How Did the Cobh Branch Manage to Survive?

ClovenHoof · 10-03-2014 10:00pm #1

When they closed so much? Was there a major industry on the line which kept the freight going post-1963?

The_Wanderer · 10-03-2014 11:08pm

The line always had a very good suburban traffic to/from Cork. Remember there was no, and still is, no bus service to Cobh.

The Ammonia & Fert traffic also no doubt helped the fortunes of the railway.

corktina · 11-03-2014 8:50am

The Cobh line isn't really a branch, it's an extension of the main line, with double track to boot. A rare instance of the train being more direct than the road.

roundymac · 11-03-2014 10:20am

Some heavy industry on the line as well mainly Verolme Cork Dockyard. Up to 2K people employed at it's peak, this was in the sixties when not everyone had cars. Also Irish Steel was another large employer, train to Cobh and the ferry across to Haulbowline, the ferry was paid for by the company.

whisky_galore · 11-03-2014 12:10pm

corktina wrote: »

The Cobh line isn't really a branch, it's an extension of the main line, with double track to boot. A rare instance of the train being more direct than the road.

When it was built by the C&YR it was the branch and the Youghal road was the main line!

Victor · 11-03-2014 12:22pm

There was also freight to Tivoli (fuels, magnesite, containers), Little Island (mostly containers) and Marino Point (ammonia / fertiliser).

ClovenHoof · 11-03-2014 12:27pm

So another example of freight saving rail lines...

Geog1234 · 11-03-2014 1:58pm

corktina wrote: »

The Cobh line isn't really a branch, it's an extension of the main line, with double track to boot. A rare instance of the train being more direct than the road.

Another example is the South Wexford line where the train was (and would still be if it was operating) faster than both the car and bus. Can't think of any other major example.

Cobh Cathedral features on the cover of a CIÉ provincial bus services timetable from the 1970s - I think for a time there was a scheduled bus on Sundays.

roundymac · 11-03-2014 9:18pm

Victor wrote: »

There was also freight to Tivoli (fuels, magnesite, containers), Little Island (mostly containers) and Marino Point (ammonia / fertiliser).

When Todd Andrews was closing down the rail lines Marino Point and Little Island (North Esk) did'nt exist, that is why I did'nt talk about them in my original post. Verolme (VCD) would have been passenger's only, no freight.

At one stage the VCD workers went on a protest about the quality of the rolling stock being used for them, they went on to the mainline in Kent and blocked the Dublin express from leaving. I think the protest was mainly about the lack of toilet facilities on the trains and the codition of the carraiges. Generally these would have been 4-5 carraiges and a guards/steam heating vans. Could these have been Park Royals?

end of the road · 11-03-2014 11:07pm

its surprising andrews didn't steal this line from the people of cork, thank jesus he didn't, wonder would their have been any part of the west cork network that could have been retained? ditto to the small branches

MGWR · 12-03-2014 3:08am

corktina wrote: »

The Cobh line isn't really a branch, it's an extension of the main line, with double track to boot. A rare instance of the train being more direct than the road.

Rarity in that instance is not very common, and there are always advantages to taking the low grade. Besides, what's indirect about the currently-OOS line from Midleton to Youghal versus the N25?

corktina · 12-03-2014 9:14am

god, your mind works in a funny way... I didn't say that all the other railway lines were less direct than the road! Usually the distances are roughly similar...except if you have to make a reversal part way that is. The Cobh line and indeed the South Wexford are significantly shorter than the road

Judgement Day · 14-03-2014 5:24pm

The blockade was back in January 1977 -see newscuttings. Sorry for poor quality but in the second one you can see the major compromise made by CIE - instead of providing an extra carriage they agreed to install straps for the commuters to hang from.

film+006.JPG

roundymac · 15-03-2014 10:52am

Yes, CIE really knew how to look after their regular customers, treat them like sh*** and they will come back for more, reason, no competition.:(

ClovenHoof · 15-03-2014 9:50pm

The culture is that company is incredible really. I only recently found out that the only reason they have railfreight is because Dublin Port lobbies for it, finds them customers and works with customers to get it while Irish Rail's railfreight division fobs off, won't answer phones or e-mails from enquiring potential customers.

If there is a more dysfunctional rail operating company in the Western World I would like to see it.

Copyerselveson · 15-03-2014 11:32pm

ClovenHoof wrote: »

The culture is that company is incredible really. I only recently found out that the only reason they have railfreight is because Dublin Port lobbies for it, finds them customers and works with customers to get it while Irish Rail's railfreight division fobs off, won't answer phones or e-mails from enquiring potential customers.

If there is a more dysfunctional rail operating company in the Western World I would like to see it.

I'd like to see some proof of that claim. Link?

Banjoxed · 16-03-2014 10:33am

Copyerselveson wrote: »

I'd like to see some proof of that claim. Link?

That dog has mysteriously lost its bark!

How Did the Cobh Branch Manage to Survive?

Comments