Waterford-Rosslare reopening?

[doherty jack]

Rosslare strand - waterford railway line to reopen under community rail partnership? ,supported by Iarnrod Eirrean... look at "save the rosslare - waterford rail line@ on Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/groups/367387502018/

[Mark Gleeson]

Don't get too excited

Until Irish Rail put something in writing it doesn't exist

[comcor]

Any organisation that uses Facebook as it's public face and then makes it private is dumb. I can't read that link.

[Traincustomer]

Not a Facebooker myself so availed of the opportunity to look when someone else had Facebook open - appreciate this may not always be possible - but it's one way around it.

[dowlingm]

"right lads, all ye have to do is raise the money for mini CTC, total LC automation and railcar heavy overhauls and ye can have as many 2700s as ye want. Oh and ye'll need a gang to paint the Barrow bridge yellow, for safety and all that. Oh and BE will be staying on the route."

[Destructix]

Maybe Iarnród Éireann could con them into purchasing a few MK3's and a number of old 071 class locos.

All joking aside I admire the work of Tanya Fenelon to get this line reopened. Unlike the NRP/WOT she has no support from any TD/minister. Plus she does look a lot more attractive than the people who head other groups trying to save rail lines.

[Mark Gleeson]

I'm knee deep in legalistic questions that IE will have to answer.

Under no circumstances is a Mk3 on the table, IE didn't offer it and we didn't ask. The offer is a railcar

[Jamie2k9]

A railcar is much better, otherwise engine changes would be required in Waterford and Rosslare and in Waterford it takes time to change an engine.

[sublimity]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

A railcar is much better, otherwise engine changes would be required in Waterford and Rosslare and in Waterford it takes time to change an engine.

No need for mini CTC though - mechanical signaling should be sufficient for a not so busy line.

[doherty jack]

Originally Posted by sublimity

No need for mini CTC though - mechanical signaling should be sufficient for a not so busy line.

there is only 8 level crossings aswell and only one staffed station !it could happen!

[James Howard]

This is brilliant news and a credit to all involved. In the present climate this makes sense as a model to apply on the more lightly used lines. It is certainly preferable to just shutting up shop and leaving the line to rot away until it is useless for all practical purposes without investing millions of euro per kilometre.

I feel that Irish Rail are leaving a lot of money in people's pockets in the way that they simply don't encourage rail travel where one of the source/destinations is not Dublin and this is something that can be addressed if the lines are being run locally.

[Destructix]

If any railcars are going to be leased shouldn't they be either 2600's and 2800's because as someone pointed out in another thread it is very hard for Iarnród Éireann to get parts for the 2700's or something and that's why they are been withdrawn. Unless some of the sets will be stripped for parts.

[Mark Gleeson]

The whole its hard to get parts is more a case of parts are available easily but not at a price Irish Rail wants

The engine and gearbox is more or less the same as that under the 26/2800.

It is a 2700 or more precisely two 2750's which look like the best option

[Ronald Binge]

Originally Posted by Destructix

Maybe Iarnród Éireann could con them into purchasing a few MK3's and a number of old 071 class locos.

All joking aside I admire the work of Tanya Fenelon to get this line reopened. Unlike the NRP/WOT she has no support from any TD/minister. Plus she does look a lot more attractive than the people who head other groups trying to save rail lines.

More to the point she did it in the face of the usual cyncism that is one of this country's least attractive qualities. Keyboard warriors take note.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by Ronald Binge

Keyboard warriors take note.

where would the irish railway scene be without the keyboard warriors, eh?

we just get on with things.

[dowlingm]

Originally Posted by Ronald Binge

More to the point she did it in the face of the usual cyncism that is one of this country's least attractive qualities. Keyboard warriors take note.

I hope that others take note that this line has had track movements in the last 12 months, never mind this century, and thus that unrealistic expectations are not raised.

[Mark Gleeson]

Its a game of chess and since the NTA put a condition to maintain the line, its pretty easy to start services again. That was move one in the lines favour. Secondly it is one of the few routes in the country that completely destroys all alternatives in journey time offered

The problem becomes one of money, certification and training

[Traincustomer]

As an example of the highly competitive rail journey time...

One Monday evening earlier this month I travelled from Wexford to Waterford by bus. At the Waterford side of the bridge in New Ross the bus I was on passed the route 370 (Waterford-Wellingtonbridge-Bridgetown-Rosslare Strand & Europort) rail replacement bus. The time was 18.04 and the South Wexford-bound bus was stationary in the heavy eastbound traffic...

Given the way the traffic was moving (or not moving!) it would be reasonable to assume the bus would be lucky to reach the stop in New Ross by 18.10. And the bus had a further half an hour before it would reach Wellingtonbridge. Another 20 minutes from Wellingtonbridge to Bridgetown. And yet another 20 minutes to get to Rosslare Strand. Throw in a final ten minutes from there to its terminus at the ferry terminal.

In comparison 40 minutes out from Waterford the train had already ticked off Campile, Ballycullane and Wellingtonbridge and would be on its way towards Bridgetown.

Whilst acknowledging that the lengthy bus journey times to South Wexford are not the fault of Bus Éireann personnel in any way, the rail versus bus comparison speaks for itself.

[comcor]

One thing I discovered from a relative in the area was that there was originally a direct line from Bridgetown to Wexford via a place called Felthouse Junction.

Does anyone know when that closed?

I always felt that if Wexford had been the eastern terminus that there would have been more demand for the line.

Now, before we have a repeat of the insanity that went on in the Clonmel-Thurles thread, I have no belief that this should be reopened. It is more a question of interest.

If Wexford was to be the eastern terminus, it should be achieved by service Rosslare Village, and the driver walking down the train to set off towards Wexford from there.

[Mark Gleeson]

There was a junction alright which allowed a direct Waterford Wexford via Wellington Bridge, was removed back early 1900's

Bear in mind at the time the Waterford Dublin routing was mind boggling.

Waterford - Killkenny - Dublin
Waterford - Killkenny - Portlaoise (surprisingly a direct route!)
Waterford - New Ross - Macmine Jct - Dublin
Waterford - Wellington Bridge - Felthouse Junc - Dublin
Waterford - Wellington Bridge - Rosslare Strand - Dublin

Best routing is probably Waterford - Rosslare Strand - Rosslare Europort - Wexford for a local service but if you serve Rosslare Europort you lose time advantage to Wexford