What closed lines have people been on?

[jhb171achill]

Now it's intact but severely overgrown again despite clearance a few years ago. Impassable by rail due to level crossings tarmacced over.

[DERAILED]

Barry Carse did a few of those epic journeys too, and in fact we featured an entire chapter in "Rails Through North Kerry" on this fascinating operation. Unfortunately, although an opportunity arise, I never did Tralee - Ballingrane, though I did get into Foynes twice.

 

Although very definitely an ex.enthusiast I'm looking forward to getting hold of a copy of this.

[jhb171achill]

Hope you enjoy it, Derailed!

[DERAILED]

Tralee - Fenit. The GSRPS/CIE inspection car trip 28th January 1987 - how could I forget! Of course, I can't put my hand on any photographs - probably disposed of on eBay. Happy New Year everybody.

[Richard EH]

Some quality lines there, all! As a relative youngster, I've only managed:

 

Drogheda - Navan with No.4

Rosslare Pier

Multiple trips in Cravens mid - late 90's, including the Limerick - Rosslare(great days!)

Clonmacnoise and West Offaly Railway

Rooskey Harbour Railway.....(!) - which iirc was someones backgarden in Dromod.....

Cavan and Leitrim - though I hadn't realised it'd closed?

A few trips with 'A'classes in the early 90's.....

 

 

Like most I guess, driven the Tralee and Dingle and tried not to get too distracted by the climb to the top and the awesome view.....

 

The rest will have to live on in my imagination!

 

Cheers for Now.

 

Richard.

[jhb171achill]

Jhb171-senior used to be able to name no more than half a dozen lines like Clifden or Kinsale - which were the ONLY lines he HADN'T been on! He footplated a LLSR 4.8.0 into Burtonport, got to Rathkenny, Draperstown, Castlegregory, Athboy, Glenties, Kenmare, Valentina, Schull, Macroom, Clogher Valley.....to name but a few... he accompanied all three 800s on their trial runs, and did the entire BCDR twice, entirely on footplates...

[Richard EH]

Jhb171-senior used to be able to name no more than half a dozen lines like Clifden or Kinsale - which were the ONLY lines he HADN'T been on! He footplated a LLSR 4.8.0 into Burtonport, got to Rathkenny, Draperstown, Castlegregory, Athboy, Glenties, Kenmare, Valentina, Schull, Macroom, Clogher Valley.....to name but a few... he accompanied all three 800s on their trial runs, and did the entire BCDR twice, entirely on footplates...

 

That's just the stuff that dreams are made of! Superb!

 

Cheers for Now.

 

Richard.

[DERAILED]

A few more pics.

 

 

Thurles Beet Factory Sidings

 

 

Knock special at Youghal circa 1983

 

 

The Railway Bar, Lixnaw from the LC.

[WRENNEIRE]

I was on the clothes line of Mrs Bale back in the day

Mr Bale called around to see me and I had to give him all her washing back

I also limped for a couple of days

[enniscorthyman]

A few more pics.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]26409[/ATTACH]

 

Thurles Beet Factory Sidings

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]26410[/ATTACH]

 

Knock special at Youghal circa 1983

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]26411[/ATTACH]

 

The Railway Bar, Lixnaw from the LC.

Great shots,David.

[Noel]

A few more pics.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]26409[/ATTACH]

 

 

Super pic. I almost thought the pair of G 600 class'es was like a two engined cab version.

[enniscorthyman]

Collooney – Claremorris – inspection car. 30th November 1981.

 

The Burma Road is a 47 mile long line linking Claremorris to Collooney Junction (on the Dublin/Sligo line). Nicknamed after the notorious railway built by Japanese POW’s during World War II the line has always been unpopular with railwaymen due to its numerous level crossings, gradients and switchback nature

Closed to passenger traffic as far back as 1963 and to freight in 1975 the line literally owes its continued survival to divine intervention! This takes the form of Fr.Micheal McGreil S.J., who has tirelessly campaigned to have the line re-opened since the late 1970’s. Although this hasn’t happened to date the line remains in situ which is more than can be said for many of the other lines mothballed at the same time.

 

By good luck I had met Fr.McGreil some months earlier and managed to wangle an invitation for the big day - a trip over the entire line in an inspection car. On the outward journey 11 officials from CIE and members of the Mayo/Galway Regional Development Organisation packed into the nominally 7 seat inspection car. On the outward journey from Claremorris I travelled by road with two permanent way inspectors to open the level crossing gates and to take photographs.

 

The weather was atrocious, and the rain teemed down in a way that it only seems to in Mayo. At Collooney an Expressway bus whisked the VIP’s away for a feed/meeting in Sligo, and I made my way into town to buy a towel for myself and, more importantly, for my cameras.

Back at Collooney (GSWR station) I boarded the inspection car for a quick brew-up before setting off for Claremorris at 13.15. There were only five of us for the return journey so I was able to enjoy a front seat ride in the company of Chief PW inspector John Cronan, Driver Patrick Conroy, Platelayer Noel Armstrong (Claremorris) and PW inspector Jerry Dwyer (Claremorris).

 

Good time was made despite having to stop to remove illegal fences replaced since the outward run. Only in cuttings had vegetation encroached to any extent and in some places it was difficult to believe that the line hadn’t been sprayed or maintained for years! However, many of the stations had suffered considerable vandalism. Following a brief photographic stop at Kiltimagh, and a grisly encounter with some sheep we reached Claremorris at approximately 16.00.

 

The line is still intact today - the last movement over it being on the 24/9/88 when two carriages were delivered by rail to the Folk Museum at Kiltimagh station.

 

Sadly, I sold my Super 8 movie some years ago, and my stills were lost by a processing lab while the local photographer in Claremorris lost his negatives.

 

On a positive note I found this video yesterday which shows some footage of the outward Claremorris/Kiltimagh part of the inspection run.

 

I enjoyed that recollection

[jhb171achill]

Nice shot of G616 and G61x. Why two - was this at a sugar shunting session?

[Mayner]

Nice shot of G616 and G61x. Why two - was this at a sugar shunting session?

 

CIE hired and later sold a number of G Class including 616 to the Sugar Company. to supplement their Rustons shunting at the Thurles Factory.

[Warbonnet]

I know this is quite the long shot but did anyone ever travel on the Cootehill branch?

[jhb171achill]

Senior went in there on the last weedspray (which he organised).

 

There was an IRRS special along the rump Dundalk-Cavan section about 1959, just before it closed. It was an AEC railcar. I wonder if it went there.....I don't think do, but possibly.....

 

It'll be sixty years this September since Stormont's greatest act of vandalism in forcing so much of the GNR to close.

[hassard]

Always like these threads. I've been to Foynes, Castlemungret (and Killmastulla siding if that counts), Youghal, Mullingar - Athlone (last time behind No. 4 doing a storming running around 70mph), Athenry -Tuam and of course Waterford to Rosslare Strand. I did ride the now doomed Tralee Blennerville steam railway.

 

I've also been to Navan by train.

 

I probably could have gone to Ballinacourty by train, if I was aware of the existence of the IRRS as I probably would have been allowed to go on the farewell train. I should have gone to Kingscourt, New Ross and Tuam - Claremorris.

 

In my imagination, I've travelled many closed lines, but it would be nice to borrow the Tardis to do a few in reality!

 

My biggest regret, is that I never did the North Kerry from Ballingranne to Tralee, I remember trains shunting in Rathkeale but was only 6 by the time it closed, and I was still too young to do the weed spray, though I did walk a good bit of it when the rails were still intact.

Edited March 15, 2017 by hassard

[NIR]

Tuam station around 1969/70 when it was still open to passengers, walked through to the platforms with my mother and saw something like a C Class running.

Dún Laoghaire Pier 1972, got off the ferry into a curved station and onto what I now think was an AEC push pull to Pearse (or Westland Row as Dubliners still seemed to call it).

Derry Foyle Road in 1972 when derelict, played inside with lots of rubble lying around and a rounded wooden kiosk or buffet or something just beyond the buffers.

1972 on the journey back to England, from Sligo to Dublin I can remember Moate but looking at the map I have no idea how that could have happened as we went past Connolly (Amiens Street) not into Heuston (which I never knew the old name of).

I remember seeing the CIÉ 'flying snail' logo too, either in 1969/70 or 1972, or maybe both.

Lisburn-Antrim late 70s/mid 80s plus I remember passing the overgrown triangle that led to Great Victoria Street, 'Rosser NF Skins' graffiti prominent across the wasteland.

York Road station until mid 80s, older version and newer version.

Edited July 31, 2019 by NIR

[NIR]

On ‎1‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 9:14 PM, jhb171achill said:

Jhb171-senior used to be able to name no more than half a dozen lines like Clifden or Kinsale - which were the ONLY lines he HADN'T been on! He footplated a LLSR 4.8.0 into Burtonport, got to Rathkenny, Draperstown, Castlegregory, Athboy, Glenties, Kenmare, Valentina, Schull, Macroom, Clogher Valley.....to name but a few... he accompanied all three 800s on their trial runs, and did the entire BCDR twice, entirely on footplates...

But not Carndonagh I see

[Ironroad]

I travelled to and from Birr in the summer of 1961. I don't remember much of it other than the fact that at least one of the trains was hauled by  what had to be a C Class Loco (visually to a kid an A & C looked the same). This was in silver livery as were the coaches.  Despite this late date for that livery my memory is that it was reasonably clean.  

[DART8118]

Pre 1957 I have memories of travelling from Harcourt Street to Bray in a compartment coach with massive heavy doors that clicked shut with the sound of an assured safe journey.  Windows could be lowered and raised using a leather strap.  You could stick your head out the window and be sure to collect some soot in your eye.  For a small boy it was an amazing moment to watch men turning the engine on the turntable at the end of our day out.  The railway line is gone and is now part replaced by the Luas and I often use this line too.  So, I sometimes think that I travelled this line as it was in the beginning, is now, and forever shall be, unless some Government Minister brings it to an end.

[Edo]

Lovely thread.

Some great memories and trips there.

Being one of the "spring chickens" on this forum - ie born after 1970 - most of the damage was done before I arrived or was old enough to travel around. My first train trip was from Bagnalstown to Dublin to go to the Zoo when I was 4 - while the yard has changed a lot - the line is very much still there!

the only closed line now that I've ever been on is the Waterford to Rosslare Strand.

of the  soon to be closed lines ( ie next financial downturn - coming up soon folks), I have travelled the Ballybrophy to Limerick and Waterford to Limerick Junction.

I've cycled parts of the old North Kerry Line - likewise the the Waterford Greenway (fantastic) and I've walked from Westport to Achill on the Brilliant old Line there.

I played as a kid in Youghal Station before it was closed off and my uncle used to live at the level crossing out of Athy on the old Ballylinan Line and we used to walk along the sleepers down to the factory junction and onto the bridge over the barrow back in the day.

I was also lucky enough to walk the entire trackbed and route from Bagnalstown to Palace East and onwards to both Macmine junction and New Ross about 20 years now - even onto the old Barrow Bridge...............its amazing how having a relatively famous "celebrity" Aunt with her TV crew filming a documentary for the BBC opened so many doors, gates and fields along the way!.............will always be thankful I had the opportunity to do it as so much more of the alignment has gone in the years since...........

BTW - I was in Borris about a month ago on a lovely Sunny Saturday afternoon and I stopped by the Old Viaduct and cutting entrance for a bit of a wander out on to the viaduct and sat under Kilcoltrim Bridge and day dreamed of a Mixed Goods meandering down the line.........................

 

 

 

 

Edited May 28, 2019 by Edo

[jhb171achill]

17 hours ago, NIR said:

But not Carndonagh I see

Correct - like most of us here, he had his own regrets about places he hadn’t covered, but could have done! And Carn was one of them....

[Mayner]

Interesting thread growing up in Dublin in the 60s in our family public transport was looked down on and railways seen as a thing of the past, my first train ride was from Killiney to Tara Street in a compartment coach behind a black diesel. My mother and her sisters we had walked along Vico Road from the bus terminus in Dalkey to Killiney Station and there was no bus back to town. Though I did not expect it I managed to travel on enthusiast specials and service trains on the majority of operational lines in Ireland with the notable exception of Antrim-Waterside and the Portrush Branch. Managed to visit goods only lines to Ballinacourthy, Foynes, Kingscourt, Newross, Mullingar-Athlone, Waterford-Rosslare Harbour, Claremorris-Limerick (in 2 stages), almost kicked myself for not asking my parents if I could do Galway-Athymon jnt-Loughrea during a family holiday in Galway during the early 1970s.

It will be interesting whether the Irish railway network has reached a steady state, will contract further or expand.

I developed an affinity for disused railways, one Sunday afternoon we had a short walk along the Meath Line near Kileen Castle shortly before the track was lifted, I walked the Southern end of the Welsh Highland from Pont Croesor to Bedgellert before the track was relaid, the most exciting was a drive along the trackbed of the Rio Grande Southern to Trout Lake Trestle in thunder and lightning during a snow storm in June 2016 disappointingly no ghost train appeared on the old railroad that afternoon.

[Lambeg man]

On 1/4/2017 at 11:46 AM, jhb171achill said:

Senior went in there on the last weedspray (which he organised).

 

There was an IRRS special along the rump Dundalk-Cavan section about 1959, just before it closed. It was an AEC railcar. I wonder if it went there.....I don't think do, but possibly.....

 

It'll be sixty years this September since Stormont's greatest act of vandalism in forcing so much of the GNR to close.

 

No John, that 1959 IRRS Special did not visit Cootehill. The branch line was lifted circa 1956. See photo of Shantonagh Junction in the 2003 re-vamped Patterson book GNR(I).  

[jhb171achill]

Sorry, my post was badly worded. I meant he did the last weedspray - that's one statement - and the IRRS another. As you say, the IRRS couldn't have gone there. (I wonder did it do Carrickmacross?).

[Lambeg man]

Yes siree John, the IRRS special did go down to Carrickmacross. 19th December 1959 was the date and there is a nice John Langford colour photo of the special under the station roof on the back cover of New Irish Lines Vol 6, No. 6 (November 2013 edition).

[Mayner]

7 hours ago, Lambeg man said:

Yes siree John, the IRRS special did go down to Carrickmacross. 19th December 1959 was the date and there is a nice John Langford colour photo of the special under the station roof on the back cover of New Irish Lines Vol 6, No. 6 (November 2013 edition).

There is a legend/story that the ex-GNR traffic/motive power people in Dundalk were terribly upset when a J15 appeared unexpectedly in Dundalk having worked the CIE weedkiller train through from Inny Junction.

I guess we will never know whether ex-GNR managers in Dundalk were upset with "not being kept in the loop" with a foreigh loco and train appearing un-announced at the heart of the GNR system or Dundalk loco crews resentful at a CIE train crew working through without a pilotman from Cavan North and all that lost overtime.

[minister_for_hardship]

Only had the privilege of travelling the South Wexford on the 'big' railway, most of the closures having predated me or I happened to be in short pants at the time.

Went on the short stretch of railway at Upton many moons ago, a ramshackle  thing made of timber and chicken wire that would fail to reach modern h&s standards and more recently (and depressingly) the Tralee & Blennerville.

Just happened to spot recent pics of the latter this morning, the locals were more concerned about wild flowers and making a walkway than reviving the railway. Just goes to show the complete lack of interest and the waste of time and money it was.

[jhb171achill]

Pretty rough now. In places an inspection car could probably get along, but in others doubtful.

More stuff in the media, I see, about reopening it between Athenry and Tuam at least, and possibly Claremorris. 

Limerick - Galway has been a success by any standard. A service from Galway - Westport (or Ballina) would be the next stage.

On 6/1/2019 at 9:39 AM, minister_for_hardship said:

Only had the privilege of travelling the South Wexford on the 'big' railway, most of the closures having predated me or I happened to be in short pants at the time.

Went on the short stretch of railway at Upton many moons ago, a ramshackle  thing made of timber and chicken wire that would fail to reach modern h&s standards and more recently (and depressingly) the Tralee & Blennerville.

Just happened to spot recent pics of the latter this morning, the locals were more concerned about wild flowers and making a walkway than reviving the railway. Just goes to show the complete lack of interest and the waste of time and money it was.

Yes, sadly.

After 25 years heavily involved in the RPSI and DCDR, and having acted as consultant to several other proposed schemes, NONE of which generated anything like the interest necessary, this has always been depressingly obvious to me.

Better, I suppose, to concentrate on consolidating the successes of the DCDR and the several narrow gauge concerns like the C & L, Moyasta and Finntown....

[NIR]

On 5/27/2019 at 3:32 PM, NIR said:

1972 on the journey back to England, from Sligo to Dublin I can remember Moate but looking at the map I have no idea how that could have happened as we went past Connolly (Amiens Street) not into Heuston (which I never knew the old name of).

Thinking about it I remember going back through Collooney, in particular seeing the flowerbed with 'Collooney' in white stones once again, but not past Lough Owel which had left such an impression on me on the outward journey - so blue! - so maybe we really were diverted over the 'Burma Road'! This would have been on a Saturday as we always arrived in England Sunday morning ready for my Father to start work on Monday, so that fits with weekend engineering work. It seems I am truly blessed with Irish railway memories!

Edited April 14, 2020 by NIR

[DSERetc]

On the Bray to Harcourt Steet line:  I travelled on Drumm trains,

6 wheeled and bogie non corridor coaches hauled by steam engines and later by A class diesel engines,  and AEC railcars. In particular I remember two coaches, a 6 wheeler with a half compartment at one end. It had a seat on one side facing windows in the end wall.  The other was a bogie coach also with windows at one end. I learned later it had been a  DSER

Railmotor.   I  never saw either coach at the back of a train so the only view you got was the end of next coach.

Dundrum Siding:  once on the way into Harcourt Street we stopped in Dundrum. When the passengers had boarded, we backed into the siding to drop off a van we had been

hauling.  I am not absolutely sure but I think we were in an AEC railcar.

Harcourt Street to Nelson's Pillar by tram:  I remember seeing a derailed tram on the junction at Nassau Street and Dawson Street.

Nelson's Pillar to Dun Laoghaire: One summer morning, with cousins from Armagh, we travelled in an open upstairs balcony tram to Dun Laoghaire.  The rails through the narrow sections of George's Street in Dun Laoghaire were interlaced in two of three places.  I do not know if there were signals.    So the Boyne bridge was not the only place in Ireland with interlaced track.

We also travelled from Sutton to the Summit on the Hill of Howth tram.

Portadown to Armagh:  On a journey from Dublin to Armagh.

On the return journey, when we boarded the Dublin train at Portadown,  there were already many passengers from Belfast so I did not get window seat.   There was still food rationing and we had cans of Golden Syrup in a bag. This was put behind my legs under the seat and a rug was put over my legs.  I was told 'don't say a word.'       We were in a side corridor coach.  The customs man came in.   'Anything to dec!are?'.   He looked at the bags up on the luggage rack and then went out and into the  next compartment.   'He didn't see the Golden Syrup' I shouted at the top of my voice!  He had the graciousness not to come back.

I was almost thrown off the train!

Carlisle Pier to Heuston Station: Shortly before the line to the pier closed I travelled from the pier to Heuston Station. We stopped in the 'Gullet' and an E class shunter came up from the station, coupled up  behind us and pulled us into the station.   Was that always the practice even in steam days or did the train simply reverse as at Killarney or Limerick Junction?

DSERetc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

On 5/27/2019 at 3:32 PM, NIR said:

 

1972 on the journey back to England, from Sligo to Dublin I can remember Moate but looking at the map I have no idea how that could have happened as we went past Connolly (Amiens Street) not into Heuston (which I never knew the old name of).

I remember seeing the CIÉ 'flying snail' logo too, either in 1969/70 or 1972, or maybe both.

You’d have arrived at Athlone, then through Moate to Mullingar, through Amiens St (Connolly) and ended up at Westland Row (Pearse).

”Flying snails” were still reasonably plentiful on wagons by then, and probably notices or signs, though no longer locomotives or carriages.

[jhb171achill]

On 4/23/2020 at 5:31 PM, DSERetc said:

On the Bray to Harcourt Steet line:  I travelled on Drumm...... In particular I remember two coaches, a 6 wheeler with a half compartment at one end. It had a seat on one side facing windows in the end......

Dundrum Siding:  once on the way into Harcourt Street we stopped in Dundrum. When the passengers had boarded, we backed into the siding to drop off a van we had been hauling. 

I am not absolutely sure but I think we were in an AEC railcar.

Carlisle Pier to Heuston Station: Shortly before the line to the pier closed I travelled from the pier to Heuston Station. We stopped in the 'Gullet' and an E class shunter came up from the station, coupled up  behind us and pulled us into the station.   Was that always the practice even in steam days or did the train simply reverse as at Killarney or Limerick Junction?

DSERetc

Amazing stuff, DSER.

The carriage you mention with the half-compartment - if it was only one half-compartment and the rest full height, it was an old MGWR coach which seems to have taken up residence on the line about 1930. I don’t know it’s number.

Dundrum - that was for milk traffic. The family who owned what is now Airfield Farm loaded milk churns there;  Senior recalled them being unloaded on the platform at Harcourt St. where local dairies collected then by horse and cart.

This continued until the end, with apparently one (up) service a day backing a couple of empty vans in, to be picked up later by another train.

For modellers, if we ever are lucky enough to get the essential AEC railcars as models, this is but one of numerous examples of them towing either an ancient six-wheeler for extra passenger accommodation, or a couple of goods vans.

Regarding the shunting procedure at Heuston that you mention, I don’t know, but if they allocated an “E” to the service you mention, it is probable that a steam pilot preceded that. Unlike Clifden or Killarney trains, The gullet had a nasty gradient. Had a coupling broken during propelling in, an unholy mess would have ensued....

Closed lines - the sun sets on the Loughrea line, two days before closure as I stepped off it for the first, and last, time.

[Lowco]

Hi Derailed,

would you or any fellow members  have any record of the final activity  (possibly weeding or inspection) on the Tralee to Fenit line.

Ye may be aware that work has commenced in converting it to a public Greenway.

Unfortunately there is a 'business' claiming adverse possession on the line at Bawnboy near Tralee and there is a plan to detour around it.

This will mean the loss of the first stretch of line where it parts company with the Listowel line and the consequent loss of the line integrity and all that goes with it.

Any info would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Friends of Tralee-Fenit Greenway.

 

https://www.facebook.com/TraleeFenitGreenway/