Scenic Train Trips

steamengine

Harmonstown to Bray

As well as being a busy commuter route, the coastal line to Bray offers passengers some stunning scenery. Today there was the added bonus of a '071' on a ballast train passing through Harmonstown just as I arrived on the platform.



The DART arrived and we were off, heading towards Connolly.



Passing the Custom House and over Butt Bridge !





Reaching Dun Laoire - view of the harbour and the Irish Lights building !





Next up Killiney Bay ! At this point my thoughts turned to William Dargan the engineer who built this line to Bray !



Next into Bray, departing the Dart and stopping to have a look at the murals on the wall at the station.





The DART and some more of the station !







And to round this post off, Bray Head and Esplanade Hotel !!!

Losty Dublin

Some great shots there of a wonderful line, good man.

Some years ago my aunt and I got a cab ride from Howth to Raheny on the DART after name dropping my Dad to the driver and felt happy with our lot for the day. We continued onto Bray for the spin and as the DART pulled into Lansdowne Road, the cab door opened and the new driver ordered us in to grab the run from there to Bray!!! It was some treat at the best of times but to see Killiney Bay from a cab on a sunny afternoon, it's one of the best scenes in Ireland, never mind Dublin.

Judgement Day

It's a great run out from Connolly to Greystones alright if you ignore the defacement by graffiti of every lineside feature, public park, martello tower, school etc. The approach into Dun Laoghaire station is particular bad and apart from graffiti, IE seem to regard the area as a dumping ground for spoil, old signalling equipment etc. I find the journey north of Greystones singularly depressing and try to bury my head in a book - it was not always thus.

Niles

I like the section north of Greystones, though as JudgementDay points out a clean-up in places wouldn't go amiss. However, I have to say my favourite section of all is Greystones-Wicklow, something nice about looking out at the sea as the train races along the beach. The scenery is probably one of the few things that can lure me away from the bus when travelling to Dublin these days.

Nice photos there!

While I have been on Rosslare trains I've never been on a DART south of Bray. *makes mental note*

steamengine

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Some great shots there of a wonderful line, good man.

Some years ago my aunt and I got a cab ride from Howth to Raheny on the DART after name dropping my Dad to the driver and felt happy with our lot for the day. We continued onto Bray for the spin and as the DART pulled into Lansdowne Road, the cab door opened and the new driver ordered us in to grab the run from there to Bray!!! It was some treat at the best of times but to see Killiney Bay from a cab on a sunny afternoon, it's one of the best scenes in Ireland, never mind Dublin.

That section of the line by Killiney Bay where the track runs at the cliff edge really has got the Wow factor. The second last time I travelled it, some weeks back, the sun was splitting the skies, there were quite a few tourists on the DART and you could see their reaction as train passed that point. I think that section of line, and on down to Greystones is acknowledged as being amongst the most scenic of all the coastal rail routes on these islands. And lucky you getting in the cab.

airsofter.adam

it really is a route that you'd want your camera!

steamengine

Judgement Day wrote: »

It's a great run out from Connolly to Greystones alright if you ignore the defacement by graffiti of every lineside feature, public park, martello tower, school etc. The approach into Dun Laoghaire station is particular bad and apart from graffiti, IE seem to regard the area as a dumping ground for spoil, old signalling equipment etc. I find the journey north of Greystones singularly depressing and try to bury my head in a book - it was not always thus.

Some poor sod has had the side wall of his brick built house graffitied just past Sandymount Station in the city direction. But it seems a world wide problem - art my ar$e !!!:(

Losty Dublin

steamengine wrote: »

That section of the line by Killiney Bay where the track runs at the cliff edge really has got the Wow factor. The second last time I travelled it, some weeks back, the sun was splitting the skies, there were quite a few tourists on the DART and you could see their reaction as train passed that point. I think that section of line, and on down to Greystones is acknowledged as being amongst the most scenic of all the coastal rail routes on these islands. And lucky you getting in the cab.

Lucky ain't the word, man!

Judgement Day

The famous GSR poster of Killiney Bay from yet another of my partially completed blogs: http://sunnysoutheast.wordpress.com/



GSR poster of Killiney Bay in the 1930's - often compared with the Bay of Naples - even the graffiti artists can't wreck this view.

steamengine

Karsini wrote: »

Nice photos there!

While I have been on Rosslare trains I've never been on a DART south of Bray. *makes mental note*

I have the same confession to make, but I have been South of Bray many times on other trains, last time with the RPSI. Now that's an experience! Each time we passed through the tunnels the smoke and smuts flushed through the carriages. I was breathing it in - marvellous aroma - couldn't get enough of it - Good old No 4.

Niles

Karsini wrote: »

Nice photos there!

While I have been on Rosslare trains I've never been on a DART south of Bray. *makes mental note*

Neither have I strangely. Done plenty of times by diesel, steam too, but never by DART.

Cookie_Monster

Judgement Day wrote: »

even the graffiti artists can't wreck this view.

:D:D

Tabnabs

Speaking of scenic train trips

Enjoy the hour long trip down on the Flåm Railway Line

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFqYZJWVTto

steamengine

A micro scenic trip - well at the end anyway !!! Howth Junction to Howth.

Just before arrival at Howth Station (also along the way) there is a lot of 'art work' to be viewed - I've selected 3 pieces:rolleyes:


exhibit 1

exhibit 2

exhibit 3

Anyway no more of that - here's a pic of the trusty DART that brought me there and a few shots of the Victorian canopy over the platform - note the brickwork of the station wall - something useful and a true work of art!





Howth station building exterior - the pictures are taken from the old Hill of Howth tram alignment across the road. The station also houses a restaurant btw.




And finally some well known views around Howth


The promenade viewed from the East Pier


Lighthouse at the end of the East Pier


Part view of Ireland's Eye

steamengine

A short scenic train / walking trip !

The Bray / Greystones railway line is considered to be one of the most spectacularly located in Europe. Designed by I K Brunel and built by William Dargan, it runs through a series of tunnels hewn out of largely granite rock.

There are four main tunnels, No 1 / Brabazon, No 2 / Brandy Hole, No 3 / Cable Rock and No 4 / Long Tunnel.

The Cliff Walk from Bray to Greystones or vica-versa, provides a panoramic view of large portions of the line and tunnels and takes about two hours to complete.


The Northern portal of No 1 Tunnel / Brabazon, part of the old alignment to the now defunct portal can be seen to the left.


Short tunnel to the left of No1 Tunnel portal !


The Southern portal of No1 tunnel showing the old Brabazon Tunnel to the right.




No 1 Tunnel fading into the distance - one of the stone beaches at the Brandy Hole in the foreground !


Southbound DART just approaching the No 2 / Brandy Hole Tunnel.




No 2 Tunnel / Brandy Hole - North portal


Short man made tunnel just south of the No 2 Tunnel portal.


DART exiting No 3 Tunnel / Cable Rock


Northern portal No 3 / Cable Rock Tunnel


Tunnel No 4 / Long tunnel ventilation shaft ???????? not 100 % sure though !!!

View of Bray Head from the footpath and adjacent to No 4 tunnel !!!

Victor

There are actually 7 tunnels, although only 4 of them are numbered.

Short tunnel
No. 1 Brabazon
No. 2 Brandy Hole
Cut and cover tunnel
Cut and cover tunnel
No. 3 Cable Rock
No. 4 Long Tunnel

Numbers 1, 2 and 4 are replacements on new alignments due to erosion of the coast in the originals and poor construction.

Short man made tunnel just south of the No 2 Tunnel portal.

There are actually two of these 'cut and cover' tunnels. http://binged.it/wwyU49 They were built to prevent falling rocks ending up on the train / tracks and to support the cliff face above.

Tunnel No 4 / Long tunnel ventilation shaft ???????? not 100 % sure though !!!

There appears to be something marked here: http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,728418,714858,7,3 but it isn't named. It is almost exactly halfway along the tunnel.

Jehuty42

How economical is it to keep the Bray-Greystones open and to DART standard? It looks very expensive to maintain such an exposed and difficult to access railway. Does the passenger demand really justify it?

Judgement Day

You mean a bit like that stretch between Killiney and Dalkey.

Victor

Judgement Day wrote: »

You mean a bit like that stretch between Killiney and Dalkey.

Two much shorter tunnels in a much less exposed position, on a much busier railway?

http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=115&n=126

Infrastructure

The maintenance and renewal of the track, structures and buildings of Iarnród Éireann is the responsibility of the Chief Civil Engineer. It is their job to maintain the following;

2400 km of Track
5100+ Bridges
1240 Level crossings
147 Open Stations
4900+ Cutting and Embankments
372 Platforms
14 Tunnels

Cork 1
Heuston-Cabra (Dublin) 3
Glasnevin (1 triple, Dublin) 1
Blackrock (Dublin) 1
Dalkey (Dublin) 2
Enniscorthy (Wexford) 1
Ferrycarrig (Wexford) 1
Bray (Wicklow) 7
Rathdrum (Wicklow) 1
Total 18

I hope I'm not missing any, but which ones aren't being maintained?

Note some tunnel-like structures, e.g. under the N25 at Dunkettle will be maintained by others. http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,573023,572706,7,3

steamengine

Victor wrote: »

There are actually 7 tunnels, although only 4 of them are numbered.

Short tunnel
No. 1 Brabazon
No. 2 Brandy Hole
Cut and cover tunnel
Cut and cover tunnel
No. 3 Cable Rock
No. 4 Long Tunnel

Numbers 1, 2 and 4 are replacements on new alignments due to erosion of the coast in the originals and poor construction.


There are actually two of these 'cut and cover' tunnels. http://binged.it/wwyU49 They was built to prevent falling rocks ending up on the train / tracks and to support the cliff face above.



There appears to be something marked here: http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,728418,714858,7,3 but it isn't named. It is almost exactly halfway along hte tunnel.

Yep, that is it ok and again here: http://maps.google.ie/maps?q=53.168797,-6.079173&hl=en&ll=53.168701,-6.078604&spn=0.002553,0.004495&num=1&t=k&z=17

Re:- the cut and cover tunnels - from the photo it appears that a bridge carries the track to the tunnel portal. Must try to search out a pic from the sea side.

Thanks for that expanded tunnel info. The smaller tunnels tend to confuse the issue, especially as the first tunnel from the Bray direction is not the No1 tunnel. However, the main tunnels do have numbers on the portals.

Judgement Day

Victor - I was only pointing out that in terms of nightmare maintenance, Killiney/Dalkey has many of the same problems as Bray/Greystones. It doesn't matter how many people use either line - one major landslip could potentially close either of them permanently.