Beet train wagons

Wexford70 · April 18, 2019

Could anyone help me identify these wagons that were used on the beet trains towards the end of the sugar production in Ireland?

The videos I have seen always show them running in rakes of 13.

Then can be seen towards the end this video on youtube.

jhb171achill · April 18, 2019

If you mean the bogies with the red containers, these were standard container flats (with open topped contaners, of course!).

33 minutes ago, Wexford70 said:

Could anyone help me identify these wagons that were used on the beet trains towards the end of the sugar production in Ireland?

The videos I have seen always show them running in rakes of 13.

I think there was only the one rake.

Glenderg · April 18, 2019

The containers were specially constructed for beet traffic, iirc, in 2003, and were due to be rolled out properly for the subsequent beet season. There was no next beet season, so containers were scrapped.

I have an odd note from the time suggesting they were converted coal containers, which could be just another tale from a "Heuston Driver"..

Richie

warb · April 18, 2019

May be corrected on this one as i think the max weight for any container is approx 20 ton no matter what size ie 20 ft of 40 ft unit at that time ie 40ft converted coal containers. I'm sure somebody will know

warb

Railer · April 19, 2019

8 hours ago, warb said:

May be corrected on this one as i think the max weight for any container is approx 20 ton no matter what size ie 20 ft of 40 ft unit at that time ie 40ft converted coal containers. I'm sure somebody will know

warb

Just so long as the axle weight does not exceed 19 ton per axle. A 42ft or 47ft flat is about 40 tons with nothing on it. The max it's allowed to weigh provided the wagon can take the weight is 75-76 tons in total. Therefor a 20 foot flat can weight about 36-38ton total max when loaded.

WaYSidE · April 19, 2019

at 32.30 mins are those white or grey cement bubbles?

Edited April 19, 2019 by WaYSidE

JasonB · April 19, 2019

23 minutes ago, WaYSidE said:

at 32.30 mins are those white or grey cement bubbles?

Ivory, covered in cement spillage which has built up over time.

DART8118 · April 19, 2019

Thanks for posting this video Wexford70. Enjoyed watching it and liked the token change over in the clips. Also enjoyed the cement bubbles and perhaps someone can help me to understand what is happening. It starts with the rake on the Dublin-Roslare line, so, did the train travel through Westland Row/Pearse to Dunlaoghaire, Wicklow etc? Was there regular cement traffic on this route? The video gives the impression that the train is all filmed as one journey with the number of bubbles decreasing along the route. Is that what happened? Were bubbles dropped off at stations along the way? Or is there some video editing magic included? The different locos are obvious, but are there different rakes filmed on different days?

Thanks in advance

Mayner · April 20, 2019

3 hours ago, DART8118 said:

Thanks for posting this video Wexford70. Enjoyed watching it and liked the token change over in the clips. Also enjoyed the cement bubbles and perhaps someone can help me to understand what is happening. It starts with the rake on the Dublin-Roslare line, so, did the train travel through Westland Row/Pearse to Dunlaoghaire, Wicklow etc? Was there regular cement traffic on this route? The video gives the impression that the train is all filmed as one journey with the number of bubbles decreasing along the route. Is that what happened? Were bubbles dropped off at stations along the way? Or is there some video editing magic included? The different locos are obvious, but are there different rakes filmed on different days?

Thanks in advance

Waterford received bulk cement for either the Drogheda (Platin) or Limerick cement factories.

Cahir Viaduct on the Waterford-Limerick line was out of service between Oct 2003 & Sept 2004 as a result of the derailment of a Limerick-Waterford bulk cement train.

Its possible that the train in the video was diverted to run via Rosslare Strand as a result of engineering works at the North Wall or the Cherryville Junction-Waterford line.

None of the stations on the South Eastern Section were set up to handle bulk cement traffic. Bulk Cement trains usually did not detach or attach traffic en-route, the main exception (in later years) was a Platin-Cork bulk cement train that conveyed gypsum (for the Limerick factory) between Platin and Limerick Junction, and wagons dropped off as a result of a fault that had developed while in route (relatively uncommon but it does happen)

Irishswissernie · April 20, 2019

10 hours ago, Mayner said:

Its possible that the train in the video was diverted to run via Rosslare Strand as a result of engineering works at the North Wall or the Cherryville Junction-Waterford line.

I remember reading in the IRRS Journal that the odd cement train to Waterford was diverted via the DSER and Rosslare Strand whilst the line via Carlow was unavailable due to engineering works. No doubt when I am looking up something else the relevant Journal report will turn up.

ERnie

PS. Diverted via DSER Rosslare Strand during the commissioning of the Cherryville-Waterford CTC and also for the re-decking Of Thomastown viaduct 14 to 22 September 2004, 1 train each way weekdays. Info from the IRRS Journal No 156, Feb 2005

Edited April 20, 2019 by Irishswissernie

DART8118 · April 22, 2019

Thanks for the info Mayner and Irishswissernie. I guess cement bubbles were not prototypical for Dublin - Rosslare so best to hold back my few shillings for the 121s, the A class and a nice fleet of fertilizer wagons.

Mayner · April 23, 2019

7 hours ago, DART8118 said:

I guess cement bubbles were not prototypical for Dublin - Rosslare so best to hold back my few shillings for the 121s, the A class and a nice fleet of fertilizer wagons.

Freight traffic on the Dublin-Rosslare line during most of the Liner Train era was basically limited to Ammonia and fertiliser traffic in connection with the Shelton Abbey plant and bagged cement specials from Platin to Wexford.

A daily Liner train operated carrying container & keg traffic from the late 1970s until discontinued in the early 1980s serving Arklow, Enniscorthy and Wexford. Liner traffic was light (average 6--------4w flat wagons) the train could only carry 10 & 20' containers and keg traffic.

In its final years Liner traffic ran attached to the rear of bagged fertilizer trains between North Wall and Shelton Abbey. The loco of the morning fertilizer train from North Wall continuing to Wexford with Liner traffic after dropping the empty fertilizer wagons at the plant and collecting the laden wagons on the return working.

DART8118 · April 23, 2019

Appreciated Mayner. Very helpful information for building a fleet associated with Westland Row. So, much information in your reply - Ammonia tankers, Fertiliser wagons, bagged cement, containers and kegs, 4w flat wagons, 10' & 20' containers great information. Many thanks for that.

8118