Random Questions

davidlacey

A few random questions from my travels to waterford today just really out of ccuriosity.
Is waterford station and yard still not under ctc control?
What was the purpose of the big office like building at waterford station?
I noticed what looked like trackbed in a few locations especially between cheryville junction and athy and then lavistown junction and kilkenny, were they ever serviced by two lines?
I also noticed an old spur which is covered by fencing now just outside kilkenny was this uaed previous to the lavistown loop?
Just something to note, that the old tegral stub upto the level crosssingin athy looks like it has recently seen the weedsprayer.
Thanks in advance...

The_Wanderer

davidlacey wrote: »

A few random questions from my travels to waterford today just really out of ccuriosity.
Is waterford station and yard still not under ctc control?
What was the purpose of the big office like building at waterford station?
I noticed what looked like trackbed in a few locations especially between cheryville junction and athy and then lavistown junction and kilkenny, were they ever serviced by two lines?
I also noticed an old spur which is covered by fencing now just outside kilkenny was this uaed previous to the lavistown loop?
Just something to note, that the old tegral stub upto the level crosssingin athy looks like it has recently seen the weedsprayer.
Thanks in advance...

Taking your questions one by one.

1: No. Waterford Line Mini-CTC fringes with Waterford West Cabin at Newrath. Waterford West - Waterford Central cabins are worked under the Absolute Block train regulations (last AB section in Ireland). Waterford Central Cabin to the Barrow Bridge is signalled under Track Circuit Block regulations (like CTC). This section is actually under "Waterford Station Limits" since Belview was built. The ETS Staffs to Wellington Bridge were endorsed Barrow Bridge - Wellington Bridge.

2: At the station? This houses the Waterford District (Regional) office. Bus Eireann also have office space in the building.

3: Yes the line south of Cherryville was built as double track. It was singled in the 1920's but some sections of track are still there! I haven't got the right book to hand to confirm this, but I think it was double track as far as Carlow?

4: This is the Leggetsrath deviation. It was built to allow the NRA to build the Kilkenny Ring Road. The railway had to be diverted as the road is dropping down to meet a roundabout and there wasn't enough room to keep the railway in the same location. See 6 pictures at http://smu.gs/12JuOm9

5: When the Weedspray went down to do the South Wexford line it had to stable on the Tergal Siding to allow two passenger trains to cross. Maybe they sprayed it as well??

The Wanderer.

davidlacey

Cheers wanderer, informative as always... sad to see the waterford yard and station so quiet these days. In the yard the only sight is of static mark3s and a huge irish cement silo, a sign of a bygone era and the only activity being the coilllte trains being unloaded,on a separate note do regional offices serve much purpose these days?

Losty Dublin

The_Wanderer wrote: »

Taking your questions one by one.

1: No. Waterford Line Mini-CTC fringes with Waterford West Cabin at Newrath. Waterford West - Waterford Central cabins are worked under the Absolute Block train regulations (last AB section in Ireland). Waterford Central Cabin to the Barrow Bridge is signalled under Track Circuit Block regulations (like CTC). This section is actually under "Waterford Station Limits" since Belview was built. The ETS Staffs to Wellington Bridge were endorsed Barrow Bridge - Wellington Bridge....

3: Yes the line south of Cherryville was built as double track. It was singled in the 1920's but some sections of track are still there! I haven't got the right book to hand to confirm this, but I think it was double track as far as Carlow?....
5: When the Weedspray went down to do the South Wexford line it had to stable on the Tergal Siding to allow two passenger trains to cross. Maybe they sprayed it as well??

The Wanderer.

1) I was told that Ab Block may cease soon by a man who knows these things; names on request

3) Yes, Carlow was the double track's end.

5) Was this the first working down the branch in recent memory?

Jamie2k9

Losty Dublin wrote: »

1) I was told that Ab Block may cease soon by a man who knows these things; names on request

3) Yes, Carlow was the double track's end.

5) Was this the first working down the branch in recent memory?

Ab Block was due to stop a while ago but money problems put a stop to that, their has being one or two near misses when it comes to signalling in that area over the last while.

Their is room for double track to Thomastown with a few problems between Thomastown and Waterford that could restrict double line.

Grandeeod

4: This is the Leggetsrath deviation. It was built to allow the NRA to build the Kilkenny Ring Road. The railway had to be diverted as the road is dropping down to meet a roundabout and there wasn't enough room to keep the railway in the same location.

Amazing coincidence. I was only looking at this deviation on my GPS this evening while grazing at Lavistown LC. Both lines show up. In all the times since the new N77 opened, I'd never noticed. Cheers Wanderer.

dowlingm

Isn't the M9-Waterford line bridge south of Cherryville single track width?

Ideally Waterford approach would be reorganised as a full double track line to the divergence towards Clonmel where the N25 passes overhead (what is that location called by the way?) Instead the talk has been of some sort of singling.

For me I'd be looking to add track to Cherryville-Kildare to reduce the need to have services hold at the junction. I doubt passengers mind holding at a platform quite as much as being stopped in the middle of nowt.

davidlacey

On the subject of random questions what would the approx time of freight workings on a weekday through kildare

Jamie2k9

davidlacey wrote: »

On the subject of random questions what would the approx time of freight workings on a weekday through kildare

They depart both Waterford and Ballina/Westport at 11.30 Monday-Saturday. Towards Waterford depart Kildare between 14.20-16.35 and towards the West depart Kildare around 14.00. Then there is whatever times Dublin-Ballina operate at.

Isn't the M9-Waterford line bridge south of Cherryville single track width?

Ideally Waterford approach would be reorganised as a full double track line to the divergence towards Clonmel where the N25 passes overhead (what is that location called by the way?) Instead the talk has been of some sort of singling.

For me I'd be looking to add track to Cherryville-Kildare to reduce the need to have services hold at the junction. I doubt passengers mind holding at a platform quite as much as being stopped in the middle of nowt.

The N25 area is called Granny or Newrath.

You measn the M7 just after the turn off?

Double track could fit thier, there is big gap at either side on the track and plenty of room. For whatever reason recently they removed the fencing from either side of the track through the bridge. Can't think why they have so it must of being a day when people had very little to be doing.

The 4 new M9 bridges were all build wide enough for two tracks, at least some forward planning if double tracking was ever needed unlike one of the bridges on the Galway line.

Jamie2k9

Losty Dublin wrote: »

1) I was told that Ab Block may cease soon by a man who knows these things; names on request

3) Yes, Carlow was the double track's end.

5) Was this the first working down the branch in recent memory?

Losty Dublin

Your source was correct works in Waterford taking place with points etc being replaced. Not sure if its going CTC, possibly could you check? and heard a conversation last week on the train that the Mark3's may find a new place to rest any day now.