Extracts from old Working Timetables

[jhb171achill]

On this thread, I'm planning to post occasional extracts from WTTs in order to show how the railways actually worked in the past.

 

The intention is that this may assist modellers who wish to recreate authentic train operation practices, and to assist in showing what facilities would be needed in a model station, particularly for goods traffic.

 

It's 40 years today since the Loughrea line closed, so let's start with that, and while this extract is from 1967, it's much the same as any year in the line's entire history!

 

[jhb171achill]

 

Above and below are from 1967

 

[jhb171achill]

The following are also from 1965-7 and show, among other things, the daily goods train of the Croom branch which closed in 1967. Where some appear upside down, maybe Garfield could put them the right way up in case anyone thinks it's from the Australian National Railways....

 

 

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

From 1977.

 

In latter years, CIE / IE tended to carry pages and pages and pages of stuff not related to timetables at all; in fact for some years now they are not really "timetables" at all - they are highly detailed technical manuals for all aspects of operating the railway, timetables forming just one part.

 

Some of those from the seventies and eighties contain information like what follows, of potentials to modellers, such as the positioning of containers of various sizes on bogie wagons.

 

Wagon number sequences appear in the 1970s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

The old North Kerry goods features here; mid seventies. In the passenger world, "supertrain" liveried Mk 2 coaches (or, as universally known then, "air conditioned coaches"), shared tracks (but not train sets) with the odd remaining Bredin, laminates of all types, Cravens and Park Royals in black'n'tan.

 

Locos were a mix - about half are still black'n'tan, the rest orange and black "supertrain" style. Only the "E" class are by now all black.....

 

 

 

 

A lot of activity in and around what nowadays seems to be Cork Halt and Luas depot....

 

[StevieB]

Do you have anything for the lines from Waterford to both Limerick and Rosslare, please?

 

Stephen

[jhb171achill]

Dublin was also busy. Much of the inner city workings had "E" and "A" classes up front.

 

Don't forget that for anything goods-related prior to, say, 1977 (from which year the following extracts were taken), standard CIE brake vans are all over the place. Everywhere there'll be a couple kicking about in sidings....

 

 

 

[Noel]

Thanks. Very interesting. If possible please rotate the images right way up before uploading.

[Kirley]

Excellent John, some very interesting reading. Great to see the list of rolling stock. Thanks for posting.

[jhb171achill]

Noel, I never seem to be able to get that right!

[Junctionmad]

Having added some wtts to my collection, I can attest to their value. It nearly brings a tear to my eye too see what we have lost. In my view the transistion period around 1972+ Was very interesting , still loose coupled , but also the more special function wagons appearing .

 

My own memories of travelling in guards vans on beet trains and in the cab of some dolomite trains brings me back in time when I look at WTTs.

[jhb171achill]

I'll get a few more posted up in subsequent days. Anyone got any requests for a particular line or year? (I can only go back to 1926, though....!)

[Junctionmad]

Claremorris in the 50s -60s

[jhb171achill]

Ok, I'll look things out.....!

 

But first, a few other offerings from 1977: look at the goods workings!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 3, 2015 by jhb171achill

[jhb171achill]

More 1977; come out ye black'n'tans!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

And finally, for tonight:

 

Note the Barrack Street branch - nothing actually timetabled!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dave182]

JHB, I'm not sure what parameters your DeLorean has?! I see you can go back in time to 1926, but what about slightly more modern times? I'm looking for Connolly-Arklow (and on to Rosslare) in the early 90s? Over to you, Doc!

[jhb171achill]

I'm a bit sparse on anything post-1980, Dave, but I'll have a look.

 

I actually sold some 1990s ones recently!! :-(

[Mayner]

Do, did operating staff refer to a train by it number or by time-direction and destination?

 

The Weekly Notices and the Appendix to the Working Timetable were a real mine of information, for special and engineers trains, temporary speed limits and other information. One included operating instuctions for loading and unloading Pallet Cement wagons including an isometric drawing

[jhb171achill]

Personally, I never, ever heard staff refer to trains by number - they'd always refer to it as the "6.45 Ballygobackwards goods" or suchlike.

 

One or two of our community here are, or have been, railwaymen - perhaps they might comment?

[jhb171achill]

 

Further to my earlier posts, herewith some information hopefully of interest.

 

I have included 1986 Connolly - Rosslare (for Dave182; I've nothing later than that!), plus for Stephen I have Limerick - Rosslare from 1951 (with 1c coin), 1959 (with 10c coin), and some other stuff from 1967 (with 1c and 10c coins). This will include Limerick - Sligo and Dublin - Westport, for junctionmad's request about Claremorris. There's also a Claremorris - Ballinrobe timetable in there.

 

So here goes. This first lot are all 1986.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2015 by jhb171achill

[jhb171achill]

Next lot 1951 (without coin), 1959 with 1c coin.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20729[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20730[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20731[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20732[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20733[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20734[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20735[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

Continued:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

Belonging to last lot...

 

[jhb171achill]

On to 1c times.... 1951. Mostly steam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

The odyssey continues - see my notes several posts ago about which years each timetable relates to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See notes in earlier posts about who I'm answering, and what the coins mean!

[jhb171achill]

TRY AS I MIGHT, I CAN'T GET THESE WRETCHED THINGS TO APPEAR THE RIGHT WAY UP!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'll post this last batch and then I'm going for a pint. Hoping to pick up a model of 800 tonight.

 

See my notes in a number of earlier posts explaining why I'm posting these, and what the coins mean..... denoting different years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[David Holman]

Fascinating stuff JB & even if we don't work to a timetable, this sort of thing is invaluable in terms of creating a sequence for running the trains.

[jhb171achill]

David, I'm sure you have SLNCR ones anyway - if not, I have a few and could post here if of any interest.

[jhb171achill]

It's 1963. Green UTA railcars are now getting their "wasp" stripes, as ex-GNR AEC and BUT cars rule the roost on the ex-GNR sections, while noisy, badly ventilated, rattly MED cars convey the long-suffering to Bangor. A few ex GNR locos still grace Adelaide, a badly weathered faded blue 207 among them.

 

Jeeps and Moguls are still to the fore on the old NCC, now Ireland's steamiest location. Old GNR and NCC coaching stock are to be seen on both sections, many distinctly past their best.

 

Goods traffic is still busy, but lacks the modernisation showing in CIE goods trains. The UTA has, of course, an agenda; they'll eliminate it all in two years from now.

 

MPD railcars have come of age, but in all their varied forms remain where they will spend their life - almost entirely on the NCC lines.

 

Sleek new grey 121s appear the odd time with sleek new laminates intermingled with repainted ex-GNR coaches on the "Enterprise". The brighter CIE green is now giving way to a bold new livery; the black'n'tan era has arrived, even as the UTA still has 2 or 3 bogie coaches in traffic still in GNR brown.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

And one for David Holman. Oddly, the timetable I have is incomplete; it omits Arigna Road!

 

But as we know, there were two mixed trains, an if-required goods, and a passenger train each day....

 

 

[jhb171achill]

We've neglected the South Eastern a little. Small wonder, at the time thus timetable was published, there were severe disruptions to the service due to the "Troubles"!

 

 

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

Twilight of the BCDR, six-wheeled heaven. I think they only ever owned about half a dozen bogie coaches, and they spent most of their time on the Bangor line.

 

To keep their own six-wheelers company, in the 1910s / 20s they even also hired in half a food six-wheeled thirds each from the GNR and the MGWR....

 

A year after this timetable, the UTA (the UnderTAker) had taken over. Track was about to become forgotten weeds.

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

The heyday of the NCC. War clouds gather as maroon 2.6.0s speed back and forth between York Road and Derry, in half the time it takes nowadays.