226 Abhann na Suire

It’s a fantastic upgrade! More catchment at Ballincollig and new stations in the Docklands, Victoria Cross, and Ballincollig will all be brilliant for bringing more people to rail. The new alignment through Bishopstown will also really increase reliability and reduce travel time by removing the shared running section on the Bishopstown Road. Speaking of, there’s also far more sections of segregated running in the updated plans so the reliability of the Luas will increase hugely as a result. There has been lots of negative chatter from cheap-click newspapers like the Echo over the week about the new route causing people to lose garden space, but these are people who will now live a lot closer to a tram line, and, looking at how BusConnects went, get compensated quite comfortably for their taken land! Overall I think it’s a far better route than previously, and it’s one of the first times that I’ve actually seen a plan improve this drastically between consultation rounds so it’s great that the NTA are taking into account the public submissions to such an extent. Hopefully this goes as well (and as quickly) as it can for the Luas - I can’t lie it has an uphill climb ahead of it with the intense culture of NIMBYism that exists in Cork - but I’m very hopeful that sense prevails and we get this project over the line in the next couple of years. Great news overall though!! Does anyone know timeframe wise what is ahead of the project from this point?

Does anyone know if there is a mailing list of some sort that you can sign up to to be informed of upcoming RPSI excursions…? I always seem to catch them once they’re sold out so end up watching lineside (which is just as fun, but a lot more fleeting!) Had a cursory look on their website and didn’t find anything but just wondering if there’s any tips on how to get in the know! Thanks

This is absolutely fantastic. Some people arguing that it’s a negative due to rich people “winning” by being paid off and getting even richer, but realistically, if this is what had to be done to get the Metro done, then it will be worth it ten times over. Plus, whatever price that TII buys the properties for will be calculated at November 2025 values, and sold at Metrolink-opening values - ie. Georgian close to city properties, with a high-speed, high-capacity, high-frequency metro line on their genuine doorstep with a direct link to the City Centre, the airport, and high frequency heavy rail stations. No matter what way this goes, yes the rich will get richer, but the project will get built, and the public won’t be fleeced because of it, in fact public money will turn a profit! It really is a miraculous outcome, and I can’t lie I never thought it would happen, but am so glad that it has. I’m sure we can expect a formal update and maybe a drop of realism vis-a-vis timing and dates in the new year, but for now we should all be incredibly pleased with this outcome, it is somehow, a win-win-win and a true Christmas miracle. Merry Christmas everyone

I quite like the plan I have to say. While it’s not 100% ideal, it is definitely a start. The whole project is listed as early interventions before some of the heavier stuff in the review, although some of the stuff mentioned in this plan like the Derry Road and the Hazelhatch to Portarlington express route are brand new heavy infrastructure projects, and are being put ahead of other easy wins like the Waterford-Wexford line. I suppose this is maybe fair with regards to the Hazelhatch to Portarlington line, as that was layered out in Project Connect earlier in the autumn, but it doesn’t explain why FourNorth is nowhere to be seen… The plan is vague about the improvements it mentions between Connolly and Clongriffin and doesn’t specify quad track, nor can we see the Clongriffin to Drogheda alignment being mentioned anywhere, something which I would personally consider more necessary than a Kildare bypass… I’m not sure if I really understand the loop east of Clonmel either. Clonmel has a loop already which is up to modern standards (used only a month or so ago I believe), but could do with a lift and a resurface of platform 2. Surely they isn’t much benefit in a loop even closer to Waterford… The ideal location for a loop on this line is Cahir as timetabling wise, it is exactly half way between Limerick Colbert and Waterford and would allow services to pass each other to connect the two cities with pre-9am arrivals at each. Tipperary also has a loop, but I don’t think it’s been used in a while (the northern turnout likely needs replacing) and also no second platform on the loop, like Enfield currently. Finally, it talks about ongoing projects and mentions the ‘Limerick-Athenry capacity enhancements, phase 1’ and shows station upgrades to what looks like Gort and passing loops at what seems to be Crusheen (fair enough, I know there’s talk of reopening the station) and for some stupid reason, Cratloe… It could just be a misplacement on the map, but it definitely looks like Cratloe and I remember there being vague talk of the possibility of loop there a while ago. Why on earth not at Sixmilebridge?? There is a completely straight 5km section of track beyond the station where a dynamic loop could be installed alongside a second platform, and distance wise it is exactly halfway between where the branch leaves the Limerick Jnct line and Ennis, the next loop. So why on earth put one further towards Ennis, and at a point where trains will have to stop without a station…? Does anyone have a link to that project or where I might be able to find info on it, because it lists it as an ongoing project, and as only being phase 1… Would love to see the whole project. Anyway that’s just my tuppenceworth on a Tuesday afternoon, overall it’s a good plan and it’s great to see some all-island connected thinking about how to improve our rail network finally becoming a bit more tangible.

Does anyone know will 171 be running on the Santa Special services over the weekend…? How did she fare out last weekend?

I’d like to think that IÉ would reroute the line north of Tuam because it unnecessarily crosses the N17 a total of 4 times only to end up on the same side of the road as it started on. However given the fact that the project apparently will be complete by 2030, I suspect it will be a metre-for-metre relaying to avoid any additional land take. There is definitely merit in this method as it will get the line open with absolutely no resistance and zero chance for objections. But it would be great if they realigned the railway north of Tuam. The alignment south of there is fantastic - very straight and almost no level crossings. North of Tuam is the opposite. However if good running times can be achieved between Tuam and Galway I believe that is more important than good running times between there and Claremorris.

Really interesting thread here… almost sure I’ve seen the same thing on the Tramore line in the last of its days… could be wrong though. Some incredible photos on here though!

Great news absolutely! You’d wonder will they have the foresight to consider Galway - Athenry doubling as part of the project… I reckon if they don't, they’ll just about be alright for the first few years with extending every Galway - Athenry commuter train to Claremorris or at least Tuam, lengthening the train and pushing the passing loop at Oranmore to its absolute limits. But with Galway services set to go hourly before the decade is out, and an overdue increase of Limerick - Galway services also long overdue, they’d really need to get the finger out with the doubling. In terms of a likely cost/distribution for the project, does anyone know if adding the doubling to the Claremorris project would wreck a CBA…? It might be a case like DART+, where adding DART Underground to the project would’ve sank any Cost/Benefit study, but the CBA for DU once the rest of the DART+ works are done will speak for itself as being the no-brainer project to maximise the new capacity created by DART+. If they don’t double it with the WRC, it’s very likely, the doubling will sell itself once the WRC opens as being a necessary and well-worth it project. Just in terms of keeping imaginations active as the evenings get darker, what kind of a service to we think the line would get. Would intercity services from Galway go only to Claremorris, or would they continue to Westport, or Ballina for that matter? Would Tuam get any Tuam to Galway commuters? An extension of the existing services to Athenry for example? And dare I say, very unlikely, but Limerick to Westport…?

Just patient zooming in and out…! Kind of therapeutic if you find yourself with the time for it! I like your plan for interlining with the Red Line back through the docks, I suspect however that it might more-so be a case of both the Red Line extension and the Lucan Line sharing tracks from Ringsend village out through Irishtown, and into the huge Glassbottle site and all of that development land in Poolbeg. There’s an emerging preferred option coming out from the NTA in the next while apparently, I wonder when that’s due…?

Thank you!! They in fact were done in that exact crappy screenshot editor as it happens!! And I agree Apple Maps has a good transit layer, millions of times better than Google. I agree that the line would be supplemental to DU so wouldn’t be doing as much heavy lifting of Heuston-East traffic, but still needs to open up crucial transport areas in south Dublin City for more local journeys. You’re right about Ringsend, it’s being floated as an extension of the Red Line from the Point back across the Liffey but I feel like it could benefit from a Luas link on the southside too. This would mean Luas Lucan would be more or less a like-for-like replacement of half of the the C-Spine busses, which will be the first Bus Connects corridor to undergo the QBC revamp, so would make sense as a Luas line too.

I do think that Waterford - Rosslare has a future, with the Felthouse curve reinstated, a Waterford - Wexford passenger flow would do very well, as demonstrated by the traffic and upgrade works being done on the N25 corridor. It also has big potential once the Waterford to Dublin line is upgraded to a 200kmh double track electrified railway, to provide a faster journey time from Wexford to Dublin via a new station south of the Quayside tramway, the Felthouse curve and the Dublin to Waterford line. I agree about Bandon being impossible and a flight of fancy, and the likes of potentially reinstating the Derry Road being very pie in the sky at the moment, but I don’t think the Waterford Rosslare line is a write off at all

All really really good points. I totally understand all of the obstacles, and the fact that we are all looking through this with coal-tinted glasses, but Navan could be a really perfect location for a heritage railway. The station would be an excellent base to operate a heritage railway out of. Proximity to Dublin is pretty good, and definitely there is enough draw to the town itself aside from a heritage railway, to further entice people to make the trip. It is also in the very centre of the town and would bring loads of business to the local area and to other businesses. The station site is huge. There is definitely space for low loaders to get in and out (although stock could just be hauled via the mainline connection instead), there is ample space for a simple second platform (the existing one is perfectly wide enough for a primary platform) and there is incredible storage potential, the existing locomotive shed being wide enough for two tracks and likely making a great workshop also, and the goods yard has plenty of extra space for more storage/maintenance (both covered and/or open). The station throat as well has loads of space to comfortably house the turnouts needed for a multitude of sidings. There is also the absolute beautiful structure of a station building which could be very easily and effectively made into your classic ticket office/cafe/museum building (on the museum note, the Dundalk station mini museum collection, being GNRI based, could be sold to Navan and rehoused there…? Maybe the signal box too - there would be space for it on the platform at Navan and it would make an excellent and accurate heritage attraction in of itself - but maybe that’s a stretch…). The line could run literally as far as Beauparc - roughly 5 kilometres east - which would also mean that there would be no extra trouble of needing to operate a level crossing, as if trains go no further than Beauparc, the crossing remains defunct. The question of a station at Beauparc depends on the private owners of the old station house, if they objected, the cost of building a station and run-around loop in a new site are likely too expensive, although a loop is not necessarily needed so this could be done at a halt-style location… The connection west to where presumably the new Navan IÉ station will go could also be maintained and the odd time for galas and so on, heritage trains could meet DARTs at Navan to collect passengers. The only other issues I see (aside from the aforementioned obvious cost, workforce, etc) is car parking at Navan. Space could be made at the station bundling for a car park but it wouldn’t be as big as you’d like. There is the larger car park right next door for the Louth and Navan Further Education and Training building and this could potentially be expanded slightly to the east to take the rest of the railways parking demand. The bottom line is, the success that a lot of the UK heritage lines have had (aside from the previously mentioned much larger market for this kind of thing) has been that the railway has moved in, as soon as British Rail have moved out, meaning they’ve been working with functional, if even well conditioned, track, signalling, infrastructure etc. something that no heritage project on this island has had before and something that the Navan line brings which is not to be overlooked I think. A mainline connection (either at Navan, or Drogheda, or both, if maintained), is also an incredible opportunity, for mainline charters, extra RPSI storage and/or potential use of Inchicore/Whitehead for larger rolling stock maintenance, removing the need (and cost!) for a complex facility in house for this, as well as the potential as a test track for rolling stock, and signalling even, for IÉ, further adds to the incredible appeal of the location. Just a few musings, I hadn’t thought of lots of this before I began typing this spiel, but the more I think about it, the more sense it actually makes… Any further thoughts…? Oisín

Saw pictures of bubble car 2751 being hauled up to Inchicore and have heard rumours of it being destined for Maam Cross… could it be true…??

New station on the four tracked line into Heuston at the Kylemore Road bridge serving Ballyfermot is also in development and plans are due to be revealed in the coming months. Will interchange with future Luas Lucan also, which is a great connection to have

Leaving Colbert the other day there was 6 cement bogie tankers lying on the side of the line, perpendicular to the tracks, being cut up with angle grinders. (Apologies for the low quality of the pictures) The wagons are the same as the ones line up in the Colbert ‘sound barrier’ in the sidings to the north of the station approach, and also in that stationary convoy are some Taras, a few of the old unrefurbished CPWs and some 42ft flats, so presumably these are destined for the cutters torch also…? Surely the CPWs might be saved? And does anyone know how the wagons were brought across the running lines and then lifted off the tracks to actually be cut up?