Rail transport in Ireland
Encyclopedia
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. Northern Ireland has suburban routes from Belfast
and two main lines, to Derry
and the cross-border route to Dublin.
A major infrastructure
plan for the Republic of Ireland, Transport 21
, was announced by the Minister of Transport
on 1 November 2005, to include heavy rail, light rail
and metro
projects in the period to 2015.
The accompanying map of the current railway network shows lines that are fully operational, lines carrying freight only traffic, and lines which have been "mothballed" (i.e. closed to traffic but potentially easily re-openable). Some airports are indicated but none is rail-connected although Kerry Airport
and Belfast City Airport are within walking distance of a railway station. Both the City of Derry Airport
and Belfast International (Aldergrove)
are near railway lines but not connected. Port
s are marked, though few remain rail-connected. Larne Harbour
is one port still connected.
, which was mandated by the Railway Regulation (Gauge) Act 1846
. The only other countries which currently use this unusual gauge are Australia and Brazil
, both of which have far more extensive trackage using other gauges.
Several narrow gauge railways were also built, usually to a gauge of but most are now closed.
Standard gauge
is only used for the new Dublin light rail
system Luas
.
The first railway in Ireland opened in 1834. At its peak in 1920, Ireland had 5600 km (3,480 mi) of railway, now only about one third of this remains. A large area around the border area has no rail service.
suburban route in Dublin. Apart from prototypes and a small number of shunting locomotives, the first major dieselisation
programme in CIÉ commenced in the early 1950s with orders for ninety-four locomotives of two sizes (A and C classes) from Metropolitan-Vickers
which were delivered from 1955, with a further twelve (B class) locomotives from Sulzer
in the late 1950s.
Following poor reliability experience with the first generation diesel locomotives, in the 1960s a second dieselisation programme was undertaken with the introduction of sixty-four locomotives in three classes (121, 141 and 181) built by General Motors, of the United States. This programme, together with line closures, enabled CIÉ to eliminate steam traction in 1963. In parallel, NIR acquired three locomotives from Hunslet, of England, for Dublin-Belfast services. The Metropolitan-Vickers locomotives were re-engined by CIÉ in the early 1970s with General Motors engines.
The third generation of diesel traction in Ireland was the acquisition of eighteen locomotives from General Motors of 2475 h.p. output, designated the 071 class, in 1976. This marked a significant improvement in the traction power available to CIÉ and enabled the acceleration of express passenger services. NIR subsequently purchased three similar locomotives for Dublin-Belfast services, which was the first alignment of traction policies by CIÉ and NIR.
A fourth generation of diesels took the form of thirty-four locomotives, again from General Motors, which arrived in the early 1990s. This was a joint order by IÉ and NIR, with thirty-two locos for the former and two for the latter. They were again supplied by General Motors Electro-Motive Division. IÉ designated their locomotives the GM 201 class; numbered 201 to 234 (the NIR locos were later prefixed with an 8). These locomotives are the most powerful diesels to run in Ireland, and are of 3200 horsepower (2.5 MW), which enabled further acceleration of express services. The NIR locos, although shipped in NIR livery, were repainted in 'Enterprise' livery, as were two of the IÉ locos.
The 071 class are now used on freight services. NIR's three similar locomotives are numbered 8111, 8112 and 8113. There is seldom more than one of these serviceable at a time. NIR regularly lends these locomotives to IE.
). IÉ DMUs also operate some intercity services (including services between Rosslare Europort
and Limerick Junction
/Dublin Connolly and Dublin/Sligo, and one service per week from Connolly to Belfast and back. NIR has replaced their ageing DMUs with Class 3000 regional railcars built by CAF
, which arrived in 2005. IÉ introduced seventeen new suburban railcars in 1993 as the 2600 class
(built by Tokyu Car, Japan) for the Kildare
'Arrow' suburban service. Further additions to the fleet were made in 1999 (twenty-seven 2700 class
, Alstom
built), 2000 (twenty 2800 class
, Tokyu Car built) and 2003 (eighty 29000 class
, CAF built). When the 29000 class was introduced all Irish railcars were re-branded from 'Arrow' to 'Commuter'. A further thirty-six CAF railcars arrived in 2005, with Rotem's 22000 Class
intercity railcars the latest addition.
's flagship intercity fleet are the Mark 4
trains (built by CAF
of Spain in 2005/6). They are formed into 8-car sets, pushed or pulled by a mark 4 Driving Van Trailer (DVT).
Each set contains (in order):
The Mark IV Trains have blue tinted windows, which help to create a cool journey for the passenger, electronic route maps showing train progress, and electronic seat reservation displays. Citygold customers on the new fleet have the added features of adjustable seating, greater room and comfort, in-seat audio entertainment, and power points for laptops, or recharging PDAs, MP3 players or mobile phones. They are used exclusively on the Dublin to Cork route; operating an hourly service each way.
The Mark IV Trains are capable of speeds of up to 125 mph (201.2 km/h), but are limited to a maximum speed of 100 mph (160.9 km/h) because of the line speed and the speed of the 201 class locomotives.
The second intercity fleet of Irish Rail are the '22000' class intercity railcars. There are 234 '22000' class carriages in total, being formed into the following sets:
Features of the intercity railcar fleet include:
Now equipped with the most modern Intercity Fleet in Europe (the new 22000 and Mark IV sets), Iarnród Éireann is now able to provide faster services and greater flexibility in providing these services. As sufficient numbers of the fleet have now come in to service these improvements can now be made. The 2010 Timetable embodies this. While it does not reach the originally anticipated improvements (due to the economic downturn room for improvements is constrained) it still marks a major change in services as outlined below:
The Dublin to Belfast 'Enterprise' service is operated jointly by IÉ & NIR with rolling stock
from De Dietrich
, commissioned in 1997. These sets comprise a dining car, first class carriage(s) and driving van trailer
(DVT) for push-pull
operation. Notable is the omission of a generator van (the DVT does not have its own generator). This requires the GM locos to supply head-end power (HEP) for heating and lighting.
NIR also has a number of refurbished Mark II
carriages acquired from the Gatwick Express
service and converted to run on the Irish gauge. These are generally referred to as 'the Gatwicks'.
This was known as the 'Premier Line' of the Great Southern and Western Railway
(GS&WR), being one of the longest routes in the country (272 km or 170 miles), built to a high standard and connecting to Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Kerry
as well as to Cork
. These other destinations all have their own services, although connections are offered to/from the Cork service at Limerick Junction (for Limerick) and Mallow (for Kerry).
As of 2010 the line is getting a major upgrade. There are possessions of most sections of the line every night to carry out relaying. There is also major disruption & cancellations many weekends. All relaying is using a much heavier rail to give a much smoother ride on trains. The new track at 60 kg, is the same that is used on the TGV in France. As the upgrading continues there are many speed restrictions which is seriously affecting puncuality of trains. However it is hoped when the upgrading is finished to provide a much faster & comfortable journey for customers.
, Monasterevin, Portarlington, Portlaoise
, Ballybrophy
, Templemore, Thurles, Limerick Junction, Limerick Colbert
This service follows the Cork route as far as Limerick Junction. Limerick services leave the main line via a direct curve built in 1967, onto part of the former Waterford and Limerick Railway (W&LR). The former two hourly timetable operated by 22000 Class railcars was cut back in November 2009 when the number of direct trains between Dublin and Limerick was reduced to just three in each direction. The remaining Dublin-Limerick services involve a change at 'the Junction' from a Dublin-Cork or Dublin-Tralee service onto a local train
for the remaining 30 minutes of the journey.
The present route, built by the GS&WR in competition with the MGWR, leaves the Cork main line just after Portarlington. The River Shannon
is crossed at Athlone. Athenry, the last station before Galway, became a junction once again in 2010 with the reopening of the line to Limerick and will do so again if the planned reopening of the line to Tuam
proceeds in accordance with Transport 21
. In February 2011 planning permission was obtained for a station at Oranmore but since a timetable is not yet published it is unclear whether any intercity services will stop there.
All services are operated by 22000 railcars.
This relatively indirect route runs along what is in essence a branch line connected to the Cork–Dublin mainline at Mallow. Trains run to/from the south of Tralee. From the January 2007 Timetable there are now a record nine trains in each direction a day between Mallow
and Tralee, up from eight trains each way in the previous timetable, including an early morning commuter service between Killarney
and Tralee. All services are operated by 22000 railcars, with the exception of the very early morning service from Tralee to Cork and some Sunday services (From Tralee to Cork via Mallow) which are operated by a 2 carriage 2600 commuter set.
Since Kilkenny is a stub station, reversal is necessary. Non Passenger trains such as the DFDS Freight train from Ballina - Waterford avoid Kilkenny by using Lavistown loop which joins both lines going into Kilkenny.
All direct services are operated by 22000 railcars. There is a service every 2 hours.
The line is currently served primarily by a 22000 class
DMU
on Dublin - Westport, on the Manulla Junction - Ballina section a 2700 class diesel railcar
operates from Manulla to Ballina.
This is a three times daily service with two trains departing in the morning and one in the evening. The service is run by IE 22000 Class.
The Limerick–Waterford route is the only true non-radial (from Dublin) route still open in Ireland that is not a branch line. The route was commenced in 1848 by the Waterford & Limerick Railway and finished in 1854.
Current timetabling requires passengers travelling from Limerick to Waterford to take two trains, transferring at Limerick Junction. As of March 2011 there are three services from Monday to Saturday between Waterford and Limerick Junction (departing 0640, 1240, 1645) and the same number returning (0850, 1500, 1850), with no service on Sundays. Services are operated by a single 2700 class diesel railcar set, and while stated line speed is 50mph the service is operated to a timetable reflecting 40mph limits. Delays between the Limerick and Waterford section services can be lengthy resulting in end-to-end journey times between the cities of 2.5 hours on a journey of 76.5 track miles.
- Athenry
Line. Direct trains now travel from Limerick
- Galway
. The Ennis Commuter services have been subsumed into these. There are also reopened stations at Gort
, Ardrahan
and Craughwell
between Athenry
and Ennis with Sixmilebridge
reopened between Limerick and Ennis. All of the new stations are unstaffed. Gort has 2 platforms with lifts, bridges, ticket machines and a loop while Sixmilebridge, Ardrahan & Craughwell have just one platform each. In Gort the signal cabin has been restored and relocated and there is a small depot for permanent way crew. This reopening is Phase One of the reopening of the Western Rail Corridor. It involves the relaying of 58 km of track, rebuilding bridges, installation of signalling systems, level crossing upgrades and building the stations. The journey time between Limerick and Galway is just under 2 hours and there are 5 trains each way daily. The service is provided by two sets of 2700 railcars, one is from better utilisation of the existing Limerick - Ennis set and the other comes from the Cork - Tralee line, as it was replaced by a 22000 Railcar in May 2009. It is a long term objective to have three 3-car 22000 Class railcars to operate the line.
This line is subject to many speed restrictions due to the need to replace several old sections of track. Stations served from Limerick Colbert are Castleconnell
, Birdhill, Nenagh
, Cloughjordan
and Roscrea
, terminating at Ballybrophy. The line branches from the Waterford line just outside Limerick at Killonan Junction. All trains on this line connect with Dublin trains at Ballybrophy. Current services on the line consist of two return passenger trains a day from Limerick. Following a campaign by The Nenagh Rail Partnership founded by local politicians and community representatives and assisted by the Internet news group Irish Railway News, a market research survey was funded by local Government. The market research was carried out in the summer of 2005 and showed there existed a market for improved services on the line. As a result of this study IÉ has committed to allocating additional rolling stock to the line as part of its ongoing fleet replacement programme.
In October 2007, following a meeting between Iarnród Éireann management and The Nenagh Rail Partnership, it was confirmed that the new commuter service will be introduced between Nenagh and Limerick on 1 September 2008. This was launched as planned on 1 September 2008.
, Ballycullane
, Wellingtonbridge
, Bridgetown
, Rosslare Strand
, Rosslare Europort
.
There was a single service each-way between Waterford-Rosslare stretch, operated by 2700 railcars taking just over 1 hour.
The service closed for passenger services on the 18th of September 2010.
The line is still open for stock transfers. 22000 and 29000 DMU's operated on the line on the 5th of November 2011.
). The current situation includes suburban services to Larne
, Newry
and Bangor, as well as services to Derry. There is also a branch from Coleraine
to Portrush
.
On Northern Ireland Railways distances are quoted in miles and metres http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources/070718_R252007_Trooperslane.pdf.
before continuing onto destinations at Bangor, Derry, Larne and Newry.
The service to Derry
has suffered greatly from a lack of funding over recent decades. The existing line is not continuously welded and has speed restrictions in parts. For some time the threat of closure hung over this route but its future was assured in December 2005 with a funding package of some £20 million. The same month saw the introduction of the new CAF railcars on the line and despite the fact that the service remained slower than the Derry-Belfast Ulsterbus service, the improvements saw a rise in passenger numbers to over 1 million per annum. However, these optimistic signs that the line would be retained and possibly upgraded rather than wound down, suffered a blow in 2007 when it was revealed that the £20 million earmarked had not been spent while there had been a £20 million overspend on the Belfast-Bangor line. While the "Into the West" rail lobby group had proposed extending the line cross border into Donegal to Letterkenny
and then on to Sligo
thus releasing EU funding
Currently, the Department has put a plan in place for Regional Development, for relaying of the track between Derry
and Coleraine
by 2013, which will include a passing loop, and the introduction of two new train sets. The £86 million plan will reduce the journey time between Belfast
and Derry
by 30 minutes and allow commuter trains to arrive in Derry before 0900 for the first time. There are also calls for Train halts to be located at Limavady
, Ballykelly and possibly Eglinton
.
, Botanic
, Belfast Central
, Yorkgate
, Whiteabbey
, Jordanstown
, Greenisland
, Trooperslane
, Clipperstown
, Carrickfergus
, Downshire
, Whitehead
, Ballycarry
, Magheramorne
, Glynn
, Larne Town
, Larne Harbour
.
This service, named Enterprise, is jointly owned and run by Northern Ireland Railways and IÉ. Despite having some of the most modern intercity rolling stock
on the island, it has been dogged by numerous problems. An historical problem on this route has been disruption to services caused by security alerts (devices on the line, hoax devices, threats and warnings). These continue to the present day.
The punctuality on this service remains poor for other reasons also. The intercity route, despite being mostly high quality continuous welded rail
, is shared with suburban services outside both Belfast and Dublin. Unfortunately these are the busiest suburban routes on the island while only double-track is provided; hence very little mishap is required to disrupt the Enterprise service. In theory the trip should take 2 hours and 10 minutes – there have been occasions where this has become almost 5 hours. To drive between the cities (which is nearly all motorway/dual carriageway
) can take under 2 hours, although congestion can be expected, especially at peak times.
A further problem is due to the locomotive and rolling stock arrangements. Unlike most other locomotive-hauled rolling stock in Ireland, generator vans are not part of the train – even the DVTs do not supply power. Thus the General Motors-built locomotives must supply head-end power for lighting and heating throughout the train. Although many types of locomotive are well designed for this purpose, these particular locomotives have struggled under the extra strain. The wear on the locos and time out of service are unusually high. On at least two occasions locomotives have burst into flames while shuttling along the route.
A more recent problem has been the collapse of the Malahide viaduct
, which temporarily stopped all Enterprise services from Dublin to Belfast for 3 months in 2009, The viaduct has since been repaired and the line re-opened.
Following the extension of platform 2 to accommodate the longer Enterprise, Lisburn
has recently been added as an additional stop on some services.
Rail freight has been in a major decline in Ireland for the past 10 years.
Major Freight services lost includes
Other losses included: Liners, Fertilisers, Grain, Tar, Scrap Metal, Molasses and Coal. The last bulk cement flow to operate in Ireland (Castlemungret - Waterford) ended in December 2009 along with the Kilmastulla Quarry - Castlemungret Shale traffic, despite making profits in the region of €1.3 million in 2006.
Recent development show a continuing interest in at least limited freight traffic, with an agreement being struck with Coillte to increase timber trains from Ballina to Belview from three to four weekly. This may reflect the failure of the railway to dispose of its surplus Class 201 locomotives made surplus by the retirement of the Mark 3 coach fleet
.
Bord na Móna
operates an extensive 1930 km (1,199 mi) narrow gauge railway. This is one of the largest industrial rail networks in Europe
and is completely separate from Ireland's passenger rail system operated by Iarnród Éireann
. It is used to transport Peat
from harvesting plots to processing plants and power stations
of the Electricity Supply Board
.
based in Whitehead, County Antrim runs preserved steam trains on its own private line and occasionally operates on the main lines all over Ireland. The Irish Traction Group runs preserved diesel locomotives but does not have a private line of its own. It operates on the main line when required. The Downpatrick & County Down Railway
is the only self-contained full-size heritage railway
in Ireland, though several short narrow gauge lines also exist. Bord na Móna
(the Irish Peat
Board) operates over 1600 km (994.2 mi) of lines at locations where peat is commercially cut and processed.
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...
are provided 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 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,...
and by 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...
in 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...
.
Most routes in the Republic radiate from Dublin. Northern Ireland has suburban routes from 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 two main lines, 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"...
and the cross-border route to Dublin.
A major infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
plan for the Republic of Ireland, 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....
, was announced by the Minister of Transport
Minister for Transport (Ireland)
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is the senior minister at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is Leo Varadkar, TD...
on 1 November 2005, to include heavy rail, light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
and metro
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
projects in the period to 2015.
The accompanying map of the current railway network shows lines that are fully operational, lines carrying freight only traffic, and lines which have been "mothballed" (i.e. closed to traffic but potentially easily re-openable). Some airports are indicated but none is rail-connected although Kerry Airport
Kerry Airport
-Ground transportation:Kerry Airport is approximately from both Cork and Limerick. Iarnród Éireann's Farranfore railway station is located to the south with services to Killarney, Tralee, Cork and Dublin....
and Belfast City Airport are within walking distance of a railway station. Both the City of Derry Airport
City of Derry Airport
City of Derry Airport is an airport located northeast of Derry, Northern Ireland. It is located on the south bank of Lough Foyle, a short distance from the village of Eglinton and from the city centre...
and Belfast International (Aldergrove)
Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport is a major airport located northwest of Belfast in Northern Ireland. It was formerly known and is still referred to as Aldergrove Airport, after the village of the same name lying immediately to the west of the airport. Belfast International shares its runways with...
are near railway lines but not connected. 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....
s are marked, though few remain rail-connected. Larne Harbour
Larne Harbour railway station
Larne Harbour railway station, Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, serves the ferry port for ferries to Cairnryan and Troon, Scotland and Fleetwood, England...
is one port still connected.
Track Gauges
The main track gauge is Irish gaugeIrish gauge
Irish gauge railways use a track gauge of . It is used in* Ireland * Australia where it is also known as Victorian Broad Gauge* Brazil where it is also known as Bitola larga no Brasil....
, which was mandated by the Railway Regulation (Gauge) Act 1846
Railway Regulation (Gauge) Act 1846
The Railway Regulation Act 1846 introduced mandated standard gauges of for Great Britain, and for Ireland. This signalled the end for Brunel's broad gauge network.-See also:* The GWR "gauge war"* Rail gauge in Ireland* Standard gauge...
. The only other countries which currently use this unusual gauge are Australia and Brazil
Rail transport in Brazil
Rail transport in Brazil began in the 19th century and there were many different railway companies. The railways were nationalised under RFFSA in 1957...
, both of which have far more extensive trackage using other gauges.
Several narrow gauge railways were also built, usually to a gauge of but most are now closed.
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...
is only used for the new Dublin light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system 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...
.
History
The first railway in Ireland opened in 1834. At its peak in 1920, Ireland had 5600 km (3,480 mi) of railway, now only about one third of this remains. A large area around the border area has no rail service.
Locomotives
Diesel traction is the sole form of motive power in both the IÉ and NIR networks, apart from the electrified Howth/Malahide-Greystones (DART)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...
suburban route in Dublin. Apart from prototypes and a small number of shunting locomotives, the first major dieselisation
Dieselisation
Dieselisation or dieselization is a term generally used for the increasingly common use of diesel fuel in vehicles, as opposed to gasoline or steam engines.-Water Transport:...
programme in CIÉ commenced in the early 1950s with orders for ninety-four locomotives of two sizes (A and C classes) from Metropolitan-Vickers
Metropolitan-Vickers
Metropolitan-Vickers, Metrovick, or Metrovicks, was a British heavy electrical engineering company of the early-to-mid 20th century formerly known as British Westinghouse. Highly diversified, they were particularly well known for their industrial electrical equipment such as generators, steam...
which were delivered from 1955, with a further twelve (B class) locomotives from Sulzer
Sulzer (manufacturer)
Sulzer Ltd. is a Swiss industrial engineering and manufacturing firm, founded by Salomon Sulzer-Bernet in 1775 and established as Sulzer Brothers Ltd. in 1834 in Winterthur, Switzerland. Today it is a publicly owned company with international subsidiaries...
in the late 1950s.
Following poor reliability experience with the first generation diesel locomotives, in the 1960s a second dieselisation programme was undertaken with the introduction of sixty-four locomotives in three classes (121, 141 and 181) built by General Motors, of the United States. This programme, together with line closures, enabled CIÉ to eliminate steam traction in 1963. In parallel, NIR acquired three locomotives from Hunslet, of England, for Dublin-Belfast services. The Metropolitan-Vickers locomotives were re-engined by CIÉ in the early 1970s with General Motors engines.
The third generation of diesel traction in Ireland was the acquisition of eighteen locomotives from General Motors of 2475 h.p. output, designated the 071 class, in 1976. This marked a significant improvement in the traction power available to CIÉ and enabled the acceleration of express passenger services. NIR subsequently purchased three similar locomotives for Dublin-Belfast services, which was the first alignment of traction policies by CIÉ and NIR.
A fourth generation of diesels took the form of thirty-four locomotives, again from General Motors, which arrived in the early 1990s. This was a joint order by IÉ and NIR, with thirty-two locos for the former and two for the latter. They were again supplied by General Motors Electro-Motive Division. IÉ designated their locomotives the GM 201 class; numbered 201 to 234 (the NIR locos were later prefixed with an 8). These locomotives are the most powerful diesels to run in Ireland, and are of 3200 horsepower (2.5 MW), which enabled further acceleration of express services. The NIR locos, although shipped in NIR livery, were repainted in 'Enterprise' livery, as were two of the IÉ locos.
The 071 class are now used on freight services. NIR's three similar locomotives are numbered 8111, 8112 and 8113. There is seldom more than one of these serviceable at a time. NIR regularly lends these locomotives to IE.
Multiple units
NIR and IÉ both run suburban services using diesel multiple units (DMUs) – these are termed railcars in Ireland (see rail terminologyRail terminology
Rail terminology is a form of technical terminology. The difference between the American term railroad and the international term railway is the most obvious difference in rail terminology...
). IÉ DMUs also operate some intercity services (including services between Rosslare Europort
Rosslare Europort
Rosslare Europort is a modern seaport located at Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford, Ireland, near the southeastern-most point of Ireland's coastline, handling passenger and freight ferries to and from Wales and France....
and Limerick Junction
Limerick Junction
Limerick Junction is an important railway station in South Tipperary, Ireland which was originally named "Tipperary Junction". Tipperary town is about two miles away to the south-east. Limerick Junction, with a cluster of pleasantly presented railway cottages and a pub, is a small hamlet...
/Dublin Connolly and Dublin/Sligo, and one service per week from Connolly to Belfast and back. NIR has replaced their ageing DMUs with Class 3000 regional railcars built by CAF
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles is a rail equipment manufacturer based in Beasain in the Basque Country, Spain. Equipment manufactured by CAF includes light rail vehicles, rapid transit trains, railroad cars and locomotives, as well as variable gauge axles that can be fitted on any...
, which arrived in 2005. IÉ introduced seventeen new suburban railcars in 1993 as the 2600 class
IE 2600 Class
The 2600 Class is a type of Diesel Multiple Unit operated on the Irish railway network by Iarnród Éireann, used mainly for short-haul Commuter services. At present the entire class is based in Cork, and is used on local services to Mallow, Midleton, Cobh and on token services to Tralee...
(built by Tokyu Car, Japan) for the Kildare
Kildare
-External links:*******...
'Arrow' suburban service. Further additions to the fleet were made in 1999 (twenty-seven 2700 class
IE 2700 Class
The 2700 and 2750 Classes are two related types of diesel multiple unit operated by Iarnród Éireann. The 2700 Class units are 2-car sets; 25 cars were built by GEC Alsthom in 1997 and 1998, and began entering service in December 1998...
, Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
built), 2000 (twenty 2800 class
IE 2800 Class
The 2800 Class is a type of Diesel Multiple Unit operated on the Irish railway network by Iarnród Éireann, used mainly for short-haul Commuter services.-Description:...
, Tokyu Car built) and 2003 (eighty 29000 class
IE 2900 Class
The 29000 Class is a type of four-car Diesel Multiple Unit operated by Iarnród Éireann. The units were built in Spain by CAF in two batches between 2002 and 2005.-Description:...
, CAF built). When the 29000 class was introduced all Irish railcars were re-branded from 'Arrow' to 'Commuter'. A further thirty-six CAF railcars arrived in 2005, with Rotem's 22000 Class
IE 22000 Class
The 22000 Class "InterCity Railcar" is a Diesel multiple unit type in service with Iarnród Éireann in Ireland.In a new departure for Iarnród Éireann they will be the first railcars to have been built specifically to serve on InterCity routes and are capable of up to 100 mph .-History:In 2005,...
intercity railcars the latest addition.
Rolling stock
Iarnrod EireannIarnród 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...
's flagship intercity fleet are the Mark 4
Mark 4 (Iarnród Éireann)
The CAF Mark 4 are trains operated by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland on the InterCity service from Dublin to Cork. These trains have no connection to the BR Mk 4.-Description:...
trains (built by CAF
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles is a rail equipment manufacturer based in Beasain in the Basque Country, Spain. Equipment manufactured by CAF includes light rail vehicles, rapid transit trains, railroad cars and locomotives, as well as variable gauge axles that can be fitted on any...
of Spain in 2005/6). They are formed into 8-car sets, pushed or pulled by a mark 4 Driving Van Trailer (DVT).
Each set contains (in order):
- A GM 201 class locomotive
- 5 Standard class carriages
- 1 restaurant carriage
- 1 'Citygold' (first class) carriage
- A driving trailer generator van
The Mark IV Trains have blue tinted windows, which help to create a cool journey for the passenger, electronic route maps showing train progress, and electronic seat reservation displays. Citygold customers on the new fleet have the added features of adjustable seating, greater room and comfort, in-seat audio entertainment, and power points for laptops, or recharging PDAs, MP3 players or mobile phones. They are used exclusively on the Dublin to Cork route; operating an hourly service each way.
The Mark IV Trains are capable of speeds of up to 125 mph (201.2 km/h), but are limited to a maximum speed of 100 mph (160.9 km/h) because of the line speed and the speed of the 201 class locomotives.
The second intercity fleet of Irish Rail are the '22000' class intercity railcars. There are 234 '22000' class carriages in total, being formed into the following sets:
- Ten 6-car sets — Each set will include a 1st Class Carriage and a Dining Carriage. They will be used on key intercity services between Dublin and Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Westport and Tralee.
- Forty-eight 3-car sets — These will mostly operate in pairs. They will serve lesser-used intercity services and all Dublin to Sligo and Rosslare services.
- Five 6-car commuter sets — These are high-density layout carriages for busy long distance commuter routes such as Dublin to Portlaoise/Thurles.
Features of the intercity railcar fleet include:
- Automatic PA and information display systems
- Electronic seat reservation displays for web bookings,
- Fully air-conditioned,
- Internal CCTV system
- Sleek carriage design
- Advanced safety features throughout.
Now equipped with the most modern Intercity Fleet in Europe (the new 22000 and Mark IV sets), Iarnród Éireann is now able to provide faster services and greater flexibility in providing these services. As sufficient numbers of the fleet have now come in to service these improvements can now be made. The 2010 Timetable embodies this. While it does not reach the originally anticipated improvements (due to the economic downturn room for improvements is constrained) it still marks a major change in services as outlined below:
- Dublin - Cork: Journey times remains as is or are extended due to the continuing relaying & upgrading of the entire Cork - Dublin Route. Services remain as is except the Limerick Junction stop is reintroduced to most services providing excellent connections for Limerick, Waterford & Galway from January. Also, due to fewer numbers travelling because of the economic downturn some services will instead be operated by 3 car 22000 sets instead of the full Mark 4 and there is one late evening service removed each way.
- Dublin - Limerick: hourly service, many more shuttles connecting with Dublin - Cork services at Limerick Junction however slightly fewer direct services.
- Dublin - Galway: Two hourly all day, including new split & join services with Westport Trains i e. Two 3 Car 22000 will leave Dublin together. They will separate at Athlone with the front set going to Galway and the rear to Westport.
- Dublin - Waterford: two-hourly all day , Journey time savings of up to 15 minutes on all services including a new fast service from Waterford in the morning, taking only 2 hours, it represents a saving of 35 minutes from before.
- Dublin - Sligo: two-hourly all day.
- Dublin - Westport: An additional service due to the spilt & join bringing the number of services up to 4 daily and journey time cuts of up to 17 minutes.
- Dublin - Tralee: Two direct trains with extra shuttles every two hours connecting with Cork services at Mallow. Due to the connection with the fast Cork Service at 0630 the fastest service from Tralee takes only 3 Hours 40 minutes now.
- Dublin - Rosslare: existing services until the full introduction of the 22000 fleet.
- Dublin - Kildare: (commuter service): A very frequent service will be possible with the Kildare route project later in 2010.
- Dublin - Maynooth/longford: Additional services.
- Dublin - Dunboyne/Pace: New Commuter line with services to begin in September 2010.
- Limerick - Galway: This new service which will begin in March 2010 will provide 5 trains a day each way between Limerick & Galway taking just under 2 hours.
- Limerick - Waterford: A reduction of 1 service daily due to insufficient demand and to allow more time for the continuing relay of the line. While the speed limit has been raised, journey times will not be reduced until the relaying of the line is fully complete. 75% of the line had been relayed by November 2009.
- DART: Major changes to services. There will now be a new clockface frequent service every 10/15 minutes.
The Dublin to Belfast 'Enterprise' service is operated jointly by IÉ & NIR with rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
from 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 ....
, commissioned in 1997. These sets comprise a dining car, first class carriage(s) and driving van trailer
Driving Van Trailer
A Driving Van Trailer is a purpose-built railway vehicle that allows the driver to operate a locomotive at the opposite end of a train. Trains operating with a DVT therefore do not require the locomotive to be moved around to the other end of the train at terminal stations...
(DVT) for push-pull
Push-pull train
Push–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
operation. Notable is the omission of a generator van (the DVT does not have its own generator). This requires the GM locos to supply head-end power (HEP) for heating and lighting.
NIR also has a number of refurbished Mark II
British Rail Mark 2
The Mark 2 family of railway carriages were British Rail's second design of carriages. They were built by British Rail workshops between 1964 and 1975...
carriages acquired from the Gatwick Express
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
service and converted to run on the Irish gauge. These are generally referred to as 'the Gatwicks'.
Passenger services
Some services below usually, but not necessarily always, involve a change of trains. Changing points are shown in bold type. Usually services at different times of day will serve a different subset of the stations shown below. The "stations served" lists all possible stops for any train on a given route. As an example, some services to Limerick do not involve a change at Limerick Junction, and some services to Cork may stop at Limerick Junction, Charleville and Mallow only. With the re-opening of the Western Corridor line it can be seen that Ireland despite its apparent paucity of rail lines in fact has the possibility of having the best railway network in Europe (in terms of journey possibilities between important centres, either directly or with a single change). With an extension of the Western Rail corridor to Sligo and the re-opening of the derelict (but intact) line between Athlone and Mullingar, almost all journeys between important centres could be made by rail.Dublin to Cork
- Stations served - Dublin Heuston, KildareKildare railway stationKildare railway station is a railway station in Kildare. It has three tracks, one for through services and two platforms. As the first major station on the south- and west-bound line from Heuston station, it is served, or at least passed-through, by a large number of trains. It is also the...
, PortarlingtonPortarlington haltPortarlington station is a railway station situated just outside Portarlington, County Laois, Ireland on the Dublin-Cork Main Line. It is the branching-off point for services to Galway, Ballina, and Westport. The former GS&WR route to Athlone diverges as the west end of the station via a single...
, PortlaoisePortlaoise railway stationPortlaoise railway station is a railway station situated above the town of Portlaoise, in County Laois. It is the end of the widening commuter belt for Dublin, and the western limit in the "Giant Hop" zone.-External links:*...
, BallybrophyBallybrophy haltBallybrophy is a railway station at Ballybrophy, County Laois, Ireland, near Borris-in-Ossory and Rathdowney. The station is the junction for services to via...
, Templemore, ThurlesThurlesThurles is a town situated in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...
, Limerick Junction, CharlevilleCharleville railway stationCharleville railway station is located a mile outside the town of Charleville in North County Cork, Ireland. It is a small although clean and well-maintained station, with three through platforms...
, MallowMallow railway stationMallow railway station is located in Annabella, just outside Mallow, in north County Cork. It is two miles from Cork racecourse.Mallow station is located just north of the junction between the lines from Cork and Tralee. It has three platforms, which are all through platforms. It is both a commuter...
, Cork Kent
This was known as the 'Premier Line' of the Great Southern and Western Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway
The Great Southern and Western Railway was the largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
(GS&WR), being one of the longest routes in the country (272 km or 170 miles), built to a high standard and connecting to Galway, Limerick, Waterford 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...
as well as 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...
. These other destinations all have their own services, although connections are offered to/from the Cork service at Limerick Junction (for Limerick) and Mallow (for Kerry).
As of 2010 the line is getting a major upgrade. There are possessions of most sections of the line every night to carry out relaying. There is also major disruption & cancellations many weekends. All relaying is using a much heavier rail to give a much smoother ride on trains. The new track at 60 kg, is the same that is used on the TGV in France. As the upgrading continues there are many speed restrictions which is seriously affecting puncuality of trains. However it is hoped when the upgrading is finished to provide a much faster & comfortable journey for customers.
Dublin to Limerick
Stations served - Dublin Heuston, Newbridge, KildareKildare railway station
Kildare railway station is a railway station in Kildare. It has three tracks, one for through services and two platforms. As the first major station on the south- and west-bound line from Heuston station, it is served, or at least passed-through, by a large number of trains. It is also the...
, Monasterevin, Portarlington, Portlaoise
Portlaoise railway station
Portlaoise railway station is a railway station situated above the town of Portlaoise, in County Laois. It is the end of the widening commuter belt for Dublin, and the western limit in the "Giant Hop" zone.-External links:*...
, Ballybrophy
Ballybrophy halt
Ballybrophy is a railway station at Ballybrophy, County Laois, Ireland, near Borris-in-Ossory and Rathdowney. The station is the junction for services to via...
, Templemore, Thurles, Limerick Junction, Limerick Colbert
This service follows the Cork route as far as Limerick Junction. Limerick services leave the main line via a direct curve built in 1967, onto part of the former Waterford and Limerick Railway (W&LR). The former two hourly timetable operated by 22000 Class railcars was cut back in November 2009 when the number of direct trains between Dublin and Limerick was reduced to just three in each direction. The remaining Dublin-Limerick services involve a change at 'the Junction' from a Dublin-Cork or Dublin-Tralee service onto a local train
Limerick Suburban Rail
Limerick Suburban Rail is are a group of Iarnród Éireann commuter train services from Limerick Colbert to various other destinations on three different lines.* Limerick - Ennis calling at Sixmilebridge* Limerick - Nenagh calling at Castleconnell and Birdhill...
for the remaining 30 minutes of the journey.
Dublin to Galway
- Stations served - Dublin Heuston, NewbridgeNewbridge railway station, Republic of IrelandNewbridge railway station, Republic of Ireland serves the town of Newbridge in County Kildare.The station opened on 4 August 1846 and was closed for goods traffic on 6 September 1976.- References :...
, KildareKildare railway stationKildare railway station is a railway station in Kildare. It has three tracks, one for through services and two platforms. As the first major station on the south- and west-bound line from Heuston station, it is served, or at least passed-through, by a large number of trains. It is also the...
, MonasterevinMonasterevin railway stationMonasterevin railway station is a small and relatively new railway station situated just outside the town of Monasterevin, County Kildare. It is served by only a small number of trains, mostly commuter services to and from Heuston Station, Dublin.-External links:*...
, PortarlingtonPortarlington haltPortarlington station is a railway station situated just outside Portarlington, County Laois, Ireland on the Dublin-Cork Main Line. It is the branching-off point for services to Galway, Ballina, and Westport. The former GS&WR route to Athlone diverges as the west end of the station via a single...
, TullamoreTullamore railway stationTullamore railway station serves the town of Tullamore in County Offaly, Ireland.The station first opened in Tullamore on 2 October 1854.- Awards :*2004 - 2nd Prize - Intercity Stations Category*2003 - 2nd Prize - Intercity Stations Category...
, ClaraClara railway stationClara railway station serves the town of Clara in County Offaly.The station opened on 3 October 1859. It is on the main Dublin to Ballina / Westport / Galway railway line. Clara was once a railway junction, with a branch to Streamstown on the now disused Athlone–Mullingar link....
, AthloneAthlone railway stationAthlone railway station serves the town of Athlone in County Roscommon and County Westmeath. The station is at the junction between the railway lines between Dublin-Galway and Dublin-Westport. There was a railway line to Mullingar but it is now disused...
, BallinasloeBallinasloe railway stationBallinasloe railway station serves the town of Ballinasloe in County Galway.The station opened on 1 August 1851....
, WoodlawnWoodlawn railway stationWoodlawn railway station is situated beside a level crossing on the R359 regional road in the village of Woodlawn in County Galway.The station opened on 1 August 1858 and was closed for goods traffic on 2 June 1978....
, AttymonAttymon haltAttymon railway station serves the townland of Attymon in County Galway. It is the smallest station on the Dublin-Galway line consisting of a single platform with no signalling system or waiting room. The building at the station is boarded up and used as a store for line maintenance crew...
, AthenryAthenry railway stationAthenry railway station, on the Dublin-Galway line, serves the town of Athenry in County Galway. It also serves trains passing to Limerick in the south. It once served Tuam & Claremorris in the north, this service may be resumed, see Western Rail Corridor....
, Galway CeanntGalway railway stationGalway railway station serves the city of Galway in County Galway. The Station itself is located in the centre of the city in Eyre Square. The station is to be redeveloped in the near future, as part of the Ceannt Station Quarter project.The station opened on 1 August 1851...
The present route, built by the GS&WR in competition with the MGWR, leaves the Cork main line just after Portarlington. 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...
is crossed at Athlone. Athenry, the last station before Galway, became a junction once again in 2010 with the reopening of the line to Limerick and will do so again if the planned reopening of the line to Tuam
Tuam railway station
Tuam railway station is a planned railway station intended to serve the town of Tuam in County Galway.-History:The station was originally opened in 1860 as part of the Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway route between Limerick and Sligo, and was the major stop on the section between Athenry and...
proceeds in accordance with 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....
. In February 2011 planning permission was obtained for a station at Oranmore but since a timetable is not yet published it is unclear whether any intercity services will stop there.
All services are operated by 22000 railcars.
Dublin to Tralee
- Stations served - Dublin Heuston, PortlaoisePortlaoise railway stationPortlaoise railway station is a railway station situated above the town of Portlaoise, in County Laois. It is the end of the widening commuter belt for Dublin, and the western limit in the "Giant Hop" zone.-External links:*...
, ThurlesThurles railway stationThurles railway station is near the centre of Thurles town, North Tipperary in Ireland. The station has two through platforms and one terminating platform...
, Limerick Junction, CharlevilleCharleville railway stationCharleville railway station is located a mile outside the town of Charleville in North County Cork, Ireland. It is a small although clean and well-maintained station, with three through platforms...
, MallowMallow railway stationMallow railway station is located in Annabella, just outside Mallow, in north County Cork. It is two miles from Cork racecourse.Mallow station is located just north of the junction between the lines from Cork and Tralee. It has three platforms, which are all through platforms. It is both a commuter...
, BanteerBanteer railway stationBanteer railway station serves the village of Banteer in County Cork. The station opened on 16 April 1853 and was closed for goods traffic on 2 September 1976. It is on the main line between Tralee and Cork. It is also the next adjacent station to Kanturk, Co. Cork....
, MillstreetMillstreet railway stationMillstreet railway station serves the town of Millstreet in County Cork.The station opened on 16 April 1853 and closed for goods traffic on 6 September 1976.- Upgradings & Improvements :...
, RathmoreRathmore railway stationRathmore railway station serves the town of Rathmore in County Kerry, Ireland.The station opened on 1 December 1854 and was closed for goods traffic on 3 November 1975.-References:...
, KillarneyKillarney railway stationKillarney railway station serves the town of Killarney in County Kerry. It is situated next to the bus station and the Killarney outlet centre. The station has a moderately large stone building on the southside of the main platform, and a short overall roof. Since the platform was extended during...
, FarranforeFarranfore railway stationFarranfore railway station serves the village of Farranfore in County Kerry. It is the only railway station in Ireland that connects with an airport, in this case Kerry Airport, which is located 1.3 km to the north. There are currently no signs at the station promoting the footpath link to the...
, Tralee CasementTralee railway stationTralee railway station serves the town of Tralee in County Kerry.To the casual observer, Tralee station rather resembles that at Killarney with the main station buildings lying south of the mainline, with a short overall roof covering part of the main platform and the run-round loop...
This relatively indirect route runs along what is in essence a branch line connected to the Cork–Dublin mainline at Mallow. Trains run to/from the south of Tralee. From the January 2007 Timetable there are now a record nine trains in each direction a day between 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....
and Tralee, up from eight trains each way in the previous timetable, including an early morning commuter service between 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...
and Tralee. All services are operated by 22000 railcars, with the exception of the very early morning service from Tralee to Cork and some Sunday services (From Tralee to Cork via Mallow) which are operated by a 2 carriage 2600 commuter set.
Dublin to Waterford
- Stations served - Dublin Heuston, Newbridge, Kildare, AthyAthy railway stationAthy railway station serves the town of Athy in County Kildare. The single track north and south of the station splits to provide two platforms. Platform 1, next to the station building, car park and pedestrian entrance, is used where possible for passenger services; only when two trains are in the...
, CarlowCarlow railway stationCarlow railway station serves the town of Carlow in County Carlow.The station opened on 4 August 1846 and was closed for goods traffic on 9 June 1976....
, Muine BheagMuine Bheag railway stationMuine Bheag halt serves the town of Muine Bheag in County Carlow The station opened on 24 July 1848 as Bagenalstown. It was closed for goods traffic on 6 September 1976, but re-opened, re-named, in 1988...
(Bagenalstown), KilkennyKilkenny railway stationKilkenny railway station serves the city of Kilkenny in County Kilkenny. It is on a short spur off the main railway line, requiring trains to exit the station in the same direction from which they entered...
, ThomastownThomastown railway stationThomastown railway station serves the town of Thomastown in County Kilkenny, Ireland.The station opened on 12 May 1848. Unlike most other railway stations on the network, tickets are not available for purchase at Thomastown station and must be obtained on the train...
, Waterford Plunkett.
Since Kilkenny is a stub station, reversal is necessary. Non Passenger trains such as the DFDS Freight train from Ballina - Waterford avoid Kilkenny by using Lavistown loop which joins both lines going into Kilkenny.
All direct services are operated by 22000 railcars. There is a service every 2 hours.
Dublin to Arklow/Rosslare Europort
- Stations served - Dublin Connolly, Tara StreetTara Stationis a train station in Tara, Fujitsu District, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is on the Nagasaki Main Line. The limited express Kamome makes occasional special stops here during the Gatalympics. According to a 2005 estimate, the daily usage average is 297 people per...
, Dublin Pearse, Bray Daly, GreystonesGreystones railway stationGreystones railway station serves Greystones in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is the southern terminus of the DART electrified rail network, and is not served by all DART trains. Trains had previously terminated at Bray Daly Station. Construction began on the extended service between 1995 and 1999,...
, KilcooleKilcoole railway stationKilcoole halt serves the towns of Kilcoole and Newtownmountkennedy in County Wicklow, Ireland. The station is unstaffed and is not wheelchair-accessible as the only entrance is via a wicket gate...
, WicklowWicklow railway stationWicklow railway station serves the town of Wicklow in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a two platform station with passing loop. A typical DSER signal cabin is mounted on the footbridge. At the Dublin end, there is a bridge situated on a curve....
, RathdrumRathdrum railway stationRathdrum railway station serves the town of Rathdrum in County Wicklow, Ireland. It opened on 18 July 1863, replacing the earlier terminus at Rathdrum when the line was extended. It is a two platform station with a passing loop, and water tower at the south end of one platform...
, ArklowArklow railway stationArklow railway station opened on 16 November 1863 and serves the town of Arklow in County Wicklow, Republic of Ireland. The station consists of two platforms, one of which is served by a passing loop....
, GoreyGorey railway stationGorey railway station opened on 16 November 1863, and serves the town of Gorey in County Wexford, Ireland. It consists of two platforms, one of which is on a passing loop. At present, the down loop is only signalled for workings in the Enniscorthy direction. There is a water tower, still used by...
, EnniscorthyEnniscorthy railway stationEnniscorthy railway station serves the town of Enniscorthy in County Wexford, Ireland. It has two platforms, a passing loop, and a siding. The far-side platform is accessible only by a footbridge, although this platform is only used when two trains must pass in the station...
, Wexford O'Hanrahan, Rosslare StrandRosslare Strand railway stationRosslare Strand railway station serves the village of Rosslare Strand in County Wexford, Ireland. The station is at the junction of the lines to Dublin Connolly and Limerick Colbert. There are two platforms, one of which is served by a passing loop...
, Rosslare EuroportRosslare Europort railway stationRosslare Europort railway station is a railway station serving Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford, Ireland. There is only one platform. The station is owned and operated by Iarnród Éireann and is served by the mainline from station. Until 18 September 2010 there was also a single daily service...
. There are 7 daily services to Arklow of which 5 go to Wexford and of which 3 go to Rosslare.
Dublin to Sligo
- Stations served - Dublin Connolly, MaynoothMaynooth railway stationMaynooth railway station serves the town of Maynooth in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is situated on the south side of the Royal Canal, opposite Dukes' Harbour...
, KilcockKilcock railway stationKilcock railway station serves the town of Kilcock in County Kildare, Ireland.The railway arrived in Kilcock on 28 June 1847, but the station closed on 1 July 1848, as it was sited on a 1 in 100 gradient, which the locomotives of the day found difficult to start off from. This site was slightly...
, EnfieldEnfield (County Meath) railway stationEnfield railway station serves the town of Enfield in County Meath, Ireland. A water tower exists at the Mullingar end of the station, still used by occasional steam trains. There is also a passing loop. Although no stations now exist between here and Mullingar, a passing loop remains in use at...
, MullingarMullingar railway stationMullingar railway station serves the town of Mullingar in County Westmeath, Ireland. There was a railway line to Athlone but is now disused.The station opened on 2 October 1848. The Midland Great Western Railway line to Mullingar from Dublin opened in stages from 1846 to 1848, arriving in Mullingar...
, EdgeworthstownEdgeworthstown railway stationEdgeworthstown railway station serves the town of Edgeworthstown in County Longford. It was formerly called "Mostrim railway station", from an anglicisation of the towns Irish language name, but this fell out of official usage by the 1990s....
, LongfordLongford railway stationLongford railway station serves the town of Longford in County Longford.Longford is about 91 km from Sligo and 122 km from Dublin. It lies on the Dublin-Sligo route of the Irish railway network, and is served by Sligo-Dublin intercity services. Despite its distance from Dublin, the town...
, DromodDromod railway stationDromod railway station serves the village of Dromod in County Leitrim. The station is shared with the short preserved section of the Cavan and Leitrim Railway....
, Carrick-on-Shannon, BoyleBoyle railway stationBoyle railway station serves the town of Boyle in County Roscommon, Ireland.The station opened on 3 December 1862....
, BallymoteBallymote railway stationBallymote railway station serves the town of Ballymote in County Sligo, Ireland.The station opened on 3 December 1862.-References:...
, CollooneyCollooney railway stationCollooney railway station serves the town of Collooney in County Sligo, Ireland. It is unstaffed.In addition to the one remaining station, opened on 3 December 1862, there was a station on the line to Claremorris and on the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway line to Enniskillen....
, Sligo McDiarmadaMac Diarmada railway stationMac Diarmada station, also known as Sligo railway station, is a mainline railway station which serves the town of Sligo in County Sligo, Ireland. It is a terminal station, with two platforms. There is a passing loop at the approach to the station. It is named after Irish patriot Seán Mac Diarmada...
. All services are operated by 22000 railcars with a service every 2 hours.
Dublin to Westport/Ballina
- Stations served - Dublin Heuston, NewbridgeNewbridge railway station, Republic of IrelandNewbridge railway station, Republic of Ireland serves the town of Newbridge in County Kildare.The station opened on 4 August 1846 and was closed for goods traffic on 6 September 1976.- References :...
, KildareKildare railway stationKildare railway station is a railway station in Kildare. It has three tracks, one for through services and two platforms. As the first major station on the south- and west-bound line from Heuston station, it is served, or at least passed-through, by a large number of trains. It is also the...
, TullamoreTullamore railway stationTullamore railway station serves the town of Tullamore in County Offaly, Ireland.The station first opened in Tullamore on 2 October 1854.- Awards :*2004 - 2nd Prize - Intercity Stations Category*2003 - 2nd Prize - Intercity Stations Category...
, ClaraClara railway stationClara railway station serves the town of Clara in County Offaly.The station opened on 3 October 1859. It is on the main Dublin to Ballina / Westport / Galway railway line. Clara was once a railway junction, with a branch to Streamstown on the now disused Athlone–Mullingar link....
, AthloneAthlone railway stationAthlone railway station serves the town of Athlone in County Roscommon and County Westmeath. The station is at the junction between the railway lines between Dublin-Galway and Dublin-Westport. There was a railway line to Mullingar but it is now disused...
, RoscommonRoscommon railway stationRoscommon railway station serves the town of Roscommon in County Roscommon, Ireland.The station opened on 13 February 1860....
, CastlereaCastlerea railway stationCastlerea railway station serves the town of Castlerea in County Roscommon, Ireland.The station opened on 15 November 1860.It is situated on the Ballymoe road to the south of the town....
, BallyhaunisBallyhaunis railway stationBallyhaunis railway station serves the town of Ballyhaunis in County Mayo, Ireland.The station opened on 1 October 1861.-References:Ballyhaunis Railway Station was opened on the 09.09.1861. Ref:Johnson's Atlas & Gazetteer of the railways of Ireland....
, ClaremorrisClaremorris railway stationClaremorris railway station serves the town of Claremorris in County Mayo, Ireland.The station opened on 19 May 1862.The station will be one of the key junctions on the Western Railway Corridor when it reopens.-External links:* *...
, Manulla JunctionManulla JunctionManulla Junction railway station is a transfer point for passengers on train services in County Mayo, Ireland. Members of the public cannot actually enter or leave the station; it is used only for passengers travelling to or from Foxford or Ballina, who transfer to or from the Dublin-Westport...
, (FoxfordFoxford railway stationFoxford railway station serves the town of Foxford in County Mayo, Ireland.The station opened on 1 May 1868. It was closed in 1963. It reopened in 1988 and is now served by the Ballina-Manulla Junction train. The line is owned by the state company Córas Iompair Éireann , and previously by the...
, BallinaBallina railway stationBallina railway station serves the town of Ballina in County Mayo, Ireland. It is a single platform station with runround loop. There is also a freight yard there.The station opened on 19 May 1873....
) or (CastlebarCastlebar railway stationCastlebar railway station serves the town of Castlebar in County Mayo, Ireland.The station opened on 17 December 1862....
, WestportWestport railway stationWestport railway station serves the town of Westport, County Mayo, Ireland.The station opened on 28 January 1866....
).
The line is currently served primarily by a 22000 class
IE 22000 Class
The 22000 Class "InterCity Railcar" is a Diesel multiple unit type in service with Iarnród Éireann in Ireland.In a new departure for Iarnród Éireann they will be the first railcars to have been built specifically to serve on InterCity routes and are capable of up to 100 mph .-History:In 2005,...
DMU
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:...
on Dublin - Westport, on the Manulla Junction - Ballina section a 2700 class diesel railcar
IE 2700 Class
The 2700 and 2750 Classes are two related types of diesel multiple unit operated by Iarnród Éireann. The 2700 Class units are 2-car sets; 25 cars were built by GEC Alsthom in 1997 and 1998, and began entering service in December 1998...
operates from Manulla to Ballina.
Cork to Tralee
- Stations served - Cork Kent, Mallow, Banteer, Millstreet, Rathmore, Killarney, Farranfore, Tralee Casement
This is a three times daily service with two trains departing in the morning and one in the evening. The service is run by IE 22000 Class.
Limerick to Waterford
- Stations served - Limerick Colbert, Limerick JunctionLimerick JunctionLimerick Junction is an important railway station in South Tipperary, Ireland which was originally named "Tipperary Junction". Tipperary town is about two miles away to the south-east. Limerick Junction, with a cluster of pleasantly presented railway cottages and a pub, is a small hamlet...
, TipperaryTipperary railway stationTipperary halt is a railway station that serves the town of Tipperary, South Tipperary in Ireland. The station is staffed, but the ticket office and platform are not wheelchair-accessible. The station opened 9 May 1848....
, CahirCahir railway stationCahir railway station serves the town of Cahir, South Tipperary in Ireland. It has daily passenger journeys to Limerick junction. The station is unstaffed and the platform is accessible via a ramp. The station opened on 1 May 1852.,-References:...
, ClonmelClonmel railway stationClonmel railway station serves the town of Clonmel in County Tipperary, Ireland. The station opened on 1 May 1852. It is on the Limerick–Rosslare railway line.]...
, Carrick-on-Suir and Waterford Plunkett.
The Limerick–Waterford route is the only true non-radial (from Dublin) route still open in Ireland that is not a branch line. The route was commenced in 1848 by the Waterford & Limerick Railway and finished in 1854.
Current timetabling requires passengers travelling from Limerick to Waterford to take two trains, transferring at Limerick Junction. As of March 2011 there are three services from Monday to Saturday between Waterford and Limerick Junction (departing 0640, 1240, 1645) and the same number returning (0850, 1500, 1850), with no service on Sundays. Services are operated by a single 2700 class diesel railcar set, and while stated line speed is 50mph the service is operated to a timetable reflecting 40mph limits. Delays between the Limerick and Waterford section services can be lengthy resulting in end-to-end journey times between the cities of 2.5 hours on a journey of 76.5 track miles.
Limerick to Galway
This service commenced 30 March 2010 with the reopening of the EnnisEnnis
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 ....
- 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:...
Line. Direct trains now travel 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...
- 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...
. The Ennis Commuter services have been subsumed into these. There are also reopened stations at Gort
Gort
Gort is a town in south County Galway in the west of Ireland. An Gort is the official Irish name for the town, as defined by the Placenames Commission. In spoken Irish, however, the town is known by its traditional name Gort Inse Guaire. It lies just north of the border with County Clare on the...
, Ardrahan
Ardrahan
Ardrahan is a village in County Galway, Ireland.-History:Richard de Brugo conquered Galway in 1236, and granted the land to Maurice Fitzgerald who built the castle whose ruins still stand today...
and Craughwell
Craughwell
Craughwell is a village and townland in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. The name is also used as a surname, properly Ó Creachmhaoil, though often anglicised as Craughwell and Crockwell...
between 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:...
and Ennis with Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge is a small town in County Clare, Ireland. Located midway between Ennis and Limerick city, the town is a short distance away from the main N18 road, being on the old "back road" between the two...
reopened between Limerick and Ennis. All of the new stations are unstaffed. Gort has 2 platforms with lifts, bridges, ticket machines and a loop while Sixmilebridge, Ardrahan & Craughwell have just one platform each. In Gort the signal cabin has been restored and relocated and there is a small depot for permanent way crew. This reopening is Phase One of the reopening of the Western Rail Corridor. It involves the relaying of 58 km of track, rebuilding bridges, installation of signalling systems, level crossing upgrades and building the stations. The journey time between Limerick and Galway is just under 2 hours and there are 5 trains each way daily. The service is provided by two sets of 2700 railcars, one is from better utilisation of the existing Limerick - Ennis set and the other comes from the Cork - Tralee line, as it was replaced by a 22000 Railcar in May 2009. It is a long term objective to have three 3-car 22000 Class railcars to operate the line.
Limerick to Nenagh & Ballybrophy
Castleconnell
Castleconnell is a scenic village on the banks of the River Shannon, some from Limerick city and within a few minutes walk of the boundaries with counties Clare and Tipperary....
, Birdhill, Nenagh
Nenagh
Nenagh is the county town of North Tipperary in Ireland. It is the administrative centre of North Tipperary and in 2011 it had a recorded population of 7,995. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Ormond Lower...
, Cloughjordan
Cloughjordan
Cloughjordan, officially Cloghjordan , is a town in North Tipperary in Ireland. It is in the barony of Ormond Lower, and it is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe....
and Roscrea
Roscrea
Roscrea is a small heritage town in North Tipperary, Ireland. The town has a population of 4,910. Its main industries include meat processing and pharmaceuticals. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Ikerrin...
, terminating at Ballybrophy. The line branches from the Waterford line just outside Limerick at Killonan Junction. All trains on this line connect with Dublin trains at Ballybrophy. Current services on the line consist of two return passenger trains a day from Limerick. Following a campaign by The Nenagh Rail Partnership founded by local politicians and community representatives and assisted by the Internet news group Irish Railway News, a market research survey was funded by local Government. The market research was carried out in the summer of 2005 and showed there existed a market for improved services on the line. As a result of this study IÉ has committed to allocating additional rolling stock to the line as part of its ongoing fleet replacement programme.
In October 2007, following a meeting between Iarnród Éireann management and The Nenagh Rail Partnership, it was confirmed that the new commuter service will be introduced between Nenagh and Limerick on 1 September 2008. This was launched as planned on 1 September 2008.
Waterford to Rosslare
Stations Served:Waterford Plunkett, CampileCampile railway station
Campile railway station served the village of Campile in County Wexford, Ireland.The station opened on 1 August 1906 and closed on 18 September 2010.The rail service was replaced by a revised Bus Éireann Route 370 service from Monday 20th September, 2010:...
, Ballycullane
Ballycullane railway station
Ballycullane halt served the village of Ballycullane in County Wexford, Ireland. It was an unstaffed halt and had a single platform, accessible by a ramp....
, Wellingtonbridge
Wellingtonbridge railway station
Wellingtonbridge railway station served the town of Wellingtonbridge and nearby Maudlintown in County Wexford, Ireland. It was staffed and had an island platform; it was not wheelchair-accessible. It had the only passing loop on the closed Waterford-Rosslare section of the Limerick–Rosslare railway...
, Bridgetown
Bridgetown railway station
Bridgetown halt served the village of Bridgetown in County Wexford, Ireland. It was unstaffed and accessible only via a wicket gate.The station opened on 1 August 1906 and closed on 18 September 2010...
, Rosslare Strand
Rosslare Strand railway station
Rosslare Strand railway station serves the village of Rosslare Strand in County Wexford, Ireland. The station is at the junction of the lines to Dublin Connolly and Limerick Colbert. There are two platforms, one of which is served by a passing loop...
, Rosslare Europort
Rosslare Europort railway station
Rosslare Europort railway station is a railway station serving Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford, Ireland. There is only one platform. The station is owned and operated by Iarnród Éireann and is served by the mainline from station. Until 18 September 2010 there was also a single daily service...
.
There was a single service each-way between Waterford-Rosslare stretch, operated by 2700 railcars taking just over 1 hour.
The service closed for passenger services on the 18th of September 2010.
The line is still open for stock transfers. 22000 and 29000 DMU's operated on the line on the 5th of November 2011.
Northern Ireland Routes
Services in Northern Ireland are sparse in comparison to the Republic or other countries. A large railway network was severely curtailed in the 1950s and 1960s (in particular by the Ulster Transport AuthorityUlster 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...
). The current situation includes suburban services 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...
, Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
and Bangor, as well as services to Derry. There is also a branch from 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...
to Portrush
Portrush
Portrush is a small seaside resort town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on the County Londonderry border. The main part of the old town, including the railway station as well as most hotels, restaurants and bars, is built on a mile–long peninsula, Ramore Head, pointing north-northwest....
.
On Northern Ireland Railways distances are quoted in miles and metres http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources/070718_R252007_Trooperslane.pdf.
Belfast Suburban
Three suburban routes run on 20 minute frequencies in and out of Belfast Great Victoria Street railway station, these routes then pass through Belfast Central railway stationBelfast Central railway station
Belfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic....
before continuing onto destinations at Bangor, Derry, Larne and Newry.
Belfast to Derry
- Stations served: Great Victoria Street, City HospitalCity Hospital railway stationCity Hospital railway station serves Belfast City Hospital and the surrounding area of south Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in the city centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, Botanic, and Central....
, BotanicBotanic railway station.Botanic railway station serves the Botanic area in south Belfast, Northern Ireland and students for Queen's University Belfast. It is named after the nearby Belfast Botanic Gardens...
, Belfast CentralBelfast Central railway stationBelfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic....
, YorkgateYorkgate railway stationYorkgate railway station serves the north of the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The station opened in 1992, replacing the previous York Road station nearby.-York Road Railway Station:...
(partial service), WhiteabbeyWhiteabbeyWhiteabbey is a townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is within the urban area called Newtownabbey and the wider Newtownabbey Borough...
(partial service), Mossley WestMossley West railway stationMossley West railway station is located in the townland of Ballyhenry in the north of Newtownabbey, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.In 2008 the station was refurbished as part of a £17 million investment package by NI Railways to improve access for disabled passengers and provide better lighting,...
, AntrimAntrim, County AntrimAntrim is a town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile north-east of Lough Neagh. It had a population of 20,001 people in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre of Antrim Borough Council...
, BallymenaBallymenaBallymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
, CullybackeyCullybackeyCullybackey or Cullybacky is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies 4 miles north of Ballymena, on the banks of the River Maine, and is within the Borough of Ballymena. It had a population of 2,405 people in the 2001 Census....
, BallymoneyBallymoneyBallymoney is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 9,021 people in the 2001 Census. It is currently served by Ballymoney Borough Council....
, ColeraineColeraineColeraine 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...
, CastlerockCastlerockCastlerock is a seaside village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is situated between Coleraine and Derry and is very popular with summer tourists, having numerous apartment blocks and three caravan sites. Castlerock Golf Club has both 9 and 18-hole links courses bounded by the beach, the...
, BellarenaBellarenaBellarena is a small village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is on the A2 coastal road between Limavady and Coleraine, 6 miles north of Limavady. It is sometimes referred to as Ballyscullion or Drumavalley. In the 2001 Census the population was 291...
, DerryDerryDerry 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"...
.
The service 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"...
has suffered greatly from a lack of funding over recent decades. The existing line is not continuously welded and has speed restrictions in parts. For some time the threat of closure hung over this route but its future was assured in December 2005 with a funding package of some £20 million. The same month saw the introduction of the new CAF railcars on the line and despite the fact that the service remained slower than the Derry-Belfast Ulsterbus service, the improvements saw a rise in passenger numbers to over 1 million per annum. However, these optimistic signs that the line would be retained and possibly upgraded rather than wound down, suffered a blow in 2007 when it was revealed that the £20 million earmarked had not been spent while there had been a £20 million overspend on the Belfast-Bangor line. While the "Into the West" rail lobby group had proposed extending the line cross border into Donegal to 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 then on 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...
thus releasing EU funding
Currently, the Department has put a plan in place for Regional Development, for relaying of the track between 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 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...
by 2013, which will include a passing loop, and the introduction of two new train sets. The £86 million plan will reduce the journey time 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"...
by 30 minutes and allow commuter trains to arrive in Derry before 0900 for the first time. There are also calls for Train halts to be located at Limavady
Limavady
Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. It lies east of Derry and south west of Coleraine. It had a population of 12,135 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of some 17% compared to 1991...
, Ballykelly and possibly Eglinton
Eglinton, County Londonderry
Eglinton is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies east of Derry, to which it serves as a sleeper village, and west of Limavady. Many inhabitants of the village work in Derry city and send their children to school there. Eglinton had a population of 3,165 people in the 2001...
.
Coleraine to Portrush
- Stations served: ColeraineColeraineColeraine 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...
, University of UlsterUniversity of UlsterThe University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
, Dhu Varren, PortrushPortrushPortrush is a small seaside resort town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on the County Londonderry border. The main part of the old town, including the railway station as well as most hotels, restaurants and bars, is built on a mile–long peninsula, Ramore Head, pointing north-northwest....
.
Belfast to Larne Harbour
Stations - Belfast Great Victoria Street, City HospitalCity Hospital railway station
City Hospital railway station serves Belfast City Hospital and the surrounding area of south Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in the city centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, Botanic, and Central....
, Botanic
Botanic railway station
.Botanic railway station serves the Botanic area in south Belfast, Northern Ireland and students for Queen's University Belfast. It is named after the nearby Belfast Botanic Gardens...
, Belfast Central
Belfast Central railway station
Belfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic....
, Yorkgate
Yorkgate railway station
Yorkgate railway station serves the north of the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The station opened in 1992, replacing the previous York Road station nearby.-York Road Railway Station:...
, Whiteabbey
Whiteabbey railway station
Whiteabbey railway station serves Whiteabbey in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland. The station opened on 11 April 1848. It is the first station outside Belfast on the Larne Line....
, Jordanstown
Jordanstown railway station
Jordanstown railway station serves Jordanstown and the University of Ulster in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland. Its station is due to get a new park and ride facility shortly in the hope it will ease congestion on the main Jordanstown Road....
, Greenisland
Greenisland railway station
Greenisland railway station serves Greenisland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The station opened on 11 April 1848 as Carrickfergus Junction. It was renamed on 10 January 1893...
, Trooperslane
Trooperslane railway station
Trooperslane railway station serves Trooperslane in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.Trooperslane is a hamlet between Greenisland and Carrickfergus. The station was opened on 11 April 1848. For many years it was served by a handful of trains Mondays to Saturdays only...
, Clipperstown
Clipperstown railway station
Clipperstown railway station serves Carrickfergus in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.Clipperstown station is within walking distance of the larger Carrickfergus station...
, Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus railway station
Carrickfergus railway station serves Carrickfergus in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. There are two more railway stations serving Carrickfergus town: Clipperstown and Downshire.Carrickfergus station opened on 1 October 1862....
, Downshire
Downshire railway station
Downshire railway station serves eastern Carrickfergus in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.This station opened on 1 April 1925 and was known for most of its early life as Downshire Park. Northern Ireland Railways renamed the halt in the late 1970s...
, Whitehead
Whitehead railway station
Whitehead railway station serves Whitehead in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.The station has two platforms with a waiting room on each and the station is signalled in both directions and remains manned during commuter hours by a Senior Porter, who luckily for the commuters is a fully trained...
, Ballycarry
Ballycarry railway station
Ballycarry railway station serves Ballycarry and Islandmagee in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.A single platform now with a corrugated iron shelter and sometimes a street lamp, this station is a sorry reflection of its former glory as a passing loop on the way to Larne. The stationmaster's cottage...
, Magheramorne
Magheramorne railway station
Magheramorne railway station serves Magheramorne in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Magheramorne has the only passing loop between Whitehead and Larne.The station was opened on 1 October 1862.-Service:...
, Glynn
Glynn railway station
Glynn railway station serves Glynn in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The station opened on 1 January 1864. Goods traffic ceased in 1933.-Service:...
, Larne Town
Larne Town railway station
Larne Town railway station serves Larne in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The station was opened on 1 October 1862. Goods traffic ceased on 4 January 1965...
, Larne Harbour
Larne Harbour railway station
Larne Harbour railway station, Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, serves the ferry port for ferries to Cairnryan and Troon, Scotland and Fleetwood, England...
.
Belfast to Dublin / Dublin to Belfast
- Stations served - Belfast Central, LisburnLisburnDemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
, PortadownPortadownPortadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...
, NewryNewryNewry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
, DundalkDundalkDundalk 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...
, DroghedaDroghedaDrogheda 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....
, Dublin Connolly
This service, named Enterprise, is jointly owned and run by Northern Ireland Railways and IÉ. Despite having some of the most modern intercity rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
on the island, it has been dogged by numerous problems. An historical problem on this route has been disruption to services caused by security alerts (devices on the line, hoax devices, threats and warnings). These continue to the present day.
The punctuality on this service remains poor for other reasons also. The intercity route, despite being mostly high quality continuous welded rail
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
, is shared with suburban services outside both Belfast and Dublin. Unfortunately these are the busiest suburban routes on the island while only double-track is provided; hence very little mishap is required to disrupt the Enterprise service. In theory the trip should take 2 hours and 10 minutes – there have been occasions where this has become almost 5 hours. To drive between the cities (which is nearly all motorway/dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
) can take under 2 hours, although congestion can be expected, especially at peak times.
A further problem is due to the locomotive and rolling stock arrangements. Unlike most other locomotive-hauled rolling stock in Ireland, generator vans are not part of the train – even the DVTs do not supply power. Thus the General Motors-built locomotives must supply head-end power for lighting and heating throughout the train. Although many types of locomotive are well designed for this purpose, these particular locomotives have struggled under the extra strain. The wear on the locos and time out of service are unusually high. On at least two occasions locomotives have burst into flames while shuttling along the route.
A more recent problem has been the collapse of the Malahide viaduct
Broadmeadow viaduct
The Broadmeadow viaduct, in Ireland, carries the main Dublin to Belfast railway across the Broadmeadow Estuary, about 13 kilometres north of Dublin, just north of Malahide. It is approximately 180 metres long and it is a section of a longer crossing constructed as an embankment...
, which temporarily stopped all Enterprise services from Dublin to Belfast for 3 months in 2009, The viaduct has since been repaired and the line re-opened.
Following the extension of platform 2 to accommodate the longer Enterprise, Lisburn
Lisburn
DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
has recently been added as an additional stop on some services.
Freight
The following Freight services operate in Ireland :- DFDSDFDSDFDS is a Danish shipping company. It is one of the world's largest ferry operators. The companies name is an acronym of Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab DFDS is a Danish shipping company. It is one of the world's largest ferry operators. The companies name is an acronym of Det Forenede...
chartered Container Liners from BallinaBallina railway stationBallina railway station serves the town of Ballina in County Mayo, Ireland. It is a single platform station with runround loop. There is also a freight yard there.The station opened on 19 May 1873....
- Waterford Port (Belview)Port of WaterfordThe Port of Waterford is situated several kilometres downstream of Waterford City on the northern side of the Suir river in South County Kilkenny, and is called Belview... - Timber Trains from Ballina to Waterford Port (Belview)
- Zinc ore from Tara MinesTara MineTara Mines is a zinc and lead mine near Navan, County Meath, Ireland. In the Navan ore body Tara is an underground mine where the orebody lies between 50 and 900 metres below surface....
, Navan - Dublin PortDublin PortDublin Port is Ireland's biggest sea port. It has both historical and contemporary economic importance. Approximatively two-thirds of the Republic of Ireland's port traffic goes via Dublin Port...
(North Wall) - International Warehousing and Transport chartered Liner from Ballina - Dublin Port (North Wall) (Started September 2009)
Rail freight has been in a major decline in Ireland for the past 10 years.
- IÉ closed its containerIntermodal containerAn intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
rail freight business on 29 July 2005, saying that the sector had accounted for 10% of its freight business, but 70% of its losses. - Container freight levels had dropped to c.35 containers on three trains per day. Yet Iarnród Éireann estimated that a minimum of 18 40-foot containers was needed for a commercially viable trainload. The impact of this will be about 40 more lorriesSemi-trailerA semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported by a road tractor, a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly, or the tail of another trailer...
a day, described by Iarnród Éireann as a 'drop in the ocean' when compared to the 10,000 lorries entering Dublin Port every day. Nevertheless, the annual impact of this will shift about 70 million tonne-kilometres to the road network. - In July 2006, the Container Gantries at Mallow and Sligo were removed, Limerick’s Gantry yard is now a car park and the bulk of Cork’s freight yard is primed for development.
Major Freight services lost includes
- Ammonia Trains from Shelton Abbey, Wicklow - Cork (due to closure of fertilizer plant)
- Bagged Cement Nationwide
- Beer Kegs Nationwide
- Bell Liner from Mayo - Waterford
- Gypsum from KingscourtKingscourtKingscourt, historically known as Dunaree , is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. It is located near the Cavan-Meath border and has a population of over 3,000 making it the fourth largest town in Cavan. The town was founded near the site of the old village of Cabra, by Mervyn Pratt, towards the end...
- Dublin - Bulk Cement from Platin (near Drogheda) and Castlemungret (near Limerick) cement factories to cement silos at Sligo QuaySligoSligo 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...
, AthenryAthenry railway stationAthenry railway station, on the Dublin-Galway line, serves the town of Athenry in County Galway. It also serves trains passing to Limerick in the south. It once served Tuam & Claremorris in the north, this service may be resumed, see Western Rail Corridor....
, CabraCabraCabra is the Spanish word for goat. It may also refer to:*Cabra, Dublin, a district in north Dublin, Ireland*Cabra, County Down, a townland in County Down, Northern Ireland*Cabra, Spain, a municipality in the province of Córdoba, Andalucía, Spain...
(Dublin), Cork, Waterford, TullamoreTullamore railway stationTullamore railway station serves the town of Tullamore in County Offaly, Ireland.The station first opened in Tullamore on 2 October 1854.- Awards :*2004 - 2nd Prize - Intercity Stations Category*2003 - 2nd Prize - Intercity Stations Category...
and Belfast
Other losses included: Liners, Fertilisers, Grain, Tar, Scrap Metal, Molasses and Coal. The last bulk cement flow to operate in Ireland (Castlemungret - Waterford) ended in December 2009 along with the Kilmastulla Quarry - Castlemungret Shale traffic, despite making profits in the region of €1.3 million in 2006.
Recent development show a continuing interest in at least limited freight traffic, with an agreement being struck with Coillte to increase timber trains from Ballina to Belview from three to four weekly. This may reflect the failure of the railway to dispose of its surplus Class 201 locomotives made surplus by the retirement of the Mark 3 coach fleet
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...
.
Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna , abbreviated BNM, is a semi-state company in Ireland, created in 1946 by the Turf Development Act 1946. The company is responsible for the mechanised harvesting of peat, primarily in the Midlands of Ireland...
operates an extensive 1930 km (1,199 mi) narrow gauge railway. This is one of the largest industrial rail networks in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and is completely separate from Ireland's passenger rail system operated 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...
. It is used to transport Peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
from harvesting plots to processing plants and power stations
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
of the Electricity Supply Board
Electricity Supply Board
The Electricity Supply Board , is a semi-state electricity company in Ireland. While historically a monopoly, the ESB now operates as a commercial semi-state concern in a liberalised and competitive market...
.
Heritage Railways
The Railway Preservation Society of IrelandRailway 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, County Antrim runs preserved steam trains on its own private line and occasionally operates on the main lines all over Ireland. The Irish Traction Group runs preserved diesel locomotives but does not have a private line of its own. It operates on the main line when required. 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
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
in Ireland, though several short narrow gauge lines also exist. Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna , abbreviated BNM, is a semi-state company in Ireland, created in 1946 by the Turf Development Act 1946. The company is responsible for the mechanised harvesting of peat, primarily in the Midlands of Ireland...
(the Irish Peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
Board) operates over 1600 km (994.2 mi) of lines at locations where peat is commercially cut and processed.
See also
- Heritage railways in Northern Ireland
- Heritage railways in the Republic of Ireland
- Irish Sea TunnelIrish Sea TunnelAn Irish Sea Tunnel is a proposed tunnel that would link the island of Ireland to Great Britain beneath the Irish Sea. It has been suggested in the past largely for political reasons. It would be a railway tunnel, similar to the Channel Tunnel beneath the English Channel...
- Platform 11Platform 11Rail Users Ireland is a rail transport pressure group in Ireland whose agenda is centred on the idea that there is an economic case for expanding rail transport in Ireland through better utilization of existing infrastructure with only justified expansion of existing routes...
- Rail gauge in IrelandRail gauge in IrelandThe track gauge adopted by the mainline railways in Ireland is . This unusual gauge is currently otherwise found only in the Australian states of Victoria, southern New South Wales and South Australia , and in Brazil...
- Transport 21Transport 21Transport 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....
External links
- Ireland - Rail Freight expands despite recession (Railway People 11 February 2011), retrieved 13 March 2011
- Railway Procurement Agency
- Clonsilla-M3 Feasibility Report (Irish Rail)
- Platform For Change (Dublin Transportation Office)
- Strategic Rail Review 2003 (Department of Transport)
- Rail Users Ireland - Ireland's National Rail User organisation(previously Platform11 - Ireland's National Rail Users Lobby)
- Irish Railway News -reporting on all aspects of irish railways
- Ireland's railway built heritage
- Eiretrains - Irish Railways Past & Present
- Western Rail Corridor - Pictures