Knockmore line

[skinner75]

Hi all, I came across the vid below and thought it may be of interest: 

https://youtu.be/UzVdBsods0w

[Darrman]

Interesting videos. The line passes next to the airport, Crumlin and Glenavy have about 5,000 people each, and the track is still there, if largely disused. Seeing the line open again would be sensible. As the line's Wikipedia article suggests, a Belfast-Lisburn-Antrim-Belfast loop would be an idea, and would make more sense to me than just shuttling between Lisburn and Antrim.

[airfixfan]

Knockmore line now severed at Lisburn end.

[MOGUL]

On 18/2/2023 at 6:12 PM, airfixfan said:

Knockmore line now severed at Lisburn end.

Again? Where is it this time?

[airfixfan]

At the Portadown end of Lisburn station

 Points and track to Knockmore linr lifted now a long siding from Antrim only.

[MikeO]

Slight aside. I understand that there is a poster at Moira advertising re-ballasting of the Knockmore to Lurgan line with a completion date of April 2019. Does anyone know when it was completed. Seems a long tome for such a poster to be still up.

 

MikeO

[airfixfan]

That work was completed in 2019

 There is a Translink route map in the Europa showing Lough Swilly bus routes!

[airfixfan]

Europa Bus Station 

[MikeO]

Thanks airfixfan.  Ian Sinclair in his book "Along UTA Lines" mentioned the Knockmore line running past the airport perimeter and the suggestions some years before the book was published(first print was I think 2000) that the line could serve the airport. He suggested that either a spur would have to be provided or the entire line would need to be diverted. While today there may be potentially more passengers available to use the train the route and timings might be a constraint. By coincidence this afternoon I saw a double deck bus which looked to be full heading to the airport.  Not really enough I thought to warrant a train.

MikeO

[Galteemore]

Totally agree. It’s a lovely idea but the small size of NI (and the airport) make it uneconomic, I think. 

[jhb171achill]

Yes, if its route was more or less a straight line - direct - it would make more sense. I don't think it will ever make economic sense as it is, unless they get Boris to dig a tunnel under the Black Mountain.

[Darrman]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-64837601

The BBC says Translink wants to "assess the possibility" of reopening the line. Whether that will lead to anything is another question.

[StevieB]

This could be the first of three circle lines running through Belfast. The second would be the re-opened GNR(I) and NCC lines through Cookstown, while third would be the re-opened former GNR(I) line to Londonderry/Derry linked to the NCC  line. This would tie in with a new line to Letterkenny proposed in the All Ireland Study.

Stephen

[jhb171achill]

4 hours ago, Darrman said:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-64837601

The BBC says Translink wants to "assess the possibility" of reopening the line. Whether that will lead to anything is another question.

Sounds like politics-speak. The "possibility" needs no assesment at all; the idea patently and obviously IS possible, provided they can get around a certain wealthy taxi oligarch...........

[airfixfan]

A local.pollitician last night asked that the Knockmore Line should be reopened along with the former line from Antrim to Whiteabbey! Say no more