IARNROD EIREANN / IRISH RAIL

GM

No. 071 hauled a train of seven ballast hoppers from Dublin to Gorey on

May 18. The retro-liveried loco was subsequently active on ballast duties in the Wicklow-Rathdrum-Gorey area until June 5, when it returned the train to Dublin.

Locomotives noted on Tara Mines traffic between Navan and Dublin Port during the period under review included: Nos. 076, 079 and 080. Locos active on IWT container traffic between Ballina and Dublin Port included: Nos. 071, 072, 075, 078,079 and 226.

GM No. 086 hauled two empty container pocket wagons (CPWs) from Waterford Sallypark yard to Belview on May 20. The wagons were then used for loading trials in conjunction with transportation firm XPO Logistics.

Following vandalism to stock stabled at Waterford SaIlypark yard,

ICR DMUs have been stabled overnight at the disused but intact platforms 3 and 4 at Waterford station. This platform line forms part of the single running line from Waterford West to Belview and Rosslare Strand.

GM No. 073 was stabled at Westport on May 25 after working an empty timber train from Waterford.

The locomotive remained there until

June 3, when it hauled a Waterfordbound loaded timber train.

MPV No. 790 was active on weedspray duties in the Cork area on May 26 and on the Limerick Junction to Waterford line on June 8.

On May 29, an overbridge at Portlaoise was again struck by an HGV. Services on the Dublin to Cork mainline were disrupted until the bridge was declared safe.

Receiving attention at Inchicore Works during the period under review included Nos. 087, 217 (engine repairs), 221 (bi-annual exam), 227(sixyearly exam), 234 (engine repairs and replacement bogies). Repairs to the roof of the running shed were suspended because of the Covid-19 crisis – however, the building was utilised to store GMs Nos. 215 and 219 and two eight-coach Mk.4 trains, DBG Nos. 4005 and 4002 respectively.

During the morning of June 11, a road underbridge near the Dublin end portal of Cork tunnel was struck by a lorry. As a result, the section between Cork and Mallow was closed and bustitution introduced. The first train to operate over the bridge after it was declared safe by engineers was the 14.25 Cork to Heuston. The Cork to Mallow section was temporarily closed again during the afternoon of June 15 after another bridge strike. The first train to operate after the bridge was declared safe was the 16.25 Cork to Heuston.

A series of five phases has been established by Irish Rail as a guide to the eventual reintroduction of normal pre-crisis service levels. Phase 2, introduced on June 8, saw a relaxation of travel restrictions, while the requirement to facilitate social distancing saw locomotive-worked passenger trains reintroduced on the Dublin Heuston to Cork route.

Before this date, test trips were undertaken. A Heuston to Mallow and return test run on June 3 was worked by GM No. 224 and an eight-coach Mk.4 train with DBG No 4008. The first revenue earning passenger service on the route to feature locomotive power and Mk.4 stock since April 7 saw

No. 221 and an eight-coach train with DBG No 4006 work the 15.00 HeustonCork and 18.25 return. No. 224 and its Mk.4 train worked the 17.05 ex-Heuston and 20.25 return later the same day.

June 8 also saw the reintroduction to traffic of five-car ICR DMUs, when No. 22x38 worked the 14.25 Cork to Heuston.

The following Monday-Friday services were reintroduced on June 8: 05.20 Athlone to Heuston; 06.30 Dundalk to Dublin Pearse; 15.30 Heuston to Limerick; 16.21 Pearse to Drogheda; and 17.10 Heuston to Athlone. Extra DART trains on M-F were also introduced.

On and from June 15, the weekdays 07.15 Westport to

Heuston terminated at Athlone with a connection into the 08.00 Galway to Heuston. A 13.05 Waterford to Heuston and 16.40 return on weekdays was introduced on and from June 18.

The Downpatrick and County Down Railway (D&CDR) has disposed of ex-NIR hedgecutter No. HC1. It was originally a Plasser and Theurer tamper, and was introduced by NIR in 1971. After being converted in-house for vegetation removal duties, it worked across the system until it was declared surplus to requirements and acquired by the D&CDR in 2006. It became increasingly unreliable and was stopped in 2016. The machine was removed by road from Downpatrick by metal recycling company Hamills to its premises at Ahoghill for final disposal.