Automobile trains

[Branchline121]

One of the main industries to use rail freight worldwide would be the car industry, using trains to transport their shiny, new cars from the assembly line to the dealership. Many of us know that a large industry in Cork from the 1910s to the ‘80s was the Ford factory, producing many iconic models from the Fordson tractor to the Sierra.

My question is: were there ever automobile trains in Ireland, and if so, where did they run between? If anybody has photos, I would love to see them.

[Mayner]

There were no dedicated automobile trains as such in Ireland apart possibly from the train used to transport cars between Rosslare Station ((formerly Ballygeary) and Rosslare Harbour before the introduction of RoRo Ferries during the late 60s/70s.           

Cars and Tractors were transported as individual wagon loads on open wagons from the Ford Cork plant and other assembly plants to destinations on the CIE system on ordinary goods trains. Dublin plants assembled BMC (Austin,Morris,Wolsey) GM Opel/Vauxhall, Roots Group later Chysler (Sunbeam, Hillman, Talbot, P) VW/Audi, Smiths Group(Wexford) Renault cars. The Ford plant had a siding connection form the Cork City Railway and possibly Smiths at Wexford South, cars from Dublin plants were loaded in the Dublin goods yards. Traffic died out following the introduction of modern double deck car transporter during the late 60s/70s with direct delivery from the Plant or Importers yard to the local dealership or garage.

There is a photo somewhere of a late Austin 1300 on a flat wagon at Nenagh but I cannot find the file or a link.

The photo on the Provincial Wagons web site is typical of how cars and farm machinery were transported on the Irish railway system https://provincialwagons.com/ 

 

[MD220]

This photo shows cars on a goods train at Claremorris. Not sure of the year...40s or 50s maybe?

Photo credit: Rob Cross photography. 

[Galteemore]

Even the SLNCR had the occasional car transported on a carriage wagon. There is a famous shot which shows the 1115 goods ex Sligo near Enniskillen, with the usual motley wagon selection. Right at the back is a shiny new car! 

[Westcorkrailway]

I think the last car was shipped out of cork by rail in 1967 

[Mayner]

16 hours ago, MD220 said:

This photo shows cars on a goods train at Claremorris. Not sure of the year...40s or 50s maybe?

Photo credit: Rob Cross photography. 

Photo taken before the station layout was re-modelled in the early 50s when the locomotive shed on the left was demolished, the shed road extended to connect with the Athenry line as the new Platform 3. The light grey buildings in the left distance are pre-cast concrete loco crew facilities installed after Claremorris became the rail head for Knock Pilgrimage traffic