First items of broad gauge stock arrives at Maam Cross
THE Connemara Railway at Maam Cross received the first items of 5ft 3in rolling stock on August 11, with the delivery of its first coach and a few wagons. A redundant Iarnród Éireann ballast plough and ballast hopper was delivered, making them the first items of 5ft 3in to arrive at the station since it closed in 1935. A few days later, a further two ballast hoppers and two oil wagons were delivered. The former will be used for the relaying and maintenance of the reinstated broad gauge track. On August 19, former Great Southern & Western Railway third class corridor No. 813 arrived on site for restoration from the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s (RPSI) former Mullingar base. The coach, which is on long-term loan to the project, was built in Inchicore Works Dublin in 1903 – and ran all over the South and West of Ireland during its long life. Withdrawn from passenger duties in 1964, it became part of the crew accommodation for the Inchicore breakdown train. It performed this duty until the early 1970s when it was bought by a consortium of then RPSI volunteers and moved to Mullingar shed where it was used as a store. In early September, part of the 3ft gauge pop up railway was removed from the Clifden end of the station site and ran through the former loading bank to allow broad gauge to take its place. The redundant track will be used to extend the pop-up running line further towards Galway. The signal cabin is also nearing completion with the windows and roof completed and the interlocking installed in the 13-lever frame which came from Ennis South cabin.