Foynes Line

ClovenHoof

Lenton Lane wrote: »

The cash is coming from Shannon Foynes Port. I don't want to wreck your buzz, but the facts on the ground aren't suiting your narrative.

Can you show me hard proof of this? Seriously. I would love to see it happen.

Midleton was very different. The money was there and signed off before the clearance work began.

flyingsnail

ClovenHoof wrote: »

Can you show me hard proof of this? Seriously. I would love to see it happen.

Midleton was very different. The money was there and signed off before the clearance work began.

http://www.limerickpost.ie/2015/02/27/call-to-reinstate-limerick-foynes-railway-line/

Irish Rail announced recently that they will be carrying out work on behalf of Shannon Foynes Port Company to investigate whether they can re-establish freight traffic on the Foynes Railway line. The works, over the next six weeks, include a number of service inspections along the line to inspect bridges and the condition of the railway track.

ClovenHoof

flyingsnail wrote: »

http://www.limerickpost.ie/2015/02/27/call-to-reinstate-limerick-foynes-railway-line/

and this is different than the West on Track survey from over a decade ago on the Burma Road how? It would seem to me if the traffic was there to justify it then the Port Company would just say 'reopen it'.

This could just as easily be a tactic by the port company to lobby for the road to be upgraded as they will have hard numbers on the railway being 'unviable'. The Government can shut up critics by saying. "We look at the railway option and opted for the cheaper road upgrade."

Seriously, we have to understand just how devious politicians are. They are addicted to tarmac like junkies and always will be in this country. Tarmac makes Irish politicians wealthy as it creates roads to their property developments.


Again, I am not trying to be a spoilsport, I am going by history and history says it probably won't happen.

end of the road

ClovenHoof wrote: »

It would seem to me if the traffic was there to justify it then the Port Company would just say 'reopen it'.

the port company could say reopen it away but the ball is in IE'S and the governments court as to whether they want to play ball. it looks like IE at least might be willing to.

ClovenHoof wrote: »

This could just as easily be a tactic by the port company to lobby for the road to be upgraded as they will have hard numbers on the railway being 'unviable'.

doing a studdy into a rail reopening to lobby for a road upgrade sounds rather ridiculous. they could just simply lobby for the road upgrade by lobbying for the road upgrade surely.

ClovenHoof wrote: »

The Government can sure up critics by saying. "We look at the railway option and opted for the cheaper road upgrade."

they can try yes . but i don't think an upgrade to handle the amount of trucks this mine should it happen would need would be cheeper at all, specially in the long run. but as it would be a road, thats probably what will be done.

ClovenHoof wrote: »

Seriously, we have to understand just how devious politicians are. They are addicted to tarmac like junkies and always will be in this country.

oh i think we all know and understand how they operate and their thinking. if rail had something in it for them we'd probably see all the proposed schemes done by now.

GM228

ClovenHoof wrote: »

The photos above are IDENTICAL in nature to the 'clearance' work on the Burma Road 11 years ago.

Once again, just political window dressing and some government cash for local cute hoors with a few JCBs to rent.

Like the Burma Road, in 11 years time people will still be hoping for trains to Foynes which will never come.

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the clearance work on the Burma Line simply that and no more? The clearance work on the Foynes line is to enable the study, the clearance on the Burma Line was just clearance and not for a study etc, but to retain boundries etc, two different types of clearance works with two different objectives.

GM228

ClovenHoof

GM228 wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the clearance work on the Burma Line simply that and no more? The clearance work on the Foynes line is to enable the study, the clearance on the Burma Line was just clearance and not for a study etc, but to retain boundries etc, two different types of clearance works with two different objectives.

GM228

I thought that was to see how much work was needed for the Transport 21 report?

Either way, clearing a line is a million light years away from trains running on it in Irish Rail land.

Look at the demolition job they did on Waterford to Rosslare. I am still angry they closed that, especially with all these new round Ireland rai tours coming on stream.

A part of me is starting to wonder if Irish Rail made a proactive strike on Waterford Rosslare knowing that other companies were planning round Ireland rail tours.

Anyway, I would love to see Foynes reopen for freight, but no person in any position of power in this country can ever be trusted to be upfront and honest about their real intentions.

end of the road

ClovenHoof wrote: »

Look at the demolition job they did on Waterford to Rosslare. I am still angry they closed that, especially with all these new round Ireland rai tours coming on stream.

so am i . the tocan jesture bus replacement doesn't cut it. not to worry though, we have the fantastic car ferry which provides the quick service to waterford people want, and has been providing a good service for 33 years. long may they continue

if you read the documents on the NTA website, they as good as admit closing the line would have no purpose and would remove connectivity from the rail network. mind you they closed it anyway. was there dark forces in the background? god only knows. we'l never know though.

ClovenHoof wrote: »

A part of me is starting to wonder if Irish Rail made a proactive strike on Waterford Rosslare knowing that other companies were planning round Ireland rail tours.

a very interesting theory actually, all though when it comes to IE, its hard to know. i wouldn't put it past irish rail, all though i'm mindful of the predictions of some opposing the WRC that lines would be sacrificed for it. i'd suspect something was going to close in 2010 either way, but who knows. rosslare waterford had nothing in the way of political clout so it was a perfect candidate. all though its hard to know that even if it had political clout it would have made a difference, and that if nenagh for example hadn't anything in terms of political clout it would have gone instead of or as well as rosslare waterford. so many possibilities. one things for sure, the loss of beat traffic and the population were not the reason for closure. if it was, then the line would have shut once the last beat train ran. but lets be honest, no matter how much we see through IE, the powers that be won't take them to task. i hope bellmont will be able to force irish rail to open the line for them to use if they need it, after all they have a right to use public infrastructure.

man98

Rosslare - Waterford was purposely run into the ground.
IR are going out of their way to reopen Foynes.
These differences alone make me hope the outcomes will be different.

h.gricer

roundymac wrote: »

Just two points, parts of the line look like you could run a train on it right now or is that just the camera telling "lies",

No Wanderer's camera not telling ''lies'' just to answer the point, this is not unusual on closed lines, depending on the soil structure and drainage etc. The Burma Road (Claremorris / Collooney) has been closed for 40 years, sprayed once in 1976 after closure, yet in places, particular on embankments where drainage is good, to look at it, you think could run a train on it now, particularly between Tubercurry and Charlestown, but in places in deep cuttings, the same on the Foynes Branch, you find the line completely rotten and buried, the same on the Kingscourt Branch, north of Nobber, the line looks great, but south of Nobber in the deep cutting that goes under the R162 road, the line is completely buried, nature has returned.
Regards
h.gricer

Just another point, condition of line, the Foynes Branch was well maintained for the heavy baryte ore, the New Ross was badly maintained, when that closed, the line just fell apart.

dowlingm

The difference between Tuam/WRC and Foynes is that 10m tonnes of freight per annum don't pass through Tuam. The question is however how much of that freight is amenable to being shipped by rail from its origin/to its destination.

As far as locomotives are concerned, NIR could probably spare a 111 most of the time to shore up the 071 fleet?

Captain Chaos

dowlingm wrote: »

As far as locomotives are concerned, NIR could probably spare a 111 most of the time to shore up the 071 fleet?

There are plenty of 071s around now. There is more in service now than has been for the past 4-5 years with 077,078 and 087 all after returning to service after a long rest.

Even with the overhaul program in progress there is enough to go around.

NIR don't really have any 111s to spare right now. 111 is under heavy overhaul and is finally fitted with new LED marker lights. 112 and 113 are generally only available for duty 1 loco at a time.

J Cheever Loophole

The_Wanderer wrote: »

A vegetation clearance programme has recently taken place on the Foynes Branch. This is to allow the ongoing study funded by Shannon Foynes Port Company to be completed to help develop the case for reopening the railway line to freight traffic.

Might there be any updates about this in the near future? Just asking out of curiosity as I wouldn't know what sort of timescales might be at work here.

GM228

J Cheever Loophole wrote: »

Might there be any updates about this in the near future? Just asking out of curiosity as I wouldn't know what sort of timescales might be at work here.

An additional €800,000 was allocated to the feasibility study of the line in August so until the study is completed and refined into a report we will just have to wait and see what comes of it, how long that will take is anybody's guess.

GM228

metrovick001

If we wait long enough the customer might go away!

GerardKeating

metrovick001 wrote: »

If we wait long enough the customer might go away!

Is that not the plan?

The_Wanderer

metrovick001 wrote: »

If we wait long enough the customer might go away!

I thought the customer was doing the report ? :P

metrovick001

Actually...I think you are correct Wanderer.

ClovenHoof

Foynes will never reopen. This study is a ruse to prove the viability of a motorway and a new suspension road bridge over the Shannon compared to a reopened rail link.

You are being used by the Uber Gombeens yet again.

This is Ireland, we don't do rail boyo.

Victor

ClovenHoof wrote: »

a new suspension road bridge over the Shannon

To where?

Grab All Association

ClovenHoof wrote: »

Foynes will never reopen. This study is a ruse to prove the viability of a motorway and a new suspension road bridge over the Shannon compared to a reopened rail link.

You are being used by the Uber Gombeens yet again.

This is Ireland, we don't do rail boyo.

We do to win elections in the whest

sonyair

Took some photos of the line near Dooradoyle, any more updates on this to re-open

Del.Monte

Great to see up to the usual high standards that CIE have for their 'mothballed' lines. A greenway can't be far off.

ClovenHoof

Reopening Foynes was never in the cards. The Port Management Company just lied to the trainspotters in order to keep focus and media on the port itself as a lobbying tactic for improving transport links in general, which was always, and will be a "mosherway boyo!"

Still, it'll make a nice 'Irish Coffee Greenway' in a few years.

ClovenHoof

Remember the Shannon Rail Link?

Another scam by a developer to have family and friends farmland rezoned in order to jack up values and build more NAMAs before the bust.

Paddico

ClovenHoof wrote: »

Reopening Foynes was never in the cards. The Port Management Company just lied to the trainspotters in order to keep focus and media on the port itself as a lobbying tactic for improving transport links in general, which was always, and will be a "mosherway boyo!"

Still, it'll make a nice 'Irish Coffee Greenway' in a few years.

Are you sure?
Wasn't 1 million spent on examining the condition of the existing embankments etc

flyingsnail

Paddico wrote: »

Are you sure?
Wasn't 1 million spent on examining the condition of the existing embankments etc

As I understand it funding was available for the studies under the European Ten-T plans which identified Foynes - Limerick Junction as part of a core network. I have no idea the result of the study or if further finance is available under Ten-T

savagethegoat

I believe the survey was made by or on behalf of Foynes Port.

J Cheever Loophole

Apologies if this has been mentioned elsewhere and I have overlooked it.

I see a statement was made back in the Dáil in July in response to a question raised on the future of the Limerick to Foynes line. The answer appears to suggest that reinstatement of the line will happen, it's just a matter of time.

The Minister replied,

"As the Deputy may be aware and as noted in Government’s recently published Project Ireland 2040 and the 10-year National Development Plan, Shannon Foynes Port Company’s Infrastructure Development Programme is well underway and will consist of a jetty expansion program, the joining of the East and West Jetties and the infill behind, land purchase and site development at Foynes in light of the land bank shortage at Foynes Port and the Foynes Rail Reinstatement. Phase 1 of part of this development has been completed and a planning application, under the strategic infrastructure process, for the next phases was lodged in April 2018 with An Bord Pleanála and is currently underway. The €27million investment programme will improve international connectivity and increase capacity through the construction of new quay walls and associated port infrastructure and external connectivity with the upgrade of the N69 and the reinstatement of the Limerick-Foynes rail line to follow.

In relation to progress underway in relation to Limerick to Foynes railway, scoping and feasibility studies on the reopening of the line, co-funded by Shannon Foynes Port Company (SFPC) and the EU were completed in 2014-2016. SFPC has since also commissioned Irish Rail to undertake a detailed design of the line, which is expected to be completed later this year. I understand that completion of this work can then inform future decisions regarding the reinstatement of this rail line in terms of hinterland connectivity necessary to accommodate the future expansion of the port and add efficiency to the national supply chain. It is noted that a key requirement for a core port under the Trans European Network (Ten-t) Regulations is that rail connection will be in place by 2030."

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2018-07-24/2199/

tabbey

J Cheever Loophole wrote: »

Apologies if this has been mentioned elsewhere and I have overlooked it.

I see a statement was made back in the Dáil in July in response to a question raised on the future of the Limerick to Foynes line. The answer appears to suggest that reinstatement of the line will happen, it's just a matter of time.


I understand that completion of this work can then inform future decisions regarding the reinstatement of this rail line "

It seems that the decision is dependant on completion of design work, so not quite a certainty.

pigtown

Irish Rail are seeking permission to replace a three-arch bridge at Churchfield with a new single span structure in order to cater for the potential future re-introduction of freight traffic on the line.