History of rail transport in Ireland
Encyclopedia
The history of rail transport in Ireland began only a decade later than that of Great Britain
. By its peak in 1920, Ireland counted 5,500 route kilometers. The current status is less than half that amount, with a large unserviced area around the border area between Northern Ireland
and the Republic of Ireland
.
Ireland's railways are run by Iarnród Éireann
in the Republic and Northern Ireland Railways
. The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
based in Whitehead
, County Antrim
runs preserved steam trains on the main line, with the Irish Traction Group
preserving diesel locomotive
s, and operating on the main line. The Downpatrick & County Down Railway
is the only self-contained full-size heritage railway in Ireland. See rail transport in Ireland
for the current situation.
of mail coaches on the main routes between towns. Private operators added to the routes, and an established "turnpike" road system started in the 1730s. In 1715 the Irish Parliament took steps to encourage inland navigation, but it was not until 1779 that the first 19 km (12 mi) section of the Grand Canal
was opened. The addition of the Royal Canal and river navigation (particularly on the River Shannon
) meant that freight could be transported more easily. Charles Bianconi
established his horse-car services
in the south in 1815, the first of many such passenger-carrying operations. Despite these improvements huge areas of Ireland still relied on a basic road system; turnpikes were still slow and canals were expensive.
Although a railway between Limerick and Waterford had been authorised as early as 1826 (the same year as Britain's first locomotive-drawn line, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
) it wasn't until 1834 that the first railway was built, the Dublin and Kingstown Railway
(D&KR) between Dublin and Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire
), a distance of 10 km (6 mi). Due to local opposition the first terminus
, Kingstown Harbour, was adjacent to the West Pier. It took a further three years before the line reached the site of the present station.
The contractor was William Dargan
, called "the founder of railways in Ireland", due to his participation in many of the main routes. The D&KR were notable in being one of the earliest dedicated commuter railways in the world. The planning undertaken was also noteworthy: a full survey of the existing road
traffic was made, in addition to careful land surveys.
As well as the traffic survey showing existing volumes to be healthy, there was the potential from the ever expanding port
at Kingstown. On 9 October 1834 the locomotive Hibernia
brought a train the full route from the Westland Row
terminus
(now Pearse Station) to Kingstown. The railway was built to standard gauge
, 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in).
The entire route forms part of the present day Dublin Area Rapid Transit
electrified commuter rail system.
), and in Brazil
.
The first three railways all had different gauges: the Dublin and Kingstown Railway
, ; the Ulster Railway
, ; and the Dublin and Drogheda Railway
, . Following complaints from the UR, the Board of Trade
investigated the matter, and in 1843 recommended the use of and that compensation be paid to the UR for the costs incurred in changing to the new gauge.
south-eastwards into County Down
. It was incorporated in 1846; the first section opened in 1848; absorbed into the Ulster Transport Authority
in 1948 and all but the line to Bangor closed in 1950.
, serving towns along the southern coastal strip to the west of the city. It had a route length of 150 km (93.75 mi), all single line. The Railway was largely concerned with tourist traffic, and there were many road car routes connecting with the line, including one from Bantry
to Killarney
called The Prince of Wales Route, which operated at the beginning of the 20th century.
The Clonakilty Extension Railway 14 km (8.75 mi), opened 1886, was worked by the CB&SCR
during the 20th century. The parent line opened 1863, 178 km (111 mi) (narrow gauge). It was incorporated by an Act of Parliament
in 1906 which authorized the joint purchase of the then Donegal Railway Company by the Great Northern Railway of Ireland and the Midland Railway Northern Counties Committee
.
The Strabane and Letterkenny Railway 31 km (19.5 mi), opened 1909, was worked by the CDRJC
in 1846, as the Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin Railway Company; incorporated 1846, the first section opened 1856. It was known more simply as the Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway Company between 1860 and 31 December 1906 when it became the DSE. Amongst the lines forming the DSE were:
City of Dublin Junction Railway 2 km (1.25 mi), opened 1891, the Dublin and Kingstown Railway
10 km (6 mi); opened 1834, and the New Ross and Waterford Extension Railway 22 km (13.5 mi); opened 1904 were all worked by the D&SER.
and Drogheda
to Navan
, emerged, like so many others of the former major railway companies in Ireland, as the result of many amalgamations with smaller lines. The earliest dates of incorporation were for:
In 1875, the D&D and the D&BJct merged to form the Northern Railway of Ireland
and thirteen months later the Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
(GNR(I)) was formed when the Ulster Railway and the INWR joined this concern. Other minor railways were subsequently taken over. At its height, in the thirty or so years prior to World War I
, the GNR(I) covered a large area of Ireland between Dublin, Belfast
, Derry
and Bundoran
. By the end of WWII
the company was in dire straits. It struggled on until 1953 when it was nationalised by the two Governments, becoming the Great Northern Railway Board.
In 1957, the Government of Northern Ireland unilaterally ordered the GNRB to close most of their lines west of the Bann within Northern Ireland. This left some useless stubs within the Republic, such as through Pettigo station; 13 km (8 mi) from the border to Bundoran and Monaghan to Glaslough. The Republic of Ireland Government had no choice but to abandon these stubs. The one exception, which survived until 1965, was the line from Portadown to Derry via Dungannon and Omagh.
The GNRB was abolished in 1958, when it was split between the Ulster Transport Authority
and Córas Iompair Éireann
in Northern Ireland and the Republic, respectively. This gave rise to the interesting situation whereby part of the line between Strabane and Derry was in the Republic of Ireland and the stations and permanent way staff on this section were CIÉ employees, even though there was no physical link to the rest of the CIÉ rail network.
The Castleblayney, Keady and Armagh Railway 29 km (18.25 mi), opened 1909 was worked by the GNR(I)
. Various other amalgamations took place until the end of the 19th century, among them lines to Limerick
and Waterford
.
In 1900, as a result of Acts of Parliament
, several important lines became part of the GS&WR system, including the Waterford and Central Ireland Railway and the Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway. The latter connected Sligo
to Limerick
. The Railway also connected with the Midland Great Western Railway
main line at Athlone on its Dublin–Galway main line.
The Athenry and Tuam Extension Light Railway 27 km (17 mi), Baltimore Extension Light Railway 13 km (8 mi), Tralee and Fenit Railway 13 km (8 mi); opened 1887 and Waterford, New Ross and Wexford Junction Railway 5 km (3.25 mi) (leased from D&SER) were worked by the Great Southern & Western Railway.
and Clifden
via (Athlone); there were a number of branch lines:
The Railway was first incorporated in 1845.
Both the Ballinrobe and Claremorris Railway 19 km (12 mi), opened 1892 and the Loughrea and Attymon Railway 14 km (9 mi), opened 1890 were worked by the Midland Great Western.
The Northern Counties Committee (Midland Railway) was an amalgamation of the Midland Railway
with the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway which came about on 1 July 1903.
Additionally the Carrickfergus Harbour Junction Light Railway 2 km (1 mi); incorporated 1882, opened 1887 was worked by the Northern Counties Committee.
The Listowel and Ballybunion Railway was opened in 1888. It was the world's first commercial monorail
, named the Lartigue system after Charles Lartigue. It operated between Listowel and Ballybunion
in County Kerry
until 1924.
A modern day re-creation of this system operates in Listowel. Photographs of this can be found here:
Lartigue Railway Photographs 2004
was to take a much heavier toll on the railways in the newly born Irish Free State
(Saorstát Éireann), as the Anti-Treaty IRA systematically targeted them and the Free State had to build a network of fortified blockhouses to protect the railways. One of the most spectacular attacks on the infrastructure was the bombing of the Mallow
viaduct. (See The Civil War and the Railways)
In 1925, the railway companies within Saorstát Éireann were merged to form the Great Southern Railways
. This company was amalgamated in 1945 with the Dublin United Transport Company
to form Córas Iompair Éireann
.
Partition however, would eventually exact a heavy toll on the cross–border routes (intrinsic to the County Donegal
rail network).
World War II
also proved costly for the rail system in the Republic. With the war effort, Britain could not spare coal for neutral Ireland
. Thus, Irish steam engines often ran on poor quality Irish coal, wood, or not at all. Unsuccessful attempts were even made to burn peat. The deteriorating quality and frequency of service discouraged rail travellers, whose numbers were also diminishing due to steadily increasing emigration
.
traction early, and swiftly, due to the run down nature of many of the steam engines, lack of coal, and a desire for modernisation. In 1951 CIÉ
s first diesel railcar
s arrived, followed in 1953 by an order for 100 diesel locomotives. A full list of CIÉ diesel locomotives can be found here
.
In the 1950s and 1960s large swathes of route were closed in the Republic but evidence is still visible in the landscape, as are more significant features like bridges and viaducts. Notable was the loss of the entire West Cork Railway network. Most branch lines in the Republic were also closed. By and large the main route network survived intact, with a relatively even distribution of cutbacks. The main routes from Dublin to Belfast
, Sligo, Galway
and the West of Ireland, Limerick
, Cork
and Kerry
, Waterford
and Wexford
survived. The cross country route from Waterford to Limerick and onwards to Sligo survived for a time, although services would later cease on almost all the route. The North Kerry line from Limerick to Tralee survived until the 1970s. One notable closure was that of the Dublin & South Eastern Harcourt Street railway line in Dublin, despite being regarded as an important commuter artery. In 2004, part of the route reopened as part of the new Luas
tram system. South of the current terminus, decisions taken by CIÉ and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council
, to sell the trackbed through Foxrock
and allow houses to be built on it near Shankill
respectively will make integrating this route into any future Metro or Luas system difficult.
In a few short years, the Ulster Transport Authority
shut down a large network across Ulster
, leaving only Belfast
to Derry
, Dublin and branches to Larne
and Bangor. CIÉ
, the transport company in the Republic, had no option but to close their end of cross-border routes. Today a large hole remains in the island's rail network, with a distance of 210 km (130 mi) from Derry
to Mullingar
untouched by railways, and no rail service to large towns such as Letterkenny
and Monaghan
.
, in which the north-south commuter route in and out of Dublin was electrified, and new frequent services ran from 1984 onwards. It was intended to expand the service, with routes to the west of the city, but economic conditions militated against this. In fact, the size of the DART fleet remained unaltered until the mid-1990s.
Also, 1976 saw the introduction of a small fleet of 18 high-speed diesel-electric locomotives built by General Motors Electro-Motive Diesel at La Grange, Illinois. These 2475 hp units, 071 Class, were capable of speeds of 145 km/h (90 mph) and immediately began operating express services such as the Cork-Dublin line.
1 August 1980 saw the worst Irish transportation disaster in recent times, when 18 people were killed and 62 injured in a rail accident in Buttevant
on the main Cork
-Dublin line. A train carrying 230 passengers was derailed when it crashed into a siding at 110 km/h (70 mph). The passengers who were most severely injured or killed were seated in coaches with wooden frames. This structure was incapable of surviving a high speed crash and did not come near to the safety standards provided by modern (post 1950s) metal bodied coaches. This accident led to a major review of the national rail safety policy and resulted in the rapid elimination of the wooden-bodied coaches that had formed part of the train.
The decision to purchase a new fleet of modern intercity coaches based on the British Rail Mark 3 design was quickly made. These coaches, an already well proven design, were built by BREL in Derby, England and, under licence, at CIÉ's own workshops at Inchicore in Dublin between 1980 and 1989. Other carriages to join the fleet in the 1980s were second-hand ex British Rail
Mark 2s.
Cutbacks continued in this period: in 1975 the last rural branch line between Attymon Junction and Loughrea was closed, the line between Limerick and Claremorris and a number of local stations on main lines (such as Buttevant) lost their passenger services. Freight closures at the end of the 1980s included the closure of the line to Youghal
in County Cork
and the removal of the North Kerry
line.
). This allowed substantial investment to be made. 34 new locomotives (designated 201 Class
) were purchased from General Motors, including two for NIR
. New De Dietrich
carriages were also purchased for the cross-border 'Enterprise' service. Meanwhile, the route network was also being upgraded to continuous welded rail (CWR) and old mechanical signalling was replaced by electronic signalling.
In the mid-1990s, the Greater Dublin area continued to experience a population boom. Such commuter trains as existed were ageing slam-door stock on unreliable old locomotives (the better stock was for intercity use). DART was limited in terms of capacity and route. New diesel railcars
were ordered, and added first to the Kildare
suburban route. The route from Clonsilla
to Maynooth
was double-tracked and further diesel railcars ordered, and the reopening of stations such as Drumcondra
. Again, the North-South Dublin route saw new railcars provide services to Dundalk
and Arklow
. A number of orders were made for new DART carriages, the first for over a decade.
in 2000 and on to Malahide
on the Northern line.
DART and suburban stations were also upgraded, allowing disabled access with new lifts at footbridges and lengthened platforms to accommodate 8-car sets. Extra roads were provided out of Dublin, while the main terminals of Connolly Station and Heuston Station were upgraded (the latter completed in 2004, doubling its previous capacity). A new railcar servicing depot was built at Drogheda (Inchicore
continues to be used for locomotives and carriages).
Northern Ireland too has experienced recent rail investment. Central Station has been redesigned, and the Bleach Green-Antrim line, a more direct route for trains to Derry, was reopened in 2001 (although this led to the suspension of the Lisburn - Antrim
line and the closure of three rural stations). The line to Bangor was relaid. A new railcar fleet has entered service. The single-track line to Derry, north of Coleraine
continues to be of a poor standard. A derailment in 2003, caused by cliff-side boulders falling onto the line, closed the route for some time. In the face of long journey times and a frequent (and generally faster) bus service, the route's future remains in some doubt.
In March 2007, as part of the Transport 21
initiative, Docklands railway station
opened, the first new station in Dublin city centre since 1891's .
In July 2009 commuter trains began to run from Mallow
to Cork
, and on part of the reopened Cork to Youghal line to Midleton
and to Cobh, a number of stations were opened, and there are plans for more stations on the lines.
In September 2010 services began from Dunboyne
to Dublin Docklands after the redevelopment of 7.5km section of the old navan railway line which had been closed in 1963 from Dunboyne to Clonsilla on the Maynooth line. There are proposals for further development of this line to Navan as part of Transport 21 by 2015.
in 2004. These will mostly go towards meeting demand on the railways, although some older carriages are due for retirement, and at peak times, capacity is below requirements. It is suspected that Iarnród Éireann wish to phase out all locomotive hauled services other than those using the 67 new intercity carriages
. The existing 100 newest carriages (only from the 1980s) may be phased out with capacity being taken up by regional railcars. More orders of suburban railcars and DARTs are likely, but the Dublin suburban routes are almost at capacity. “Four-tracking” of the route west to Kildare has commenced.
Some call for the expansion of the rail network in the Republic. The route from Limerick
to Waterford
is due to have a realistic service for the first time in decades. Nevertheless, this is the only non-Dublin intercity route in existence, which has earned the railway network in Ireland the colloquial title of "Paleways" or "Palerail" (derived from The Pale
). A railway right of way exists from Limerick, up through the west, to Sligo
. This has been titled the Western Railway Corridor
(WRC) and some see it as a possible counterbalance to investment in Dublin. Phase 1 is complete with the new line from Ennis
to Athenry
now open, Phase 2 due to begin late 2010 from Athenry to Tuam
, with an extension from Tuam to Claremorris
to link up with the Westport
/Ballina
line to Dublin. Future proposals will see the line extended to Sligo
, where it will also link with Knock Airport.
Northern Ireland Railways
will undergo a major investment programme over the next few years, with track upgrades to the line between Belfast
and Derry
and up to 20 new trains replacing the remaining Class 80 and Class 450 rolling stock. The new trains are a development of the existing Class 3000 units and they are scheduled to enter service in 2011.
History of rail transport in Great Britain
The railway system of Great Britain, the principal territory of the United Kingdom, is the oldest in the world. The system was originally built as a patchwork of local rail links operated by small private railway companies. These isolated links developed during the railway boom of the 1840s into a...
. By its peak in 1920, Ireland counted 5,500 route kilometers. The current status is less than half that amount, with a large unserviced area around the border area between Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Ireland's railways are run by Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
in the Republic and Northern Ireland Railways
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
. The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland is an Irish railway preservation group operating in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1964. The Society has its headquarters at Whitehead, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and a base at Mullingar, County Westmeath...
based in Whitehead
Whitehead, County Antrim
Whitehead is a small seaside town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland, lying almost midway between the towns of Carrickfergus and Larne. It lies within the civil parishes of Island Magee and Templecorran, the barony of Belfast Lower, and is part of Carrickfergus Borough Council...
, County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
runs preserved steam trains on the main line, with the Irish Traction Group
Irish Traction Group
The Irish Traction Group is a railway preservation society dedicated to preserving diesel locomotives from Irish Railways. It was formed in 1989, with the intention of attempting to preserve at least one example of every type of diesel locomotive to have operated on Irish Rail.They currently own 13...
preserving diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s, and operating on the main line. The Downpatrick & County Down Railway
Downpatrick & County Down Railway
The Downpatrick & County Down Railway is a heritage railway in County Down, Northern Ireland. The project is based at Downpatrick, on part of the former route of the Belfast & County Down Railway....
is the only self-contained full-size heritage railway in Ireland. See rail transport in Ireland
Rail transport in Ireland
Rail services in Ireland are provided by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland and by Northern Ireland Railways in Northern Ireland.Most routes in the Republic radiate from Dublin...
for the current situation.
Transport before railways
Transport on a country-wide scale began in 1710 with the introduction by the General Post OfficeGeneral Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
of mail coaches on the main routes between towns. Private operators added to the routes, and an established "turnpike" road system started in the 1730s. In 1715 the Irish Parliament took steps to encourage inland navigation, but it was not until 1779 that the first 19 km (12 mi) section of the Grand Canal
Grand Canal of Ireland
The Grand Canal is the southernmost of a pair of canals that connect Dublin, in the east of Ireland, with the River Shannon in the west,via Tullamore and a number of other villages and towns, the two canals nearly encircling Dublin's inner city. Its sister canal on the Northside of Dublin is the...
was opened. The addition of the Royal Canal and river navigation (particularly on the River Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
) meant that freight could be transported more easily. Charles Bianconi
Charles Bianconi
-Life and work:Born Carlo Bianconi in Costa Masnaga on September 24, 1786, he moved from an area poised to fall to Napoleon and travelled to Ireland in 1802, via England, just four years after the 1798 rebellion. At the time, British fear of continental invasion resulted in an acute sense of...
established his horse-car services
Coach (vehicle)
A coach is a large motor vehicle, a type of bus, used for conveying passengers on excursions and on longer distance express coach scheduled transport between cities - or even between countries...
in the south in 1815, the first of many such passenger-carrying operations. Despite these improvements huge areas of Ireland still relied on a basic road system; turnpikes were still slow and canals were expensive.
Ireland's first railway
Liverpool and Manchester Railway
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives. The line opened on 15 September 1830 and ran between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North...
) it wasn't until 1834 that the first railway was built, the Dublin and Kingstown Railway
Dublin and Kingstown Railway
The Dublin and Kingstown Railway , which opened in 1834, was Ireland’s first railway. It linked Westland Row in Dublin with Kingstown Harbour’s West Pier in County Dublin.-History:...
(D&KR) between Dublin and Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
), a distance of 10 km (6 mi). Due to local opposition the first terminus
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
, Kingstown Harbour, was adjacent to the West Pier. It took a further three years before the line reached the site of the present station.
The contractor was William Dargan
William Dargan
William Dargan , an engineer, often seen as the father of Irish railways, came from Killeshin, County Laois, Ireland. Born in 1799, he constructed Ireland's first railway from Dublin to Dún Laoghaire in 1833. He constructed over of railway to important urban centres of Ireland...
, called "the founder of railways in Ireland", due to his participation in many of the main routes. The D&KR were notable in being one of the earliest dedicated commuter railways in the world. The planning undertaken was also noteworthy: a full survey of the existing road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
traffic was made, in addition to careful land surveys.
As well as the traffic survey showing existing volumes to be healthy, there was the potential from the ever expanding port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
at Kingstown. On 9 October 1834 the locomotive Hibernia
Hibernia (locomotive)
Hibernia was a steam locomotive designed by Richard Roberts and built by Sharp, Roberts and Company in 1834 for the Dublin and Kingstown Railway . The locomotive had vertical cylinders driving via bell cranks.-History:...
brought a train the full route from the Westland Row
Westland Row
Westland Row is a street on the south side of Dublin city, Ireland, dating from the year 1776. It was originally known as Westlands after William Westland who owned property in the area in the 18th century....
terminus
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
(now Pearse Station) to Kingstown. The railway was built to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
, 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in).
The entire route forms part of the present day Dublin Area Rapid Transit
Dublin Area Rapid Transit
The Dublin Area Rapid Transit is part of the suburban railway network in Ireland, running mainly along the coastline of Dublin Bay on the Trans-Dublin route, from Greystones in County Wicklow, through Dublin to Howth and Malahide in County Dublin.Trains are powered via a 1500V DC overhead catenary...
electrified commuter rail system.
Railway gauges
The track gauge adopted by the mainline railways is . This unusual gauge is otherwise found only in the Australian states of Victoria, southern New South Wales (as part of the Victorian rail network) and South Australia (where it was introduced by the Irish railway engineer F. W. SheildsFrancis Webb Sheilds
Francis Webb Sheilds was an early civil engineer on the Sydney Railway Company during its construction but before its opening.In England, Shields worked on a number of railway projecrs, including the then Dublin and Kingstown Railway. He considered himself to be a born railway engineer...
), and in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
The first three railways all had different gauges: the Dublin and Kingstown Railway
Dublin and Kingstown Railway
The Dublin and Kingstown Railway , which opened in 1834, was Ireland’s first railway. It linked Westland Row in Dublin with Kingstown Harbour’s West Pier in County Dublin.-History:...
, ; the Ulster Railway
Ulster Railway
The Ulster Railway was a railway company operating in Ulster, Ireland. The company was incorporated in 1836 and merged with two other railway companies in 1876 to form the Great Northern Railway .-History:...
, ; and the Dublin and Drogheda Railway
Dublin and Drogheda Railway
Dublin and Drogheda Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.The D&D constructed the railway line between Dublin and Drogheda. The company presented the scheme to parliament in 1836 and received royal assent on 13 August 1836. John MacNeill was appointed as the line's engineer in...
, . Following complaints from the UR, the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
investigated the matter, and in 1843 recommended the use of and that compensation be paid to the UR for the costs incurred in changing to the new gauge.
Belfast and County Down Railway
The Belfast and County Down Railway (B&CDR) linked BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
south-eastwards into County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
. It was incorporated in 1846; the first section opened in 1848; absorbed into the Ulster Transport Authority
Ulster Transport Authority
The Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.-Formation and consolidation:The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
in 1948 and all but the line to Bangor closed in 1950.
Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway
The Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway (CB&SCR) was one of the major Irish railways; incorporated 1845, the first section opened 1851. It operated from CorkCork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, serving towns along the southern coastal strip to the west of the city. It had a route length of 150 km (93.75 mi), all single line. The Railway was largely concerned with tourist traffic, and there were many road car routes connecting with the line, including one from Bantry
Bantry
Bantry is a town on the coast of County Cork, Ireland. It lies on the N71 national secondary road at the head of Bantry Bay, a deep-water gulf extending for 30 km to the west...
to Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
called The Prince of Wales Route, which operated at the beginning of the 20th century.
The Clonakilty Extension Railway 14 km (8.75 mi), opened 1886, was worked by the CB&SCR
County Donegal Railways Joint Committee
The County Donegal Railways Joint Committee (CDRJC) operated in north-west IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
during the 20th century. The parent line opened 1863, 178 km (111 mi) (narrow gauge). It was incorporated by an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in 1906 which authorized the joint purchase of the then Donegal Railway Company by the Great Northern Railway of Ireland and the Midland Railway Northern Counties Committee
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
.
The Strabane and Letterkenny Railway 31 km (19.5 mi), opened 1909, was worked by the CDRJC
Dublin and South Eastern Railway
The Dublin and South Eastern Railway (D&SER) was originally incorporated, by Act of ParliamentAct of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in 1846, as the Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin Railway Company; incorporated 1846, the first section opened 1856. It was known more simply as the Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway Company between 1860 and 31 December 1906 when it became the DSE. Amongst the lines forming the DSE were:
- The Dublin and Kingstown RailwayDublin and Kingstown RailwayThe Dublin and Kingstown Railway , which opened in 1834, was Ireland’s first railway. It linked Westland Row in Dublin with Kingstown Harbour’s West Pier in County Dublin.-History:...
authorised 1831, it opened in 1834 - the first public railway in Ireland. The Kingstown-Dalkey sectionDalkey Atmospheric RailwayThe Dalkey Atmospheric Railway was an extension of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway to Atmospheric Road in Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland. It used part of the Dalkey Quarry industrial tramway, which was earlier used for the construction of Kingstown Harbour...
was operated by atmospheric tractionAtmospheric railwayAn atmospheric railway uses air pressure to provide power for propulsion. In one plan a pneumatic tube is laid between the rails, with a piston running in it suspended from the train through a sealable slot in the top of the tube. Alternatively, the whole tunnel may be the pneumatic tube with the...
for a short while. The railway formed part of the Royal MailRoyal MailRoyal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
route between LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Dublin via the packet station at Kingstown (now Dún LaoghaireDún LaoghaireDún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
).
City of Dublin Junction Railway 2 km (1.25 mi), opened 1891, the Dublin and Kingstown Railway
Dublin and Kingstown Railway
The Dublin and Kingstown Railway , which opened in 1834, was Ireland’s first railway. It linked Westland Row in Dublin with Kingstown Harbour’s West Pier in County Dublin.-History:...
10 km (6 mi); opened 1834, and the New Ross and Waterford Extension Railway 22 km (13.5 mi); opened 1904 were all worked by the D&SER.
Great Northern Railway of Ireland
The route of the Great Northern Railway of Ireland (GNR(I)), which exists today from Dublin to BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
to Navan
Navan
-People:Navan was the childhood home of Pierce Brosnan, who appeared in the television series Remington Steele and was the fifth film actor to play James Bond. TV personality Hector Ó hEochagáin, and comedians Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan also hail from Navan....
, emerged, like so many others of the former major railway companies in Ireland, as the result of many amalgamations with smaller lines. The earliest dates of incorporation were for:
- the Ulster RailwayUlster RailwayThe Ulster Railway was a railway company operating in Ulster, Ireland. The company was incorporated in 1836 and merged with two other railway companies in 1876 to form the Great Northern Railway .-History:...
, the second railway project to start in Ireland, incorporated May 1836, partially opened 1839; it was originally constructed to a gauge of 1880 mm (6 ft 2 in), but was later altered, under protest, to the new Irish standard gauge. The companies forming the Dublin to Belfast line and those connecting to it were obliged to contribute part of this cost. - the Dublin and Drogheda RailwayDublin and Drogheda RailwayDublin and Drogheda Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.The D&D constructed the railway line between Dublin and Drogheda. The company presented the scheme to parliament in 1836 and received royal assent on 13 August 1836. John MacNeill was appointed as the line's engineer in...
(D&D), also incorporated 1839, opened in 1844. - the Irish North Western RailwayIrish North Western RailwayIrish North Western Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.-Development:The company was founded as the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway and opened the first section of its line, from to , in 1849...
(INWR), incorporated in 1862 in a merger between the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway and the Enniskillen and Derry Railway, operated from Dundalk and Portadown via Enniskillen and Omagh to Derry. - the Dublin and Belfast Junction RailwayDublin and Belfast Junction RailwayDublin and the Belfast Junction Railway was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland. The company was incorporated in 1845 and opened its line in stages between 1849 and 1853....
(D&BJct), incorporated in 1845 and opened in stages between 1849 and 1853.
In 1875, the D&D and the D&BJct merged to form the Northern Railway of Ireland
Northern Railway of Ireland
Northern Railway of Ireland was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.It was formed by a merger of the Dublin and Drogheda Railway with the Dublin and the Belfast Junction Railway in 1875. In 1876 it merged with the Irish North Western Railway and Ulster Railway to form the Great Northern...
and thirteen months later the Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
The Great Northern Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.The Great Northern was formed in 1876 by a merger of the Irish North Western Railway , Northern Railway of Ireland, and Ulster Railway. The Ulster Railway was the GNRI's oldest constituent, having opened between Belfast and...
(GNR(I)) was formed when the Ulster Railway and the INWR joined this concern. Other minor railways were subsequently taken over. At its height, in the thirty or so years prior to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the GNR(I) covered a large area of Ireland between Dublin, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and Bundoran
Bundoran
Bundoran is a town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland. The town is located on the N15 road near Ballyshannon, 3 hours drive from Dublin and around two and a quarter hours drive from Belfast...
. By the end of WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the company was in dire straits. It struggled on until 1953 when it was nationalised by the two Governments, becoming the Great Northern Railway Board.
In 1957, the Government of Northern Ireland unilaterally ordered the GNRB to close most of their lines west of the Bann within Northern Ireland. This left some useless stubs within the Republic, such as through Pettigo station; 13 km (8 mi) from the border to Bundoran and Monaghan to Glaslough. The Republic of Ireland Government had no choice but to abandon these stubs. The one exception, which survived until 1965, was the line from Portadown to Derry via Dungannon and Omagh.
The GNRB was abolished in 1958, when it was split between the Ulster Transport Authority
Ulster Transport Authority
The Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.-Formation and consolidation:The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
and Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
in Northern Ireland and the Republic, respectively. This gave rise to the interesting situation whereby part of the line between Strabane and Derry was in the Republic of Ireland and the stations and permanent way staff on this section were CIÉ employees, even though there was no physical link to the rest of the CIÉ rail network.
The Castleblayney, Keady and Armagh Railway 29 km (18.25 mi), opened 1909 was worked by the GNR(I)
Great Southern & Western Railway
Still known today as the 'premier line', the Great Southern & Western Railway (GS&WR) was the largest railway system in Ireland. It began as a railway incorporated to connect Dublin with Cashel - incorporated 6 August 1844 - and which was afterwards extended to the city of CorkCork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
. Various other amalgamations took place until the end of the 19th century, among them lines to Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
and Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
.
In 1900, as a result of Acts of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
, several important lines became part of the GS&WR system, including the Waterford and Central Ireland Railway and the Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway. The latter connected Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
to Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
. The Railway also connected with the Midland Great Western Railway
Midland Great Western Railway
The Midland Great Western Railway was the third largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland. It was incorporated in 1845 and absorbed into the Great Southern Railway in 1924. It served part of Leinster, County Cavan in Ulster and much of Connaught...
main line at Athlone on its Dublin–Galway main line.
The Athenry and Tuam Extension Light Railway 27 km (17 mi), Baltimore Extension Light Railway 13 km (8 mi), Tralee and Fenit Railway 13 km (8 mi); opened 1887 and Waterford, New Ross and Wexford Junction Railway 5 km (3.25 mi) (leased from D&SER) were worked by the Great Southern & Western Railway.
Midland Great Western Railway
The Midland Great Western Railway main line connected Dublin to GalwayGalway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
and Clifden
Clifden
Clifden is a town on the coast of County Galway, Ireland and being Connemara's largest town, it is often referred to as "the Capital of Connemara". It is located on the Owenglen River where it flows into Clifden Bay...
via (Athlone); there were a number of branch lines:
- KingscourtKingscourt railway stationKingscourt Railway station is a former passenger station in Kingscourt, County Cavan, in Ireland. It was created by the Navan and Kingscourt Railway in 1865. This was purchased by the Midland Great Western Railway in 1888. The line ceased passenger services in 1947, and was then a freight only...
via NavanNavan-People:Navan was the childhood home of Pierce Brosnan, who appeared in the television series Remington Steele and was the fifth film actor to play James Bond. TV personality Hector Ó hEochagáin, and comedians Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan also hail from Navan....
, - Nesbitt Junction (near EnfieldEnfield, County MeathEnfield or Innfield is a town in south County Meath, Ireland, situated between Kilcock and Kinnegad and very close to the border with County Kildare...
) to EdenderryEdenderry, County OffalyEdenderry is a town in the north of County Offaly, Ireland. It is near the borders with Counties Kildare, Meath and Westmeath. The Grand Canal passes immediately south of the town through the Bog of Allen and there is a short spur to the town centre....
, - SligoSligoSligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
, with further branches to CavanCavanCavan is the county town of County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. The town lies in the north central part of Ireland, near the border with Northern Ireland...
Town and BallaghaderreenBallaghaderreenBallaghaderreen is a town in County Roscommon. It is located on the N5 National primary road. The town has become a bottleneck on the N5 route in recent years and the opening of the Charlestown bypass down the road has exacerbated the problem...
, - WestportWestport, County MayoWestport is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated on the west coast at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean....
with further branches to BallinrobeBallinrobe-Early history:Dating back to 1390, Ballinrobe is said to be the oldest town in South Mayo. The registry of the Dominican friary of Athenry mentions the monastery de Roba, an Augustinian friary whose recently restored ruins are one of the historical landmarks of the town today...
and KillalaKillalaKillala is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West , which contains numerous ancient forts.- History :...
via BallinaBallina, County MayoBallina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
in County MayoCounty MayoCounty Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, - Attymon Junction to LoughreaLoughreaLoughrea is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains.The town expanded in recent years as it increasingly becomes a commuter town for the city of Galway.- Name :...
.
The Railway was first incorporated in 1845.
Both the Ballinrobe and Claremorris Railway 19 km (12 mi), opened 1892 and the Loughrea and Attymon Railway 14 km (9 mi), opened 1890 were worked by the Midland Great Western.
Northern Counties Committee
- Main articles: Northern Counties CommitteeNorthern Counties CommitteeThe Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. It was built to Irish gauge but later acquired a number of narrow gauge lines...
, Midland RailwayMidland RailwayThe Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
The Northern Counties Committee (Midland Railway) was an amalgamation of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
with the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway which came about on 1 July 1903.
Additionally the Carrickfergus Harbour Junction Light Railway 2 km (1 mi); incorporated 1882, opened 1887 was worked by the Northern Counties Committee.
Independent railways
- Ballycastle RailwayBallycastle RailwayBallycastle Railway was a narrow gauge railway line which ran from Ballycastle to Ballymoney, both in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.-History:...
26 km (16.25 mi) ( gauge); incorporated 1878, opened 1880; four locomotives, 74 other vehicles - Bessbrook and Newry Light Railway (electric) 3 miles (5 km) ( gauge); incorporated 1884; one locomotive, 24 other vehicles
- Castlederg and Victoria Bridge TramwayCastlederg and Victoria Bridge TramwayThe Castlederg and Victoria Bridge Tramway was a narrow gauge railway , operating in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland...
12 km (7.25 mi); ( gauge); incorporated 1883, opened 1884; three locomotives, 34 other vehicles; closed 1933 - Cavan and Leitrim Light Railway 78 km (48.5 mi); ( gauge); incorporated 1883, opened 1888; nine locomotives, 167 other vehicles
- Cavehill and Whitewell Tramway 6 km (3.75 mi)
- Clogher Valley RailwayClogher Valley RailwayThe Clogher Valley Railway was a 37 mile long narrow gauge railway in County Tyrone and County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It opened in May 1887 and closed on 1 January 1942 .-Route:...
59 km (37 mi)(914 mm (3 ft) gauge); incorporated 1884, opened 1887; seven locomotives, 127 other vehicles; closed 1942 - Clonakilty Extension Light Railway 14 km (8.75 mi); ( gauge); incorporated 1881, opened 1886
- Cork and Macroom Direct Railway 38 km (24.5 mi); incorporated 1861, opened 1866; four locomotives, 132 other vehicles
- Cork and Muskerry Light RailwayCork and Muskerry Light RailwayThe Cork and Muskerry Light Railway was a narrow gauge railway in County Cork, Ireland. The first part of the railway opened in 1887 and closed in 1934. A major reason for building the railway was to exploit tourist traffic to Blarney Castle.-Initial route:...
(C&MLR) 29 km (18 mi); ( gauge); incorporated 1883, opened 1887; six locomotives, 87 other vehicles- Donoughmore Extension Railway 14 km (9 mi) (worked by C&MLR) incorporated 1900
- Cork, Blackrock and Passage RailwayCork, Blackrock and Passage RailwayThe Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway was a narrow gauge railway in County Cork, Ireland. It was originally opened in 1850 as a broad gauge railway between Cork and Passage West, but was converted to 3' gauge in 1902. An extension southwards from Passage West to Crosshaven opened in 1904...
26 km (16 mi); (originally Irish gauge, gauge; convertedGauge conversionIn rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
to gauge in 1900); incorporated 1846, opened 1850; four locomotives, 57 other vehicles - Dublin and Blessington Steam TramwayDublin and Blessington Steam TramwayThe Dublin and Blessington Steam Tramway , later the Blessington and Poulaphouca Steam Tramway, operated steam-powered trams between Terenure in Dublin and Blessington in Co. Wicklow from 1888 until 1932.-History:...
25 km (15.5 mi); ( gauge); incorporated 1887, opened 1888; four locomotives, 46 other vehicles - Dublin and Lucan Electric Railway 1900 - 1925, 11 km (7 mi); ( gauge), 37 vehicles. Opened in 1880 as the Dublin and Lucan Steam Tramway ( gauge). Operated by the DUTC 1928 -1940 as part of the Dublin tram system ; ( gauge)
- Dundalk, Newry and Greenore Railway 42 km (26.5 mi); incorporated 1863; six locomotives, 230 other vehicles
- Giant's Causeway, Portrush and Bush Valley Railway & TramwayGiant's Causeway TramwayThe Giant's Causeway Tramway, operated by the Giant's Causeway, Portrush and Bush Valley Railway & Tramway Company Ltd, was a pioneering gauge electric narrow gauge railway operating between Portrush and the Giant's Causeway on the coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland...
13 km (8 mi); ( gauge); incorporated 1880; two locomotives, 23 other vehicles - Listowel and Ballybunion Railway 16 km (10 mi); (Monorail) (Lartigue system); incorporated 1886, opened 1888; three locomotives, 39 other vehicles
- Londonderry and Lough Swilly RailwayLondonderry and Lough Swilly RailwayThe Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company is an Irish public transport and freight company incorporated in June 1853. Despite its name it operates no railway services. It formerly operated 99 miles of railways but closed its last line in July 1953...
(L&LSR) 133 km (83 mi); ( gauge); opened 1863/1904 extension; 18 locomotives, 311 other vehicles- Letterkenny Railway 26 km (16 mi); worked by L&LSR; opened 1883
- Schull and Skibbereen RailwaySchull and Skibbereen RailwayThe Schull and Skibbereen Railway was a minor narrow gauge railway in County Cork, Ireland. It opened in 1886 and closed in 1947. The track gauge was 3 feet . The formal name of the company was The West Carberry Tramways and Light Railways Company Ltd.-Route:The S&S' main line was 15½ miles long...
22 km (14 mi); four locomotives, 61 other vehicles - Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties RailwaySligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties RailwayThe Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway was an Irish gauge railway in counties Cavan, Fermanagh, Leitrim and Sligo in north-west Ireland.-History:...
78 km (49 mi); gauge; incorporated 1875, opened 1882; 11 locomotives, 228 other vehicles; closed 1957 - South Clare Railway 42 km (26 mi); three locomotives, 27 other vehicles
- Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Railway (T&CR) 14 km (9 mi); ( gauge); incorporated 1888, opened 1891; two locomotives, 119 other vehicles
- Ballinascarthy Railway; worked by T&CR; ( gauge); incorporated 1888, opened 1890
- Tralee and Dingle Light RailwayTralee and Dingle Light RailwayThe Tralee and Dingle Light Railway and Tramway was a , 914 mm gauge narrow gauge railway running between Tralee and Dingle, with a branch from Castlegregory Junction to Castlegregory, in County Kerry on the west coast of Ireland. It operated between 1891 and 1953, the Castlegregory branch...
60 km (37.5 mi); ( gauge); incorporated 1884, opened 1891; eight locomotives, 108 other vehicles - Waterford and Tramore RailwayWaterford and Tramore RailwayThe Waterford and Tramore Railway was an independent line which opened on September 5, 1853, connecting Manor St. in the city of Waterford, Ireland, to the seaside resort of Tramore, away. Construction began on February 10, 1853. The Waterford business community financed the 77,000 pounds cost...
12 km (7.25 mi); incorporated 1851, opened 1853; four locomotives, 32 other vehicles; unique in being the only line to remain unconnected to the rest of the Irish railway. The line closed, under CIÉ, in 1960 - West Clare RailwayWest Clare RailwayThe West Clare Railway originally operated in County Clare, Ireland between 1887 and 1961, and has partially re-opened. This gauge narrow gauge railway ran from the county town of Ennis, via numerous stopping-points along the West Clare coast to two termini, at Kilrush and Kilkee...
43 km (27 mi); ( gauge); opened 1887; eight locomotives, 146 other vehicles
-
- The information contained in this section obtained from Railway Year Book 1912 (Railway Publishing Company)
Monorail
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
, named the Lartigue system after Charles Lartigue. It operated between Listowel and Ballybunion
Ballybunion
Ballybunion or Ballybunnion is a coastal town and seaside resort in County Kerry, Ireland, from the town of Listowel. There are castle ruins near the town, although all that remains is a single wall, and two golf courses in the area including the famous Ballybunion Golf Club, a top class Links...
in County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
until 1924.
A modern day re-creation of this system operates in Listowel. Photographs of this can be found here:
Lartigue Railway Photographs 2004
The system in the early 20th century
The rail system, both North and South, survived independence unscathed. The Irish Civil WarIrish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
was to take a much heavier toll on the railways in the newly born Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
(Saorstát Éireann), as the Anti-Treaty IRA systematically targeted them and the Free State had to build a network of fortified blockhouses to protect the railways. One of the most spectacular attacks on the infrastructure was the bombing of the Mallow
Mallow, County Cork
Mallow is the "Crossroads of Munster" and the administrative capital of north County Cork, in Ireland. The Northern Divisional Offices of Cork County Council are located in the town....
viaduct. (See The Civil War and the Railways)
In 1925, the railway companies within Saorstát Éireann were merged to form the Great Southern Railways
Great Southern Railways
The Great Southern Railways Company was an Irish company that from 1925 until 1945 owned and operated all railways that lay wholly within the Irish Free State .-Formation:...
. This company was amalgamated in 1945 with the Dublin United Transport Company
Dublin United Transport Company
The Dublin United Transport Company operated trams and buses in Dublin, Ireland until 1945. Following legislation in the Oireachtas , the DUTC and the Great Southern Railways were vested in the newly formed Coras Iompair Éireann in 1945.-Formation:The DUTC was formed by the merging of several of...
to form Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
.
Partition however, would eventually exact a heavy toll on the cross–border routes (intrinsic to the County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
rail network).
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
also proved costly for the rail system in the Republic. With the war effort, Britain could not spare coal for neutral Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Thus, Irish steam engines often ran on poor quality Irish coal, wood, or not at all. Unsuccessful attempts were even made to burn peat. The deteriorating quality and frequency of service discouraged rail travellers, whose numbers were also diminishing due to steadily increasing emigration
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
.
Dieselisation
Railways in the Republic were converted to diesel locomotiveDiesel locomotives of Ireland
Although prototype diesel locomotives ran in Britain before World War II, the railways of both the Republic and Northern Ireland changed over much more rapidly from steam to diesel traction, in the 1950s than those in Britain, due to the island's limited coal reserves and ageing steam locomotive...
traction early, and swiftly, due to the run down nature of many of the steam engines, lack of coal, and a desire for modernisation. In 1951 CIÉ
Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
s first diesel railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s arrived, followed in 1953 by an order for 100 diesel locomotives. A full list of CIÉ diesel locomotives can be found here
Diesel locomotives of Ireland
Although prototype diesel locomotives ran in Britain before World War II, the railways of both the Republic and Northern Ireland changed over much more rapidly from steam to diesel traction, in the 1950s than those in Britain, due to the island's limited coal reserves and ageing steam locomotive...
.
Rationalisation
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Sligo, Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
and the West of Ireland, Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
and Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
and Wexford
Wexford
Wexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
survived. The cross country route from Waterford to Limerick and onwards to Sligo survived for a time, although services would later cease on almost all the route. The North Kerry line from Limerick to Tralee survived until the 1970s. One notable closure was that of the Dublin & South Eastern Harcourt Street railway line in Dublin, despite being regarded as an important commuter artery. In 2004, part of the route reopened as part of the new Luas
Luas
Luas , also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, is a tram or light rail system serving Dublin, the first such system in the decades since the closure of the last of the Dublin tramways. In 2007, the system carried 28.4 million passengers, a growth of 10% since...
tram system. South of the current terminus, decisions taken by CIÉ and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is the local authority for the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown in Ireland. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council before its abolition and one of four councils in the Dublin Region. It serves a population of...
, to sell the trackbed through Foxrock
Foxrock
Foxrock is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County, in the postal district of Dublin 18 and in the parish of Foxrock.-History:...
and allow houses to be built on it near Shankill
Shankill, Dublin
Shankill is a suburb in the South-East of Dublin located in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County, Ireland. It has a population of 13,242 .-History:-Name:...
respectively will make integrating this route into any future Metro or Luas system difficult.
In a few short years, the Ulster Transport Authority
Ulster Transport Authority
The Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.-Formation and consolidation:The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
shut down a large network across Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
, leaving only Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
to Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Dublin and branches to Larne
Larne
Larne is a substantial seaport and industrial market town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. As of 2011, there are about 31,000 residents in the greater Larne area. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is...
and Bangor. CIÉ
Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
, the transport company in the Republic, had no option but to close their end of cross-border routes. Today a large hole remains in the island's rail network, with a distance of 210 km (130 mi) from Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
to Mullingar
Mullingar
Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
untouched by railways, and no rail service to large towns such as Letterkenny
Letterkenny
Letterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly...
and Monaghan
Monaghan
Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:...
.
The 1970s and 1980s
The 1970s and 1980s saw a long period without substantial investment in the rail system, with the notable exception of the DARTDublin Area Rapid Transit
The Dublin Area Rapid Transit is part of the suburban railway network in Ireland, running mainly along the coastline of Dublin Bay on the Trans-Dublin route, from Greystones in County Wicklow, through Dublin to Howth and Malahide in County Dublin.Trains are powered via a 1500V DC overhead catenary...
, in which the north-south commuter route in and out of Dublin was electrified, and new frequent services ran from 1984 onwards. It was intended to expand the service, with routes to the west of the city, but economic conditions militated against this. In fact, the size of the DART fleet remained unaltered until the mid-1990s.
Also, 1976 saw the introduction of a small fleet of 18 high-speed diesel-electric locomotives built by General Motors Electro-Motive Diesel at La Grange, Illinois. These 2475 hp units, 071 Class, were capable of speeds of 145 km/h (90 mph) and immediately began operating express services such as the Cork-Dublin line.
1 August 1980 saw the worst Irish transportation disaster in recent times, when 18 people were killed and 62 injured in a rail accident in Buttevant
Buttevant Rail Disaster
Buttevant Rail Disaster was a train crash that occurred 137 miles from Heuston Station on the Dublin to Cork mainline at Buttevant Railway Station, County Cork in the Republic of Ireland on 1 August 1980. At 12:45 the 10:30am Dublin to Cork express train entered Buttevant station carrying some...
on the main Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
-Dublin line. A train carrying 230 passengers was derailed when it crashed into a siding at 110 km/h (70 mph). The passengers who were most severely injured or killed were seated in coaches with wooden frames. This structure was incapable of surviving a high speed crash and did not come near to the safety standards provided by modern (post 1950s) metal bodied coaches. This accident led to a major review of the national rail safety policy and resulted in the rapid elimination of the wooden-bodied coaches that had formed part of the train.
The decision to purchase a new fleet of modern intercity coaches based on the British Rail Mark 3 design was quickly made. These coaches, an already well proven design, were built by BREL in Derby, England and, under licence, at CIÉ's own workshops at Inchicore in Dublin between 1980 and 1989. Other carriages to join the fleet in the 1980s were second-hand ex British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
Mark 2s.
Cutbacks continued in this period: in 1975 the last rural branch line between Attymon Junction and Loughrea was closed, the line between Limerick and Claremorris and a number of local stations on main lines (such as Buttevant) lost their passenger services. Freight closures at the end of the 1980s included the closure of the line to Youghal
Youghal
Youghal is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Sitting on the estuary of the River Blackwater, in the past it was militarily and economically important. Being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a distinctive long and narrow layout...
in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
and the removal of the North Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
line.
1990s - Rail revival
In the 1990s, the Republic experienced an economic boom (known colloquially as the Celtic TigerCeltic Tiger
Celtic Tiger is a term used to describe the economy of Ireland during a period of rapid economic growth between 1995 and 2007. The expansion underwent a dramatic reversal from 2008, with GDP contracting by 14% and unemployment levels rising to 14% by 2010...
). This allowed substantial investment to be made. 34 new locomotives (designated 201 Class
IE 201 Class
The Iarnród Éireann 201 Class locomotives are the newest and most powerful diesel locomotives operating in Ireland, and were built between 1994 and 1995 by General Motors. They are model type JT42HCW, fitted with an EMD 12-710G3B engine of 3200 hp, weigh 112 tonnes and have a maximum speed of...
) were purchased from General Motors, including two for NIR
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
. New De Dietrich
De Dietrich Ferroviaire
De Dietrich Ferroviaire is a French manufacturer of railway rolling stock based in Reichshoffen, France. It was formed as a division of the De Dietrich group, which has a ....
carriages were also purchased for the cross-border 'Enterprise' service. Meanwhile, the route network was also being upgraded to continuous welded rail (CWR) and old mechanical signalling was replaced by electronic signalling.
In the mid-1990s, the Greater Dublin area continued to experience a population boom. Such commuter trains as existed were ageing slam-door stock on unreliable old locomotives (the better stock was for intercity use). DART was limited in terms of capacity and route. New diesel railcars
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
were ordered, and added first to the Kildare
Kildare
-External links:*******...
suburban route. The route from Clonsilla
Clonsilla
Clonsilla is a suburb of Dublin in the district of Fingal, Ireland.-Location and access:Originally a small village in its own right, Clonsilla is now a large residential suburban area, with Ongar and other localities developing their own subsidiary identities...
to Maynooth
Maynooth
Maynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
was double-tracked and further diesel railcars ordered, and the reopening of stations such as Drumcondra
Drumcondra
Drumcondra is the name of several places:* Drumcondra, Dublin, Ireland, a residential area on the Northside of Dublin.** Drumcondra railway station** Drumcondra F.C., former football club...
. Again, the North-South Dublin route saw new railcars provide services to Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
and Arklow
Arklow
Arklow , also known as Inbhear Dé from the Avonmore river's older name Abhainn Dé, is a historic town located in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland. Founded by the Vikings in the ninth century, Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion...
. A number of orders were made for new DART carriages, the first for over a decade.
2000s - Further Developments
The line was electrified and DART services extended in the south to GreystonesGreystones
Greystones is a coastal town and small seaside resort in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located on Ireland’s east coast, south of Bray and south of Dublin , with a population in the region of 15,000....
in 2000 and on to Malahide
Malahide
Malahide is a coastal suburban town, near Dublin city, located in the administrative county of Fingal, within the traditional County Dublin, Ireland. It has a village-like centre and extensive residential areas to the south, west and northwest.-Name:...
on the Northern line.
DART and suburban stations were also upgraded, allowing disabled access with new lifts at footbridges and lengthened platforms to accommodate 8-car sets. Extra roads were provided out of Dublin, while the main terminals of Connolly Station and Heuston Station were upgraded (the latter completed in 2004, doubling its previous capacity). A new railcar servicing depot was built at Drogheda (Inchicore
Inchicore
-Location and access:Located five kilometres due west of the city centre, Inchicore lies south of the River Liffey, west of Kilmainham, north of Drimnagh and east of Ballyfermot. The majority of Inchicore is in the Dublin 8 postal district...
continues to be used for locomotives and carriages).
Northern Ireland too has experienced recent rail investment. Central Station has been redesigned, and the Bleach Green-Antrim line, a more direct route for trains to Derry, was reopened in 2001 (although this led to the suspension of the Lisburn - Antrim
Lisburn-Antrim railway line
The Lisburn–Antrim railway line is a line of Northern Ireland Railways. It links Knockmore Junction on the Belfast–Newry railway line with on the Belfast–Derry railway line.-History:The line opened in 1871 as the Dublin and Antrim Junction Railway...
line and the closure of three rural stations). The line to Bangor was relaid. A new railcar fleet has entered service. The single-track line to Derry, north of Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
continues to be of a poor standard. A derailment in 2003, caused by cliff-side boulders falling onto the line, closed the route for some time. In the face of long journey times and a frequent (and generally faster) bus service, the route's future remains in some doubt.
In March 2007, as part of the Transport 21
Transport 21
Transport 21 is an Irish infrastructure plan, announced in November 2005. It aims to greatly expand Ireland's transport network. A cost estimate of €34 billion was attached to the plan at the time....
initiative, Docklands railway station
Docklands railway station
Docklands Station is a new railway station serving the Dublin Docklands area in Ireland owned by Córas Iompair Éireann planned as part of the Government Transport 21 initiative....
opened, the first new station in Dublin city centre since 1891's .
In July 2009 commuter trains began to run from Mallow
Mallow
Mallow or Mallows may refer to:Nature:* Malvaceae, family of plants; in particular the following genera:** Abelmoschus** Althaea – Marsh mallow** Callirhoe – Poppy mallow** Corchorus – Jews Mallow, Molokia, Mlukhia...
to Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, and on part of the reopened Cork to Youghal line to Midleton
Midleton
Midleton, historically Middleton , is a town in south-eastern County Cork, Ireland. It lies some 22 km east of Cork City on the Owenacurra River and the N25 road, which connects Cork to the port of Rosslare...
and to Cobh, a number of stations were opened, and there are plans for more stations on the lines.
In September 2010 services began from Dunboyne
Dunboyne railway station
Dunboyne railway station is a railway station to serve the town of Dunboyne in County Meath. The original Dunboyne station opened in August 1862 on the Clonsilla-Navan railway line, but was closed in January 1947. Since then the town has not been served by passenger trains, with the old station...
to Dublin Docklands after the redevelopment of 7.5km section of the old navan railway line which had been closed in 1963 from Dunboyne to Clonsilla on the Maynooth line. There are proposals for further development of this line to Navan as part of Transport 21 by 2015.
The future
Iarnród Éireann placed orders for 67 intercity carriages in 2003 and for 150 "regional railcars" (DMUs)Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
in 2004. These will mostly go towards meeting demand on the railways, although some older carriages are due for retirement, and at peak times, capacity is below requirements. It is suspected that Iarnród Éireann wish to phase out all locomotive hauled services other than those using the 67 new intercity carriages
Coaching Stock of Ireland
A wide variety of hauled coaches have been used on the railways of Ireland. This page lists all those since 1945.-Republic of Ireland:When formed in 1945, Córas Iompair Éireann inherited from its constituents a motley collection of coaching stock from various manufacturers, in equally variegated...
. The existing 100 newest carriages (only from the 1980s) may be phased out with capacity being taken up by regional railcars. More orders of suburban railcars and DARTs are likely, but the Dublin suburban routes are almost at capacity. “Four-tracking” of the route west to Kildare has commenced.
Some call for the expansion of the rail network in the Republic. The route from Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
to Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
is due to have a realistic service for the first time in decades. Nevertheless, this is the only non-Dublin intercity route in existence, which has earned the railway network in Ireland the colloquial title of "Paleways" or "Palerail" (derived from The Pale
The Pale
The Pale or the English Pale , was the part of Ireland that was directly under the control of the English government in the late Middle Ages. It had reduced by the late 15th century to an area along the east coast stretching from Dalkey, south of Dublin, to the garrison town of Dundalk...
). A railway right of way exists from Limerick, up through the west, to Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
. This has been titled the Western Railway Corridor
Western Railway Corridor
The Western Railway Corridor , or Conair Iarnróid an Iarthair , in Ireland is a recent term for a mostly disused railway line running through the West of Ireland...
(WRC) and some see it as a possible counterbalance to investment in Dublin. Phase 1 is complete with the new line from Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
to Athenry
Athenry
Athenry is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies east of Galway city, and one of the attractions of the town is its medieval castle. The town is also well-known by virtue of the song "The Fields of Athenry".-History:...
now open, Phase 2 due to begin late 2010 from Athenry to Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
, with an extension from Tuam to Claremorris
Claremorris
Claremorris , is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, at the junction of the N17 and the N60 national routes. The population of Claremoris in the 2011 Census was 3,979....
to link up with the Westport
Westport, County Mayo
Westport is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated on the west coast at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean....
/Ballina
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
line to Dublin. Future proposals will see the line extended to Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
, where it will also link with Knock Airport.
Northern Ireland Railways
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
will undergo a major investment programme over the next few years, with track upgrades to the line between Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and up to 20 new trains replacing the remaining Class 80 and Class 450 rolling stock. The new trains are a development of the existing Class 3000 units and they are scheduled to enter service in 2011.
See also
- History of rail transportHistory of rail transportThe history of rail transport dates back nearly 500 years and includes systems with man or horse power and rails of wood or stone. Modern rail transport systems first appeared in England in the 1820s...
- Rail transport in IrelandRail transport in IrelandRail services in Ireland are provided by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland and by Northern Ireland Railways in Northern Ireland.Most routes in the Republic radiate from Dublin...
- Diesel Locomotives of IrelandDiesel locomotives of IrelandAlthough prototype diesel locomotives ran in Britain before World War II, the railways of both the Republic and Northern Ireland changed over much more rapidly from steam to diesel traction, in the 1950s than those in Britain, due to the island's limited coal reserves and ageing steam locomotive...
- Buttevant Rail DisasterButtevant Rail DisasterButtevant Rail Disaster was a train crash that occurred 137 miles from Heuston Station on the Dublin to Cork mainline at Buttevant Railway Station, County Cork in the Republic of Ireland on 1 August 1980. At 12:45 the 10:30am Dublin to Cork express train entered Buttevant station carrying some...
- Armagh rail disasterArmagh rail disasterThe Armagh rail disaster happened on 12 June 1889 near Armagh, Ireland when a crowded Sunday school excursion train had to negotiate a steep incline; the steam locomotive was unable to complete the climb and the train stalled. The train crew decided to divide the train and take forward the front...
- History of IrelandHistory of IrelandThe first known settlement in Ireland began around 8000 BC, when hunter-gatherers arrived from continental Europe, probably via a land bridge. Few archaeological traces remain of this group, but their descendants and later Neolithic arrivals, particularly from the Iberian Peninsula, were...
- Irish Railway BibliographyIrish Railway Bibliography- Company histories :*35 Years of NIR 1967 to 2002 - Allen, Jonathon M - 2003, ISBN 1-904242-00-6*A History of Northern Ireland Railways - Robb, William - 1982*Ballymena Lines, The - Patterson, Edward M. - 1968, ISBN 0-7153-4183-9...
- Northern Ireland RailwaysNorthern Ireland RailwaysNI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
- Irish railway accidentsIrish railway accidentsThis sortable table is intended to list railway accidents in the Republic of Ireland, and before its formation accidents in the provinces of Leinster, Munster and Connacht, plus the counties of Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan. It is currently limited to accidents where at least one train occupant was...
External links
- Photo Survey of Navan's existing former GNR railway line
- Irish Railway News -reporting on all aspects of irish railways
- CIÉ website — background history on transport in Ireland
- Rail Users Ireland - Ireland's National Rail User organisation
- Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI) - includes short history, important dates, map
- Western Rail Pictures
- Meath on Track campaign
- Railway Clearing House Junction Maps, photographs, location of mining related railways, survey of Attymon Junction to Loughrea trackbed
- Eiretrains - Irish Railways Past & Present