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Tractor on the Great Southern Railway

  • 04-01-2017 9:51pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 140 ✭✭


    Hi folks,
    I remember my father telling me about a man who drove a specially modified tractor (to fit the wheels to gauge of the of the rail tracks) from Tralee to Limerick while the rail line was at that time recently shutdown. I'm a bit fuzzy on the details, but I was wondering would anyone here have heard of a similar story or give more details about this event. I can't seem to find anything about it on the internet.
    Tagged:


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,251 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    It sounds highly unlikely that a farmer would have to the trouble of adapting his tractor wheels for rails as a tractor would have easy moved up and down the lies with it's own tyres. Besides the novelty factor, it wouldn't have done a lot of good all told.

    Perhaps he or somebody saw one that was used on permanent way trains or on the trains that lifted the track up and the story grew a little. There were tractors used in Dublin Port and Sligo to shunt small wagons. They only stood down a decade ago.
    attachment.php?attachmentid=16269&d=1418269141

    There are knowledgeable others posting on here who may know better than me :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,712 ✭✭✭roundymac


    Tractors were quite common delivering freight around Cork city up to the about 1980s. How CIE made money out of these I don't know, small bits of freight delivered at a snails pace. I never saw them on rails though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 140 ✭✭Bigfellalixnaw


    I think my father said it was a Grey Harry tractor that was used on the railway. I think your man did it to raise money for charity. And I'm pretty sure if was done after the line became disused.
    Does this ring any bells with anyone here?


  • Registered Users Posts: 657 ✭✭✭k mac


    Permanent way in at athenry used to use a small tractor with rail gear for maintenance up till about 25 years ago


  • Registered Users Posts: 32 Magpie1951


    https://youtu.be/zfFm5tAfOn4

    See video of the Athenry Per Way tractor at 2:11 mins onwards in the above video kindly provided by Southern Yard's youtube channel.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,583 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    Recall seeing a pic on this book of a MF35 fitted with flanged wheels (presumably bolted over the road wheels) and small 'train' of per way bogies. Don't remember what the location was.

    http://andalus.ie/books/tales-of-the-permanent-way/

    Also remember reading somewhere that the Cork Summerhill (ex C&YR) stub was traversed by a railway-owned Fordson tractor to reaffirm right of way for a time after it was disconnected (obvs. on tyres).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    Bord na Mona escapee maybe ?


    K1aPQ8o.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    or the more sensible straightforward approach :


    gzxUYVo.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,583 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    Saw a pic floating around of a Fordson(?) beefed up front and rear with dumb buffers for shunting Alexandra docks. Don't recall if it had flanged wheels or not.


  • Registered Users Posts: 140 ✭✭Bigfellalixnaw


    Recall seeing a pic on this book of a MF35 fitted with flanged wheels (presumably bolted over the road wheels) and small 'train' of per way bogies. Don't remember what the location was.

    I don't suppose you have that photo by any chance?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,583 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    I don't suppose you have that photo by any chance?

    I'll have a look, but won't be able to post it here, copyright and all that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 140 ✭✭Bigfellalixnaw


    I'll have a look, but won't be able to post it here, copyright and all that.

    Yeah, sure no problem.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,962 ✭✭✭Greenman


    Magpie1951 wrote: »
    https://youtu.be/zfFm5tAfOn4

    See video of the Athenry Per Way tractor at 2:11 mins onwards in the above video kindly provided by Southern Yard's youtube channel.


    Well spotted. smile.png


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