Bord na Mona Kilberry siding and Athy questions?

[murphaph]

I'm just looking at Google maps and wondering did the Bord na Mona facility at Kilberry (between Cherryville Junction and Athy) have a siding for heavy rail? The long shed (or a predecessor) parallel to the line looks like it may have seen rail traffic at some stage. Maybe it never did but I was surprised to read about the Athy Brick Works (not the Tegral factory!) slightly further south of here, which did have a siding for a few short years and of which no trace can really be seen on Google maps today.

Does anyone have any track plans for Athy by the way, from the 80s or 90s? When were the sidings into the goods shed lifted does anyone know?

[Galteemore]

Loop and loading bank at Kilberry, certainly in the 60s.

[Mayner]

Rail traffic from the Kilberry & Coolnamona (near Portlaoise) Peat Moss plants appear to have ceased in the late 60s early 70s when BNM acquiring its onw fleet of trucks. 

Its possible Kilberry Siding was disconnected when the Cherryville Junction-Athy section was converted to CTC control around 1975, although Athy was scheduled to close to goods traffic under the Rail Plan 80 scheme Athy the sidings on the down side continued to handle goods traffic until the Dublin-Waterford line went over the Liner operation at some stage in 78. 

During the final months/year of operation traffic appears to have been handled in CIE side door and half height containers on 20' container flats rather than H Vans and corrugated open wagons.

Presumably the down side goods yard sidings were disconnected at some stage after the station closed to goods traffic.

 

[murphaph]

Thanks chaps. A mine of information as always. Looks like in all likelihood that both Kilberry and Athy (Down side) would have been lifted before my proposed time period of the early to mid 90s.

[murphaph]

Here's a photograph from the O'Dea collection of the siding in operation, seemingly taken from north of the over bridge, facing south towards the loading ramp, which must be immediately beyond said bridge on the left hand side.

http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000306821

[K801]

looks a nice long siding

[murphaph]

On google street view you can still see a tall metal framed water tower adjacent to the track to the north of the overbridge.