IARNROD EIREANN / IRISH RAIL

TRAFFIC AND TRACTION:

■ Before the coronavirus outbreak, flooding affected services at various locations because of heavy rain. The worst affected route was the Western Rail Corridor (WRC) between Limerick and Athenry. On February 24, the line was flooded at Kiltartan between Gort and Ardrahan and bustitution between

Gort and Athenry was introduced from start of service the following morning. The track at Ballycar Lough, between Sixmilebridge and Ennis, became covered by floodwater and as a consequence this section was also closed at end of service on

February 28, with bustitution introduced between Limerick and Athenry the next morning. These arrangements were subsequently altered when the floodwater at Kiltartan receded and the section between Ennis and Athenry reopened to traffic. Bustitution, however, continued between Limerick and Ennis.

Other services affected by flooding during late February and early March included: the Dromod and Carrick on Shannon areas of the Dublin to Sligo line, with bustitution in use between Mullingar and Longford on February 25. Sections of the Athlone to Galway line, the Clonsilla to M3 Parkway branch, and Rush & Lusk station on the Dublin to Belfast line were also affected but disruption was only temporary.

GM No. 085 ran light from Limerick to Thurles on February 27. It then hauled five-car ICR DMU No. 22x33 from the down loop to Laois Traincare depot. The unit had been failed at Thurles on the 25th while working the 13.25 Cork to Heuston service.

Inspection car No. 723 traversed the South Wexford line from Waterford to Rosslare Strand on the 25th. The vehicle returned to Rosslare Strand the next day, the Belview to Rosslare Strand section remains mothballed.

The Sperry train continued to be active. Adding to previous reports last month, No. 073 also worked the train from North Wall to Waterford on February 19. Then on the evening of February 27, No. 073 hauled the threevehicle consist from Dublin North

Wall to Howth, the consist being ‘BR’ van No. 3187, Sperry container wagon, and tank/spoil container wagon. This was returned early the next morning from the branch terminus by No. 076, which had run light from Dublin, while No. 073 followed light engine. The Sperry train, headed by No. 072, was noted Inchicore-bound at Kildare on March 2.

Storm Jorge affected services on February 29, with temporary overall speed restrictions in force on the Dublin to Galway/Westport and Mallow to Tralee lines. Also on the 29th, retroliveried No. 071 worked a Belview to Port Laois PW depot rail train.

March 2 saw No. 073 hauling a North Wall to Dromod train of continuous-welded rail. It was reported that the locomotive was failed at its destination early the next day.

GM No. 087 was awaiting parts at Inchicore Works in early March, which would enable it to re-enter service after over a year out of traffic. The main running shed at Inchicore remained out of use in early March as its roof was being repaired.

On March 12, GM No. 080 hauled eight ballast hoppers from Mallow to Cork. They were recessed there until the next day when Nos. 220 and 080 ‘top and tailed’ the wagons to and from the work locations. The cavalcade then ran to Mallow, where No. 220 was detached and returned light engine as far as Cork.

On March 10, two incidents disrupted services in the Dublin area: Merrion level crossing (between Sydney Parade and Booterstown stations) was damaged by a truck, while a bridge strike between Clongriffin and Portmarnock saw services suspended. Rail tickets were accepted on parallel Dublin Bus services during each period of disruption.

GM 201 Class locomotives have recently been very active on North

Wall to Ballina IWT container trains, with Nos. 216, 219, 225 and 233 being noted.

071 Class locomotives Nos.

074 and 082 have featured on the Westport to Waterford timber flow, while Nos. 081 and 083 have been active on Tara Mines ore traffic between Navan and Alexandra Road, Dublin Port.

The 19.41 Pearse to Maynooth service on March 12 was terminated at Broombridge after an underfloor fire occurred on one of the DMU vehicles. The fire was extinguished by the automatic detection system. Services were suspended until around 20.45, and rail tickets were accepted on parallel Dublin Bus services.

Services on the Clonsilla to M3 Parkway branch were subject to cancellations and bustitution during the period March 14-16 because of ‘operational issues’.

GM No. 082 was failed at Athlone on March 16 while working a Westport to Waterford loaded timber train.

No. 082 was replaced by classmate

No. 071, which hauled the train to Waterford the next day.

■ INFRASTRUCTURE: Replacement of the overall roof at Dublin Pearse Station has recently required the closure of it and Tara Street station plus the railway between Connolly and Grand Canal Dock (GCD) on selected weekends. As a consequence, trains terminated at Connolly and GCD while a connecting bus service for Rosslare line users ran between Connolly and Bray.

Bustitution was in use between Glounthaune and Cobh during the period March 9 to 15 because of track work.