Magnesite Wagons

[DiveController]

Some nice coverage of the magnesite wagons flows which ended in 1982 on this IRRS video. Some other interests might be the fuel oil wagons and 1950s built CIE coaches

Edited March 24, 2017 by DiveController

[StevieB]

A very enjoyable 15 minutes viewing - as a none native of Ireland, it always amazes me how much the railways either side of the Irish Sea have in common, but then they did have a shared history for almost 100 years before going their separate ways, the railways that is.

 

Stephen

[Noel]

Some nice coverage of the magnesite wagons flows which ended in 1982 on this IRRS video. Some other interests might be the fuel oil wagons and 1950s built CIE coaches

 

Great clip, thanks for posting. 1982 in terms of railway history is not really that long ago, yet the atmospheric cine film flicker and colour tones gave the impression of 1950/60s era. Interesting coach behind the loco at 0:49s, almost looks like a TPO - on that line?

[Glenderg]

Great clip, thanks for posting. 1982 in terms of railway history is not really that long ago, yet the atmospheric cine film flicker and colour tones gave the impression of 1950/60s era. Interesting coach behind the loco at 0:49s, almost looks like a TPO - on that line?

 

I was 5. That's a hell of a long time ago

[jhb171achill]

Aaaargh! I was five in 1962!

[Noel]

Well in fairness by 1982 the railways here had very much rationalised to the 'modern image era' (whatever that means) with fixed rake coach formations, fully fitted freight trains, liners, air con, just about the end of loose coupled wagons, very few brake vans nor mixed pick up freight, instead containers, fork lift truck loadable freight, or piped/suction of liquid freight, hoppers for bulk aggregates, colour signalling, CTC, CWR, DART, intercity, waiters and stewardesses on Cork & Belfast trains, fax machines on city gold, etc.

Edited March 24, 2017 by Noel

[Junctionmad]

I was 5. That's a hell of a long time ago

 

I remember it like yesterday

[jhb171achill]

There will come a day when people hark back to the old days when ICRs were still running, and Mayo and Galway still had railways, before the Limerick Junction - Rosslare - Gorey cycleway was opened, and before the Healy-Raes turned the Kerry line into a conveyor belt to get people to their pub in Kilgeee-arvan....

[Noel]

There will come a day when people hark back to the old days when ICRs were still running, and Mayo and Galway still had railways, before the Limerick Junction - Rosslare - Gorey cycleway was opened, and before the Healy-Raes turned the Kerry line into a conveyor belt to get people to their pub in Kilgeee-arvan....

 

Well semi-self drive cars are only a few years away so intercity motorway driving will become a very relaxing way to travel, and mass market fully self drive cars perhaps only a decade away. Adaptive cruise control will continue to evolve into an auto helm in the mean time.

[Mayner]

Well semi-self drive cars are only a few years away so intercity motorway driving will become a very relaxing way to travel, and mass market fully self drive cars perhaps only a decade away. Adaptive cruise control will continue to evolve into an auto helm in the mean time.

 

There is a big push by the car makers and the electricity companies towards electric cars. Truck builders are developing hybrid distributed electro-diesel power units for B Trains and Road Trains.

 

Some bright spark suggested consolidating road freight into longer road trains at freight hubs and stringing overhead along the motorways and State Highways while at the same time claiming the days of the railway are past

 

Our local MP ridiculed an opposition proposal to introduce a commuter rail service from Hamilton (160,000 pop) into Auckland (1.5m+) and secured $1B for a motorway on the basis that we will all be driving electric self driving cars within 10 years.

 

This doesn't solve the problem of congestion when you get near any big city.

[DiveController]

Great clip, thanks for posting. 1982 in terms of railway history is not really that long ago, yet the atmospheric cine film flicker and colour tones gave the impression of 1950/60s era. Interesting coach behind the loco at 0:49s, almost looks like a TPO - on that line?

It's a bit grainy but a TPO would be the most likely (although it looked like it may have some exhaust equipment on the roof).

Edited March 26, 2017 by DiveController

[Glenderg]

Looks like this series of Brake Generating Steam Vans. The only one where the window arrangement and doors match, but tricky to be 100% sure.

 

[Junctionmad]

A very enjoyable 15 minutes viewing - as a none native of Ireland, it always amazes me how much the railways either side of the Irish Sea have in common, but then they did have a shared history for almost 100 years before going their separate ways, the railways that is.

 

Stephen

 

living within 300 metres of that line . I saw all these trains from when the line restarted in 1970 ( I had had got my first train set in 1968 ) and living in the country the line was dead, then suddenly the roar of the GMs and A's could be heard , especially at night, and I can remember lying in bed, mesmerised by the sounds that hadn't been there the year before.

 

The magnesite trains were much more uncommon compared to the dolomite trains ( I think the magnetite was imported through cork) and often just were tackled on to the back of oil trains . Twin baby GMs, ( inc 121s) handled the dolomite and always A's on the fuel/magnetite .

 

 

I took to then walking that line, typically from the red bridge to Kilmacthomas, and remember the cabin well ( the remnants are still there) . I was privedged to travel in the cab on three trains on that line, ( I was always dropped off on the old platform at Kilmeaden which then left about 1 mile walk east along the tracks to home ) and I knew one of the plate layers ( Stephen ) very well as he was originally a farm labourer on the farm behind our house.

 

Its great to see the narrow gauge railway, but it was depressing to see the state of Kilmac station after 30 years of neglect . I am of two minds in relation to the greenway , maybe these things should just die in peace.

 

very sad and depressing , but then all the railways in ireland these days are sad and depressing

Edited March 26, 2017 by Junctionmad

[jhb171achill]

Interesting, junctionmad.... I only ever travelled the line once, and only as far as Kilmacthomas. It was the IRRS special with 190. I could have got a cab ride and it's a matter of great regret that I didn't take the opportunity.

[Junctionmad]

Interesting, junctionmad.... I only ever travelled the line once, and only as far as Kilmacthomas. It was the IRRS special with 190. I could have got a cab ride and it's a matter of great regret that I didn't take the opportunity.

 

It was a very scenic , run , especially at the Dungarvan and Kilmeadan-waterford end, and even in between with viaducts and a tunnel , some decent gradients too, which really worked the GMs on the very heavy dolomite trains

 

I also had the privilege of a cab ride in a 07 series Tamper around 1976-77 , when CIE relayed all the bridges to support through tamper working

[DiveController]

Looks like this series of Brake Generating Steam Vans. The only one where the window arrangement and doors match, but tricky to be 100% sure.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]27315[/ATTACH]

I think you're right, Richie. I couldn't find a photo of the 3213-3218 series GSV (1978). This seems to be 3216TL and they were built from earlier coaches, likely the 2130-2136 series composites CIE built 'laminate' stock. These were the first composites to be built on the longer 61'6" chassis whereas the 2124-2129 were on the earlier 60' chassis. However, I'm not certain of that. The vans apparently ran on GSR bogies and were only 9'6" wide so it's possible they were converted from something even older although I don't know if anything prior to that had a 61'6" chassis. If anyone has any info on this, I'd be interested to hear. Many thanks for that photo, Richie!

Edited March 27, 2017 by DiveController

[Colin R]

Hi Guys just where did the Magnesite wagon run and from when until to?

Edited June 5 by Colin R

[Westcorkrailway]

Cork-Ballynacourty via Limerick junction-Waterford and Waterford-dungarvan line. 1970-82 I think 

[Colin R]

Cheers for that, so they didn't get anywhere near Sligo or Northern Ireland then