Mullingar-Athlone line

[Bóithre Iarainn]

Does anyone know anything concrete about the regular services on this line after 1973? I understand there were mail trains and Asahi liners until c.1987 but I can't find much detailed information or dates. How frequently did were these trains and was this all that ran? I also know there were some PWD trains into the 2000s, would anyone have any details about these movements?

[Noel]

https://www.activeme.ie/guides/disused-railway-mullingar-to-athlone/#

Hope this may offer some info

PS: encouraging to see the all island strategic rail review last year recommended reopening this line and ditching the greenway. It's the most boring greenway in the country. Bog flat boring, no scenery, just mile after mile of hedge rows.

[Mayner]

The Mails (Day and Night), Special Passenger Trains (Knock, GAA, etc), Scheduled long distance goods trains and specials (Livestock to late 75, Fertiliser and Bagged Cement (Post 1977) continued to run over the Mullingar Line after the majority of Galway and Mayo Line passenger trains were diverted to run by Mullingar.

I haven't the WTT for the 70s:  The "Day Mails" departed Dun-Laoire Pier for Galway following the arrival of the overnight "Mail Boat" from Hollyhead calling at Connolly at some time between 08:00 and 08:30 arriving Galway Mid-Morning. The Up Day Mail worked by the same train set departed Galway Mid-Afternoon timed to connect with the evening Mail Boat departure to Hollyhead (around 8pm).  The Day-Mails were diverted to run to and from Heuston with a bus connection to and from Dunlaoire with the rail connection to Dunlaoire Pier disconnected in connection with the DART Works

The Day Mails tended to be heavy trains of conventional coaching stock potentially loading up to 10 bogies hauled by a OO1 Class Loco.

Galway and Mayo Line Goods Trains were loosed coupled consisting largely of 4w short wheelbase wagons up to the changeover to Liner Train operation in the late 70s. Goods would depart North Wall, and their Provincial Terminals in the evening crossing and possibly changing train crews en-route. 

Liner Trains made up of fully braked wagons usually departed North Wall in the early evening working through to their provincial terminal, before departing for Dublin during the early hours of the morning worked by the same rake of wagons and loco.

The Night Mails were made up mainly of bogie vans, postal vehicles and a coach for intending passengers  in 1980 scheduled to depart Connolly at 20:00 and Galway at 22:00 crossing at Moate between 23:45 and 23:50 for traffic purposes and presumably a crew change. The Night Mails were scheduled to be worked by 121 Class in the 1980 WTT but tended to be actually worked by a 141 or 181 Class.

The other "Regular" scheduled passenger train over the Mullingar-Athlone Line was the 15:40 Sunday only Ballina-Connolly passenger scheduled to depart Athlone 17:53 arrive in Mullingar 18:41, this train made up of conventional stock scheduled for 001 haulage was hauled by a 141 when I saw the train 5-6 coaches passing Enfield on evening in 84-5.

The Asahi Liner was the only regular Liner Train scheduled to work over the line during the 80s-early 90s. Departing North Wall early evening, usually returning to Dublin Mid morning. Scheduled in 1990 WTT to Depart NW 19:40 Mullingar 21:46 arr Athlone 22:41.  Return train scheduled to depart Athlone 09:00 arr Mullingar 09:54.

The Night Mails were diverted to run via Tullamore  some time after the opening of the new Athlone Station east of the Shannon and later became a Liner-Mail without passenger accommodation.  Between the opening of the new station and diversion of the Night Mail to run via Tullamore a Pilot loco was based at Athlone to assist the Mail in backing movements in and out of the new station (Train topped and tailed by a loco)

Between the mid 90s and the ending of Liner Train operation Galway was served by a Trip working from Galway to Athlone which connected with the North Wall Claremorris Liner at Athlone.

Besides the scheduled passenger and liner trains, there were two outward and one return Shelton-Galway Fertiliser Paths and three outward and two return Dublin-Claremorris Knock Special paths in the 1980 WTT.

The Knock specials tended to be heavy trains, I once saw a 14 coach Knock Special double headed by a pair of 141s passing Mullingar during the Mid-80s. I was returning on a Sligo-Dublin service train following an IRRS visit to Mayo and Sligo (road-Westport-Sligo!) The Sligo Dublin was blocked at Mullingar to allow the Special to enter the section to Killucan and held again at Killucan to allow the Special to clear the long section ahead to Enfield.

I have the 1980s WTT but the 11 page section covering the Mullingar-Athlone line is too cumbersome to post for a handful of trains

 

 

[jhb171achill]

On 16/2/2024 at 2:11 PM, Bóithre Iarainn said:

Does anyone know anything concrete about the regular services on this line after 1973? I understand there were mail trains and Asahi liners until c.1987 but I can't find much detailed information or dates. How frequently did were these trains and was this all that ran? I also know there were some PWD trains into the 2000s, would anyone have any details about these movements?

Tell me what year you want. I have most WTTs for that period.

 

[Bóithre Iarainn]

On 21/2/2024 at 8:32 PM, Mayner said:

The Mails (Day and Night), Special Passenger Trains (Knock, GAA, etc), Scheduled long distance goods trains and specials (Livestock to late 75, Fertiliser and Bagged Cement (Post 1977) continued to run over the Mullingar Line after the majority of Galway and Mayo Line passenger trains were diverted to run by Mullingar.

I haven't the WTT for the 70s:  The "Day Mails" departed Dun-Laoire Pier for Galway following the arrival of the overnight "Mail Boat" from Hollyhead calling at Connolly at some time between 08:00 and 08:30 arriving Galway Mid-Morning. The Up Day Mail worked by the same train set departed Galway Mid-Afternoon timed to connect with the evening Mail Boat departure to Hollyhead (around 8pm).  The Day-Mails were diverted to run to and from Heuston with a bus connection to and from Dunlaoire with the rail connection to Dunlaoire Pier disconnected in connection with the DART Works

The Day Mails tended to be heavy trains of conventional coaching stock potentially loading up to 10 bogies hauled by a OO1 Class Loco.

Galway and Mayo Line Goods Trains were loosed coupled consisting largely of 4w short wheelbase wagons up to the changeover to Liner Train operation in the late 70s. Goods would depart North Wall, and their Provincial Terminals in the evening crossing and possibly changing train crews en-route. 

Liner Trains made up of fully braked wagons usually departed North Wall in the early evening working through to their provincial terminal, before departing for Dublin during the early hours of the morning worked by the same rake of wagons and loco.

The Night Mails were made up mainly of bogie vans, postal vehicles and a coach for intending passengers  in 1980 scheduled to depart Connolly at 20:00 and Galway at 22:00 crossing at Moate between 23:45 and 23:50 for traffic purposes and presumably a crew change. The Night Mails were scheduled to be worked by 121 Class in the 1980 WTT but tended to be actually worked by a 141 or 181 Class.

The other "Regular" scheduled passenger train over the Mullingar-Athlone Line was the 15:40 Sunday only Ballina-Connolly passenger scheduled to depart Athlone 17:53 arrive in Mullingar 18:41, this train made up of conventional stock scheduled for 001 haulage was hauled by a 141 when I saw the train 5-6 coaches passing Enfield on evening in 84-5.

The Asahi Liner was the only regular Liner Train scheduled to work over the line during the 80s-early 90s. Departing North Wall early evening, usually returning to Dublin Mid morning. Scheduled in 1990 WTT to Depart NW 19:40 Mullingar 21:46 arr Athlone 22:41.  Return train scheduled to depart Athlone 09:00 arr Mullingar 09:54.

The Night Mails were diverted to run via Tullamore  some time after the opening of the new Athlone Station east of the Shannon and later became a Liner-Mail without passenger accommodation.  Between the opening of the new station and diversion of the Night Mail to run via Tullamore a Pilot loco was based at Athlone to assist the Mail in backing movements in and out of the new station (Train topped and tailed by a loco)

Between the mid 90s and the ending of Liner Train operation Galway was served by a Trip working from Galway to Athlone which connected with the North Wall Claremorris Liner at Athlone.

Besides the scheduled passenger and liner trains, there were two outward and one return Shelton-Galway Fertiliser Paths and three outward and two return Dublin-Claremorris Knock Special paths in the 1980 WTT.

The Knock specials tended to be heavy trains, I once saw a 14 coach Knock Special double headed by a pair of 141s passing Mullingar during the Mid-80s. I was returning on a Sligo-Dublin service train following an IRRS visit to Mayo and Sligo (road-Westport-Sligo!) The Sligo Dublin was blocked at Mullingar to allow the Special to enter the section to Killucan and held again at Killucan to allow the Special to clear the long section ahead to Enfield.

I have the 1980s WTT but the 11 page section covering the Mullingar-Athlone line is too cumbersome to post for a handful of trains

 

 

Many thanks for all of this Mayner! What was the logic behind the 15:40 Sunday only Ballina-Connolly? Also do you know if the Asahi liner ran via Mullingar until the factory closed in 1997? Or was it redirected before that?

[Bóithre Iarainn]

On 21/2/2024 at 8:39 PM, jhb171achill said:

Tell me what year you want. I have most WTTs for that period.

 

I'm not exactly sure of the year unfortunately. I'm most interested in finding out when the last regular scheduled freight and passenger trains ran, as well as the final train of any sort (other than the weedsprayer and inspection car, which I know about). I think passenger trains finally ceased in 1987, Mayner informs me that the 15:40 Sundays only Ballina-Connolly service was the last regular passenger train, so I assume this was it. But I've read about (unspecified) passenger trains being diverted onto the Mullingar-Athlone section after this and eiretrains.com has a photo of a panel train at Streamstown in April 2000. Sorry if that's too vague a request! It's always fascinated me that this line lingered on for quite some time after regular traffic ceased, unlike most of the 'closed' but extant lines. 

[jhb171achill]

1 hour ago, Bóithre Iarainn said:

I'm not exactly sure of the year unfortunately. I'm most interested in finding out when the last regular scheduled freight and passenger trains ran, as well as the final train of any sort (other than the weedsprayer and inspection car, which I know about). I think passenger trains finally ceased in 1987, Mayner informs me that the 15:40 Sundays only Ballina-Connolly service was the last regular passenger train, so I assume this was it. But I've read about (unspecified) passenger trains being diverted onto the Mullingar-Athlone section after this and eiretrains.com has a photo of a panel train at Streamstown in April 2000. Sorry if that's too vague a request! It's always fascinated me that this line lingered on for quite some time after regular traffic ceased, unlike most of the 'closed' but extant lines. 

Correct, as Mayner points out the date of the last REGULAR services.

But also, there were indeed many one-offs, excursions, diversions and the like; RPSI, Knock & GAA specials. These would be in weekly circulars rather than timetables, and sometimes at a moments notice so not even in them!

I’ll post 1987 WTT details later.

[Bóithre Iarainn]

2 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Correct, as Mayner points out the date of the last REGULAR services.

But also, there were indeed many one-offs, excursions, diversions and the like; RPSI, Knock & GAA specials. These would be in weekly circulars rather than timetables, and sometimes at a moments notice so not even in them!

I’ll post 1987 WTT details later.

Thank you very much!

[jhb171achill]

OK, here we go. This is 13.1.1986 until further notice; turns out I don't have 1987, but it's likely exactly the same. Trains in BOLD run every day; others are just paths and may or may not run.

Down trains:

00:25  Shelton - Abbey - Galway fertiliser PATH dep. Mullingar 05:50, arr. Athlone 06:46     Loco: 001

09:35  Shelton Abbey - Ballinasloe fertiliser PATH dep. Mullingar 15:30, arr. Athlone 16:41    (Stop scheduled moate 16:07-16:230; reason not apparent, probably to fit in with paths west of Athlone)  Loco: 001

18:50  North Wall - Ballina Asahi Liner  Pass Mullingar 20:43, arr. Athlone 21:36   Loco: 001

21:45  Connolly - Galway Mail  Dep. Athlone 23:07, Moate 23:36-23:51 (Crosses up train), Athlone 00:16.  Loco: 121    On Saturdays, this runs earlier, dep. Connolly 19:50, dep. Mullingar 21:14, arr. Athlone 22:15 

Up trains:

22:35  Ballina - Shelton Abbey Empty Fertiliser PATH  dep. Athlone 00:40, arr. Mullingar 01:30. leaves at 02:25.  Loco: 001

02:25  Ballina - North Wall Asahi Liner (Tues - Sat) dep. Athlone 05:27, pass Mullingar 06:19.   Loco: 001

22:00  Galway - Connolly Mail  dep. Athlone 23:20, Moate 23:45-23:48 (crosses down train), arr. Mullingar 00:18  Loco: 141

SUNDAYS

No regular trains, but three DOWN paths and two UP paths for Knock specials from PEARSE, motive power not specified for any of them.

 

Note: Two down paths for ferts, butn only one up; the other obviously going via Portarlington when it runs. Also, the WTT shows a 121 for the down mail and a 141 for the up working. Of course, these could be interchangeable.

These two mail trains, which crossed at Moate between 23:36 and 23:51, were the only trains on the line by then (and for quite a few years earlier), which carried passengers.

Hope this helps.

 

JB

 

 

 

[Mayner]

7 hours ago, Bóithre Iarainn said:

Many thanks for all of this Mayner! What was the logic behind the 15:40 Sunday only Ballina-Connolly? Also do you know if the Asahi liner ran via Mullingar until the factory closed in 1997? Or was it redirected before that?

The 15:40 SO Ballina-Connolly would have been intended to return people who spent the weekend in the West (workers and 3rd level students) to Dublin this was the return working of a FO Heuston-Ballina working.  The train was likely to be worked by coaches normally used on a Dublin outer suburban service, probably simpler for the train to return to Connolly via Mullingar for cleaning and servicing, than a Heuston busy with evening arrivals and a need to back out to Island Bridge Junction to run to Connolly via the Phoenix Park Tunnel.

The Asahi Liner was diverted to run via Tullamore and the 4w flats used to transport Acrylonitrile and other hazardous chemicals replaced by bogie wagons to increase the permitted speed of the train from 35 to 50mph.  The max line speed of 4w container flats was reduced from 50 to 35mph following a series of derailments of Liner Trains with 4w wagons on the Midland during the late 70s-early 80s.

The Up Ashai then using 4w chemical flats de-railed approaching Tullamore in Jan 96 https://www.irishtimes.com/news/reason-why-chemical-train-derailed-still-not-known-1.19863

The Mullingar-Athlone line was out of use and weed grown in place while I was working-living in Athlone during the Summer-Autumn of 96, although the ballast and sleepers appeared in good condition the rails 90lb/Yd from the 1920s were worn "burred over" requiring replacement if the line was to continue in operation..

 

[Bóithre Iarainn]

On 23/2/2024 at 6:03 PM, jhb171achill said:

OK, here we go. This is 13.1.1986 until further notice; turns out I don't have 1987, but it's likely exactly the same. Trains in BOLD run every day; others are just paths and may or may not run.

Down trains:

00:25  Shelton - Abbey - Galway fertiliser PATH dep. Mullingar 05:50, arr. Athlone 06:46     Loco: 001

09:35  Shelton Abbey - Ballinasloe fertiliser PATH dep. Mullingar 15:30, arr. Athlone 16:41    (Stop scheduled moate 16:07-16:230; reason not apparent, probably to fit in with paths west of Athlone)  Loco: 001

18:50  North Wall - Ballina Asahi Liner  Pass Mullingar 20:43, arr. Athlone 21:36   Loco: 001

21:45  Connolly - Galway Mail  Dep. Athlone 23:07, Moate 23:36-23:51 (Crosses up train), Athlone 00:16.  Loco: 121    On Saturdays, this runs earlier, dep. Connolly 19:50, dep. Mullingar 21:14, arr. Athlone 22:15 

Up trains:

22:35  Ballina - Shelton Abbey Empty Fertiliser PATH  dep. Athlone 00:40, arr. Mullingar 01:30. leaves at 02:25.  Loco: 001

02:25  Ballina - North Wall Asahi Liner (Tues - Sat) dep. Athlone 05:27, pass Mullingar 06:19.   Loco: 001

22:00  Galway - Connolly Mail  dep. Athlone 23:20, Moate 23:45-23:48 (crosses down train), arr. Mullingar 00:18  Loco: 141

SUNDAYS

No regular trains, but three DOWN paths and two UP paths for Knock specials from PEARSE, motive power not specified for any of them.

 

Note: Two down paths for ferts, butn only one up; the other obviously going via Portarlington when it runs. Also, the WTT shows a 121 for the down mail and a 141 for the up working. Of course, these could be interchangeable.

These two mail trains, which crossed at Moate between 23:36 and 23:51, were the only trains on the line by then (and for quite a few years earlier), which carried passengers.

Hope this helps.

 

JB

 

 

 

Fantastic stuff Jonathan, thank you for going to the trouble of getting this for me! Do you know why the Asahi liner ran via Mullingar instead of Portarlington for a time? Was it simply a lack of capacity on the latter route?

On 23/2/2024 at 7:42 PM, Mayner said:

The 15:40 SO Ballina-Connolly would have been intended to return people who spent the weekend in the West (workers and 3rd level students) to Dublin this was the return working of a FO Heuston-Ballina working.  The train was likely to be worked by coaches normally used on a Dublin outer suburban service, probably simpler for the train to return to Connolly via Mullingar for cleaning and servicing, than a Heuston busy with evening arrivals and a need to back out to Island Bridge Junction to run to Connolly via the Phoenix Park Tunnel.

The Asahi Liner was diverted to run via Tullamore and the 4w flats used to transport Acrylonitrile and other hazardous chemicals replaced by bogie wagons to increase the permitted speed of the train from 35 to 50mph.  The max line speed of 4w container flats was reduced from 50 to 35mph following a series of derailments of Liner Trains with 4w wagons on the Midland during the late 70s-early 80s.

The Up Ashai then using 4w chemical flats de-railed approaching Tullamore in Jan 96 https://www.irishtimes.com/news/reason-why-chemical-train-derailed-still-not-known-1.19863

The Mullingar-Athlone line was out of use and weed grown in place while I was working-living in Athlone during the Summer-Autumn of 96, although the ballast and sleepers appeared in good condition the rails 90lb/Yd from the 1920s were worn "burred over" requiring replacement if the line was to continue in operation..

 

Thanks again Mayner! Do you know if Moate station was open for passengers by that stage or did it shut in 1973? The closure date given in various places online is May 1987, but I can't imagine there were many passengers alighting from one train on Sundays or the late night mail trains.

[jhb171achill]

8 hours ago, Bóithre Iarainn said:

Fantastic stuff Jonathan, thank you for going to the trouble of getting this for me! Do you know why the Asahi liner ran via Mullingar instead of Portarlington for a time? Was it simply a lack of capacity on the latter route?

Thanks again Mayner! Do you know if Moate station was open for passengers by that stage or did it shut in 1973? The closure date given in various places online is May 1987, but I can't imagine there were many passengers alighting from one train on Sundays or the late night mail trains.

It WAS technically open until the last regular passenger service stopped, but as you say there wouldn’t have been much business. The several times I travelled on night mail trains (once as the only passenger) I don’t remember much activity at Moate….

[Mayner]

7 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

15 hours ago, Bóithre Iarainn said:

Fantastic stuff Jonathan, thank you for going to the trouble of getting this for me! Do you know why the Asahi liner ran via Mullingar instead of Portarlington for a time? Was it simply a lack of capacity on the latter route?

Thanks again Mayner! Do you know if Moate station was open for passengers by that stage or did it shut in 1973? The closure date given in various places online is May 1987, but I can't imagine there were many passengers alighting from one train on Sundays or the late night mail trains.

 

The Asahi probably ran via Mullingar as a result of difficulty finding a path between Portarlington and Island Bridge Junction when the line was busy with up passenger trains arriving from the provinces. IE routed the Foynes-Ballina Oil/Coal Trains via Nenagh rather tan via Limerick Junction for similar reasons when the Limerick-Claremorris line was out of use during the mid 1990s.

IE replaced the 4w flat wagons used for carrying Hazardous Freight on the Asahi line with Bogie Wagons at some stage before the factory closed in 1997. The ending of Mail Trains and Sundries Traffic would have released bogie wagons for use on the Asah

[jhb171achill]

8 hours ago, Mayner said:

The Asahi probably ran via Mullingar as a result of difficulty finding a path between Portarlington and Island Bridge Junction when the line was busy with up passenger trains arriving from the provinces. IE routed the Foynes-Ballina Oil/Coal Trains via Nenagh rather tan via Limerick Junction for similar reasons when the Limerick-Claremorris line was out of use during the mid 1990s.

 

Yes, I’d say so!

[jhb171achill]

10 hours ago, Mayner said:

IE replaced the 4w flat wagons used for carrying Hazardous Freight on the Asahi line with Bogie Wagons at some stage before the factory closed in 1997. The ending of Mail Trains and Sundries Traffic would have released bogie wagons for use on the Asah

Good point. I’d forgotten about that.