IARNRÓD ÉIREANN / IRISH RAIL

■ FREIGHT:

A Belview to Ballina XPO container train on January 19 was worked by GM No. 088. No. 072 was failed in the down loop at Portarlington on January 25 while working an empty Waterford to Westport timber train. No. 217 ran from Inchicore and replaced No. 072. The train however, was diverted to run to Ballina because another empty timber train, hauled by No. 084, was to work to Westport later the same day.

Also on the 25th, No. 088 developed a fault shortly after departing Ballina with a Belview-bound XPO service, but was able to return the train to Ballina where the working was postponed until the next day.

The delayed train was worked by GM No. 217 as far as Kildare, where it was replaced by No. 083 for the remainder of the journey to Belview. A loco swap was also carried out on the 26th.

No. 088 ran from Ballina via Claremorris to Westport, while No. 084 ran from Westport via Claremorris to Ballina. At Westport, No. 088 positioned a timber train for loading and then ran light to Inchicore on the 27th. This day also saw No. 084 work a Ballina to Waterford loaded timber train and No. 077 run light from Inchicore to Westport. It was also reported that

No. 083 worked a Belview to Ballina XPO train.

A Westport to Waterford loaded timber train on January 31 was headed by No. 077. IWT container traffic between Dublin Port and Ballina was buoyant during the period under review with many trains being fully loaded. Locos noted included: Nos. 072, 079 and 083. Locomotives used on Tara Mines (Navan) to Alexandra Road,

North Wall bulk ore trains included Nos. 071, 074, 076 and 088. Nos. 077 and 076 each worked a Waterford bound loaded timber train on February 14 and 16 respectively. No. 083 worked a Ballina to Belview XPO container train on February 15. Seventeen wagons of the 18 wagon consist were loaded.

Later the same day No. 083 worked a fully loaded XPO train from Belview to Sallypark yard, Waterford for stabling overnight. No. 083 worked the train forward on the 16th, but only as far as Claremorris where it was recessed because of congestion in the yard at Ballina. The train was subsequently worked to Ballina.

■ TRAFFIC & TRACTION:

Services between Cork and Cobh/Midleton were suspended from around 07.30 on January 24 after a bridge strike on the outskirts of Cork. Normal operation resumed after the structure was examined and declared safe. Serpentine Avenue level crossing between Sandymount and Lansdowne Road on the Dublin to Rosslare line was damaged by a road vehicle during the afternoon of the 25th. As a result, services were delayed in both directions. On the 28th, GM No. 079 ran from Portlaoise PW yard, to where it returned hauling Tamper No. 741 which had failed a short distance away on the up line at the Dublin side of Portlaoise station. The 17.25 Mallow-Tralee was terminated at Killarney on the 28th after the unit was failed. Passengers were conveyed by bus to Tralee.

The 14.45 Howth-Bray on the 29th started from Connolly because of a mechanical issue with the booked

EMU. On the 31st the 06.30 DundalkBray service was terminated at Connolly and passengers transferred to the next Bray bound EMU.

February 2 saw the 13.40 HowthBray terminated at Connolly and the 15.05 Bray-Malahide cancelled because of graffiti damage. The

EMU working the 15.15 Bray-Howth failed at Killester on February 3, while the unit working the 11.35 HowthGreystones on the 6th was failed at Sutton. Services on the cross border main line were severely disrupted on February 7 after a bridge strike at Laytown at around 09.00. Normal services resumed after the structure was inspected and declared safe. Livestock on the line delayed the

07.05 Tralee-Heuston on the 8th, while the same problem arose between

Enfield and Mullingar, which delayed the 13.05 Connolly-Sligo. Rail services were disrupted on the 10th after Merrion Road level crossing between Sidney Parade and Booterstown on the Dublin-Rosslare line was damaged by a tractor during the morning peak.

The 09.38 Howth-Bray on the 15th terminated at Connolly and the 11.05 Bray-Malahide was cancelled. On the 15th, a bridge strike in the Shankill/ Killiney area at around 17.00 saw DART services operate to and from Dalkey until the structure was declared safe. The 09.00 Cork-Tralee on the 16th was terminated at Killarney. Passengers were bussed to Tralee. Storm Eunice made landfall on the morning of the 18th, with wind speeds of over 80mph recorded. Temporary Speed Restrictions (TSRs) were in place in the South West until mid-morning, when conditions improved. Some delays were reported because of debris on the line. The roof of Clontarf Road station in Dublin was damaged. The station was closed temporarily, an inspection undertaken and the damage made safe.

■ BELMOND MK.3S:

Restaurant car Wexford (ex-IR No. 7169) was being prepared at Inchicore Works on February 1 for transfer to Assenta, Hamilton. Lounge/observation car Kildare (ex-IR No. 7104) was en route from Inchicore to Hamilton on February 9. It is believed that the Inchicore to Belfast part of each transfer is being undertaken at night.

■ NEWS IN BRIEF:

Bustitution was again in use on the Nenagh branch (Killonan Junction-Ballybrophy) to facilitate track work between Cloughjordan and Roscrea. The work was carried out during early February.

Lobby group Cork Commuter Coalition has stated that consideration should be given by the government to reopening some of the closed lines in West County Cork. The group which has submitted proposals to the All Island Rail Review, said that rail could once again play an important part in the provision of public transport in the area which saw all its rail services closed by 1961.

Once served by a network of railways that radiated from Cork city to coastal and inland towns and villages, the largest system was the former Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway (CB&SCR) which had a 62-mile main line and four branches. Closed amid controversy in 1961, its services in the final years featured Metro-Vick ‘C’ Class locos and AEC DMUs. The yard at the railway’s Cork terminus at Albert Quay was retained after closure to serve as a freight depot. Connected since 1912 to Cork’s main station at Glanmire Road (Kent) by the ¾ mile Cork City Railway (which featured street running), Albert Quay and the connecting line were closed in 1976, after a new freight terminal was opened at North Esk, between Cork and Little Island.