how much would it take to fix up the tralee to blenervile

[minister_for_hardship]

3 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Very interesting indeed.

Wonder who the owner of the loco is.

Everyone and no-one in this shell company?

[cheesy_peas]

Yet another look at getting things moo-ving, don't hold your breath... behind paywall, but unusual traction pictured.

https://m.independent.ie/regionals/kerry/tralee-news/unique-kerry-railway-has-consultancy-firm-appointed-to-assess-future-viability/a2141523569.html

 

The line has been in a decaying state in recent years with strong calls for it to be restored and linked to the Tralee Bay Wetlands as part of an interactive tourism feature.

Kerry County Council (KCC) has announced the appointment of Feeney McMahon Architects to conduct an analysis of a section of the former Tralee and Dingle Light Railway.

The analysis will focus on the rail corridor between the Aquadome in Tralee and Blennerville Windmill. The appointed consultant’s role is to carry out a survey and detailed condition assessment of the existing infrastructure, concentrating on structural decay, infrastructure deterioration, and the impact of coastal erosion.

This includes the railway track and corridor from the N86 to Blennerville Windmill, the Blennerville train shed depot and sidings accessed via Kearney’s Road, and the access point from the Aquadome.

Additionally, the consultant will explore feasible options for repurposing the railway line and its associated infrastructure, assessing the viability of potential future uses.

In 2024, Tralee Municipal District councillors suggested the rail line be moved closer to Tralee Bay Wetlands with a view to linking it with Blennervile. This would make a connection between two tourism hubs.

Other suggestions include leasing out the railway line to local steam train enthusiasts.

A key motivator for restoration is to assess the viability of the old tracks and determine whether the steam engine could attract tourists, encouraging them to stay and experience the beauty and history of Blennerville.

Edited March 11 by cheesy_peas

[Horsetan]

Can-kicking, in other words?

[Westcorkrailway]

I’m moving to Tralee in a few months, a cool “wouldn’t it be nice” but the expense of re-building everything versus a greenway a fraction of the price…

 

That being said, I could see it operating again, but not under steam power! 

[cheesy_peas]

2 hours ago, Horsetan said:

Can-kicking, in other words?

Expensive can-kicking.

A firm of architects? Really? Are they the best people to advise? 

The bit about councillors questioning if the line could be moved closer to a wetlands centre, wondering if a steam locomotive would "attract tourists" just goes to show the sort of imbecile holding the reins of power in KCC.

Reading between the lines, with my cynical hat on, I'd say the council would rather make a greenway out of it, as that is all they can understand, (miniature) roads.

1 hour ago, Westcorkrailway said:

I’m moving to Tralee in a few months, a cool “wouldn’t it be nice” but the expense of re-building everything versus a greenway a fraction of the price…

 

That being said, I could see it operating again, but not under steam power! 

Rebuilding is the easy bit. Keeping it going, another matter entirely.

[Westcorkrailway]

More tarmac for the Healy Rae contractors to lay down! 

[Andy Cundick]

I always thought it spoke volummes that one of the first things they did was to demolish the remains of Blennerville station.Andy

[Mol_PMB]

In happier times - the one occasion I travelled on the line:

 

[Ironroad]

4 hours ago, cheesy_peas said:

Reading between the lines, with my cynical hat on, I'd say the council would rather make a greenway out of it, as that is all they can understand, (miniature) roads.

 

The word you were looking for is "Boreen"

[Horsetan]

4 hours ago, cheesy_peas said:

Expensive can-kicking.

A firm of architects? Really? Are they the best people to advise? 

The architects got the gig as someone in the Council probably owed them a bung or two.

Keep it in the family, business is business,  etc

[Mayner]

16 hours ago, cheesy_peas said:

Expensive can-kicking.

A firm of architects? Really? Are they the best people to advise? 

Nothing suspicious about the Council engaging a firm of architects to carry out an analysis of the state of the Tralee and Blennerville, carrying out assessments of this nature is part and parcel of an architects role as lead designer for construction projects. The railway appears to be on Council owned land and any required memedial works with structural decay, infrastructure deterioration and costal erosion will involve spending public (Ratepayers) money.

The underlying problem with the Tralee and Blennerville is that the railway was never financially sustainable and became a burden on both Tralee and Kerry County Councils.

The origional restoration scheme was funded by tax incentives that were popular during the 90s for funding tourist infrastructure, but the railway itself was unlikely to have generated sufficient fare income necessary to maintain or operate the railway. The railway was funded under a business expansion scheme where 'investors" could use their investment in the railway to claim tax relief on income from other sources, the original investors no longer had an interest in the railway once they had exhausted their tax write offs possibly over a 3-5 year period.

I once worked for a company that built large budget hotels in Cork, Galway and Dublin for a group of investors to obtain tax relief during the mid-90s. The company was approached by the promoter (an architectural firm) in the autumn of 96 to build the Dublin hotel within an especially short timeframe in order for the investors to claim relief during the 96-7 tax year. We completed the hotel on time so it could theoretically be occupied, but it was several weeks before the kitching and dining room was completed and the first guests (overseas tours) arrived. As far as I recall the origonal investors sold the hotel immediately/soon after completion and moved on to thier next target.

Personally I think the best option would be to have 5T stuffed and mounted possibly with one of the remaining T&D coaches at Tralee in an annex/extension to the Blennerville Museum, unfortunately because of her size she would be too uneconomic to operate on a short section of restorded railway with light passenger traffic like the T&B, Dromod.

Possibly light railcar/tramcar similar in principal to the Parry People Mover https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parry_People_Movers or a battery electric may be more effective and less costly to operate than diesel or steam as a short shuttle between two tourist attractions.  Drewry railcars appear to have been successfully used on shuttle services on the Kilkee and Kilrush sections of the West Clare during GSR days in a way setting a precedent. 

 

Edited March 13 by Mayner

[cheesy_peas]

8 hours ago, Mayner said:

The underlying problem with the Tralee and Blennerville is that the railway was never financially sustainable and became a burden on both Tralee and Kerry County Councils.

Basically, it was a giant, expensive garden railway Tralee UDC/KCC got tired of playing with. You could argue that things like playgrounds and greenways make no returns either but these appear to be appreciated by the public.

As far as I can see in online discourse, I see no great appetite among locals to do anything with the railway, apart from the occasional "won't someone do something with the railway/it's a disgrace, Joe" type comments every few months.

I would agree 5T would be better off reassembled, cosmetically restored, ideally in GSR era condition reflecting the Inchicore rebuildings, and put in covered and secure public display, whatever about economics, the likelihood of it leaving Kerry for Dromod would be somewhere between slim and none.

[cheesy_peas]

https://www.radiokerry.ie/news/consultants-analysing-of-section-of-former-tralee-and-dingle-light-railway-to-identify-potential-future-uses-476293

At the recent Tralee Municipal District meeting, Fine Gael councillor Angie Baily.... said (the route of former railway) could enhance biodiversity, recreational amenity, flood mitigation, and active travel connectivity.

Basically anything but a railway.

[Colin_McLeod]

On 20/3/2026 at 5:54 AM, cheesy_peas said:

and active travel connectivity.

Basically anything but a railway.

A railway is an example of active travel connectivity.

[cheesy_peas]

2 hours ago, Colin_McLeod said:

A railway is an example of active travel connectivity.

"Active travel" is corporate speak for greenways or paths for walking and cycling. Travel that takes physical effort.

Edited March 22 by cheesy_peas