Nenagh branch permanent way works

WITH the withdrawal of the passenger service on the single-track Nenagh branch because of the Covid-19 crisis, the opportunity was taken to replace bullhead rail on timber sleepers with continuously welded rail in the Nenagh to Cloughjordan section.

The delivery of rail ‘strings’ started on May 19 when GM No. 084 hauled the rail train from Portlaoise PW Yard to the work site via Lisduff sidings, Ballybrophy and Birdhill.

No. 084 ran round at Birdhill before returning the train as far as the work site. A total of four reversals were required during the journey to position the train correctly. A further delivery of rail was made on May 21, with

No. 084 again being used.

The delivery of concrete sleepers and relaying gantry No. 776 to the work site from Portlaoise PW yard started on June 2. This move saw GM No. 081 haul the train from the PW yard to Nenagh via Lisduff sidings and Ballybrophy. At Nenagh the train was split to enable the locomotive to run round by using the short loop within the compact yard. This complex procedure was repeated on June 3 and 4 when more sleepers were delivered and No. 081 was replaced by No. 085 for these. One mile of track had been relaid by June 5.

Relaying was also being carried out during early June between Cahir and Clonmel on the Waterford to Limerick Junction line. Temporary buffer stops were installed at the down home signals at Tipperary and at the up home signals at Clonmel during the engineers’ possession.