Athenry & Tuam Railway 108 February 1989 17 22-37Mishaps of 1867-71 113 October 1990 17 270-279GNR(I) 1939-46 115 June 1991 17 373-389Three Incidents 119 October 1992 18 158-164The GNR (1) Crisis, 1938 123 February 1994 18 342-350Government Control 1917-19 134 October 1997 19 423-438The War Years 1939-45 - Part 1 138 February 1999 20 188-202The War Years 1939-45 - Part 2 139 June 1999 20 241-249The War Years 1939-45 - Part 3 141* October 1999 20 318-332The Mountmellick Branch 144 February 2001 21 2-12The Cashel Branch 146 October 2001 21 130-147The Tullow Branch 148 June 2002 21 258-281Mallow – Fermoy – Mitchelstown 153 February 2004 22 17-33Mallow – Banteer – Newmarket 157 June 2005 22 258-269On Reflection – Part 1 159 February 2006 22 397-402On Reflection – Part 2 160 June 2006 22 462-479Accident at Moyvalley 163 June 2007 23 66-6819 November 1919The Horseleap Branch – Part 1 167 October 2008 23 332-338The Horseleap Branch – Part 2 168 February 2009 23 390-395Accident at Church Road, 170 October 2009 23 518-519North Wall, 10 November 1944Accident at Coollooney Midland 172 June 2010 24 114-11622 December 1943Tralee to Castleisland, Dingle and Fenit 179 October 2012 25 168-183Banteer to Kenmare 187 June 2015 26 258-271

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OBITUARIES

Railtours Ireland AppreciationJohnny O' Meara joined Railtours Ireland as a

Host (as our tour guides are known), a few days afterthe company commenced operations in June 1998.The planned operating model had envisaged a self-guided tour on the rail portion, but it was very soonrealised that this wasn't working and we sought somehelp from retired friends and acquaintances from theIRRS and RPSI - to chaperone our guests.

Johnny took to his new role with flair andenthusiasm and with his fellow hosts was responsiblefor the early success of the fledgling company. Heescorted groups of clients all over the country but wasparticularly fond of our 'Ballykissangel’ tour, whichused the lunchtime departure of the Rosslare Harbourtrain of MkII carriages hauled by an 071 class loco toArklow and thence by coach to Avoca. He took a verypersonal interest in the presentation of this train andin particular our reserved carriage - this was a timewhen cleanliness of the exterior and interior was notalways consistent! On many occasions Johnny wouldsuggest to his friends in the IÉ staff in Connolly thattrain should be run through the wash again – and, ashe used to say himself, if any of the toilets looked asif the elephant had been, he would ensure that it wasdealt with before his guests boarded. If timeprecluded a return to the wash - the fire hose on theplatform was quickly pressed into service!

His encyclopaedic knowledge of Ireland and herrailways endeared him to many visitors, and thisresulted in many letters and phone calls from ourguests who had experienced his empathy, sheerwarmth, and passion for what he did. We weredelighted that he was able to continue with us into hisninety first year - we will miss him! JD

MAURICE GAFFNEY (1916-2016)Maurice Gaffney was not a member of the Society,

but apart from the distinction of being Ireland’s oldestbarrister and still practicing at the time of his death, MrGaffney acted on behalf of CIÉ on various occasionsduring his long legal career, which commenced in1954.

He was considered to be particularly expert in thefield of railway law, an area in which activity wascertainly at a low ebb for much of the latter part of thetwentieth century, but which came into prominenceagain with new developments at the turn of thetwenty-first century.

His final recorded appearance in a railway caseseems to have been at the Public Inquiry inNovember 2006 on the Glounthaune-Midleton RailProject, when he addressed the Inquiry on behalf ofCoras Iompair Éireann, the applicant for the project.

ALAN FRENCHAlan French died suddenly and unexpectedly in

London on 13 September 2016. Alan will be known tomany Dublin members as a regular attender andresearcher at the Tuesday Library nights. At the timeof his death, Alan was nearing completion of his firstpaper for the Society, and it is hoped to publish this indue course.

A Memorial Service for Alan was held at St. Paul'sChurch, Glenageary on 4 February 2016, at whichthe Society was represented.

We extend our sympathy to Alan’s wife, Sarah,and to Alan’s sisters and brother.

RPSI AppreciationJohn was also a long-standing and respected

member of the Railway Preservation Society ofIreland (RPSI). An enthusiastic volunteer over manyyears, he assisted in the carriage department in bothMullingar and Dublin before in more recent yearsbecoming the regular ticket inspector on railtours.With his tremendous knowledge of railway matters,and the contacts he built up over the years with alarge number of railway professionals, John provedto be a great ambassador for the RPSI. There werefew stations on the IÉ network where he wasn'tknown to staff. With these contacts a warm welcomefor a railtour and its participants was assured.

Even in advancing years when he had passedthe ticket clipper to a new generation, John remaineda regular traveller on railtours - always ready to offeradvice, reflecting on past times, or just enjoyinghimself. The RPSI has lost a dedicated and mostvaluable member. DH/JMcK

Endnote“The Bulletin” was a short-lived venture

for the years 1962 to 1964, under whichSociety Matters and Current Developmentswere recorded separately from the Journal,which was then half-yearly. The Bulletinsappeared also half-yearly, between theJournals. Bulletins ceased when the Journalmoved to three times a year publication fromFebruary 1965.

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Oliver Doyle delivering his presentation, all done withoutnotes. (Photo © Ian Grainger -IRRS London Area)

On 10 November 2016, by kind invitation of theAmbassador, the London Area of the IRRScelebrated the 70th anniversary of the Society inthe splendid surroundings of the Irish Embassy inLondon.

His Excellency, Ambassador Dan Mulhallopened the evening's event by greeting guests atthe top of the stairs leading to the ballroom. Hespoke about the shared experiences of railwaymenin Ireland and Great Britain and reflected on thetraditional experiences of Irish people travelling toBritain, arriving at Euston and Paddington offferries to Holyhead and Fishguard. He concludedhis welcome with an excerpt from James Joyce's“A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man”, aboutStephen Dedalus' experience on the mail train fromDublin to Cork.

IRRS Board member, Alan Hyland, gave a briefhistory of 70 years of the society, from its initialinception and humble beginnings through tomodern times and the introduction of an eJournal.There was a palpable swell of pride amongmembers in the room as he spoke of thecommunity of Irish rail enthusiasts.

London Area's Chair, Tim Morton, spoke aboutthe many links between the railways of Ireland andBritain and the reasons why the London Area of theSociety had been established by Lance King in1961. He gave a history of the Area from its earliestdays and then outlined the Area's regular activities,including meetings and the annual TransportCollectors’ Market. He explained how the LondonArea maintains close relations with the parent body

IRRS London Area Meeting atIrish Embassy in London

in Dublin through financial support for archivingactivity there, expanding the Society in Britainthrough attracting new members to its meetings, andin handling bequests to the Society received frommembers and friends based in England.

Leslie McAllister presented the Ambasador witha specially bound version of “Steaming in ThreeCenturies”, one of eight books published by theLondon Area.

Oliver Doyle, retired Operations Manager for IrishRail gave a fascinating presentation of Irish Railwayhistory over the 70 years of the Society’s existence.He highlighted many key changes in the railwaysystem over that time, generously illustrated byphotographs from his time with Irish Rail, includinghis own involvement in many of the projectsdescribed.

Oliver's talk was followed by drinks andnetworking among those present. Notable guestsincluded Phil Gaffney (Chair of Irish Rail), currentand previous CEOs of Irish Rail, David Franks andDick Fearn, Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Presidentof the Heritage Railway Association), GeraldBeesley (Commissioner for Railway Regulation inIreland), and about 100 IRRS members from bothIreland and Great Britain.

All present greatly enjoyed this very specialoccasion, the hospitality of the Ambassador and theEmbassy, and the opportunity to enjoy thecamaraderie of many fellow IRRS members andothers. It was unique in the history of the LondonArea and it was a memorable evening for all whoattended.

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IRRS LONDON AREA MEETING AT IRISH EMBASSY IN LONDON

London Area Committee member Leslie McAllister presents “Steaming in Three Centuries” to Ambassador Dan Mulhall.(Photo © Ian Grainger - IRRS London Area)

The reception rooms in the Embassy in which the event took place. (Photo © Ian Grainger - IRRS London Area)

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Figure 1. Sketch of site of accident.

The Rush Derailment 5 January 1963Aidan Langley CEng MIET MIEI

Those who have read "Red for Danger" by LTCRolt will be familiar with how often a combinationof seemingly inconsequential events andcircumstances have ended in a catastrophicrailway accident with multiple fatalities. Therefore,I was surprised to find that, in 1963, there had beena railway incident at Rush & Lusk station, where Istart my commute every morning. Perhaps themost surprising of all is that almost everybodyinvolved walked away from the accident, and veryfew of the people I stand on the platform with eachmorning are aware that the incident happened atall. The opening sequence of events are trulyreminiscent of many of the unfortunately endingscenarios in Rolt’s body of work.

CONTEXTRush & Lusk station today is a busy commuter

station on the Northern main line, serving apopulation of around 17,000, with some 26services a day, not counting through trains, both toand from Dublin city. Both Up and Down platformsare situated south of Overbridge OB39 carrying theR128 Rush to Lusk road. The station is on anuninterrupted section of track with no crossoversor sidings between Donabate to the south andSkerries to the north.

By contrast, in 1963 the population was largelyagrarian, as a traditional centre of marketgardening, with only some 3,000 inhabitants. Rushhad its own signal box controlling crossovers to thenorth and south of the station, and where the car

park is now located, there was a siding off the Upline, from which the fresh produce of both Rush andLusk was sent to the Dublin markets. The Up andDown Platforms were shorter, but both extendednorth of OB39, as shown in Figure 1, although thestation buildings were all in the same location asthey are today. The footbridge, however, was addedafter the incident.

SEQUENCE OF EVENTSThe 14:15 ex-Belfast train, comprising B160

(locomotive), 3133 steam-heating van, and formerGNR(I) coaches N406, N328, N372, N404, N196,N612, had departed Dundalk at 16:15 on Saturday,5 January 1963. It was running 15 minutes late. Aswas practice at the time, a CIÉ-owned diesel electriclocomotive and a steam-heating van had beencoupled to the consist at Dundalk to replace the UTAsteam locomotive which had hauled the train fromBelfast. After the train had been made up in Dundalkit was checked by Train Examiner Thomas Mullen.This included tapping all the wheels on the left-handside of the train, but he did not notice anything wrongwith the tyres; the brakes were hard on at this time.He did notice a dynamo belt missing off Coach N404which he made note of. When the train departedDundalk, there were in fact 4 people on the footplate,two trainee drivers, an Amiens St. LocomotiveInspector, and the regular driver.

As is the case with the Enterprise today, the onlystop between Dundalk and Dublin was at Drogheda,and the train made up a minute on the timetable with

Road bridge over line and cutting

Signal cabin

Station building

Waiting shelter

Road bridge over line and platforms

To Dublin

To Drogheda

Rush & Lusk

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THE RUSH DERAILMENT - 5 JANUARY 1963

Figure 2. Preparing for the recovery operation, as viewed from the Up platform. (Photo: CIÉ)

216


station and not within sight of the station or signalbox. The Guard arrived at the scene and arrangedfor the passengers from the front portion to be ledback along the line to the station and a cart be sentto carry passenger luggage back to the station.

Given the season and the time of day, it wasdark and below freezing; January and February1963 was one of the coldest two-month periodssince records began, with a ‘blocking high’ overScandinavia. There had been heavy snow duringthe last week of 1962, although there was no snowon the ground at the time of the incident in Rush.The following week, temperatures dropped to -10°C, although weather was not mentioned in theenquiry report. The mean temperature in the areafor the 24 hours of 5 January was 2.5°C (36°F).

CONSEQUENCE OF INCIDENTAs previously mentioned, the front portion of the

divided train was largely on the rails. The secondcarriage (N328) had been torn from its trailing bogie,so that the coach frame was sitting on the rails (seeFigure 3), having been dragged for almost a 1⁄2 mile,and thus having caused some minor damage to thecross-over at the south end of the station and otherinfrastructure on the permanent way.

The rear portion of the divided train had a muchmore spectacular arrest. The trailing bogie fromcoach 328 had become entangled in the leadingbogie of coach N372 (see Figure 4), derailing it. Thisresulted in coach N328 striking the Up platform,tearing away the coping stones, and ploughing upthe permanent way before coming to rest. The reartwo vehicles then struck the displaced copingstones and were also derailed. (See Figure 6).

INVESTIGATION AND ROOT CAUSEThe CIÉ Inquiry found that the derailment was

caused by the ‘fracture of the tyre on the left-handwheel of the leading axle of the trailing bogie oncoach N328.’ (See Figure 5 & 6). The wheel was ofthe tyred type in use at the time. As a result of thetyre break, there was no flange, the wheelset hadderailed, to the left in the direction of travel. Witnessmarks found north of the station were presumed tobe the point at which the incident started, and aphotograph shows the witness mark of the righthand flange striking the sleepers approaching Rush(see Figure 7). The train may have proceededunimpeded in this manner, except that the righthand wheel was not captured by the check rail ofthe cross-over at the north end of the platform, andinstead was guided by the trailing point bladetowards the platform. The force of the collision withthe platform is presumed to have torn the bogie,now fully derailed, from the coach, with thesubsequent coaches following as the permanentway was broken up in their path. No reason wasoffered for the cause of the tyre fracture. Thecomponents were sent to the British TransportResearch Department in Derby. The result of themetallurgical testing, released the following May,

nothing remarkable happening. The train departedDrogheda at 16:44 and proceeded south nonstopthrough Laytown, Mosney, Gormanstown andBalbriggan travelling at between 50 and 60mph.Passing through Skerries, the train was travelling ataround 60 mph dropping to 50 mph cresting thebank between Skerries and Rush, and as itapproached Rush, at about 17:00, was travelling ataround 65 mph. From the account of those on thefootplate, when, as the locomotive drew level withthe Rush & Lusk Stationmaster’s Office, there wasa ‘bang’ and the engine ‘lurched’, then the brakeswere applied automatically and the locomotive wasbrought to a halt, after about 700 yards, just beyondOB38 (Rogerstown Lane) south of the station. (SeeFigure 3).

From the perspective of the station, there weremercifully no other trains due at the time, and noone exposed on the platforms. The signalman,having previously booked on at 16:30, had heardthe train approach. The line is in a relatively deepbut straight cutting as it approaches the station, andhe had heard a ‘rumbling and thudding’ noise, andwhen he looked down the track saw the train‘beginning to tilt’, he saw a ‘blue flash’ and the traindivide, with sparks coming from the rear of the frontportion of the train. The rear portion of the traindecelerated more rapidly than the front portion,being derailed and ploughing to a stop after 240yards, still within the station area.

From the accounts of the witness statements,all the key actors performed their assigned rolescorrectly. At 17:03, the signalman sent theObstruction Danger signal to the Malahide andSkerries signalmen, (Donabate being switched outat the time), followed immediately by the TrainDivided signal.

The Guard, having being in the rear portion ofthe divided train, was thrown to the floor of thecarriage as it came to rest. He first checked theoccupants of the carriage he was in, then alightedonto the Up platform, and, having checked that therest of the passengers in this portion of the trainwere uninjured, went to the signal box to check thatthe scene was protected. A party set out in bothdirections to lay detonators on the Up and Downlines, whilst calls were made to the Gardaí, rescueworkers and platelayers. Having confirmed the sitewas protected by signals, the guard detrained thepassengers in the rear portion onto the Down lineas the carriages were tilting so far that alightingonto the Up platform was not practical. Fromreports there was no panic, a number ofpassengers offering assistance to others alsoassembled on the Down platform

The situation with the front portion of the trainwas similar; the train was largely on the rails, withthe exception of the trailing bogie of the rearmostcarriage N328. The crew kept the passengersonboard the train initially, moving them from thecompletely dark carriage N328 to the undamagedN406. This portion was some 1⁄4 mile beyond the

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Figure 4.The wreckage of the derailed bogie from N328 caught up with that of N372. (Photo: CIÉ)

Figure 3. The front portion of the divided train some 500 yards south of the Rush & Lusk station at OB38; note coach N328without its trailing bogie. As in several of these pictures, the extent to which just about anybody was able to wander aroundthe site is remarkable, certainly as seen from today’s standpoint. Barry Carse recalls being there as a child, although in hiscase accompanied by his father, Sam, who was known to many of the railway staff on duty. (Photo: JP O’Dea, courtesy NLI)

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Figure 7. Looking south along the Up line from the cross-over north of the station. The damage to the platform copingstones is clearly visible. Note also the marks on the sleepers from the derailed wheel. Again, lots of people on the trackand platforms, many no doubt with no reason to be there. Extension of station platforms through an overbridge was a feature of several GNR(I) stations in the Dublin area, including Raheny, Malahide and Donabate, as well as here at Rush& Lusk. (Photo: JP O’Dea, courtesy NLI)

Figure 5. Axle with left tyre missing. (Photo: CIÉ) Figure 6. Recovered tyre. (Photo: CIÉ)

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sudden deceleration of the coaches, and possibleharm to passengers.

REACTION TO THE INCIDENT:The fact that the incident happened on a

Saturday evening may have reduced interest, as itdidn’t affect weekday traffic. Traffic was restartedwith single line working the following evening at19:00, only 26 hours after the incident, and a normaltimetable, albeit with single line working on theDown line only, from 02:15 on the Monday morning.The Up line was opened again the followingSunday, 13 January. As a result, the impact of theincident on the wider community was limited.Reporting of the incident nationally was a singlearticle in the Irish Times, noting that there weredelays, and a British Pathé news crew filmed therecovery operation. For the people of Rush, theincident was noteworthy. Speaking to residents ofRush who were around at the time, they vaguelyremember it having happened, but the impact wasvery limited.

CONCLUSIONAll the elements were in place in Rush for a trulyhorrific incident. In many ways the incident wassimilar to the Eschede Deutsch Bahn ICE incident of1998:

• The cause was identified as a catastrophicwheel failure,

• The train was travelling at speed, (albeit slower) with carriages outside of gauge,

• There was a crossover which aggravated the derailment,

• The derailment happened just before an overbridge.

In the case of Rush, as mentioned, the keyactors performed their duties effectively and per the

found that there was no pre-existing corrosion,obvious crack initiation point, or other latent defectin the tyre.

Subsequent investigation found the cause tohave been a loose ‘Gibson Ring’. The Gibson ringwas developed by J Gibson of the GWR,Wolverhampton, who retired in 1864. As Figure 8below shows, the Gibson ring is a profiled ring. Toassemble it the tyre is first heated, then attachedto the wheel, and the Gibson ring is inserted. Whilsthot, the inner profile of the tyre is then ‘crimped’ todeform around the ring and secure it. It could not bedetermined at that stage, but the suggestion wasthat either during the wheel assembly operation orduring manufacture, there had been some defectin the ring, which caused it to fail over time. Thetyre would then have been no longer fixed, andwould have been able to rotate independently ofthe wheel and move laterally. The fact that thebrakes were on when the wheels were ‘rung’ inDundalk could have obscured the fact that therewas a defect, or possibly the failure occurred afterleaving Dundalk.

From the description of the incident and thephotographs available, it is clear that the incidentcould have had much more disastrousconsequences. Apart from the absence of people inthe path of the wreckage, or any other traffic on theline, if the derailment had happened even a milefurther south, it could have resulted in a portion ofthe train ending up submerged in the RogerstownEstuary between Rush and Donabate or theBroadmeadow Estuary between Donabate andMalahide.

If the Up platform had not been present to guidethe derailed coaches, they could have deviatedfurther out of gauge and struck the pillar of theOverbridge OB39, resulting in a much more

Figure 8. Cross-section of wheel assembly showing Gibson ring. (Photo ©South Devon Railway – used with permission)

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Figure 10. At the Dublin end of the Up platform, the 35-ton steam crane, working from the sidings, is seen lifting the leading carriage at the platform. The reason for the flames in the foreground is unknown, but no one seems to be particularly alarmed. (Photo © NJ McAdams - IRRS Collection)

Figure 9. In a scene mercifully free of onlookers, Norman McAdams’ picture from the Up platform shows the start of therecovery operation using a steam crane positioned in the goods sidings to the rear of the Up platform. A second steam cranestands on the down line. (Photo © NJ McAdams - IRRS Collection)

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Rule Book. Signals were sent, protection put inplace, and order maintained in what in today’sparlance is the ‘Preservation of Life’ phase of theincident.

As stated earlier in this piece, there was noconclusive root cause identified; however it can bespeculated that there was some issue with theGibson Ring, either a defect on assembly or amanufacturing flaw which caused it to fail. Currentpractical use of Gibson Rings by heritage railwayshas demonstrated they can operate effectively evenwhen fitted incorrectly, certainly at the low speed atwhich most heritage railways run.

The decision to phase out two-part wheels onrolling stock had already been taken when the Rush& Lusk derailment happened, but it can be said thatthe process of moving towards monobloc wheelswas hastened by the incident.

Reviewing the incident and how it unfolded,

highlights just how important seemingly trivialdetails are, how the correct following of processesare vital, and how learning the correct lessons frompast incidents can help prevent serious incidentsfrom being catastrophic.

SOURCESCIÉ Report of Enquiry into the cause of

Derailment at Rush, 5 January 1963National Library of Ireland Photo Archive, O’Dea

Photograph CollectionMet Éireann Exceptional Weather Events Jan-

Feb 1963Discussion with J.C. Pemberton, Irish Rail

(Retired)Discussion with Gerald BeesleyCasey and Ryan families of Rush, Co DublinSouth Devon Railway Engineering Ltd.Additional research by Tom Normanly

Figure 11. At a later stage of the lifting operation shown opposite, the carriage has been swung away from the Up linetowards the siding, immediately opposite the wholly undamaged signal cabin. The locomotive is A42. (Photo © NJMcAdams - IRRS Collection)

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This branch was promoted in the early 1890s intwo sections. The Westport – Mallaranny (thespelling varied) portion was built under the auspicesof the MGWR and the Board of Works financed theextension to Achill. The contractor, RobertWorthington, constructed both sections of the 261⁄2mile line, opening to Mallaranny on Wednesday 1August 1894 and throughout to Achill on Monday 13May 1895.

In February 1866, a telegraph had been run bythe British & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Companyfrom Castlebar to Westport for the MGWR, at thetime the railway was opened. In 1873, a wire for thepublic telegraph service was erected by the PostOffice (PO) from Westport to Newport and this wasextended to Achill in early 1891. Also in 1873, theexisting single-needle telegraph instruments on themain line circuit were substituted by Morsesounders. The Westport instrument was moved fromthe Parcels Office to the Ladies’ Waiting Room on27 April 1876 at a cost of £1-9-1. Mallaranny waslooped into the Achill circuit in March 1891.

The first contact between the PO and the newrailway occurred in 1891, when the contractor’srepresentative, Mr Douglas Gray, telegraphed thePO on 23 March to have two poles moved nearNewport. Mr A Raddin, the PO Engineer replied on3 April:

“I beg to inform you that the poles were at onceremoved. An expense of 9/3 has been incurred bythe lineman in doing so. Will you kindly inform mehow the amount is to be recovered”.

The money was duly forwarded by Mr Gray andMr Raddin sent it on to his Superintending Engineer,Mr W Louth. The latter’s reply reveals the procedureto be followed in dealing with contractors.

“In future when a work is being carried out by arailway or other company under an Act of Parliamentand you are called on by the contractor or engineerto make any alteration to the Department’s wires, lethim give you a letter undertaking to pay the cost andthen refer it to me for instruction. Of course, wheretime presses, you should wire me. But in no casereceive the money, as that should be done by theAccountant’s Branch. What is the exact title of theRailway in this case? I will have to supply it in gettingthe amount brought to account”.

Mr Raddin replied on the 10 April with anexplanation of the circumstances of the case:

“Your instructions noted and shall have carefulattention. In this case, the matter was urgent; thepublic road was diverted and at the junction with newand old portions of road, two of our poles were thusplaced in centre of new road and being sodangerous, I thought it best to act at once in moving

Achill Branch CommunicationsTF WALL

them. It will also be seen that I only asked Mr Gray forinstructions as to who would pay the cost, the reply Igot was the remittance. The title of the railway isWestport – Mulranny Railway”.

The contractor again asked for a pole to be movedin July and this was done at a cost of 6s 71⁄2d . Insending his estimate for the job to Mr Louth, (after thework was completed), Mr Raddin explained the lowcost;

“The Contractor supplied the lineman with labourassistance. The lineman also walked from Westport toBarley Hill. There is therefore no conveyance charge”.The contractor sought further PO co-operation inmoving poles, as Mr R Worthington mentioned in aletter of 16 March 1892 to the PO Secretary:

“On the Westport & Mulraney (the spelling used inthis quotation) Railway there are 5 telegraph postswhich require to be shifted; one at Barley Hill justbeyond Westport, two at a place called Kilbride abouta mile and a half on this side of Newport, one at a pointwhere the railway crossed the Achill road a quarter ofa mile beyond Newport and another a quarter of a milefurther on. Will you be kind enough to have these postsshifted at once. I shall of course pay the cost, on yourfurnishing me with the bill. If you call at my office atNewport, the posts in question will be pointed out toyou”.

The work was done by 24 March, except for onepole for which the contractor’s Travelling Ganger orInspector, Mr Rice, requested that it not be shifted. Thecontractor supplied the labour and the only charge (forthe lineman’s time and travelling expenses) was £1-12-1. The pole omitted was moved on 13 June, MrB R Le Fanu of the contractor’s staff undertaking topay the charge of 12s 51⁄2d. Further poles were movedin July, at the request of Mr John Fisher, and inDecember, “as we are now laying our rails and the polewill be in our way”.

On the main line, block working was established inresponse to the Regulation of Railways Act 1889. Thisinvolved running a new wire from Ballyhaunis toWestport on the existing poles and this wasaccomplished by July 1892. Fitting of the Webb &Thompson ETS instruments in the sections Castlebar– Westport – Westport Quay was completed on 7January 1893, from which date the annualmaintenance charge of £4 per instrument commenced.

On 24 March 1893, Mr G W Green, the MGWRSecretary, wrote to the PO Secretary regarding wireson the branch:

“Westport & Mallaranny Railway. The above railwaynow in course of construction is expected to becompleted about August next. We require thetelegraph to be erected in the meantime and I shall beobliged by your sending me an estimate for putting up

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ACHILL BRANCH COMMUNICATIONS

A16 is seen at Westport in the 1960s, on the siding which had been the start of the Achill line. (Photo © GR Mahon -IRRS Collection)

two wires from Westport to Mallaranny – one for theETS and the other for speaking instruments – thepoles and wires to be uniform with those in use onour existing lines. There will be an intermediatestation at Newport”.

Four days later, Mr Green wrote again, askingthat the PO supply the speaking instruments (Morsesounders). In his estimate for the work, Mr Raddinspecified double stays on every pole and this wasqueried by Mr Louth. The former replied that “railwaylines in this District are double stayed – in exposedbog districts this is most desirable”. Mr Louth did notagree, informing Mr Raddin:

“All railway main lines should have double stayson every pole, but I do not think we should put theRailway Company to such a cost on a light line likethis. Only estimate for double staying every third poleand for stays for curves, at present”.

Mr Raddin’s estimate allowed for erecting 360poles over the 18 miles of new line at a cost of £167-19-4. Laying out the poles along the course of

the line needed a special train and providing theengine for this seemed to cause some trouble. MrLouth requested a special engine from Mr J Tatlow,the MGWR Manager, on 27 June 1893 “as we arenow ready to distribute the poles” and the Companyreplied that “the engine can be placed at yourdisposal by the Contractor, but it must be paid for”. MrLouth reminded Mr Tatlow that the cost of the enginewould ultimately be charged to his Company and“possibly therefore, you can make better terms withthe Contractor than I can”. The MGWR apparentlywashed their hands of the matter, as Mr Tatlowreplied on 8 July “I would rather not interfere in thismatter. I should think that you can make as goodterms with the Contractor as I could”. Mr C Burge,the PO Assistant Superintending Engineer, tried tonegotiate with the contractor, as he reported to MrLouth on 14 July:

“With a lot of waiting and watching, I caught MrFisher at his hotel as he was going away by train. Hewas not disposed to reduce the figure of £15. Said

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“Poles, etc were all distributed on Saturday last.We got contractor’s engine at 4.15 PM and finishedthe distribution to Mulrany at 8 PM satisfactorily. Ialso had all empty trucks returned to Westport at9.40 PM and verbally informed the Stationmaster,Westport, of having done so”.

Mr J W Fisher of the contractor’s staff lost notime in demanding repayment of the cost of thespecial engine; he wrote to Mr C Burge on the 15July:

“Kindly remit me cheque £15 in payment for useof our engine in distributing telegraph poles perarrangement”.

Presumably Mr Fisher received payment shortlyafterwards. In November 1893, Mr Louth inquired ofMr Raddin regarding the progress of the work andthe latter replied on 22 November:

“The work as far as erection of poles and wiresis concerned is completed from Westport toMalranny. No apparatus yet fixed; neither train staffsor sounders, owing to huts not being ready toreceive them. The Westport and Newport huts areerected, but no battery accommodation is yetprovided. At Mulrany nothing was done in theerection of either hut or station when our men left oncompleting the line to the point where the station isto be erected. In the meantime, the gang isdisbanded”.

Mr Tatlow wrote to Mr Louth on 7 July 1894 tosay that “Mallaranny station will open for businesson Monday 16th inst” and asking to have the ETSand sounder instruments connected up and readyfor use by then. However, Mallaranny station wasnot ready and the local lineman reported on 14 Julythat the instruments had to be placed in a temporaryhut, which was 80 yards from the station and 30yards from the site of the signal cabin, thefoundations of which were not even “cut out”.Signals were exchanged with Newport and theapparatus was “working well”.

In March 1894, Mr Tatlow requested that thesounder apparatus be transferred from the signalcabin to the Stationmaster’s office at Newport andthis was done on 29 March.

On 19 October 1894, some months after the lineopened to Mallaranny, Mr Tatlow requested that theETS and sounder be transferred to theStationmaster’s office there (the signal cabin wasstill not ready). Mr Raddin visited the station on 27October and found that no provision had been madefor the instruments or batteries in the office, whichwas very small, only 12 x 10 feet and “is alreadyfitted with the requirements of the office, includingdesk, etc”. He thought that “we may be able to cramthe ETS and sounder in the office”, but the batterieswould have to be placed in a new compartment atthe signal cabin. This was done shortly afterwards.

The railway was at this time being extended toAchill but the poles and wires for a telegraph circuitwere not erected by the PO, as Mr Raddin

he would like to charge nothing, but it was not onlywages, engine, etc, but dislocation of trafficarrangements, etc. I had to accept and have wiredand written Mr Raddin”.

Meanwhile, Mr Raddin protested to Mr Louth on5 July about the work being delayed:

“We have not yet received any instructions as tospecial engine for distributing poles on Westport –Mulrany Railway. The poles are lying at Westport (onwagons); the gang is hindered in the work. Pleasesay if we can get the engine soon, otherwise it will benecessary to disband the gang for the present”.

In a further letter to Mr Louth on 11 July, heexpressed annoyance at the frustration he wassuffering at the hands of the contractor:

“We are still unable to get our poles laid out. Wemade application to the Contractor’s Engineer whoinformed us that the contractor Mr Worthingtonwould arrange it with the MGWR Engineer, MrO’Neill. Mr Worthington lives in Dublin and Mr O’Neillis at present in England. The second Engineer, MrPrendergast has not received any instructions. Wemust therefore wait until Mr O’Neill returns. In themeantime, we have been getting on as best wecould by taking out poles with our own men ontrolley, a slow process, as it is only occasionally wecan get a loan of it and then only when the railwaymilesmen are off work. Our men have either to startearly between 3 and 4 AM or after 6 PM. We havegot as far as we can go in this way without incurringgreat loss. If there is still further delay in gettingengine, I suppose the gang must in the meantimebe paid off”.

Mr Louth replied that he was hourly expecting areply from the contractor and if a fair bargain couldnot be made for the use of the engine, arrangementswould have to be made for carting by road.Someone – perhaps Mr Raddin – made a marginalnote on the letter: “utterly impractical”. However, on14 July, Mr Louth telegraphed Mr Raddin andconfirmed it in a letter of the same date, that all wasarranged:

“It has been arranged with Mr Worthingtonthrough Mr Fisher, to have the use of an engine tolay out the poles. The engine to be available for yourpurpose at 4 PM on Saturday July 15th. You to dothe work between that time and Sunday evening. Itis quite possible the work may not go on with theusual expedition on so new a line. Please reportcompletion. The trucks will, of course, be returnedto the depot from which they are taken”.

In the margin of the above letter, opposite to thereference to Sunday work, Mr Raddin wrote: “Neverin the course of my career did I do such work on aSabbath day and never will, I hope. AR”. He alsomade a marginal note on the reference to the newline: “Line bad enough and in many places yet highlydangerous”. The work was completed on theSaturday, thus sparing Mr Raddin a crisis ofconscience. He reported to Mr Louth on 17 July:

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Les Hyland took this picture at Newport in the 1960s, some thirty years after the last train. (Photo © Les Hyland - IRRSCollection)

mentioned in a note to Mr Louth on 25 March 1895:“The line of two wires has been erected by the

telephone company. The poles are fitted with an arm,but not in accordance with PO Regulations; a 24 incharm is fixed instead of 33 inch. The line is completedthus Mulrany to Achill Sound. On one wire is fixed asingle needle instrument at each end”

It is not clear if the “telephone company”mentioned was the National Telephone Company orthe contractor for the railway signals. About this time,the MGWR requested the PO to maintain the poleroute (the letter is not extant) and Mr Raddin dulyreported on the condition of the route on 8 April 1895and provided an estimate of the cost of putting it into“Post Office order”.

“Line of two wires supported by 170 poles wellcreosoted and of sufficient length and scantling. Thepoles, which are mounted with 24 inch arms,unseasoned and unpainted, are on the whole – witha few exceptions – well placed as regards proximityto the rails and altitude for public crossings. They arehowever, very badly secured, little or no attemptbeing made to firm them by stones, the soil beingnearly altogether bog. The poles are consequentlyvery loose and shaky and will require to be carefullystoned.

Pole roofs are plain galvanised, but of a thinnersubstance than what are used by the PO. They arefastened with thin wire nails, not galvanised, 21⁄4

inches long, but of a very inferior quality; the headsvery thin and easily detached, many already offleaving the pole roofs insecure. There are in mostcases only two nails on each pole roof and for abouta mile, the pole roofs are fastened with straps; theworkmen having evidently run short of nails. All thesepole roofs require to be overhauled and secured withproper nails.

Insulators are Buller’s DSB glazed screw and areof a very superior quality. The wires are however,very badly bound to the insulators, with two laps onlyand of inferior binding wire. All must be rebound with60 lb binding wire of good quality”.

The estimate for overhauling the line came to£22-17-9. By August 1895, the MGWR apparentlywere complaining of delays in the work (the letter isnot extant) and Mr Louth replied to Mr W P O’Neill,the MGWR Engineer on the 16th:

“The sole reason for delay in putting [the line] inPost Office order has been to save your Companymoney and see how far the Contractor could go inremedying defects. I expect to deal with the residueimmediately and of course, no charge formaintenance of wire will accrue until the line is put inorder to my satisfaction”.

The work was completed by the end of the yearand the annual maintenance charge of 60/- for thepoles and first wire and 10/- for the second wirecommenced on 1 January 1896.

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In the meantime, Mr Tatlow had written to the POon 22 March 1895 asking to have the ETSinstruments at Mallaranny and Achill connected upby 1 April. This work was completed on 9 May andthe annual maintenance charge commenced on the13 May. The single needle instruments fitted by thecontractor were replaced by Morse sounders at thesame time.

On 7 April 1896, Mr Worthington inquired of MrLouth the date some extra stays were added to theline between Westport and Mallaranny. For somereason, Mr Louth gave a date – 1 January 1896 – forwork done on stays on the Mallaranny – Achillsection, causing an annoyed Mr Worthington to againrequest the information he needed, Westport -Mallaranny being heavily underlined in the letter. MrLouth replied in a firm tone on the 14th:

“I beg to say that I do not feel called upon tofurnish any information about the Westport –Mulranny line, except to say that any stays thereonare necessary to its safety. The same remark appliesto the present condition of the Mulranny – Achillsection”.

Why Mr Worthington needed the date is not clear,but he got no further information from Mr Louth.

In May 1904, Mr O’Neill requested that thesounders at Westport, Newport, Mallaranny andAchill be ceased and replaced by telephones. AtWestport, the telephone was fixed in the signal cabin,but in the Stationmaster’s office at the other locations.The four instruments were brought into service on 13February 1905. The annual maintenance charge of30/- per instrument also commenced on that date.

About March 1905, Mr O’Neill requested thattelephones be fixed on the block wire betweenWestport and Westport Quay. The existing telephoneat Westport, working on the Achill line, was utilised,a switch being fitted to select either the Quay or theAchill circuit as required. The system was broughtinto service on 18 August 1905, the long delay beingcaused by having to cater for the possibility ofinterference with existing Post Office circuits on thesame pole route.

In December 1907 a landslip occurred betweenWestport and Newport, which involved resettingsome poles and stays. The damage cannot havebeen too serious, as it only cost £1-5-0 to rectify.

On 20 November 1912, Mr O’Neill requested thatthe ETS instruments at Mallaranny be moved fromthe stationmaster’s office to the signal cabin. Thiswas to facilitate a night mail service on the branchand the work was carried out on 14 February 1913 atan estimated cost of £9.

Mr A W Bretland, the MGWR Chief Engineer,made a similar request on 20 November 1919regarding the ETS at Achill and this was done on thefollowing 9 March at a cost of £16-5-0.

During the Civil War, the line between Mallarannyand Achill was closed from 3 February 1923 (aFriday). On 11 April 1923, Mr Bretland wrote to thePO Engineer in Chief:

“My Company propose reopening the line at anearly date between Mallaranny and Achill. I shall beobliged, therefore, if you would arrange for the ETSinstruments, wires, etc, to be put in order at theearliest possible moment and to replace anytelephones which may be required. The batteries willalso require attention”.

The restoration work cost £25 and block workingwas reintroduced on 4 May 1923 (also a Friday) inthe section.

On 30 May 1923, Mr Bretland requested that thetelephone at Mallaranny be moved from theStationmaster’s office to the signal cabin, as “onaccount of the Military using the telephone night andday, the Stationmaster and his family can get verylittle sleep”. This act of kindness cost the Company£2-15-0.

Mr J H Nicholson, the GSR Signalling Engineer,on 25 October 1928, asked to have the ETSinstruments at Newport transferred to theStationmaster’s office. This was not a straightforwardjob, as the PO Engineer explained in his reply on 28November:

“I have to inform you that the cost of transferringthe ETS instruments at Newport is estimated at £16.If you decide to have the removal effected it will benecessary for you to provide accommodation for thebatteries and it is suggested that the existing press inthe Stationmaster’s office might be made use of byfitting four doors with locks and one additional shelf.Two brackets will also be required on the wall behindeach block instrument to carry the ETS bells”.

Mr Nicholson’s staff made the necessaryalterations by 25 February and the PO made thetransfer of the instruments on 2 April.

The PO public telegraph circuit between Westportand Achill was transferred from a road route to therailway poles in February 1931. On 8 August in thesame year, ETS working was ceased betweenWestport and the Quay, when the instruments wererecovered.

Closure of the branch loomed in 1934 and aWorks Order was issued to recover the ETS andtelephone circuits. Closure took place with effect fromTuesday 1 January 1935 and in August the WorksOrder was cancelled, as the branch reopened onMonday 20 April 1936. This was but a temporaryreprieve to allow the roads in the locality to beimproved and final closure came with effect fromFriday 1 October 1937. The ETS and telephonecircuits were dismantled by the PO between Januaryand March 1938.

Sources:E Shepherd: “The Midland Great Western

Railway of Ireland”Post Office Engineering Branch Works Order

records in National ArchivesCurrency values are £-shillings-pence and

shillings/pence.

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The GS&WR opened its line from IslandbridgeJunction through the Phoenix Park Tunnel in 1877,to Glasnevin, where it joined the MGWR Liffeybranch, opened in 1864. At the other end, WestRoad Junction gave the GS&WR access to thedocks, where it had its own goods yards, and tothe L&NWR station at the North Wall. TheGS&WR lost no time starting a passenger serviceto the L&NWR North Wall depot in Nov 1877. By1901 (just before the Drumcondra line opened),there were two daily North Wall to Kingsbridgepassenger trains (one on Sunday) and foureastbound trains, starting from Inchicore, Kildareor even Queenstown.

The line was also used by the American Mails(see DB McNeill’s paper, IRRS Journal No 67,1975). The idea here was that transatlanticpassengers and mails could be speeded up bygoing by train from London to Holyhead onSaturday; by boat to Kingstown; and then continueon Sunday morning by train to Queenstown to pickup the Cunard liners to America. The GS&WRbegan this service from Kingsbridge in 1859, withhorse-drawn road conveyance from WestlandRow, clearly the weakest link in the chain, but after1891, when the first part of the City of DublinJunction Railways (the Loop Line) opened fromWestland Row to Amiens St, a through quayside-to-quayside service was provided from Kingstowndirect to Queenstown. The DW&WR worked thetrain to Islandbridge, where a GS&WR loco tookover. Until 1894, the Down American Mail calledat Kingsbridge; after that it stopped briefly atAmiens St instead, to pick up any Dublinpassengers. In 1896, Cunard’s connection formLondon switched from the Holyhead-Kingstownroute (City of Dublin SP Co) to Holyhead-NorthWall (L&NWR), and the Dublin point oftranshipment was transferred to the North Wall,which became the starting point for the AmericanMail, with GS&WR motive throughout.

In 1892, a second weekly American Mailservice on this route began for the White StarCompany’s steamers to America, running eachThursday from Kingstown to Amiens St (fiveminute stop); Islandbridge Junction for a locochange from DW&WR to GS&WR, then throughto Queenstown. By 1901, both American Mailsran from the North Wall, Sundays for Cunard,Thursdays for White Star. The working timetablefor March 1901 showed a 03:05 departure (earlierif the mails were promptly loaded), running

Passenger services through thePhoenix Park TunnelALAN O’ROURKE, with input from Richard Maund and others

through to Queenstown, with short stops atPortarlington and Limerick Junction (presumably forwater) and a brief call at Cork to set down only,mails and passengers.

In the April 1910 Bradshaw, the White StarAmerican Mail ran Tuesdays, 05:45 from KingstownPier (8 mins behind the regular Cork train), calledAmiens Street 06:02 (2 mins behind the regularCork train), then non-stop to Cork Glanmire Roaddue 09:54 and Queenstown due 10:12 (the regularCork train shuttled round to Kingsbridge leavingthere at 06:40 and got to Cork at 10:35). Cunard'sAmerican Mail ran on Sunday mornings, at 02:50from North Wall, due Cork 06:41 and Queenstown07:00. Neither company advertised a scheduledreturn service, steamer arrivals being dependent onthe vagaries of the Atlantic weather.

In practice, it seems that mails and passengersfrom liners arriving at Queenstown from Americawere conveyed to Dublin by the next availablemainline train, and then shuttled round to the boats.In 1901, a candidate was the rather slow 05:25 fromQueenstown, reaching Kingsbridge at 11:35, andproviding a connection from Inchicore to the NorthWall, arriving there at 12:05. If the mails arrived atQueenstown between 22:00 and 01:30 thefollowing morning, the PO could request a specialtrain to Dublin, as also happened if demanded by asuitable number of first class passengers. TheAmerican Mails latterly also provided second classaccommodation, but never third class. All theseAmerican Mail trains ceased running in 1914.

The rather complex railway politics behind theconstruction of the links with the lines south of theriver Liffey are covered by KA Murray in IRRSJournals Nos. 66 and 67 (1975). After the openingfrom Westland Row to Amiens St in 1891, the shortconnection from Amiens St to the MGWR LiffeyBranch at Newcomen Bridge Junction was morecontroversial and the subject of a pitched battlebetween staff of the MGWR and the DW&WR. TheMidland seems to have considered the gradientunsafe. In the end, the connection was made andapproved by the BoT inspector in 1892, but theGS&WR was reluctant to send its engines over itand the DW&WR acquired the three big SharpStewart 4-4-2Ts to work the mail trains fromKingstown Pier round to Islandbridge. By this timehowever, the GS&WR was engaged in moves toprovide its own independent link to the North Wall(see Murray’s papers again), and opened its ownline from Glasnevin to North Strand Junction, via

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36 PASSENGER SERVICES THROUGH THE PHOENIX PARK TUNNEL

Drumcondra, in 1901. From Apr 1 1901, trains ranfrom the GS&WR to the L&NWR station at theNorth Wall via Drumcondra, and it is assumedGS&WR local passenger trains on the Liffeybranch ceased. Train via Drumcondra did notserve Amiens St as only two rather awkward linksexisted between the GS&WR and the DW&WR:

Via the Liffey Branch and the steep line atNewcomen Junction, which avoided bothGlasnevin and Drumcondra stations.

Via East Wall Junction (the Drogheda Curve),opened in 1877, but mainly used as the GNR’saccess to the North Wall.

These 1901 services seem the most directancestors of the new suburban services as, overthe years, some began from stations on theGS&WR main lines (Sallins, Tullow, Thurles,Kildare, Inchicore, Clonmel, Athlone, and evenQueenstown) and some of these services avoidedreversal at Kingsbridge and ran direct fromIslandbridge to the North Wall. The returnworkings seem to have all called at Kingsbridge,but then (sometime in multiple portions) wentforward to places like Sallins, Thurles,Queenstown, Clonmel (via Fethard), LimerickJunction, Cork, Athlone, and Kilkenny. At onestage, it was even possible to go through from theNorth Wall to Limerick, in a slip coach dropped offat Ballybrophy.

The local North Wall via Drumcondra servicevaried over the years between three and six trainseach way, but there were usually more advertiseddepartures from the North Wall than from thewestern end. Oliver Doyle has given a detailedaccount of these local services on theDrumcondra line (IRRS Journal, No. 135, 1998).

The short and more easily graded line fromNorth Strand Junction to the DW&WR at AmiensSt was not opened until 1906, and with its ownindependent route all the way from Islandbridgeto Amiens St, the GS&WR instituted another localservice in Dec 1906 of seven trains a day fromKingsbridge and eight from Amiens St, alsoserving Glasnevin and Drumcondra. Howeverthese were poorly used: there seems to havebeen little attempt to provide connections with theGNR and D&SER services at Amiens St, and forwhat local traffic there was, the railway was indirect competition with street trams. These localtrains ceased in 31 Dec 1907. The remainingKingsbridge–North Wall services ceased on 30Jun 1910 and Glasnevin and Drumcondra stationswere closed. This left the boat train services to theNorth Wall and to Kingstown Pier as the onlyregular passenger services through the PhoenixPark tunnel. Any remaining passenger service tothe North Wall ceased in 1922, and for the nextthirty years the only publicly advertised regularpassenger services through the Phoenix ParkTunnel were the Dún Laoghaire Pier boat trains.

Once it had access to Amiens St, the GS&WR

ran a daily early morning train from Kingstown Pier,which on weekdays provided a connection into theDown Cork day mail, and an evening (Monday-Saturday) one, with a connection into a slowertrain to Cork. There was one return working:weekdays about 19:30 Kingsbridge-KingstownPier. On Sundays, an Up afternoon train fromQueenstown was extended from Kingsbridge toKingstown. By 1922, the link was provided bystarting the Down Cork day mail from KingstownPier (dep 06:10), and extending the Up day mail(usually about 15:20 from Cork), which reachedthe Pier at 20:35. These were weekday onlyservices. Later the GSR added a weekday eveningtrain at 17:40, Dún Laoghaire Pier to Kingsbridge,and on Sunday a morning train from the Pier andan evening train (an extension of an Up Corkservice) to the Pier. These trains vanished in thefuel crisis during the Emergency and did notreappear in the working timetable until Oct 1950,when a similar service of a morning train toKingsbridge and an evening extension of the Upday mail to Dún Laoghaire Pier were provided.

But already in the summer of 1950, from 6 Jun,Amiens St had become the Dublin station for theCork and Killarney Radio Trains, Down at 09:10,by-passing Kingsbridge, as did the evening returnworkings.

Also from 2 Oct 1950 (IRRS Journal No. 7,Summer 1950, p. 229), the line through thePhoenix Park Tunnel was used by the daily jointCIÉ / GNR Belfast-Cork Enterprise, which leftAmiens St after a loco exchange at 13:40, calledonly at Limerick Junction and reached Cork at17:10. The Up train was 13:15 from Cork, 16:45from Amiens St. This through service was howeverwithdrawn from 21 September 1953 (IRRSJournal No. 13, Autumn 1953, p. 167).

Long before the migration of the Galway andMayo trains to the Southern route in 1973, CIÉintroduced, in the timetable of 29 June 1953,several trains which, although they began theirjourneys at Westland Row, went down the Corkline and avoided Kingsbridge:

08.25 Westland Row to Killarney (ran fast toMallow) and evening return. This seems to havebeen a summer only experiment, and in theSeptember timetable, it was replaced by an 08:25Westland Row to Cork express, which returnedfrom Cork at 18:00, also running non-stop, but toKingsbridge.

*11:00 Cú Na Mara Westland Row to Galwayvia Portarlington and return. In 1954, an Upmorning Galway train on the southern route wasadded, balanced by an 18:50 Westland Row toGalway. These trains initially ran fast to and fromAthlone, but later stops at Portarlington andTullamore were inserted.

From 12 Sep 1960, Heuston was closed onSundays, and the rather spartan Cork service ranto and from Amiens St, augmented from 1964 by

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PASSENGER SERVICES THROUGH THE PHOENIX PARK TUNNEL

Another view of an NIR 80 class railcar on lease to Irish Rail, with DVT (Driving Van Trailer) leading, working the returnempty ‘’boat train” from Heuston to Connolly, passing Cabra Cement Depot on Sunday 3 April 1988. (Photo © ColmO’Callaghan)

Passengers disembark from 80 class railcar No. 86 at Platform 1, Heuston Station, (the onetime “Military Platform”), onSunday 20 March 1988. The railcar has arrived as the 07:25 Dún Laoghaire to Heuston Sunday morning ‘’boat train’’. (Photo© Colm O’Callaghan)

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PASSENGER SERVICES THROUGH THE PHOENIX PARK TUNNEL

one sabbath service each way for Limerick andWaterford. Heuston did not reappear on Sundaysuntil the 14 Sep 1970 timetable. The GalwayRadio Train also seems to have used the southernroute in the Down direction, but to show thetourists a different bit of the country, it returned viaMullingar. With the 9 Jun 1969 timetable, twoweekday Westport trains each way, although stillusing Pearse, ran via Portarlington (plus aSummer-only Sunday Westport-Pearse roundtrip). At least by 1972, a connection to the day boatwas provided in the summer timetable byextending an Up Galway-Portarlington-Pearsetrain to Dún Laoghaire Pier.

The opening of the new central sorting depotnear Connolly in 1974 saw the remaining mailtrains diverted there from Heuston. This wascertainly the case in the 10 Jun 1974 WTT. Inreturn, Heuston got the other Mayo and Galwayservices and the Radio Trains. However, therenow no advertised evening Heuston-DúnLaoghaire service! In fact, the Jun 1974 WTT didshow a 19:25 weekdays Heuston - Pier train,running 13 Jul to 7 Sep 1974, but this seems tohave got overlooked in compiling the publictimetable (the train was advertised in summer1975 public timetable, and thereafter).

According to the 3 Mar 1975 (i.e. summer 1975)timetable, the Up day Cork day mail train avoidedHeuston - and the "in-and-out" working at Heustonby the 15:20 from Cork, before heading round tothe Pier, did not re-appear until the 14 May 1979timetable (but disappeared again with the 12 May1980 timetable).

In fact, the boat trains enjoyed something of anIndian Summer in these last years, with additionaltrains from Dún Laoghaire Pier at 10:15 and18:00, and services back from Heuston at 10:25and 11:20, and on Sundays, a morning train fromthe Pier and an evening service from Heuston.Some of these were summer only trains, and inlater years they suffered from ‘bus substitution.Also, in the 3 Mar 1975 timetable, the long-standing all-stations 07:10 Cork-Heuston train (itgot overtaken at Thurles by the 08:00 from Cork)gained a new extension to Connolly - but thisdisappeared with the 3 Nov 1975 timetable(leaving the roadside stations on the Corkmainline, closed from 6 Sep 1976, without theironce a day all stations Up train).

By 1978, the Up Cork day mail again ceased toserve Heuston and a local 19:15 or 19:25 Heustonto Dún Laoghaire Pier provided the link. Thisservice was summer only (like its middle-daycounterpart) and ran seasons 1974 to 1978 - andthen again, all-year, at 19:05 from Heuston in the12 May 1980 timetable.

But the end was near, and the 12 May 1980timetable saw both the withdrawal of passengeraccommodation from any mail trains that stillprovided this, and the severing of the Pier rail link

as part of the DART works at Dún Laoghaire inOctober. The pier trains were withdrawn with effectfrom Saturday 11 Oct 1980 upon closure of DúnLaoghaire Carlisle Pier branch for DARTelectrification works (i.e. last trains ran Friday 10Oct 1980). In the final year, the long associationwith the Up day mail was broken, and the eveningPier connection was provided on weekdays by"change at Heuston", going forward by the "piertrain", or by the Tralee train (Sundays), which wasbooked through to the pier. Morning and eveninglocal Pier-Heuston trains operated on weekdays,and the line briefly obtained a regular Sundayservice from 10 Jan 1988 until Jul 1989 in onedirection only, viz. the 07:23 Sundays DúnLaoghaire – Dublin Heuston (normally worked byone or both of the hired-in NIR railcars). Thecessation date of this service has not beenpinpointed more precisely, although the NIRrailcars were returned to NIR on 3 Jul 1989.

From 25 Oct 1993, there was a relief train, onIrish public holiday Mondays if they were followedby a normal working day, which appeared in theWeekly Circular but not the WTT. This serviceceased after 1 Jun 1998. However, the line againgot a regular Sunday train from 8 Jun 1998 byextending the 16:25 from Galway through fromHeuston to Connolly and Dundalk. This was also ahandy way to get the two four-car 2600 units backto Dundalk. This ran for the last time on 23 Sep2001, as did a similar Sunday evening service,19:30 Limerick-Heuston-Connolly, worked bypush-pull, which also went forward to Dundalk, andhad appeared in the 19 Sep 1999 timetable. Theline has had no timetable passenger trains since,until the announcement of the new commuterservices.

I would like to thank the following for informationon this topic: Michael Walsh, Oliver Doyle, RichardMaund, Tim Morton, Roger Joanes, JohnMcCullagh, Martin Baumann, Gerard McMahon

References:Doyle O (1998) Drumcondra Journal of the Irish

Railway Record Society 20: 84-89Murray K (1975) The Drumcondra Link Line

Journal of the Irish Railway Record Society 12: 12-19; 80-86

McNeill D (1975) The American and CanadianMails Journal of the Irish Railway Record Society12: 96-8

For listings of regular trains booked to use theline from 1967/8 onwards, see the "historic" listingson Richard’s web page at http://www.psul4all.free-online.co.uk/intro.htm.

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The refurbishment of the Boyne Viaduct,Drogheda, won the Historic Structures RestorationAward at the 2016 National Railway HeritageAwards, presented on 7 December at a ceremony inMerchant Taylors’ Hall, London.

The refurbishment was significant costing €6.1mjointly funded by the EU INTERREG programme,the Department of Regional Development NorthernIreland and the Department of Transport in Dublin.The project involved the installation of a newdrainage system to capture and remove rainwater,steel-work repairs to replace sections of the bridge’ssteel structure and the relaying of track work overthe viaduct itself. In all 25 tonnes of new steel wasused and 14,000 rivets replaced. The old paintworkcovering the viaduct was removed and replaced witha more suitable and modern protective paint systemwhich will help to safeguard the steel-work overmany years. In total 15,000m2 of new paint wasapplied. The track-work on the viaduct, 547 yards,was replaced. New high-powered LED flood lightingwas installed co-funded by Louth Co. Council.

Left-Right: Stephen Bateson, Principal Engineer, Structures, CCE; Oliver Doyle, Judge, National Railway HeritageAwards; Aidan Bermingham, Project Manager, CCE, Boyne Viaduct, with the Awards Plaque.

The Boyne Viaduct – Heritage AwardOLIVER DOYLE

Right: The sandstone tablet, on the northwest corner ofthe Boyne Viaduct at Drogheda, erected in 1855 for theDublin & Belfast Junction Railway, when the structurewas almost complete. A good photograph has alwaysbeen impossible because of its elevated location, butwith the erection of scaffolding for the viaduct refurbish-ment, it became possible for a period to get close to thisstone carving. (Photo: Aidan Bermingham, Irish Rail)

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As a keen transport ticket collector for manyyears my attention was drawn to a most unusualGSR ticket in a recent postal auction. The ticketwas a standard GSR single coupon pre datedreturn of a type regularly issued in connection withspecial trains to GAA events or for Sunday seasideexcursions etc.

The destination of this special was a mostunlikely one, being none other than a 'signalstation' or request stop on the narrow gaugeCavan & Leitrim section. I knew the C&L for its lastdecade of operation andduring that time no Sundaytrains were run so I wasnaturally very intrigued toknow what called for aspecial from Arigna to remoteAdoon in June 1936.

My friends in Leitrim weresimilarly mystified andstrangely the weekly 'LeitrimObserver' of 12 June provedunhelpful. However, Icertainly wasn't going to giveup, and when I learned I hadbeen successful in my bid forthe ticket I asked if someonecould check the relevantGSR Weekly Circular in ourHeuston HQ.

This confirmed that a‘Demonstration’ excursiontrain was to be run fromArigna to Adoon calling at allstations and 'flag' stationsand times and fares wereshown, something neverbefore seen, as these haltswere simply shown as 'CR' inthe timetables. A returnservice was providedallowing 3 hrs 45 minutes inAdoon.

Friends suggested that the train was perhapsprovided for participants at a Feis at Cloone,Adoon being the nearest station, whilst otherssuggested a demonstration relating to theEconomic War, then having serious repercussionslocally.

The mystery was finally resolved when ourmember Fred Andrews remarked that the Selton

GSR ‘Demonstration’ SpecialArigna to AdoonSunday 14 June 1936Michael Davies

Hill memorial between Mohill and Ballinamore wasdedicated in June 1936 and this proved the correctanswer.

Selton Hill near Gorvagh was the scene of adeadly ambush when six IRA men were killed byBritish troops during the War of Independence on11 March 1921. It was over fifteen years thereforebefore the unveiling and dedication took place.

A hand written note on the Weekly Circularstates 100 and 1 half which may relate to thenumber of passengers carried on the special. This

seems a small number as anewspaper reports over7,000 persons attended. Thetotal passenger stock on theC&L section in 1936 wastwelve bogie coaches seatingaround 50 each. The WeeklyCircular lists no otherspecials when one mighthave thought trains wouldhave been run fromBelturbet, and to Dromod onthe broad gauge. No doubthuge numbers would havewalked as this was quitenormal in those pre car days,whilst a few buses may havebeen locally organised.

The other mystery sadlynot clarified by the WeeklyCircular is the disposal of thelocomotive and stockbetween the outward andreturn journeys. As the tabletsection was Ballinamore toMohill the empty train musthave proceeded there, andwater was available for thelocomotive. However, C&Ltrains were never observedwith the locomotive running

in reverse, and with no turntable at Mohill theengine presumably went to Dromod to turn.

Finally, my ticket from Ballinamore to Adoon isnumbered 0003 and snipped no less than THREEtimes! I would love to know where it has been keptall these years. We shall probably never know iftickets were also printed from Arigna, Drumshanboand the seven 'flag' stations between Drumshanboand Adoon.

The Selton Hill Memorial near Adoon, which wasthe third halt from Ballinamore on the line towardsDromod.

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GSR ‘DEMONSTRATION’ SPECIAL ARIGNA TO ADOON - SUNDAY 14 JUNE 1936

No. 3T (former Tralee and Dingle locomotive) at Arigna station on 16 July 1958. (Photo © Tom Davitt - IRRS Collection)

Original Cavan and Leitrim locomotive No. 8L passes Drumcong Post Office in Corglass townland in the mid 1950s, witha coal train from Arigna. The Post Office lies outside the townland for which it is named, the boundary being a short distance behind the train, just before Kiltubrid station. It’s not clear why the station is thus named, because the closestsettlement is the tiny hamlet of Drumcong. (Photo © Les Hyland - IRRS Collection)

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The Society has established a reputation for theconservation and restoration of older books andafter many years our copy of Dawson’s “ElectricRailways and Tramways” of 1897 is now restoredto its original condition. The author, Sir PhilipDawson (1866–1938), was at the then forefront ofthe new technology of electric locomotion andwrote this book because “no complete and up-to-date treatise on electric motive power applied torailways and tramways exists at the present time”.

Somewhere during the book’s lifetime some ill-disposed person (a more indelicate epithet isappropriate!) tore out all pages containing Irishtramway references plus the 60pp appendix oflegal matter leaving the book damaged andworthless as an information and research tool.

But most of the missing pages were discoveredin an old folder although six pages (421-426)describing the Bessbrook & Newry Tramway werestill wanting. A trawl of our collections turned upthese pages badly cropped, stapled and heldtogether with adhesive tape! But they were re-usable. So the delicate and time-consuming taskof re-inserting these pages back into the volumewhile preserving its original appearance began.To do this the book had to be taken to pieces.

Despite some wear and tear to the covers, thesewing was as good as the day it left thebookbinders. New gutter margins to support themissing pages were made up and the volume re-sewn on cords – a procedure rarely undertaken bybinders nowadays. Most of the original binding hasbeen preserved, new corners and joints have beenadded while the original spine with its five imitationbands, title and tooling has been retained andrestored. Our copy of Dawson is once again animpressive volume of some 700 pages, 29 x23cms, about Victorian tramway construction inthese islands

Although we don’t know how or when it came tothe Society it has an interesting provenance. It isa late Victorian top of the range trade binding,hand-sewn on five sewn-in hemp cords, half-boundin maroon morocco with good quality cloth sidesand top edge gilt. While the actual binder is notknown, it was most likely bound in Belfast beingcommissioned through William Mullan the Belfastbookseller described by the Oxford History of theIrish Book, vol. 5 as “a bookseller (who) publishedoccasional books many of historical and politicalinterest.” The title page bears an inscription“Maurice F. Fitzgerald, Belfast, 1898”.

TRAMWAYS RESTOREDThe story of a library bookTIM MORIARTY

Reproduction of photograph from the book.

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TRAMWAYS RESTORED - THE STORY OF A LIBRARY BOOK

Maurice Frederick Fitzgerald (1850-c.1927) wasProfessor of Civil Engineering at Queens UniversityBelfast and may well have commissioned thebinding. He was brother of George FrancisFitzgerald (1851-1901), Professor of Physics atTCD, listed in Bradshaw’s Shareholder’s Guide asa director of the Giant’s Causeway Tramway.Other Trinity academics, Anthony Traill (laterProvost) and his brother William, had major inputinto this tramway, and Lord Kelvin (WilliamThompson), to whom the work is dedicated, was amajor shareholder. Sadly Dawson makes noreferences at all to the Giant’s Causewaypresumably because his book was mainly acompendium of articles published in the periodicalEngineering before the line was built.

Since books are objects of beauty, there neverwas nor indeed can there be in these days ofscanners, photocopiers and digital cameras, anyexcuse to mutilate a book and deprive futureowners and readers of the information. But thisbook has come to life again and is a valuable assetto the members’ library. No other copy has as yetbeen located, although a paperback re-print isavailable in the Cambridge Library Collection.

Examples of the restored pages.

Right: The bound volume.

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Above: Discussion reigns in the main meeting room, theCurrivan Room, under the watchful supervision of the por-traits of our late distinguished members, Norman McAdamsand PJ Currivan. (Photo © David Wynne)

Left: The hushed environment of the Library experiencesan unwonted animation, as the catering service attends tothe most important business of the evening. (Photo ©David Wynne)

70th Anniversary Supper - DublinTo celebrate seventy years of the Society, some

forty nine members and guests attended a specialand enjoyable anniversary supper in our premisesat Heuston Station on Thursday 27 October 2016.

For the modest price of €10, participants weretreated to a three-course meal, main, dessert andtea/coffee. Wine and soft drinks were alsoprovided. A catering contractor was engaged forthe occasion and table service provided by theHon. Librarian and a professional waitress friend.Special mention must be made of the variety ofdesserts specially made for the occasion by MrsDaryl Hyland, wife of our Hon. Treasurer, AlanHyland. These equalled, if not surpassed, inquality and quantity, those available in the best fivestar restaurants.

In his after dinner speech, Mr Hyland welcomed

those present and gave a short history of theSociety. He spoke about the Journal, meetings andoutings. He went on to speak of the relationshipbetween the parent body and the branches inLondon and Cork, stating that a close relationshipexisted between the committees of all branches.He concluded by looking forward to the future andto plans for the 75th celebrations in 2021.

Because of seating logistics, participants wereseated in both the Currivan Room (the mainmeeting room) and Library, Mr Hyland found itnecessary to speak twice, first to those in theCurrivan Room and then to those in the Library.Surely a first for an after dinner speech and abonus for our Hon. Treasurer, the principalorganiser of the event.

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Shaun A Martin, Crewe to Ballywatermoy, 298pp.23x15cms, map, glossary and list of line closures.NI, 2016, published by the author. ISBN 978-1-36-678591-6. Price £10 stg. Softback.

Set against the post war condition of the railwaysin Ulster, one could be forgiven for believing this isa factual account of happenings on the NCC. Thisillusion is enhanced by the reproduction of a systemmap from 1948 (p294). But this book is a novel andall characters are fictitious.

The story begins with the arrival of the newlyappointed NCC chief officer, Malcolm Ross.Reflecting cross-channel control by the LMS hisarrival is heralded with out of earshot sarcasm –“notanother bloody Englishman coming over here to tellus how to run our railways” (p69).

Through the eyes of Ross we are taken on ajourney over the NCC, stations, staff, issues,locomotives, excursion trains and railwayoperations. Some of the events did happen or areindeed indicative of what could have happened andmany described are based on facts or at least verycredible. - “The Ballymoney tablet having beendropped at speed, the express was now under thecontrol of Coleraine’s colour light signals, a sectioncontrolled by direction levers” (p80). The story ofthe escapades of the Whiteabbey station cat (p64-5) is possibly factual and a delightful tale.

This book has all the hallmarks of the historicalnovel and attempts to convey the spirit of the eventswith realistic detail and fidelity. Not all is about theNCC and there is a love story and accounts ofjourneys on the continent. It is enjoyable to readand is to be recommended. Available on e-bay atthe price stated plus postage and packaging andalso from our hon. resident bookseller at librarynights and meetings. TM

Roy Carlisle, The Tracks of my Railway Years,179pp, 26x21cms, illustrations, bibliography. UK,PharmaSolutions, 2016. ISBN 978-1-5272-0124-8.Price, £16.99 stg. Softback.

There must be literally hundreds of privatecollections of Irish Railway images for the past fiftyyears stored in private collections. Roy Carlisle hashad the courage to open his treasury ofphotographs taken since 1970 and make themavailable for all to see and enjoy..

This book then is the publication of a privatecollection of some 400 Irish railway images takensince the 1970s. It includes shots in colour andmonochrome of steam, diesel, railcars and signalboxes mainly in Northern Ireland. The captionsthemselves are full of information. The author wasone of an intrepid group of enthusiasts fromNorthern Ireland who photographed everything thatmoved on the Irish railway system in the 1970sdespite the “Troubles”.

Highlight of his railway enthusiast’s days seemto have been a visit to Inchicore works in 1975 -,“one of the most enjoyable “gricing” days out thatI have had...it really was like being “a kid in asweetshop” (p134). He devotes a whole chapter(pp131-148) to this visit which with forty-twophotographs he describes as a “summary of CIÉLocomotive traction and rolling stock”.

This is a well produced and illustrated bookwhich will appeal to our readers. While there is abibliography, an index of the illustrations wouldcertainly have added to the book’s value as areference tool. TM

Jonathan Beaumont & Barry Carse, Railsthrough North Kerry – Limerick to Tralee andBranches, 26x21cms, 144pp text, colour andmonochrome illustrations with extended captions,map, diagrams and timetable extracts.Colourpoint Creative Ltd, Newtownards, 2016.£16 stg. Softback.

This book is a scenic pictorial journey along theNorth Kerry line between Limerick and Traleethrough images mainly from the private collectionof our member Barry Carse. It depicts the twilightyears of this interesting but sparsely documentedline from 1955 onwards. Like “The Tracks of myRailway Years” (also reviewed in this issue) weare given access to yet another private collectionof railway photographs. To complete the story theauthors have also drawn on illustrations fromother collections.

Here we can follow the weed spraying train(pp116-129), travel Patrickswell to Foynes, Traleeto Fenit, Tralee to Castleisland and the cementline to Castlemungret. And in our own times wecan walk or cycle the Great Southern Trail as itwas in 2011 – part of the former line opened as atourists amenity (pp130-135).

This book has over 180 excellent illustrationsshowing many locations and examples of motivepower used on the lines. The reviewer wasparticularly drawn to Brian Mac Aongusa’s photoof the horse and minder alighting at Kilgobbin in1955 (p 30) and the RPSI special in opencountryside near Barnagh in 1972 (p 69).

While this book has much to recommend it andthe authors are to be congratulated, by its natureit does not lend itself easily to index orbibliography. The inclusion of an index of locationsand locomotives would certainly however havegreatly enhanced it as a research source. TM

Joe Coleman, Falling Gradient, Limerick’sRailway Connections, 29.6x21cms, 464pp text,335 photographs, maps, facsimile timetables andother documents. Published by the Author,Limerick, 2016. €24.95. Softback.

Reviews

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REVIEWS

This is a book to be commended for what it israther than criticised for what it is not. It is not aconventional railway history, although it doescontain much history deriving in particular fromJoe’s paper on Limerick as a Railway Centre inJournal 182 of October 2013, which itself wasbased on Les Hyland’s Limerick as a RailwayCentre from Journal 33, Autumn 1963.

What Joe has provided is a wide-ranging andhighly readable account of a diversity of railwaymatters, all linked in some way with Limerick, thelinks being admittedly rather indirect in some of themore far-reaching sections. It includes much oralhistory, a lot about railway officers and staff,including a warm and affectionate portrait of theauthor’s locomotive driver father, Joe Sr, and whereelse will you read about such byways of history asthe Limerick Soviet and how it impinged on therailway!

There is an extensive range of pictures, allmonochrome, but mostly adequate in quality, andthose that are less perfect are justifiably includedfor their historical interest. Two pictures of theClayton steam railcars in action are especiallynoteworthy.

There many fascinating memories of the WestClare, and an expanded account of theParsonstown and Portumna Bridge, also thesubject of a previous paper by the author inJournal 178 of June 2012, which includes twohitherto unknown pictures of excellent quality,showing the viaduct at Riverstown and theunderbridge at the Lorrha-Portumna road.

As indicated, it is not an enthusiast’s book inthe normal sense, but it has certainly capturedthe attention of the general reader with aninterest in local history, because, if you have notalready purchased a copy, you are now likely tofind that it is already sold out! Good going for anybook on railways! MW

Forthcoming bookWilliam Fairbairn, the experimental engineer,

by Richard ByromTo be published in the UK by the Railway &

Canal Historical Society, April 2017. Hardback,400+ pages, 200 illustrations

For further information contact David Joy ofthe R&CHS, email: [email protected]

J191FRONT COVER AND FRONTISPIECE

The Volume No. should have been “27” and not“26” as printed. The current volume is Vol 27, andcommenced with Journal 189 of February 2016. Itwill conclude with Journal 194 of October 2017.

Each volume consists of six issues of 64 pageseach, thus 384 pages in total, excluding covers.This is manageable number of pages for binding.

The number of pages per volume has variedover the years, and some volumes exceed 500pages, quite difficult to bind successfully and alsoto handle when bound. It is intended to adhere tothe 6-journal, 384-page volume for the foreseeablefuture.

PAGE 148 UPPER PHOTOLocomotive 086 with MkIII trial train at

Broombridge, 24 April 1990It is amazing the photos that come up in the

Journal. There was a series of braking trialsbetween Enfield and Maynooth around that timefor a new wheel-slide protection system beingtested on a MkIII standard. It was formed of a MkIIIEGV and one (non push-pull) standard with an 071locomotive to give high power-to-weight to enablerepeated 70 mph-0 mph-70 mph attempts insection. I do remember that trial train, mainlybecause I travelled on it! I *think* I got the bus to

Enfield from Busaras that day, and thendefinitely travelled on the trial train at least asfar as Maynooth, although I may have travelledon it to Connolly - can’t remember that bitalthough my guess is that I went to Connolly. Ido know Jack Ahern was the loco inspector onit since I remember talking to him about it thatday. We did a few 70-0-70 stop-starts betweenEnfield and Maynooth and if I remembercorrectly the technical guys from Inchicore hadsome tubes running down to near rail level onthe MkIII that put some sort of washing-up liquidmix on the rail to simulate low adhesion duringthe braking. There weren’t any flats on the Mk3on the way back, but I don't know what everbecame of the equipment they tested. Likely thecarriage paintwork deliberately wasn't finisheduntil after the trials were complete. I also have avague recollection that the loco was the 071normally allocated to the Enterprise which wassubstituted either by an A or pair of 141s, couldbe wrong on that part though. [David Hegarty].

FURTHER OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTSWe have had a significant number of

constructive and interesting observations onJournal 191, which we are unable to include inthe present issue. We would hope to reportthem fully in a future Journal.

Observations and Comments

239

NATIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY (NTA)NTA RAIL REVIEW 2016-2030

The NTA’s Rail Review, already the subject ofmuch debate (both in railway and national media),was considered by Cabinet on 15 November2016 and later published. It says Iarnród Éireannneeds an extra €103 million a year over the nextfive years to ensure its survival.

While less than 10 per cent of those whocommute into and around Dublin travel by rail,worsening congestion on the capital’s roads islikely to mean commuting numbers, includingthose who travel by Luas, will rise from the current7 per cent figure, the Review predicts.

However, the railways are failing, or unable todeal with, commuters in the other cities.

Just 1 per cent of people working in Cork,Limerick and Waterford travel by rail.

In Cork, houses have been built away fromexisting stations, rather than near them, makingrail travel unattractive: “[This] is a major issue forthe city and needs to be addressed,” the Reviewsays.

Almost irrelevant Meanwhile, rail commuting is“almost irrelevant” in Galway. Fewer than 400people travel into the city on the Galway-Limerickline. Galway’s scale and density makes propercommuter services unlikely “even in the longterm”.

In Waterford, “the use of rail for travel to workis negligible and is likely to remain so given thepopulations and scale of demand”. In Limerick,rail will find it “extremely challenging to play asignificant role”.

Some rural routes should be considered forclosure, the Review argues. The Limerick toBallybrophy (via Nenagh) line carries as few as22,856 passengers a year, costing approximately€550 per passenger.

The Limerick Junction to Waterford line carries35,018 annually at a cost of €362.40 per head.

The Review says all five stations betweenBallybrophy and Limerick – Roscrea,Cloughjordan, Nenagh, Birdhill and Castleconnell– and all four stations between Limerick Junctionand Waterford – Tipperary, Cahir, Clonmel andCarrick-on-Suir – are among the 15 least-used onthe network.

Critical Labour TD Alan Kelly has criticisedclosure calls, saying more investment is needed.Vital pieces of infrastructure should be protectedand were not designed to make profits.

“The idea that only profitable public transportroutes should be maintained would lead to thewithdrawal of public transport from whole swathesof both urban and rural Ireland,” he said.

The Review also suggests the Ennis to Athenryline, which was revived in 2010 at a cost of €100

million, might be a target for closure, though itspossible expansion is mentioned in the Coalitiondeal.

Defending the link, Minister of State SeánCanney said passenger numbers had doubled overthe past year, helped by online ticketing and moreuseful timetables.

Ten stations accounted for some 46 per cent oftotal boardings nationally and 48 per cent of totalalightings. With the exception of Cork’s KentStation, all of the top 10 stations were located inDublin.

David Franks, chief executive of IÉ, said the Statesubvention must rise, or else fares will have to. Thecurrent level of funding is “unsustainable” and wasthe primary cause for the deterioration of theinfrastructure.

Positives as well: Passenger numbers arecontinuing to climb, with fleet capacity currentlyunder the demand curve. To solve this in themedium term, two proposals are in place. The firstis the refurbishment of “14 Class 2700 sets”, with11 sets in service and 3 spare. This is estimated tocost €300,000 per vehicle. The other option underconsideration is up to 48 new ICR ‘B’ centre cars,although with 80 seats and no toilets (compared tothe current 72 and 1 toilet). These are estimated tocost up to €2.6 million each. Both options requiresignificant investment but are required to cope withrising passenger numbers.

The Review was posted for public consultationfrom 15 November 2016 until 18 January 2017.

The full Review is available to view onwww.nationaltransport.ie/consultations/consultation-on-rail-review-2016/

PASSENGER CENSUS 2015The results from the passenger census

conducted on 19 November 2015 were released asboth an independent report and as part of the RailReview. As before, it was conducted on a “typicalday”, with the favoured Thursday being used.

As before, the busiest stations were in Dublin(Connolly, Pearse, Heuston and Tara Street), thebusiest train being the 08:00 Greystones – Malahide(1,336 passengers total, 923 maximum at one time).A total of 141,477 journeys were made, an increaseof 13% over the similar survey done in 2014.

The full report is available on the NationalTransport Authority website.

NTA STATEMENT TO JOINT OIREACHTAS(PARLIAMENTARY) COMMITTEE ON TOURISM,

TRANSPORT AND SPORTThe Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy

2016-2035, approved by the Minister earlier thisyear, sets out how the vision for greater use ofsustainable transport could be delivered by 2035

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allowing also for a 29% increase in transportdemand over that period.

The strategy outlines the heavy and light railnetworks and the core bus network, as well as asupporting cycling network and demandmanagement measures that are necessary toensure that 55% of the trips to work in 2035 aremade by sustainable modes (up from 38% in2011).

The cost of all the measures in the strategy is€10bn, which averages at €500m each year overthe 20-year horizon of the strategy. Deliveringthese projects will accrue an overall benefit to costratio of 1.5 to 1. However, the current capitalfunding for improvements to public transport arenot at the levels required to meet the GDA Strategygoals.

Approximately €350m is provided each year forthe next three years for public transport across thestate which includes the funding required forsteady-state funding of the rail network across theentire State. The Authority will shortly publish itsstatutory Draft Implementation Plan, which will setout what can be delivered within the currentfinancial envelope in the next six years.

Growth in Travel Following a period of reducedtransport usage and suppressed transport growth,both in relation to private car use and also publictransport patronage, 2014 saw the start of areversal of these trends. Public transport usagehas increased for all modes since then – bus, Luasand commuter rail. Paralleling the changes inpublic transport, car travel has also increasedacross the Dublin region since 2014. Demand fortravel is now on the increase and patronage onpublic transport is growing. To date in 2016,passenger numbers continue to grow with anestimated outturn growth of about 5% expected bythe end of the year.

This trend of increased overall demand isexpected to continue and accelerate, with furthereconomic recovery and population growthenvisaged over the next 5 years.

It is unlikely that all such demands can be metwithin existing service provision and capacity,particularly within the City and other urban areaswhere population growth will be highest, andwhere existing peak capacity is already well used.

What is being delivered now? Over the nextyear, the following transport improvements will bedelivered:

•Luas Cross City will commence services at theend of 2017;

•Train services from the Kildare Rail Line linkingwith the City Centre through the Phoenix ParkTunnel have just commenced;

•A 10-minute DART service will be providedfrom early 2017; and

•Additional buses will be acquired and additionalcapacity added on busy routes currentlyexperiencing high passenger numbers in peakhours.

What will be delivered as part of the Capital Planup to 2022?

•Some additional bus fleet and improvements inbus corridors;

•Design and planning for construction of NewMetro North;

•Extension of DART to Balbriggan and designsfor electrification of commuter sections of Kildareand Maynooth lines;

•Redesign of DART Underground; and•Construction of a new national train control

centre.However, the City region cannot wait for these

projects to be delivered. Rail projects have a longlead-in time. Work must commence immediately onimprovements to the bus infrastructure across theregion in order to meet the growing demand andoffer an attractive alternative to car drivers.

What needs to be delivered now?•Accelerated development of bus lane provision

on the Priority Bus Corridors forming the Core BusNetwork;

•Further enhancement in terms of bus fleetnumbers and bus services;

•Introduction of Bus Rapid Transit services onsome high passenger volume bus routes;

•Provision of higher frequency and amended railservices on certain commuter routes into Dublinwhich requires investment in new rail carriages;

•Measures such as Park & Ride provision andfares initiatives; and

•Accelerated delivery of key elements of thecycling network.

In the short term, improvements in the core busnetwork are proposed until rail infrastructure can bebuilt to match demand.

FARE DETERMINATION 2017The majority of rail fares were frozen at 2016

levels for 2017. However, Leap Card fares havemoved to a distance-based rather than zone-basedcharging, resulting in some fare increases as wellas decreases. The Dublin Short-Hop Zone (LeapCard Zone) has been extended to Sallins/Naas onthe Heuston line and Kilcoole on the Rosslare line.Both should improve loadings, especially from analready busy Sallins, via the new Phoenix ParkTunnel service.

Key changes are:Iarnród Éireann – Moving Sallins/Naas and

Kilcoole into the Short Hop Zone, no increase in dayIntercity fares, increase of 2% on Adult and ChildWeekly and Monthly Intercity tickets

Luas - Merge Zone 3 and Zone 4 fares resultingin changes from -4.2% to + 7.4%, 10 to 20 centincrease on adult single cash fares, and adultmonthly and annual taxsaver fares + 9.9%.

MERRION GATESThe launch by the NTA of a public consultation on

plans for Sandymount to Blackrock ‘bottleneck’ wasreported in The Irish Times of 27 October 2016.

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A continuous pedestrian and cycle route runningfrom Irishtown, on the city centre side of the strand,to the Seapoint area of Monkstown is included inthe proposals.

The closure of the railway level crossing atMerrion Gates to through traffic and a new link roadbetween Merrion Road and Strand Road are alsoproposed in a consultation document released bythe NTA and Minister for Transport Shane Ross.The scheme was put out to public consultation until16 December 2016.

NTA chief executive Anne Graham said thescheme, if approved by An Bord Pleanála, wouldcost between €40 million and €48 million andwould take two years to complete. The NTAconfirmed the compulsory purchase ofapproximately 35 properties would be required.

It aims to improve the rail service as well astravel times for buses and cars, and to eliminateaccidents and “near-misses” at Merrion Gates.

Part of the scheme involves a realignment ofStrand Road, incorporating a new bridge over therail line about 250m to the north of the current levelcrossing

The full details of the scheme and theconsultation were available at iti.ms/2dJoOw5.

LEAP FAMILY CARDThe Leap Family Card was a promotional ticket

to encourage families to use public transportaround Dublin during the 1916 commemorations ofthe Easter 1916 Rising. It could be used by 2 adultsand up to 4 children (until their 19th birthday). Itwas valid for 24 hours after the first occasion of useon all Luas trams, scheduled Dublin Bus and BusÉireann services, and DART and suburban trainswithin the Short Hop area.

It was a promotional ticket that could only beused until 31 December 2016. A maximum of 10Leap Family Cards could be purchased per order,but were only available while stocks lasted. Userswere warned that if they had more than one LeapCard, to ensure that they only put the one theywanted to use near the validator. If a Leap FamilyCard was validated by accident, it wouldautomatically expire after 24 hours.

The Family Card proved to be popular andceased to be available after 2 November.

COMMISSION FOR RAILWAY REGULATIONANNUAL REPORT

On Wednesday 21 December, the Commissionfor Railway Regulation released their annual reportfor the year 2015.

Iarnród Éireann: Whilst Iarnród Éireann wastaking a “noticeable different approach to safetyregulation”, the report stated that it hadsuccessfully encouraged key staff to “implementimprovements for the benefit of rail safety”. TheCRR, assisted by DNV-GL, produced a draft reporton strategic management of safety in IÉ(comparing it to a High Reliability Organisation),

which was rejected by IÉ. However, following aleak of the draft to the media, the report wasfinalised and formally issued. IÉ responses to thisreport and other CRR regulatory activities in 2015resulted in a strained working relationship.

Key points:Formation of an IÉ Board Safety Committee.Signals Passed at Danger increased from 10 in

2014 to 15 in 2015 (down from 18 in 2013 and 22in 2010).

18 other reportable incidents are listed, including7 derailments (all in yards).

“The MkIV Intercity Carriages were authorisedfor service operation on the entire IÉ networkduring 2015”.

Transdev: A new SMS was adopted by Transdevin 2015, resulting in two audits. One highlightedminor non-compliances and the other resulted inno non-compliances.

Northern Ireland Railways: A minor audit on traincrew was conducted during 2015. This highlighteda number of deficiencies regarding formalrecording systems to monitor training and on-goingcompetence.

Balfour Beatty: A number of areas requiredaction to be taken during the audit of Q4 (the fourthquarter of the year) in 2015.

The full report is available atwww.crr.ie/publications/annual-report-2015/.

TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IRELANDLUAS CROSS CITY

Broadstone: The LUAS Cross City route takes itpast the former Midland Great Western Railwaystation at Broadstone and under the current busgarage. With a car park currently in front of thebuilding, and a substantial drop down to track level,a large concrete wall was erected to preventsubsidence of the bank and to prevent cars fromreversing too far.

Local residents were “outraged” at the structure,with an angry backlash via social media andprinted press, notably The Irish Times.

Green Party councillor Ciarán Cuffe, a formerMinister of State for planning, was also involved.“It seems to me that some of the worst aspects ofthis rather sheer and brutal wall could be mitigatedif the upper part of the wall were replaced bycarefully designed transparent vertical railings atthe top 1200mm section,” he recently told the Luasproject team.

Luas Cross City responded by pointing out thatthe parapet was needed for “public safetyreasons”, to prevent vehicles using the space infront of the Broadstone building from falling ontothe Luas stop area below. This arises because the“public space” in question is being used as a carpark by Bus Éireann staff. The finished wall is tobe clad in “panels of white limestone”.

Due to the backlash from this, Luas Cross Cityhave agreed to look at the plans again andconsider redesign. Interestingly, the former building

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was hidden from the road for many years by theMaxol petrol station that stood on the site of thetrackbed.

Progress Update: During 2016, significantprogress has been made with the Luas Cross Cityproject. Track laying in the city centre is nowcomplete. Construction of the stops at DominickStreet, Marlborough, O’Connell / GPO, Trinity,Cabra, Dawson, Westmoreland has commenced.This includes the installation of the necessary stopfurniture. The tie-in track works between the LuasRed and Green lines have been completed. Thetrack across O’Connell Bridge linking Dublin’sNorth and South quays has been installed. Workon laying the OCS (Overhead Conductor System)is now in progress. The reinstatement of heritagepavement has started. Construction work on thenew depot at Broombridge is at an advancedstage. Two new substations have been built. A newbridge has been built at Broadstone while the deckhas been replaced on the Liam Whelan/ FassaughRoad Bridge.

Traffic Alterations: A number of traffic restrictionswere implemented to facilitate construction work.The Dawson Street/Nassau Street Junction wasclosed to vehicular traffic and cyclists betweenDuke Street and Nassau Street from 3 October forfour weeks. This allowed works to take place at thejunction of Dawson Street and Nassau Street. Thejunction reopened on Friday 28 October. TheO’Connell Street median taxi rank waspermanently closed on the morning of Tuesday 18October. At the same time, replacement taxi ranksopened on O’Connell Street outside the GreshamHotel, on both sides of Cathal Brugha Street, andon Parnell Street (east of O’Connell Street). Thereare plans for other new taxi ranks on Prince’sStreet North and Earl Street North (both night timeranks), on Parnell Street (west of O’Connell Street),and on Middle Abbey Street. Vehicle access intoand out of Duke Street from Dawson Street wasprohibited from Tuesday 1 November untilThursday 24 November. The right turn fromO’Connell Street to Cathal Brugha Street wasclosed permanently from? Wednesday 9November. The alternative route to the area forgeneral traffic is now via Parnell Square, GardinerRow, Great Denmark Street and Hill Street. Buses,taxis and cyclists may access the area via ParnellSquare and O’Connell Street, turning left intoCathal Brugha Street from O’Connell Street. Theleft turn from Westmoreland Street to Fleet Streetclosed for a period of 6 weeks from Monday 6February 2017. Access to the Car Park and otherlocal access to the Fleet Street area was availableby diverting via Aston Quay. This closure will belifted before St. Patrick’s Day.

Tramways and Urban Transit In its February2017 issue, devoted to driverless trams, TUTreports that in 2016 following the Luas strike Dublinwas the first city to call for tram automation. Aproposal by Councillor Smyth to Dublin City

Council that “ Given the disruption, both civic andeconomic, caused by the Luas drivers’ strike...thiscommittee calls on the new Minister for Transport,the National Transport Authority, TransportInfrastructure Ireland and Transdev, to future-proofall new Luas rolling stock so that it is capable ofbeing fitted with self-driving software...” waspassed by the Council’s Transport Committee.SIPTU Drivers’ Union organiser, Owen Reidydismissed the proposal as a “hair- brained crazyscheme”.

TRANSDEV IRELANDFill a Tram: Between 07:00 and 19:00 on

Thursday 8 December, approximately 8,000shoeboxes of Christmas gifts for the homelesswere collected in tram 3005 at Connolly Station.The scheme was for the benefit of the Inner CityHelping Homeless charity, and also served around350 hot meals and 60 haircuts for those in need.

Service DisruptionsFriday 7 October 2016: Services on the Luas

Green Line stopped shortly after 09:00 on whentwo trams failed due to a technical fault withoverhead wires. The line remained closed until06:30 on Saturday, 8 October.

During the disruption, Luas tickets were valid onDublin Bus, while Finnegan’s Coaches of Brayprovided a service between Dundrum and BridesGlen Luas stops.

Friday 28 October 2016: Tram 3005 wasinvolved in an accident with a Dublin Cityscapesightseeing bus (Volvo B7TL / Plaxton President03-KE-16301) at Bow Street, on the city centre sideof the Smithfield stop. Units of the Dublin FireBrigade, ambulances and Gardaí were inattendance, and by 13:00 the bus was moved fromthe tram. Services operated between Blackhorseand Tallaght / Saggart from approximately 11:00until 13:50. The tram made the journey back to RedCow depot under its own power. Members of theRail Accident Investigation Unit were in attendance.7 people were hospitalised

Monday 7 November 2016: Luas Red Lineservices experienced delays of up to 40 minutesfollowing a collision between a car and a Garda carat the Queen Street / Benburb Street junction. Theincident occurred shortly after 21:00. No injurieswere reported. Delays continued until 22:30.

Monday 14 November 2016: Major disruption toLuas Red Line services occurred shortly after17:00 when a lorry carrying an excavator broughtdown the overhead conductor system at theKingswood / Belgard Road junction. Following theaccident, the road at Belgard was partially closed.Luas services only operated between Red Cowand Connolly / The Point.

Wednesday 7 December 2016: A car and tram4002 were involved in a collision at the TallaghtHospital stop at approximately 12:00. Thepantograph section was derailed in the collision.The line between Belgard and Tallaght was closed

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The aftermath of the accident on Friday 28 October 2016. (Photo © Kieran Marshall)

Stationary tram at St Stephen’s Green during the service interruption on Friday 7 Ocotber 2016. Note the earth connection from the overhead line to the running rail – something not often seen. (Photo © Kieran Comerford)

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from 12:00 to 14:41, with replacement bus servicesin operation. Trams from Saggart inbound were notaffected.

Wednesday 14 December 2016: Red Line tramsran between Tallaght / Saggart and Smithfieldbetween 08:08 and 08:21 due to a power issue.Tickets were valid on Dublin Bus for that duration.

IARNRÓD ÉIREANNFUNDING CRISIS

IÉ cannot sustain losses beyond 2016 withoutaffecting safety, the company’s chief executiveDavid Franks has warned.

In a stark outline of the company’s positionreported in the Irish Times of 10 October 2016, MrFranks said Government funding for the railwayshad been cut from €195 million in 2007 to just €98million last year.

He said the Government’s Strategic Frameworkfor Investment in Land Transport (SFILT) “and otherreviews” had identified a shortfall in annual fundingof €90 million in the amount required to keepcurrent service levels on the existing network.

“Other reviews” include the latest Rail Review,carried out by IÉ under the supervision of the NTA,as discussed earlier.

The Rail Review was initiated by Mr Ross’spredecessor after it became apparent that fundingfor IÉ was insufficient to provide “steady state” interms of maintenance of the railway.

Mr Franks said IÉ could not withstand “furtherlosses beyond 2016 without impacting on servicelevels, performance and safety maintenance”.

He also said the situation facing the Staterailway company was now “critical”, even thoughIÉ had reduced its cost base by €73 million a yearsince the economic crisis developed.

Passenger growth Mr Franks said not evenbetter than anticipated passenger growth wouldmake up the difference.

The funding shortage at IÉ affects existing track,signalling and infrastructure assets but also plansfor automatic train protection systems, whichprevent trains from passing red lights or exceedingspeed limits. Such systems are commonplaceacross Europe.

The problem also affects plans for investment inlevel crossing safety and the prioritised renewal ofthe national train control centre.

Mr Franks said IÉ had a vision for the futurewhich included journey times between Dublin andCork of less than two hours and between Dublinand Belfast of less than 90 minutes, as well asencouraging more environmentally friendly publictransport.

In a “sustainably funded environment”, thecompany could deliver an expansion programmefor the DART alongside “transformative levels” oftrain frequency and capacity, he said.

The comments by Mr Franks were contained ina written submission to the Oireachtas committeeon transport dated 5 October 2016. The

submission was partially delivered in an address byMr Franks before the committee took the remainingelement of the speech “as read”.

The review is known to have considered optionsfor the sustainable funding of IÉ. It is known to haveconsidered the cost of little-used rail lines such asthe Limerick to Waterford line, the Ballybrophy-Nenagh-Limerick line and the reopened Ennis toAthenry section of the Western Rail Corridor.

Passenger business A survey of usage of theselines by The Irish Times last year indicatednumbers using the Ennis to Athenry line haddoubled since it opened, but the line facedcompetition from buses on the nearby M18motorway, as discussed in detail in "The RailReview"

The Ballybrophy line was its least-used line bypassengers.

However, while Mr Ross said the short-termfuture of public transport was “less rosy”, he saidthe longer-term vision was to go ahead with majorimprovements such as Metro North and DARTUnderground: “all those projects which have notbeen shelved but which have been postponedbecause of the economic crisis”, he said.

EXPANSION OF DARTIÉ is developing a truncated version of the DART

expansion project to reduce the potential €4.5bncost in a bid to secure government approval toallow construction to begin in just over three years'time. Less tunneling, requiring passengers tochange trains, is amongst the options beingconsidered. Originally proposed was an 8.6kmtunnel from Inchicore to East Wall, with stations atInchicore, Heuston, Christchurch, St Stephen'sGreen, Pearse Street and Spencer Dock. Optionsare:

•Shortening the overall tunnel length byremoving the section between Inchicore andHeuston. Instead, additional running lines would bebuilt above ground, and Inchicore station would bedropped.

•Terminating the tunnel at Pearse station;connects with the existing DART lines but reducescapacity.

•Connecting lines with passengers changingtrains at Heuston for Hazelhatch and the Kildareline.

A full assessment of all options is being made byIÉ, looking at redesign options and the cost-benefitsof each. This will be provided to the NTA with a viewto possibly proceeding to a Railway Order (planningpermission), with construction works to start in2020.' (The Planner)

SERVICE DEVELOPMENTSPhoenix Park Tunnel Launch: On 21 November,

the new Phoenix Park Tunnel timetable waslaunched, with the new Grand Canal Dock (GCD) –Hazelhatch / Newbridge service being inaugurated.As per Journal 191, there are 10 services in the

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morning and 8 services in the evening peak. Initialloadings appear to be healthy, inbound in themorning and outbound in the evening, with 42 on thefirst service to Grand Canal Dock and over 150reported alighting at Newbridge in the first week.Apart from a DART signalling fault at Shankill on thefirst evening, integration of the two lines hasreportedly been relatively painless.

The sets in use on the first day were as follows:05:40 Heuston – Newbridge / 06:14 Newbridge -

GCD - 22010.06:20 Heuston – Hazelhatch / 06:50 Hazelhatch

- GCD - 22023.06:15 Heuston – Newbridge / 07:00 Newbridge -

GCD - 22026.06:35 Heuston – Newbridge / 07:20 Newbridge -

GCD - 22028.16:35 Heuston – Hazelhatch / 17:00 Hazelhatch

- GCD - 22047.16:20 Heuston – GCD / 17:00 GCD - Hazelhatch

- 22023.14:35 Heuston – Newbridge / 15:10 Newbridge -

GCD - 2202415:20 Heuston – Hazelhatch / 15:55 Hazelhatch

- GCD - 22045.16:58 Heuston – GCD / 17:28 GCD - Newbridge

- 22028The final previous regular working over this route

was on Sunday 23 September 2001. It was theregular 16:20 Galway to Connolly via Heuston. Thisconsisted of a 4-piece 2600 railcar. It was due inHeuston at 19:25 to reverse out to IslandbridgeJunction at 19:33 before proceeding to Connolly,where it was due at 19:55. At 20:15, the same setformed a service to Dundalk and this onwardconnection was advertised in the public timetable.

Timetable Change: To accommodate the aboveservice, a number of minor changes have beenimplemented. Although mainly following theproposals set out in Journal 191, the 17:25 Heuston– Limerick remains and the 17:20 Heuston –Portlaoise has been deferred to 17:28.

In addition, a number of trains now serve thevarious platforms in Heuston to prevent track circuitand signal failures in areas that previously had noregular service and also at other locations on thesystem.

The 15:25 Heuston – Limerick, for example, isbooked to use the Down Loop at Ballybrophy. The19:00 Heuston – Cork uses Charleville Down Loop.

The 20:20 Cork – Heuston uses Mallow Platform 3.Other locations include Thurles Down Loop,

Banteer, Killarney bay and Farranfore.Leaf Fall: From Monday 24 October, the 07:35

Dublin Connolly – Belfast Central and 10:35 returnbecame an ICR working because of slipping on theBelfast line. The De Dietrich set with 201 classhaulage resumed each day on the 13:20. Thisarrangement lasted until 19 November.

Late Night DARTs: Once again, Iarnród Éireannprovided a late-night commuter service from DublinConnolly, with the following additional services:

00:30 and 01:30 Dublin Pearse – Howth;00:30 and 01:30 Dublin Connolly – Greystones;00:40 and 01:40 Dublin Pearse – Dundalk;00:20 and 01:50 Dublin Pearse – Maynooth.These ran on 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22 and

23 December. Additional late night services wereprovided for the New Year’s Eve concert, withtrains running an hour later than above.

INFRASTRUCTURETrack: The speed limit from Hazelhatch to the

Curragh Curves outside Kildare has beenincreased to a consistent 100mph, compared tothe previous fluctuations between 90 and100mph.

Signalling: The automatic signals (PL101,PL103 and PL102, PL104 and their associateddistant signals) between Laois Traincare Depotand Ballybrophy have been renewed with LEDsignal heads. Noted on Wednesday 26 October2016.

Ballast Cleaning: The Heuston – Cork lineballast cleaning was continued on the followingdates:

Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 October 2016:Ballast Cleaning took place all weekend on the UpLine between Newbridge and Kildare. Cleaner781, Tamper 742 and Ballast Regulator 704 werein attendance.

Saturday 5 November 2016: Cleaning betweenHazelhatch and Sallins on the Up Road.

Saturday 3 December 2016: This dateconcluded the 2016 Ballast Cleaning programme,with the Down line between Sallins/Naas andNewbridge.

Ballast: IÉ have tendered for ballast deliveryworth up to €13 million for 3 years, supplying toNorth Wall, Mallow, Charleville, Lisduff andPortarlington.

DepotsHarristown Bus Garage: Iarnród Éireann (not

Dublin Bus!) advertised for a contractor to work onthe administration buildings of the Dublin Busgarage at Harristown (by Dublin Airport). Thecontractor is required to conduct remedial repairsto the glazing system of the administrationbuilding which will require removal of all glazingfrom top to bottom, constructing a new perimeterconcrete ground beam and reinstalling theexisting glazing. Due to the use of ArchitecturalAluminium glazing, the successful company wouldhave to work with this to allow replacementwindows to be installed. The tender closed on 13December 2016.

Route Information Booklets: A fresh set ofRoute Information booklets, featuring speedrestrictions, bridge locations and platform lengths,is currently being issued by the Infrastructuredepartment. They are split into the main routes,with drafts for Dublin-Cork-Cobh/Midleton andKillarney Junction-Tralee having been publishedso far.

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PIGEONS AT HEUSTONThe ingress of pigeons into Heuston Station

over many years had a sequel in the Circuit Courtlast December when an employee of a retail outletat the station was awarded some €25,000damages for injuries received when she slipped onpigeon droppings three years previously. The claimwas brought against both her employer and CIÉas the station landlord.

The Irish Independent of 12 December 2016reported that CIÉ told the court what efforts it hadmade to keep the pigeons out and that therestaurant owners had done what was reasonableto keep its premises clean and clean up after thepigeons. Although both defendants were joined inthe action, the judge made an order for the fullamount in favour of the restaurant and againstCIÉ. We understand that an appeal may belodged.

ROLLING STOCKLOCOMOTIVES

071-class: IÉ advertised for the supply andoverhaul of dampers on this class as well as forthe 201, 2600, 2800 and 22000 fleets. In addition,a separate tender was announced for the supply ofnew bogies and bolsters for the fleet. This is to bespread over 5 years with a minimum of 2 bogiesand 2 bolsters to be supplied at a time, with all 36bogies covered.

076 was sent to Cork on Monday 2 January2017 to collect failed 234.

201-class: Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems (UK)have been awarded a contract for the fitting ofsanding equipment to the 201 fleet. This is to befitted after the 2600 fleet has been fully fitted.

231 was adorned with IWT logos for aphotoshoot at North Wall. It worked the 09:35North Wall – Ballina IWT on Tuesday 4 October2016. The logos were only applied on one end andremoved a week later.

229 suffered a cracked windscreen onWednesday 5 October 2016, the damageoccurring whilst working the 17:00 Heuston – Cork.The train terminated in Ballybrophy, with 3-pieceICR 22047 working onwards. The MkIV set (4007)then worked the 18:25 Portlaoise – Heuston localservice, calling at Portarlington, Kildare,Newbridge and Heuston (in place of 22047)..

216 was dispatched on 29 November 2016 fromHeuston to Mallow to collect failed loco 215. Theconsist returned that evening.

Locos 217, 220, 232 and 234 were all releasedto traffic during the period under review. Of interestis that 217 and 220 have gained yellow-backednameplates, in place of the more conventionalblack-backed nameplates.

218 failed on Thursday 29 December 2016whilst working the 12:20 Cork – Heuston.Passengers were de-trained at Ballybrophy, and231 ran Light Engine to rescue the set (4006).

234 failed on Friday 30 December 2016 whilst

working the 07:00 Heuston – Cork, the failurehappening south of Mallow. Cork standby 229 wentto rescue the set, and dragged it into Cork. 216was sent as standby loco.

216 was finally used in passenger service onSunday 22 January 2017, working the 12:20 Cork– Heuston and 19:00 Heuston – Cork. It then did afull diagram on Monday 23 January, finishing up inHeuston and being placed as standby loco for theTuesday. On Wednesday it worked the 08:00Heuston – Cork, 11:20 return, 16:00 Heuston –Cork and 20:20 return.

Inchicore: On 7 January 2017, 29016 was in thepaint shop, 222 and 086 were undergoing bodyoverhauls, while 215 and 234 were in fleet overhaulshop undergoing repairs. 081 was almost ready forre-entry to traffic after body overhaul, repaint andrepairs, as well as modifications including new airtanks, new cab consoles, new handbrake, andreplacement overhauled bogies. 082 had finishedits body overhaul but undergoing work similar to081. Noted body-overhauled so far are: 216, 217,220, 224, 226, 227, 228, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234.

COACHING STOCKMkIV News: An additional set has been brought

back into traffic, making the 08:00/16:00 Heuston –

Retro 071: The ‘Retro’ liveried classleader 071 was busy from October toJanuary. On Thursday 13 October 2016, itworked 8 empty HOBS wagons fromPortarlington to Platin for loading and thendropping on the Navan Branch

On Monday 17 October, it worked 11:00Platin – Heuston per way train, then thefollowing day to Thurles from North Wallwith 11 empty spoil wagons.

It remained in Limerick area from 22October after working the RPSI Specialfrom Dublin Connolly via Athenry. Itremained working there for a number ofweeks.

On 23 November, it worked 3 emptytimber 10:00 Limerick to Waterford andreturned 13:15 Waterford to Limerick with 1CPW and 1 empty timber wagon.

It remained based in the Limerick areauntil Thursday 8 December, when it workedthe 07:50 Limerick to Inchicore wagontransfer consisting of 1 CPW and 1wheelcarrier, but was swopped at Inchicorewith 084 returning to Limerick L.E. (lightengine).

By 20 December, it was on the TaraMines working with 077, being observed on29 December on the 09:20 Tara Mines –Alexandra Dock Road and 14:00 return

On 10 January 2017 it was swapped for085, and went L.E. to Kildare for a timber.

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Belmond-liveried locomotive 216 propels the 09:20 Cork-Heuston away from Portlaoise on Monday 23 January. (Photo© Seán Marshall)

IRISH RAILWAY NEWS

Cork and the 11:20/19:20 Cork – Heuston MkIVoperation. The table below shows the workings nowin the hands of MkIVs:

On Friday 23 December, all seven MkIV setswere in traffic for the first time since November2012. This was due to increased demand on the

last Friday before Christmas. The seventh set isnominated as maintenance spare and notnormally used. This resulted in the followingworkings:

13:00 Heuston – Cork: 217 + 4006set (8pce)11:20 Cork – Heuston: 4004 (7pce) + 23112:20 Cork – Heuston: 4001 (8pce) + 21914:00 Heuston – Cork: 224 + 4002 (8pce)15:00 Heuston - Cork: 220 + 4003 (8pce)16:00 Heuston – Cork: 231 + 4004 (7pce)14:20 Heuston – Cork: 4007 (8pce) + 22117:00 Heuston – Cork: 219 + 4001 (8pce)15:20 Heuston – Cork: 4005 (7pce) + 234

RAILCARSClass 2600: 2601+2602 transferred to Limerick

Depot for a B-exam on Wednesday 13 October2016, working as the 20:30 Cork – Limerick Ety.

Sanding Equipment: The 2600 class railcarshave been retrofitted with an on-board sandingsystem. It is a fully automatic variable rate systemwith an additional manual function. In automaticmode, the system will deliver sand to the railheadwhenever the train experiences wheel slip or slideas indicated by the Wheel Slip Protection (WSP)system. As regards variable rate there are limitson the amount of sand that is allowed to bedistributed on the railhead to ensure that traindetection is not lost. A variable rate system can

Monday - Friday - SundayThursday Saturday

07:00, 08:00,09:00, 11:00,13:00, 15:00,16:00, 17:00,18:00, 19:00 ex Heuston

07:00, 09:20,10:20, 11:20,12:20, 14:20,16:20, 18:20,20:20 ex Cork

07:00, 08:00,09:00, 11:00,12:00, 13:00,14:00 (FO)15:00, 16:00,17:00, 18:00,19:00 (FX) ex Heuston

07:00, 09:20,10:20, 11:20,12:20, 14:20,15:20, 16:20,17:20 (FO)18:20, 20:20 ex Cork

10:00, 12:00,13:00, 14:00,15:00, 16:00,17:00, 19:00ex Heuston

08:20, 10:20,12:20, 13:20,15:20, 16:20,17:20, 18:20,19:20 ex Cork

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bars. Apart from that minor issue, the new frontsare standing up well to damage.

Numbering: The fleet is gaining internal UICnumbers displayed over the cab doors, replacingthe previous style. It appears that only the numberabove the cab doors are being done, with othernumbers left in the original style.

Failures: 22010+22043 failed on Sunday 16October 2016 whilst working the 09:50 Heuston –Galway. They overnighted in Tullamore, and 22010was identified as the issue. Repair of 22043 wasachieved on site, and it was worked back to LaoisTraincare Depot. Due to the unavailability of aLaois Traincare driver, the set stabled in the DownYard at Portarlington, making a new section of thenetwork covered by ICRs. 22010 was draggedback to Laois Traincare Depot at a later date.

Unusual Working: 22036 was allocated to the16:55 Docklands – M3 Parkway service followingthe failure of booked set 22044. This marked thefirst visit of a 5-car Premier Class set to Docklandsand M3 Parkway. It worked the 17:05 M3 Parkway- Docklands, 18:25 Docklands - M3 Parkway and19:05 M3 Parkway – Connolly as well.

Trial Refurbishment: 22038 was chosen as atrial set for a refresh. New lower interior panelshave been fitted, replacing the previous clothmaterial with a Lamigraf material. The lower interiorpanels around the buffet area have also beenchanged, from a grey colour to light blue.

Class 8100: Power cars 8107 and 8112 have anew rainstrip fitted along the entire bodyside in atrial fitting.

SPECIAL WORKINGS AND DISRUPTIONSSaturday 1 October 2016: The replay of the All

Ireland Final between Dublin and Mayo resulted inan interesting day on the “Mayo Road“. The daystarted with the 06:20 Belmond Charter fromRoscommon to Heuston. It had overnighted atRoscommon. The 09:08 Athlone to Westportcrossed a number of trains with GAA supporters. Atthe very long loop in Ballyhaunis it crossed the09:05 special from Ballina (3-car ICR Set 22048).In Claremorris there were two crossings, theregular 09:45 and the special at 10:05 fromWestport. Both these trains were 4+3-car ICRs.The 09:08 was held from 10:16 until 10:43. For therecord, the Ballina branch set was 2803/2804. InWestport the Railtours Ireland Charter was stabledon the stub of the Westport Quay line. It left at19:25 for Connolly.

Sunday 6 November 2016: The FAI Cup FinalCork City v Dundalk at the Aviva Stadium was onthis Sunday. Although it was the same teams as2015, the rail arrangements were slightly different.The 08:05 and 09:10 from Cork (4-car and 3-car)ran through to Lansdowne Road. From Dundalktraffic was very heavy. The 11:50 and 12:05specials ran through to Grand Canal Dock andboth were 8-car 29000 railcars. The 11:50operated to the No. 3 platform (southbound

adjust the quantity of sand being distributedallowing more sand at higher speed and reducingthe amount as the speed drops.

In the cab, the activating button on the driver'sdesk illuminates whenever the system is dispensingsand in automatic or manual mode.

Externally a sand box is fitted in each cornerbehind the front cowling. It is connected to the mainreservoir pipe which supplies the air pressure fordistributing the sand. A hose goes from the box tothe sanding nozzle which directs the sand underthe leading wheel in the direction of travel. Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems (UK) fitted the systems atLimerick works.

Class 2800: Due to the Ballast Cleaningrequiring 8-piece ICR formations (that cannot callat Ballybrophy), the Ballybrophy-Limerick servicewas extended to Portlaoise on 29/30 October, 5November, and 5 December for all services,connecting into the Cork services. This requires anempty trip to Portarlington between runs, due to thesignalling layout at Portlaoise. 2807+2808 werenoted on 5 November.

Class 22000 ICR: The ICR fleet is currently goingthrough an external deep clean, with theappearance of such sets being far brighter thanpreviously. Sets so far observed are: 22010, 22027,22019, 22058, 22006, 22061 and vehicle 22331. Inaddition, the fleet are slowly getting blue seat-backtables, to reduce the appearance of dirt. Sets so fartreated are: 22001, 22002, 22005, 22007, 22010,22019, 22027, 22031, 22038, 22047, 22061.

The new front as described in Journal 188continue to be fitted. Since Journal 191, thefollowing vehicles have been fitted: 22131, 22133,22135, 22136, 22201, 22202, 22205, 22209,22210, 22213, 22215, 22217, 22219, 22222,22225, 22226, 22227, 22230, 22249, 22250,22252, 22259, 22301, 22302, 22303, 22305,22309, 22313, 22315, 22317, 22319, 22327,22328, 22330, 22331, 22332, 22333, 22335,22350, 22351, 22352, 22359, 22361. This makes25 sets fully fitted with the new fronts, with a total of62 new fronts installed. Of note is that the bottombar of the new front is vulnerable to damage, withseveral vehicles noticed with damaged or missing

New internal railcar numbering. (Photo © KieranMarshall)

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IRISH RAILWAY NEWS

platform) and then went empty into the Down Loopen-route to Connolly. The 12:05 was probably thefirst scheduled train to arrive on Platform 2(terminating platform).

Saturday 19 November 2016: Ireland v AllBlacks at Aviva Stadium. The 07:35 DublinConnolly – Belfast Central had reverted to 201haulage but failed at Skerries. The replacementICR 5-car set 22036 left Belfast at around 11:05,but the 10:35 was made up of Translink 3009+3005C3k (2x3-car) and ran non-stop from Newry. The11:05 special from Belfast was 3001+3002 C3Kwhile the 12:05 special from Belfast was3004+3003 C3K. In the Down direction, there wereproblems with the badly timetabled 11:20 fromConnolly to Belfast. It only passed Clongriffin at11:47 having been blocked by the 11:10 Pearse toDundalk, which only reached the loop at Clongriffinat 11:43. This in turn had been blocked by theprevious DART, 10:25 Bray to Howth.

Friday 23 December 2016: A freak gust of windcaused the raised barriers at Baldoyle LC to comeinto contact with the OHLE, causing power to beshut down. Howth Gardaí were kept busy directingroad traffic over the single lane that was open.Early morning services on the Howth branch werecancelled, and later workings were disrupted due todamage repair.

Monday 16 January 2017: 075 stalled in ‘’TheDip’’ while working 09:35 North Wall – Ballina IWTdue to wet rails. It propelled back into North Wall,and 073 was removed from the Dromod-boundHOBS train, which was stabled at the stonebank,and replaced 075 on the IWT liner. 076 (which was

delayed behind the IWT) departed North Wall forPortlaoise with 12 panel wagons laden with scraptrack panels at 11:10. 073 departed North Wall at12:10 with the late 09:35 IWT (18 full, 13 tanks 5containers). It was overtaken by the 12.45 Heuston- Westport at Portarlington. 075 departed NorthWall for Dromod at 13:25.

FREIGHTIWT Liner: With the increased capacity of the

DFDS liner requiring the spare rake of LX flatwagons, the additional Tuesday/Wednesday IWTLiner now uses the Container Pocket Wagons.They transferred from Waterford on Saturday 5December with 084 providing traction. They werein service the next week, with 075 being notedhauling them through Newbridge as part of the08:15 Ballina – North Wall.

Thursday 29 September 2016: 087 worked the09:35 North Wall – Ballina liner.

Saturday 8 October 2016: 231 worked 08:15Ballina – North Wall IWT (18 wagons, 11 laden).

Saturday 29 October 2016: 223 worked the09:35 North Wall – Ballina liner, 18 wagons, fullload.

Tuesday 1 November 2016: 223 worked 09:35North Wall - Ballina IWT (18 full wagons [9 tanks 9containers]).

Friday 4 November 2016: 074 worked 08:15Ballina – North Wall IWT (18 full wagons).

Monday 14 November 2016: 223 worked the09:35 North Wall – Ballina liner, 18 wagons, fullload.

Garda protection at Baldoyle Level Crossing on Friday 23 December 2016, during overhead line repair. (Photo © BarryPickup)

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IRISH RAILWAY NEWS

Thursday 24 November 2016: 086 worked 09:35North Wall - Ballina IWT (18 wagons, 16 full).

Tuesday 6 November 2016: 075 worked a 15:00North Wall - Ballina IWT (12 CPWs full).

Wednesday 7 December 2016: 075 worked08:15 Ballina – North Wall IWT (12 CPWs full).

Tuesday 13 December 2016: 233 worked the14:30 North Wall - Ballina (12 CPWs full 8 tanks 4containers).

Monday 2 January 2017: 079 worked the firstdown IWT of 2017 with 12 CPWs full, passingStacumny Bridge 11.23.

Wednesday 4 January 2017: 079 worked 08:15Ballina – North Wall IWT (12 CPWs full, 2 IWTbranded containers and the remainder loaded withtanks).

Friday 13 January 2017: 223 worked 09:35North Wall – Ballina IWT (18 full, 16 containers, 2tanks).

Friday 13 January 2017: 075 worked 8.15 exBallina IWT (18, 17 full).

DFDS Liner: Thursday 6 October 2016: 084 worked the 11:05

Ballina – Waterford, 12 CPWs, 9 containers. 084was replaced by 075 at Kildare..

Thursday 13 October 2016: 075 worked the11:05 Ballina – Waterford, 12 CPW’s, 1 container.

Timber: Thursday 6 October 2016: 080 worked the 11:30

Waterford – Westport empty timber.Thursday 13 October 2016: 085 worked the

11:30 Waterford – Westport empty timber.

Tara Mines:Wednesday 9 November 2016: 074 derailed in

North Wall whilst working the 14:00 AlexandraRoad – Tara Mines empty train. It was re-railed laterthat day.

Tuesday 22 November 2016: 080 worked the09:20 Tara Mines – Alexandra Road .

Monday 5 December 2016: 079 with 12:20Alexandra Road – Tara Mines empty train passedRush / Lusk at 13.55.

Wednesday 21st December 2016: 071 worked09:20 Tara Mines – Alexandra Road service (10wagons). It arrived into North Wall at 11:55.

Thursday 22 December 2016: 077 worked the23:15 Alexandra Road – Tara Mines (11 wagons).

Wednesday 28 December 2016: 077 worked the08:30 Tara Mines – Alexandra Road (12 wagons).

071 worked the 12:20 Tara Mines – AlexandraRoad (12 wagons).

Thursday 29 December 2016: 077 worked the12:20 Tara Mines – Alexandra Road (11 wagons).

PERMANENT WAY DEPARTMENTThursday 29 September 2016: Multi-Purpose

Vehicle (MPV) 790 worked the 10:30 Portlaoise PW– North Wall in preparation for the Sandite seaon.

Friday 30 September 2016: The empty new rails

train ran from Portlaoise to Waterford. Loco 073+ 10 bogie flats. It ran round in Kildare 11:21-11:39.

Tuesday 4 October 2016: 073 worked the09:55 Portlaoise PW – Clonmel relay train. 7wagons.

Monday 10 October 2016: 071 worked toPortlaoise PW to act as shunt loco.

076 worked the 21:50 Portlaoise PW –Inchicore – Sallins CWR Train.

Thursday 20 October 2016: 074 worked the08:15 Portlaoise PW – North Wall empty newrails train. It ran approximately 80 minutes latepassing Portarlington.

781 ran to Thurles for Ballast Cleaning.Sunday 23 October 2016: Ballast Cleaner

781 worked from Thurles to Kildare followingwork between Thurles and Limerick Junctionthe night before.

Tuesday 1 November 2016: 077 worked11:05 North Wall - Portlaoise materials train (10bogies of scrap materials).

Thursday 24 November 2016: Retro 071worked 07:50 Limerick - Inchicore wagon (1Tara Mines wagon, 1 laden wheelcarrier, 2refurbished LX wagons and 1 panel wagon).

Thursday 1 December 2016: 781 ran fromPortlaoise PW to Kildare, departing at 10:35.

Monday 5 December 2016: 083 worked the10:30 Portlaoise PW – Platin loaded CWR train.

Ballast Regulator 703 ran south, passingPortlaoise at approximately 11:00.

Friday 9 December 2016: 083 worked the10:45 Portlaoise PW – Waterford empty steel.

Monday 19 December 2016: 087+2 Spoil+10wagons, 9 laden with materials worked a 12:00North Wall to Portlaoise PWD, the redundantmaterials coming from the Howth branch.

Wednesday 11 January 2017: TrackRecording Vehicle 700 (EM50) conductedsurveys over the Cork-Cobh/Midleton routes.

Friday 13 January 2017: 076 worked 11:30Portlaoise to North Wall 12 empty panel wagonto collect old scrap panels.

Wednesday 18 January 2017: Multi-PurposeVehicle (MPV) 790 failed at the 49 Milepost(Portlaoise) whilst heading from Kildare toPortlaoise. 076 was used from Portlaoise PWto rescue and dragged it into the yard.

Saturday 21 January 2017: 075 returnedfrom Dromod, observed passing Ashtown at12:10.

Monday 23 January 2017: 083 worked a10:30 Portlaoise - North Wall laden panel train,10 wagons of new panels.

TENDER DOCUMENTATIONIn the period since the last Journal, a number

of interesting tenders have been issued forcontracts worth over €25,000. These includeSeat Trim Repairs, Coupler System Overhaul,DMU Destination Indicator replacement

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IRISH RAILWAY NEWS

086 with a Ballina-Waterford timber service near Clonnydonin on Friday 7 October 2016. (Photo © Dave Geraghty)

At Cuishinkeel, a few miles out from Westport, 078 heads the 11:05 Westport to Waterford timber train on Monday 16May 2016.The 764 metres high Croagh Patrick mountain is in the background. (Photo © Graham Roose)

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(2600/2800), Supply of Suspension components,Real Time Fuel, Condition and PositioningMonitoring for Diesel Rail Vehicles, Weed SprayingSystem and Mechanical and Electrical DesignConsultants for the new National Control Centre(CTC). Two tenders in particular attracted attention.

The first involves a Train Wash Tagging System.The system should be able to track where and whena train last went through one of the 7 wash plantson the network (Heuston, Connolly, Fairview,Drogheda, Laois Traincare Depot, Cork, Limerick),as well as being able to produce a report on thenumber of trains washed in any one plant in a user-configurable period of time (e.g. a week) andmonitor train speed. The system would read theSiemens RFID tags fitted to all stock, thus producingan accurate report. The tenders calls for the design,supply and installation as well as a minimum of 12months warranty and support. Any other systemapart from RFID must be already proven in similarapplications.

The more interesting tender is that for the 201Locomotive Mid Life Re-Power. This turnkey projectto repower the 201-class was issued on 18 March2016 and closed on 22 April 2016. The objective ofthe project is to deliver significant fuel andmaintenance savings based on the current workingcycle. The tender states that the core requirement isto design, build and integrate proposals that meetsor exceeds current performance. Most or all of theequipment between the cabs above the solebar(such as electrical, cooling and control equipment),together with the existing bogies and tractionmotors, is retained. The Lead Integrator isresponsible for delivering the project from drawingboard to daily use.

TRANSLINK – NORTHERN IRELANDRAILWAYS

SERVICE DEVELOPMENTSTimetable: A new Working Timetable was issued

for use from Sunday 11 December 2016. Thistimetable includes :

BELLARENAFrom 21 November 2016, all Coleraine-Derry

trains were to use the Bellarena loop track andthose to Londonderry the main line, with revisedtimings for crossings, (Mon-Fri):

•07:13 ex-Derry dep 07:35, Bellarena 07:59(cross 06.05 ex-GVS), Castlerock 08:08, Coleraine08.16 then as before.

•16:13 Derry-Coleraine dep 16:35, Bellarena16:59 (cross 15.10 ex- GVS), Castlerock 17:08,Coleraine 17:16.

•17:55 Coleraine - Derry dep 17:43, Castlerock17:50, Bellarena 17.58 (cross 17:33 ex Derry), Derry18:25.

INFRASTRUCTUREDERRY/LONDONDERRY

On 6 October 2016, the Deputy First Minister,

Martin McGuinness, and Infrastructure Minister,Chris Hazzard, confirmed that the Old WatersideStation in Derry will be the site for a new transporthub. The station was the public’s preferred sitefollowing a consultation in 2013.

During a site visit to the station, the Deputy FirstMinister, Martin McGuinness said: “The transporthub will support the growth of the local economyand is of massive importance to the city of Derryand beyond.

“This is an ambitious project on the OldWaterside Station which will balance preserving thehistoric building and also meet the transport needsof the future.

“We will only attract more people to use publictransport if we have the right infrastructure in placeand the development of this transport hub is animportant piece of the jigsaw in the north west.”

Infrastructure Minister, Chris Hazzard said: “Overthe last few years, much has been done totransform both sides of the Foyle. The newtransport hub project will provide a train station thatcomplements regeneration and transforms ahistoric building into one fit for use today and forgenerations to come.

“Investing in public transport is vital if we want toattract investment, talent and tourism. Alongsideprojects like the A5 and A6 roads and thedevelopment of City of Derry Airport, those livingwest of the Bann are set to see a real change inthe development of the local infrastructure over thecoming years.”

Welcoming the Minister’s announcement,Translink Group Chief Executive Chris Conwaysaid: “We are very much looking forward to buildingthis exciting new transport hub. As an iconicbuilding in the city, the new hub will help encourage

A Google Earth view of Derry/Londonderry, showing the“New” station, proposed to be closed, and the “Old” station, intended to be reopened.

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IRISH RAILWAY NEWS

Waterside New, on Saturday 21 May 1983. 80 Class car 94 heads the stock which will form the 14:45 service to BelfastCentral. The IRRS was visiting the station on that day, by way of a special service which stopped at the disused stationsen route. The IRRS train is just visible in the bay platform and is another 80 Class set. (Photo © Norman Gamble)

Waterside Old. Car 57 leads an MPD formation on Tuesday 5 September 1961. The livery recorded here was short lived,and is described as “Catherwood Blue/eau de nil” by Colm Flanagan in his book, ‘Diesel Dawn”. We have no detail ofthe train working. (Photo © NJ McAdams)

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more active travel for a healthier region. It will alsoact as an important gateway to the North West forvisitors as well as help to regenerate the local areaand make it more attractive to business andinvestors, helping to create local jobs andenhancing the local economy.”

Work is expected to take 18 months, and thestation is to open in 2020. The hub will include Parkand Ride facilities.

Ballast Trains: A series of night ballast runs wasundertaken between Poyntzpass and the Border,with the train loading at Poyntzpass. 6 wagonswere used, with 112 providing power on 15, 17, 27,29 and 30 November.

Wednesday 9 November 2016: 111+6 hoppersworked an 11:15 Ballymena to Poyntzpass trip.

ROLLING STOCKEnterprise: On Monday 12 December, the 16:50

Dublin Connolly – Belfast Central service wasoperated by an Irish Rail Class 22000 ICR due tomechanical difficulties with the booked De Dietrichset on the 14:05 from Belfast, which ended upbeing formed of a C3K unit.

MkIII: Enterprise MkIII EGV 9606 has had theformer luggage compartment doors plated over.

Locos: With the various modifications to the DeDietrich sets on refurbishment, loco allocation hasbeen strictly to the nominated and liveried locos.206, 207, 8208 and 227 were observed duringNovember, with 8209 and 228 being additionallyobserved during December 2016.

‘Spare’ loco 233 was observed in Belfast formodifications to work with the De Dietrich sets (thisbeing adding the necessary communicationequipment for working the train). 231 has carriedon working Cork line services.

80-class: This year was the final season of thelong-standing 80 Class on Sandite runs. Workingmainly at night, the last runs were conducted onthe evening of Thursday 8 December and themorning of Friday 9 December. The runs weredone with 8090+8752+8097+8069, working fromBelfast York Road to Portadown, Bangor, Antrimand Carrickfergus. As always, the VMT WaterJetter ran ahead of the train, allowing the Sanditemixture adhere better to the rail head.

New MPV: NIR took delivery of a new WindhoffMulti-Purpose Vehicle on 14 October 2016.Numbered as 99 70 9428 011-9, it is intended tobe used on Sandite runs, replacing the existing 80class combination. It was delivered by road toAdelaide, where NIR 111 hauled it to York Road asthe 22:55 ex Adelaide on 5 November. It is 22.06mlong and weighs 79.4 tonne.

New Spoil Wagons: At least 5 ‘new’ spoilwagons have been created, reusing existing flatwagons with new ‘lift off’ boxes, similar to theIarnród Éireann vehicles. The bodies are built byChiefton.

PROCUREMENTCivil Engineering Consultants: Translink issued

a tender for the use of Civil EngineeringConsultancy services, spilt into various lots toallow for different areas such as buildings,structures and formation. The lots were:

Civil and Structural Professional Services MinorWorks (2016-2020) - awarded to Aecom.

Network Engineering — 2016 – Amey, ARUP,Doran Consulting, WDR & RT Taggart and MottMcDonald.

RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY OFIRELAND

Whitehead: In a press release dated 5 October2016, Robin Morton, RPSI Events, advised that aceremony had taken place at the RailwayPreservation Society of Ireland in Whitehead tomark the successful completion of the constructionphase of a new £3.1m railway museum.

MSM Contracts from Portadown finished workon the 12-month construction contract at the startof September and the new buildings have nowofficially been handed over to the RPSI.

The next stage will be to fit out the newmuseum and the RPSI’s target is to open the newtourist attraction to the public in April 2017. Whilework progresses, the site is closed to visitors.

The construction phase has involved theinstallation of a 60ft locomotive turntable alongwith a period-style signal cabin, the constructionof new sheds and the extension of the existingfacilities.

Denis Grimshaw, RPSI chairman, said theSociety’s base had been transformed thanks tothe £2m construction contract.

“This is a pivotal point in terms of thedevelopment. We will now commence fitting outthe museum with multimedia displays, educationalfacilities and audio links, plus a café, all of whichwill be key to creating this significant new touristattraction.

“An exciting element of the museum will be theopportunity for visitors to walk through historiccarriages, examine mainline steam engines atclose quarters and see the engineering works inaction.

“We aim to attract at least 15,000 visitors in themuseum’s first full year of operation. We willcomplement other tourist attractions in the area,such as the Gobbins Cliff Path and Black Headlighthouse."

Funding for the project has been provided byHeritage Lottery Fund and Tourism NorthernIreland (part financed by the European RegionalDevelopment Fund under the EuropeanSustainable Competitiveness Programme forNorthern Ireland and administered by TourismNorthern Ireland), with additional support from Midand East Antrim Council and Ulster GardenVillages.

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IRISH RAILWAY NEWS

As well as creating a major educational andinterpretation centre for visitors to what is now the solesurviving traditional railway workshop in NorthernIreland, improved engineering and staff facilities willbe provided, to facilitate more extensive restorationwork on our historic railway locomotives and carriages.

The development project comprises extensions tothe locomotive workshop, locomotive sheds andcarriage shed, construction of a carriage workshop,provision of a 60ft turntable, conversion of the formerstables building to an education centre, substantialupgrading of staff and volunteer facilities, andupgraded material storage premises.

The project features the development of a visitors’audio guide for tours of the centre and enhancededucation and interpretation opportunities created bythe displays in our buildings and workshops, as wellas the development of On-Train Apps to provideinformation for passengers.

The capital works will include:A portal frame extension to the Carriage Shed

including Workshops;A portal frame extension to the Locomotive Shed

including Workshops;A turntable and signal box; An education room in a converted Stables Building; Concrete hard standing and pathways;Landscaping, seating and play areas;Bunkers, concrete retaining walls, brick walls,

fencing and gates.Significantly, there is a separate budget allocation

for interpretation, with HLF funding three years ofactivity costs including some restoration works andsalaries.

Wooden Bodied Heritage Stock: The RPSI Heritagestock made a move from Inchicore works to HeustonValet Plant (VP) on Saturday 3 December 2016.Completed in two moves of 4 carriages each (1463,1419, 2421 and 1383 and 1335, 88, 1949 and 1916),the movement allows the stock to be under cover forthe first time in many years and as such should providea good start for restoration. Both movements werepowered by 071-class locomotive 072. The firstmovement went straight into the VP, but the secondwas via Heuston Platform 5, then propelled into theVP.

Santa Specials: The last main running of the year,and the busiest period, for the RPSI was the SantaSpecials. No. 85 and the Northern rake of MkIIs didruns between Whitehead and Belfast Central on 3, 4,10, 17 and 18 December, with Portadown – Lisburnruns on 11 December. The trips were 11:30 and 14:30departures from Belfast on Saturdays, with 10:00,13:00 and 16:00 from Belfast on Sundays. ThePortadown services departed at 12:45 and 14:45.These appeared to run well, with the customary goodloadings.

The Dublin Operations trips, however, encountedan unusually high rate of issues. The first Saturday (3December) ran well, with both Nos. 4 and 461performing (and Irish Rail GM 075 working the diesel

section). However, on the Sunday (4 December),No. 461 failed with low steam pressure at variouspoints of the return leg of the second trip, with thetrain terminating at Grand Canal Dock.Passengers were transferred to an IÉ 29000railcar for the remainder of the trip.

On Saturday 10 December, No. 4 performedthe first run as expected, then was failed atConnolly shed with a partially collapsed brickarch. No. 461 was also failed with leaking tubes.This resulted in IÉ GM 080 covering the rest ofthe weekend

The third and final weekend went well,however, with Nos. 4 and 461 performing asexpected (although 461 failed on Sunday). 072performed the Diesel special and transfermovements.

Gatwick Stock: The former NIR “Gatwick”MkIIs that are stored at Lisburn (8911, 8945,8946, 8947 and 8948) were booked to move onthe evening of Thursday 8 December, but themove was cancelled at short notice due tocrewing issues. They were moved on Sunday 8January 2017, with GM 112 used for the maintransfer and 233 used for shunting.

This was followed by the movement of8946+8948 to Whitehead on 15 January, with 112performing the main line movement and B142shunting in Whitehead.

Other RailwaysBELMOND GRAND HIBERNIAN

Operation: The last full tour started on Tuesday11 October 2016, with the final tour starting on 22October being the shorter ‘Legends and Loughs”tour (Belfast, Waterford).

Staff Tour: Belmond operated a 11:50 Heuston– Thurles and return trip for Irish Rail staff andCIÉ board members, as a thank you for the yearso far. The full 10-car rake was used for the trip.

After the end of the operating season, theBelmond MkIIIs were stabled at the Cork end ofthe Inchicore yard.

Stock Transfer and Storage: On 6 October2016, retro-liveried 071 hauled orange MkIII 7122from North Wall to Inchicore. This MkIII had beenstored in North Wall for over a year pending adecision as to how to use it.

BÓRD NA MÓNAProcurement: Bórd na Móna advertised for a

locomotive multiple working system earlier thisyear. The tender calls for around 50 locomotivesto be fitted, all being the refurbished locomotivesfrom 2014/5. The request for tenders is quitestrict in what it requires, including: remotewireless top and tail, using a stationary loco as amaster to an unmanned loco, remote control andautomatic safeguards should the signal be lost atany time. The system has to be able to cope withtwo or more locomotives, each hauling between

IRISH RAILWAY NEWS

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INSIDE REAR COVERIn a classic scene from the early 1950s, most probably August 1953, GSR-built 0-6-0 locomotive No. 704 (700/J15AClass) of 1929 takes the former GS&WR route towards Islandbridge at Glasnevin Junction with a typical assortment ofgoods stock of the period. (Photo © Dave Murray - IRRS Collection)

OUTSIDE REAR COVERNIR locomotive 112 Northern Counties crosses the Tolka Bridge with an 09:40 North Wall to Dundalk P&O NedLloyd container special, Wednesday 8 November 2000. (Photo © Colm O’Callaghan)

12 and 20 wagons, and also account for the loose-coupled nature of the BnM system.

Turmec Engineering won a tender to produce 30new peat wagons.

Edenderry Power Station: Bórd na Móna havebeen granted permission from An Bord Pleanála tocarry on using peat to fuel the Edenderry PowerStation until 2023. This is 7 years short of whatBórd na Móna requested, but ensures thecontinuation of the bog railways until then.

STRADBALLY WOODLANDS RAILWAYSHED OPENING

15 October 2016 was the formal culmination ofaround two years hard graft by the volunteersunder the umbrella of the Irish Steam PreservationSociety. Funding for the project was secured fromthe Society’s own resources as well as largesponsorship from Laois Partnership Company.LPCs strive to help develop the county in areassuch as improving community life, and supportinglocal businesses and enterprise. Representativesfrom the Cavan and Leitrim Railway and Waterfordand Suir Valley Railway were also in attendance.

€180,000, two thirds of the total project cost,was sponsored by Laois Partnership. The plans fora two-road depot adjacent to the existing platformwere approved by the County Council and workbegan in earnest at close of the 2014 season.

The ribbon cutting ceremony was performed infront of the-invited guests with Laois PartnershipCEO Ann Goodwin holding the scissors. She wasjoined by Cllr Tom Mulhall of Laois County Counciland the Irish Steam Preservation SocietyChairman Ken Graham. After the obligatoryspeeches, the ceremony moved in to the sheditself. The railway’s entire diesel locomotive fleetwere on display on road 1 while ex Bord na Mónasteam loco No. 2 simmered patiently at theplatform outside.

Following another set of speeches from RailwayManager Seán Cain and long serving volunteerRichard Brennan, a cake was wheeled to the foreof the crowd where Chairperson Graham, Ms.Goodwin and Mr. Cain posed for photos before thecutting began.

At the end of the ceremony, No. 2 gave roundtrips on the length of the line for the guests for afew hours. Eventually the crowd dwindled awayand the dozen or so volunteers present since early

morning set about shutting up shop for theevening. Some shunting of the diesel fleetreturned them to their normal spot on road 2 whilethe steam engine and her train bedded up onceagain on road 1 [Glen Murphy].

Locomotives: Deutz LM191 and Ruston 40DLLM55 arrived here in mid-October 2016. Both arein a heavily stripped state and were acquired asa source of spare parts for the current fleet.

WATERFORD AND SUIR VALLEY RAILWAYThe railway closed for the winter following the

last Santa Special working on 23 December. All ofthe specials run (on 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 17, 18, 22 and23 December, with six trains per day) were fullybooked.

Greenway: The greenway that runs alongsidethe railway is on track for a March opening, withthe official opening due to be on the anniversaryof date of the last train between Waterford andCork.

LATE REVIEWJohn Piercy, Call us back to Donegal,

a photographic tribute, 50ppillustrations, map. ISBN 0951471597.Norwich, Shalom Habakkut Trust, 2000.£10, pamphlet.

We have just been sent a copy of thishitherto unknown pamphlet. It is apictorial record in thirty monochromeimages hitherto unpublished of the lastdays of the Donegal taken by the authorin December 1959. For many theCounty Donegal Railway was the mostwonderful of all the Irish Narrow Gaugelines. We understand that this was alimited edition publication and we areinformed that only ten copies remain forsale. Interested readers should contactthe author:[email protected]

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