West Clare memory from 2015

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=463818127129406

Just came across this, thought I'd share

 

Are there any West Clare members on NP? The website is mostly woefully out-of-date....
As a future Cork resident, I was wondering whether the 2 hour+ trek to West Clare to help out is going to be welcomed?

 

I decided not to and I'm in North Cork, closer than you....Stradbally would be my advice for you

 

reviving an old thread rather than taking the L&B one off topic further. I came across these plans.

 

This line is well worth a visit, but... best advice to avoid disappointment is always for anyone wishing to see the Moyasta operation in action is to ring ahead of time..... and probably again, before setting out on the day.

Restored West Clare No.5 'Slieve Callan' is reserved for high days and holidays, with National Holidays in the Republic not necessarily coinciding with UK dates.

If you're driving, might I recommend you also treat yourself to a crossing on the Shannon Ferry ( http://www.shannonferries.com/ ) between Killimer (Co Clare) and Tarbet (Co Kerry). The scenery is stunning and the Shannon Estuary reminds you what a virtually pollutuon free river looks like. You get to avoid the traffic in Limerick into the bargain! Oh... and.... for pete's sake don't look at your road atlas and go by English times. The journey will take you longer than you think. Rural Ireland runs very much at it's own pace!

 

Limerick has a motorway tunnel nowadays,otherwise I'm in agreement with you (although I never use the ferry).

As i said before if you pay for the coal he'll steam her especially for you. About €70 we paid which wasn't any more than the fares would have been seeing as there were 7 of us. Got cab rides thrown in to

 

Pretty good value for a VIP package. There wan't a motorway, let alone a tunnel (nearest ended in Co Laois back then!) when I was last over that way! Good to know that infrastructure spend hasn't ground to a halt. I'll still "big up" the ferry as a trip worth taking. If you're in a van (and dress down!) chances are you'd get the "Agricultural" fare..... unless that's changed too!

 

ah well in that case I can amend more of your post. The road to Moyasta from Ennis has been improved enormously, it's a very pleasant drive now and quicker and cheaper for me from Cork than using the ferry. Part of the Wild Atlantic Way.. http://www.wildatlanticway.com/home

 

The West Clare is well worth the visit. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed on a steaming day. We've been twice - the first (years ago) we were entertained to a version of "Are we there" by the one and only Joe Taylor and the second time (last year) we enjoyed a four piece traditional band playing on the platform, and on the train itself. The attention and chatter (notably from the other one and only Jackie Whelan) was most enjoyable. I'd post some pics but the best way to make the most of the West Clare is to go there - and do it soon as you never know if the current "service" will continue. (I agree with the idea of using the Killimer ferry if you are in Kerry or the west side of Cork, else the Ennis road is indeed very good nowadays. But don't go waiting on Ennis Station for the Kilrush train )

Steve

 

yes, Jackie is one of a kind. What happens when Old Father Time catches up with him, I don't know. I think the loco is leased from CIE and everything else they ever had ,steam wise,that survives is north of the border (except 5T which they haven't owned for decades)

 

I don't actually konw if there are any members, I don't think there's a formal Society, it's just really JW and a couple of lads. There used to be a Society but JW bought them out (his words)

 

I remember those successive sets of traffic lights on the main drag through Ennis well enough..... did nobody ever think of phasing the wretched things?

Appreciate the update. The way things are going, it's likely my next visit to Munster will be to show off a new Irish passport to the family.... before taking up permanent residence at Gleann na nGaelt (being the most suitable place for me anywhere in Ireland)... I could sit on a rock to await the next T&D train, which would keep me uselessly occupied pending the end of the universe!

 

the valley of the mad!

I do think something could be acheived with the T&D but it needs to come from the grass roots. It needs a proper Society formed and promoted with the object of gaining several hundred bona fide members. The Railway has worldwide fame and I'm sure if this was done properly the Owners of the line would have to sit up and take notice.

I don't think the recent attempt had sufficient credibility, it was essentially half a dozen committee members and a facebook page. I always maintained we should have applied for access to the Railway on a care and maintenance basis and demonstrated what we could acheive by tidying up and caring for the line.

Too late for me now, we need a Tom O'Rolt

 

I chewed the fat, a couple of years back, with a few folk who know the Dingle Peninsula well. The conclusion reached was that, failing some tourist magnet, Tralee to Blennerville is probably as far as could realistically be hoped for. Whatever attracted crowds to Castlegregory pre-WWII seems to be a thing of the past. Consensus was that a connection with the IÉ station (Tralee Casement) would be desireable, but that such a route would be (a) tricky to find and (b) extremely expensive to construct. The original passenger route, which I'm sure you know stopped short of the mainline station, isn't an option due to redevelopment over the last six decades.

Other issues were assocociated with No.5 being pretty damned large, hence not exactly the most economic machine for a line just a couple of miles long. The two ex-metre gauge (Spanish) carriages on site are very heavy and, in any event, reportedly in a poor state of repair.

There's also a lot of local 'politicking' involved. The group who have successfully failed to operate the T&B for years are still those with the ear of the Local Authorities. An attempt was made to garner support to restore services by a new body a couple of years ago, but came to nothing. A shame, as a very practical analysis of the line and it's potential was presented.... and ignored. The most recent update I can find concerning reviving the T&B dates from 2015. Quite what it's date of posting (April 1st) tells us isn't quite clear.

 

this is the fb page which won't advance your knowledge much but is still live

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=tralee & dingle railway preservation society

You're spot on about the coaches, they are monstrously over scale for the T&D as are the platforms which are essentially of mainline proportions. It desperately needs Enthusiast input.

 

We are a tad off topic but there is also a website http://www.traleeanddinglerailway.com (which I put together) but this is quite naturally not been updated (nothing to say!) but it does at least give a idea of the prospects. As for the railway , nothing can happen until the owners of the current railway (KCC) make a decision. On any proposal. They seem unwilling to consider any discussion.The impasse continues...

The current group (not yet a society I understand) needs to hang on in there, gain more support from like-minded people, and perhaps wait for the political landscape to change again (or wait for KCC to become more proactive).

I am aware @Reading General put in a lot of work a year or two back as did other notable enthusiasts and local folk keen to get things rolling, and some have been disheartened and have stood down. The core group has not gone away. Perhaps if/when some positives appear, they and other folks will stand together once again to make it happen.

Steve

 

i think we rather put the cart before the horse and should have concentrated on getting a Society going first. We were looking for funding and materials and making plans without any credibility at all and it's hardly surprising KCC didn't take us seriously (with hindsight). The core group is all there is, had we (in retrospect) approached things differently we might have made more progress. In short, follow the UK model of how to go about it . Expecting the railway to be handed over lock stock and barrel and expecting large amounts of funding was a little over optimistic, given we had nothing to show KCC other than our keenness for the project.

 

Well, as I am now in Cork, I'd be happy to try and help re-start something. Reading General has (I think) my private contact details and apart from a trip away a couple of times in September/October (once to the L&B Gala!), I am around most of the next few months and happy to attend any meetings if such come about.

 

i'm trying to fix things to get to that gala too, if not later in the month, so as to see the new loco.

 

Wish to hell I could! Sure, I can see and hear clips, but t'aint no substitute for feeling the heat from the loco and getting the scent of the living beastie standing right next to you. You know, that smell that lingers in your nostrils as you 'down' that first pint just after the loco has been put to bed for the night. Ho-hum!