K801 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 Read this on wiki;- Bord na Móna has an extensive network and is larger than the main network (passenger and freight) operated by Iarnród Éireann.[citation needed] Bord na Móna has one of the largest industrial railways in Europe I wonder is there much 3ft rolling stock still in service? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 A fair bit on several systems but get there quick, as its days are numbered. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airfixfan Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 7 hours ago, jhb171achill said: A fair bit on several systems but get there quick, as its days are numbered. Well aware of this in regards to track and rolling stock in particular giving that the Bord na Mona network will be no more within 18 months. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 Sad, but I suppose inevitable. Anyone with a bit of a field will be able to buy track, a working locomotive and find wagon chassis soon! They can’t ALL be preserved..... If I had a bit of land, I’d be off to the ATM! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 11 hours ago, jhb171achill said: A fair bit on several systems but get there quick, as its days are numbered. Yes climate action means an almost immediate end to all peat harvesting, already peat power stations are being decommissioned. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Holman Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 While the right thing to do, we can only hope that someone (s) will have the wherewithal to set up a museum of Turf, complete with working railways. As a key part of Irish industrial heritage, something needs preserving, you'd hope. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minister_for_hardship Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 5 minutes ago, David Holman said: While the right thing to do, we can only hope that someone (s) will have the wherewithal to set up a museum of Turf, complete with working railways. As a key part of Irish industrial heritage, something needs preserving, you'd hope. Stradbally have assembled short demonstration turf train. Probably the only working demonstration goods in the country. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Holman Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 Better than nothing I guess, but given what has been done at the Arigna Mining Experience (really well done), am hoping for much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudfan Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 (edited) So probably not much use for this now... Edited August 2, 2020 by spudfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airfixfan Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 Will become a collectors item! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudfan Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 28 minutes ago, airfixfan said: Will become a collectors item! Doubtful. The wife is a vintage item and there is not much interest in her. 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minister_for_hardship Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 9 hours ago, David Holman said: Better than nothing I guess, but given what has been done at the Arigna Mining Experience (really well done), am hoping for much better. Unless B Na M resurrect the passenger carrying bog train and operate bog heritage environmental tours after cutting ceases I can't see much else happening. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 7 hours ago, spudfan said: So probably not much use for this now... An excellent book, though! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudfan Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 Yes and some funny looking "yokes" in it!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 36 minutes ago, minister_for_hardship said: Unless B Na M resurrect the passenger carrying bog train and operate bog heritage environmental tours after cutting ceases I can't see much else happening. Perhaps a sample stretch of line might be kept somewhere of 4 or 5 miles.....for such an attraction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, spudfan said: Yes and some funny looking "yokes" in it!!! Yes, you wonder where "railway vehicle" ends, and where "random bits of half-welded buckets and bits of worthless unidentifiable scrap on wheels" takes over! Edited August 3, 2020 by jhb171achill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIR Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 The ones that look like caravans, wtf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 1 hour ago, NIR said: The ones that look like caravans, wtf? Crew cars! Genuinely, when working out in a remote and exposed bog in the midlands, and it starts pouring and you'd get up to your waist in mud....... and the tea breaks, and transporting workers to remote sites.... But - I get ya! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murrayec Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 This was my favourite Crew Car;- and I have a bit of Ex BNM Stock! A BSA C15T used by the works foremen in the early 60's;- Eoin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murrayec Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 What happened to 'Aussi Phil'? he was building an amazing BNM layout and stock;- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayner Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 (edited) Edenderry Power Station (R401 Edenderry-Rathangan Rd, West Offaly Powerstation (Shannon Bridge)R357 Shannonbridge-Tullamore Rd & Lanesborough Power station should be good places to observe BNM Energy Divisions rail operations. I griced BNM operations in Kildare and Offaly in the 90s and the newly opened Edenderry Station about 15 years ago. West Offaly Rail operations were readily visible from both the R357 & R436 including a loco stabling depot near Ferbane and Blackwater Works. There are/were a number of smaller isolated systems mainly in Kildare, Offaly and Westmeath these tend to be smaller in scale and have more in common with the Peat Railways in the UK, than the systems serving the peat fired power stations. BNM Energy Division rail operations are/were a basically scaled down 3' gauge 365-24/7 "Merry-Go-Round" train operation with fixed formation trains of (15) tippler wagons transporting milled peat rather than coal from stock piles to the power station. The "Clonmacnoise and West Offaly" tourist railway and museum of the early 1990s originated as a Fás scheme for redundant BNM Blackwater staff and appears to have developed into a successful tourist operation catering mainly for coach tours. Blackwater tourist train operations appear to have been discontinued because the tourist train operation was disrupting the flow of peat to the new West Offaly Power Station . The whole business of de-commissioning three recently built relatively low emission power stations rather than conversion to burn home grown bio-mass reminds me of the Greencore saga with the closure of the Irish sugar industry and seems to have very little to do with reducing Irelands overall greenhouse emissions while leaving the coal burning Moneypoint power station on line. Operation at Edenderry Power Station was/is interesting as trains from the West had to reverse direction in order to enter the power station. Train 1 passing under R401 underbridge arriving from Mount Lucas direction. This section of line is double tracked. Train 2 has coupled on to Train1. Loco Train 1 has uncoupled and is running forward on second running line. Loco of Train 2 pulls Train 1 & 2 clear of crossover as former loco of Train 1 prepares to couple on to Train 2. Track is typical BNM 'Main Line" with evidence of heavy sanding to keep trains moving. De-railed or defective stock was simply pushed to one side to minimise disruption to operations. Train 2 approaching Edenderry Power Station. Train 1 crossing over from "Main Line" to power station reception roads. Trains 1 & 2 approaching tippler building as an empty train departs on the balloon loop. Edited August 4, 2020 by Mayner 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricanemk1c Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 There is talk of various bogs becoming natural parks with possible rail attractions. There may be other plans as well.... Stradbally definately has an eye on a few items coming up, and to my knowledge is the only place where a reasonable accurate (bar length and loco livery) turf train can be found 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin R Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 Its a pity that the guys at either of the Donegal projects don't have the room to store some of this stuff for a future project, I under some of the locos have already been sold to China, not sure how many are left but they would be good to try and buy one or two for a later date project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinner75 Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 I remember a few years back on Donedeal seeing a Honda XR 250 for sale that was an ex-BnM bike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broithe Posted September 18, 2022 Share Posted September 18, 2022 This popped up today and might be of interest to those who might not have already seen it. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lev Pavliuk Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 Are narrow gauge freight railways still in operation in Ireland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 23 hours ago, Lev Pavliuk said: Are narrow gauge freight railways still in operation in Ireland? Just the remaining Bord na Mona ones, if you’re quick! And rather than “freight”, they only carry turf and spent ash. On 2/8/2020 at 2:26 PM, spudfan said: If anyone wants a copy of this I have a spare one, for the cost of the postage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wexford70 Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 17 hours ago, jhb171achill said: Just the remaining Bord na Mona ones, if you’re quick! And rather than “freight”, they only carry turf and spent ash. If anyone wants a copy of this I have a spare one, for the cost of the postage. Messaged you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 1 hour ago, Wexford70 said: Messaged you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudfan Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 Strange to think that this little railway will soon go the way of the Guinness railway that used to run through the cobbled streets of Dublin 8. Still get a smile when I remember it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lev Pavliuk Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 On 9/22/2022 at 4:14 PM, jhb171achill said: Just the remaining Bord na Mona ones, if you’re quick! And rather than “freight”, they only carry turf and spent ash. If anyone wants a copy of this I have a spare one, for the cost of the postage. it turns out that only the edenderry power plant is working now? I heard that they will switch to biofuel until 2023, do you know how long this railway will be active? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishrailways52 Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 On 18/9/2022 at 1:02 PM, Broithe said: This popped up today and might be of interest to those who might not have already seen it. just wondering where this is and if its still opperating 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lev Pavliuk Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 18 minutes ago, irishrailways52 said: just wondering where this is and if its still opperating looks like Galway, it closed in 2017 but the locos still haven't been scrapped, saw lm41 and lm34 a few days ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 Sean Cain would be the expert on these operations, but he wrote here and there about the demise of one of these two systems (Attymon) a few years ago. I'm pretty certain that Clonkeen has gone too. The demise of the bord na mona lines, such an iconic (and HUGE) part of Irish narrow gauge railway history, is happening in its final throes now, largely unnoticed by the enthusiast community. Evidently, it will be as good as gone within a few months from now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broithe Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 12 minutes ago, jhb171achill said: Sean Cain would be the expert on these operations, but he wrote here and there about the demise of one of these two systems (Attymon) a few years ago. I'm pretty certain that Clonkeen has gone too. The demise of the bord na mona lines, such an iconic (and HUGE) part of Irish narrow gauge railway history, is happening in its final throes now, largely unnoticed by the enthusiast community. Evidently, it will be as good as gone within a few months from now. Wandering back through his twitter pictures is well worth the time. I have put some up occasionally on here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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