Irish weekend tour begins

It's an area worth looking at. It's noticeable that spectators are thicker on the ground closer to Belfast. Perhaps just the effect of 'the local grapevine', given so many of Whitehead's volunteers come from the area.

I've not managed to find anywhere intermediate timings for mainline steam workings appear over here either. Previous run times published a month of two after may give some idea, but it's comparatively rarely workings are 'set' enough to guess accurately. Bob only knows how many of 35028's appearances I've missed at Hove over the past few years!

I s'pose there might be crowd safety concerns if the local news mentioned when a big shiny steam loco comes to 'a station near you' (crowds of pedestrians across roads at many urban level crossings are often already bad enough), although you can't help but feel some effort to raise the wider profile of steam charter workings wouldn't go amiss. One for website designers to consider when the page for a charter is laid out, perhaps?

 

Banteer this morning

 

and finally, leaving Mallow for Dublin

Not a success , this location (Mallow Hospital) will not be going here next time.

 

Dare I suggest no occasion in Ireland on which it isn't absolutely pi**ing down can't be considered too unsuccessful?

Does the Roscrea line feature on the itenerary? AIUI, the station, along with it's entire route, is for the chop this year (if it hasn't closed already).

Really looking forward to photos (and any general impressions) of No.131, come it's turn.

 

no Roscrea. No decision made (publically ) about the future of thi line and others. Looks black though

 

That figures .... unfortunately. Can I take it one of those 'other' lines mentioned is the cross-country route to Rosslare? The absence of any significant rail freight in today's Ireland doesn't bode well for the mothballed route from Waterford. After all, why tranship containers from 'Europort' by rail, only to have to do the same again for the last few kloms of their journey by road? ..... damn 'logic'!

I'm guessing Tuam isn't likely to feature in railtour (or any other rail-related) plans for the foreseeable future either.

More lovely photos will be required to lift the mood ....

 

the cross country route to Rosslare is already gone. The others are Limerick to Ballybrophy, Limerick to Waterford, Ennis to Athenry and Gorey to Rosslare.

 

If only that guy leaning out of the window realised that he doesn't need to wear hi-viz unless he is trackside.

 

I had thought the cross-country route was still supposedly being 'maintained' in situ.

Ennis to Athenry? Great gallopin' hornytoads .... they only recently spent multi-millions rehabilitating the damned thing! I take it we can safely kiss goodbye to any remote chance of seeing the route north of Athenry back in action then?

Remember ..... received Irish wisdom was that a line's imminent demise was often indicated by stations getting a fresh coat of paint!

What's really needed on the Irish network is viable freight traffic. Unfortunately only aggregates, peat and beet really have ever reached trainload tonnages in recent decades and the demographics of Ireland, whether for 26 or 32 counties, would seem to make any return to railfreight unlikely. Rail closures from the 20's on, mean that large swathes (geographically, if not population-wise) are remote from remaining lines, most of which never head in the direction required of principal modern freight flows in any case and which, coupled with comparatively short distances from the main ports, is always going to make road freight a more attractive option in Ireland (dammit!). The sort of money to change that just isn't available and wouldn't be even if the political will to expand the railways existed. Sometimes, I hate being so bl--dy objective!

 

Ennis to Athenry cost €103 million to rebuild and is losing several million per annum despite the passenger figures being rigged by halving the fares. It's still not achieved the predicted passenger total for it's first year yet as I understand. I suspect it is on the hit list as a tactical move and will get a reprieve to make us all feel grateful.
What purpose would the line north of Athenry serve? nothing there but sheep. It's not included in the Ten-T statement and the Government have ruled it out.
Freight is pretty much carrying everything that is likely to be available. Talk of reopening to Foynes for freight crops up now and again, I doubt it will happen.
What is needed is investment in principal Inter City and commuter routes

 

Boy, do I wish I could argue with any of that!

 

a special treat, especially for me (see if you can tell why)

 

Nice clip. I notice the traditional set has been strengthened by one carriage. Is the drone yours?

 

not mine no, although the Cortina is.

 

Not disputing much of what you say, but when I was in Ireland last year, I saw a full trainload of timber being loaded at Westport, and when driving from Galway to Roscommon was stopped at a level crossing (on the Claremorris/Athlone line) and a quite lengthy container train passed at speed. Are both of these unviable?

 

I didn't say they are unviable, just that the two flows you saw are all there is, other than the Navan to Dublin Port ore traffic. The problem is pretty much everywhere of size has it's own port and no need for rail haulage. The Ballina and Westport areas are the exception and thus a niche for rail haulage has been found.