IARNROD EIREANN / IRISH RAIL

■ SPERRY TRAIN:

GM No. 072 worked test trips with the Sperry train between Portlaoise PW yard and Portarlington during the period March 3-5. The three-vehicle consist was:

‘BR’ van No. 3187, a wagon carrying the Sperry container, plus another wagon loaded with a tank, and a spoil container. No. 3187 and the extra wagon were used to provide brake force.

The loco-worked Sperry train remains in service as the new purpose built vehicle that will replace it has yet to be commissioned because of delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Retro-liveried GM No. 073 was in charge of the train in the Mallow/Cork area on March 8/9, but the lines to Cobh and Midleton were not visited.

On March 11, No. 073 worked the train from Portlaoise PW yard to Inchicore and return, and the next day hauled it to North Wall for stabling over the weekend.

No. 073 and the train ran from North Wall to Drogheda on March 15, with the Navan branch also being visited. It was active in the Drogheda/ Dundalk area the next day, and it also visited Newry, in Northern Ireland, where No. 073 ran round before returning the train to North Wall.

The Clonsilla to M3 Parkway branch was visited on March 18 with No. 073 again being used. However, the lack of run-round facilities at the terminus saw GM No. 220 release the train and return it to North Wall, with No. 073 following light engine. The Dublin to Maynooth line was traversed later the same day before No. 073 and the train were stabled at North Wall.

■ TRAFFIC AND TRACTION:

Services on the Dublin to Maynooth/ Sligo line were disrupted on February 26 because of signalling problems, while services on the Heuston to Galway route were disrupted the same day after a level crossing in the Athenry area was damaged by a road vehicle.

The following services were introduced on March 1, primarily to cater for school traffic: 08.10 Newbridge-Heuston, 15.35 Howth-Pearse, and 16.08 Pearse-Howth.

The 11.10 Maynooth to Connolly service was cancelled on March 2 because of “mechanical issues”.

Signalling problems in the Connolly/Tara Street area the same day saw disruption to DART services, while the 18.35 Heuston-Waterford was delayed by 60 minutes at Carlow because of a “points issue”.

Relaying continues on the Nenagh Branch (Killonan Junction-Ballybrophy) with the rail delivered from Portlaoise PW yard. On March 2, GM No. 078 was in charge of a train of CWR (continuous welded rail) strings, while No. 083 was on the same duty on the 16th. The usual arrangement was for the empty train to return to the yard via Limerick, Limerick Junction and Thurles.

Nos. 075 and 079 were receiving attention at Inchicore Works during the period under review. No. 079 had been fitted with a rebuilt alternator and was waiting to return to traffic, while No. 075 was to receive the same attention.

GM No. 228 and a Mk.4 train (DBG No 4007) ran on test from Heuston to Ballybrophy and return on March 4, with another test run carried out the next day.

Services on the Dublin-Maynooth/ Sligo line were suspended during the morning of March 5 after the level crossing at Coolmine was damaged by a road vehicle. Services resumed at around 10.45.

The EMU working the 11.30 Greystones-Malahide on March 8 was failed at Glenageary. Disruption was caused to following DART services until the unit was removed. The

EMU working the 13.10 Greystones to Malahide on the 14th was failed at Clongriffin and the passengers transferred to an alternative service.