[Article] Shannon rail bridge nears completion

Victor

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1027/1224257490207.html

Shannon rail bridge nears completion
TIM O'BRIEN

THE FINAL stage of work to replace one of Iarnród Éireann’s three railway crossings of the Shannon, a bridge near Lough Tap, between Dromod and Carrick-on-Shannon in Co Leitrim, gets under way today.

Over the next 12 days the line will be closed as the new steel bridge and concrete deck is lifted into place in four sections by the largest crane ever used in Ireland.

The crane, imported from Texas, has a lift capacity of 1,350 tonnes. The work was to have taken place from October 5th to 16th, but it was delayed. The replacement of the existing bridge,which dates from 1862, is expected to allow for considerable improvement in the speed of trains across the bridge, which had slowed to about walking pace in recent years.

In addition to the work on the bridge, the approach routes and embankments have been realigned and the entire structure is being raised by one metre to allow for larger vessels on the Shannon to pass underneath.

Iarnród Éireann said bus transfers will be in operation between Sligo town and all stations to Dromod. Passengers should note that buses will depart from Sligo and Collooney 30 minutes in advance of the scheduled train times to Dublin.

Costing €5.5 million, the bridge replacement brings to €150 million the total investment in the Dublin to Sligo line since 1999.

According to Iarnród Éireann, improvements have included renewal of track, resignalling and the upgrading of level crossings, platform lengthening and safety enhancements. The Sligo-Dublin route was the first to benefit from the new intercity railcars fleet. There will be eight daily services in each direction compared to three in 2003.

Iarnród Éireann said the increase in services has resulted in the Sligo-Dublin line becoming the network’s fastest growing route, with more than 1.34 million passenger journeys in 2008 – representing a jump of more than 30 per cent in three years.

Rail services to Sligo opened on December 3rd, 1862. The town was later connected by rail to Enniskillen, by the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway in 1879, and to Limerick in 1895.

The line to Enniskillen closed in 1957 and passenger services to Limerick closed in 1963. The Sligo to Limerick route is known as the Western Rail Corridor, part of which – the Ennis, Co Clare to Athenry Co Galway section – is due to reopen later this year.

Iarnród Éireann’s other rail crossings of the Shannon are at Athlone and between Limerick and Ennis.

BrianD

Is this the bridge that looks like two bridges cobbled together. I think someone posted a photo in this forum in a different thread.

Out of curiosity, is it a double track bridge?

Nostradamus

BrianD wrote: »

Is this the bridge that looks like two bridges cobbled together. I think someone posted a photo in this forum in a different thread.

Out of curiosity, is it a double track bridge?

It used to be double track until the Civi War I beleive. This is an important project as the trains slowing down to cross over that bridge at a snails pace always made me somewhat curious.

I recall a few years back the trainspotters tried to get a couple of locomotives on a regular service and P11 kicked up a stink about it as they quite rightly showed that Irish Rail for all their "we're getting there" cared more about the Nigels and the Tarquins and providing them with a private rail service than they did about their regular customers.

Why they took so long to replace this bridge I'll never understand. Especially after Cahir Viaduct one would think it was a priority. Then again no chance of West on Track raising the issue of a real rail transport deficit West of the Shannon...

There were several P11 press releases going out form Dublin *hiss* wanting to know the story about this bridge and how soon to be replaced at the same time WoT were issuing press relases (Fatwahs) about Padre Pio is a Stigmata for Claremorris thanks to the Cromwells of the Pale or some such ****e.

Anyways, nice to see this finally getting done. Yet more proof P11 was light years ahead of the game and on the ball with real rail issues affecting Connacht rail users.

csd

Nostradamus wrote: »

I recall a few years back the trainspotters tried to get a couple of locomotives on a regular service and P11 kicked up a stink about it as they quite rightly showed that Irish Rail for all their "we're getting there" cared more about the Nigels and the Tarquins and providing them with a private rail service than they did about their regular customers.

What exactly is your point here, or are you just hijacking the thread to have a dig at 'trainspotters'?

The fact that IE may or may not have run a loco-hauled train on the Sligo line at the behest of some UK-based enthusiasts (unlikely as it sounds) has nothing to with IE's priorities for the line.

Replacement of the Shannon bridge at Lough Tap is a captial project that would have had to be authorised and funded by central government. It is not something that IE could have decided to do at the drop of a hat, unlike the choice of rolling stock for a particular service.

Besides, if the stories at the time are to be believed it was IE who wanted to run loco-hauled Mk 3 sets to Sligo when they became free upon the introduction of the Mk 4 sets on the Cork line. This was (allegedly) met with howls of protest from Sligo-based politicians who were sick of getting the cast-offs form the rest of the railway system. So they got suburban commuter railcars instead and were happy because they were newer, never mind the fact they were unsuited to long-distance work. This was pointed out by those denizens of IRN that you seem to dislike so much, but that's a far cry from the ITG boys in the UK having a hotline to Inchicore...

/csd

DWCommuter

csd wrote: »

What exactly is your point here, or are you just hijacking the thread to have a dig at 'trainspotters'?

The fact that IE may or may not have run a loco-hauled train on the Sligo line at the behest of some UK-based enthusiasts (unlikely as it sounds) has nothing to with IE's priorities for the line.

Replacement of the Shannon bridge at Lough Tap is a captial project that would have had to be authorised and funded by central government. It is not something that IE could have decided to do at the drop of a hat, unlike the choice of rolling stock for a particular service.

Besides, if the stories at the time are to be believed it was IE who wanted to run loco-hauled Mk 3 sets to Sligo when they became free upon the introduction of the Mk 4 sets on the Cork line. This was (allegedly) met with howls of protest from Sligo-based politicians who were sick of getting the cast-offs form the rest of the railway system. So they got suburban commuter railcars instead and were happy because they were newer, never mind the fact they were unsuited to long-distance work. This was pointed out by those denizens of IRN that you seem to dislike so much, but that's a far cry from the ITG boys in the UK having a hotline to Inchicore...

/csd

Let me clarify it all for you csd. You have misrepresented Nostradamus' post.

The train at the "behest" of UK trainspotters was to be an historical makeover of a scheduled service from Dublin to Sligo on July 16th 2005. The normal locomotive was to be replaced by antiques that were being decommissioned. The "UK native" in charge of IE, Mr. Dick Fearn and a known colleague of the events "UK based" chief organiser (founder of IRN), agreed to the suggestion that a scheduled inter city service be used as an enthusiasts special. P11 as a passenger representative body found this to be a total and absolute act of disrespect to Sligo line customers. We protested about it and IE backed down by putting on a private charter, which should have been done in the first place. So it is fair to state that IE cared more about enthusiasts than regular Sligo line passengers who at the time were enduring a very poor level of service. To have that service compromised even further by a trainspotters day out is not acceptable.

Details here:
http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/general_news.asp?action=view&news_id=167

The loco hauled MK3 story was an entirely different matter.

P11 also highlighted the state of the Shannon bridge after the Cahir accident in 2003. It has taken 6 years to replace the bridge since that inccident. It should have been a priority as the bridge was in a deplorable condition and restricted the use of newer locomotives on the line.

Nostradamus is correct in pointing out that the line was not treated well by IE and that they did display a rather lazy attitude to it even when money was available. Furthermore West on track DO NOT care about rail services in, to or from the west of Ireland. FACT. They are a one "track" pony.

Hope you can garner something from all that csd.

biffoman

anyone got any photos of the new bridge?

Nostradamus

DWCommuter wrote: »

Let me clarify it all for you csd. You have misrepresented Nostradamus' post.

The train at the "behest" of UK trainspotters was to be an historical makeover of a scheduled service from Dublin to Sligo on July 16th 2005. The normal locomotive was to be replaced by antiques that were being decommissioned. The "UK native" in charge of IE, Mr. Dick Fearn and a known colleague of the events "UK based" chief organiser (founder of IRN), agreed to the suggestion that a scheduled inter city service be used as an enthusiasts special. P11 as a passenger representative body found this to be a total and absolute act of disrespect to Sligo line customers. We protested about it and IE backed down by putting on a private charter, which should have been done in the first place. So it is fair to state that IE cared more about enthusiasts than regular Sligo line passengers who at the time were enduring a very poor level of service. To have that service compromised even further by a trainspotters day out is not acceptable.

Details here:
http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/general_news.asp?action=view&news_id=167

Yes it was absolutely shocking. This was implemented at a time of unpresidented delays, canellation, bus replacements and failures on the Sligo line. Here was the boss of Irish Rail looking after personal requests from the Mainland.

They got found out because one of the locosexuals in an orgasmic fit of hysterical delight blurted out on the old IRN message board that his Lordship at IRN was bequeating them some Loco-Soupism - the post was rapidly pulled, but the damage was done and their chance of getting their historical re-enactment on a schuduled service was found out and stopped. Any consumer rights group in any other area would of done the same. The very idea that our rail network was being operated as a bespoke plaything for visiting eccentrics is part of the reason it is a joke.

Could you imagine the boss of Aerlingus putting a DC 10 on a scheduled flight to Manchester for a handful of planespotters while the regular passengers paid for a normal airplane. This is just what Dick Fearn was arranging on the Sligo line that day.

DWCommuter wrote: »

Hope you can garner something from all that csd.

Doubt he read your reply. Somebody probably posted a photo of a leaky steam pipe on a Craven at Wellington Bridge over at IRN.

Nostradamus

csd wrote: »

This was pointed out by those denizens of IRN that you seem to dislike so much, but that's a far cry from the ITG boys in the UK having a hotline to Inchicore...

/csd

I don't personally dislike the IRN people, they just had to be ethnically cleansed from rail issues because I realised that it had more to do with lemon curd sandwiches and flasks of Bovil being spilled on Craven upholstry than moderising the network.

I am also a vicious, 25-faced bastard - but I was P11's Bastard. I was doing it for the right reasons. I suffered for years though the misery of the Sligo line and I was going to do what it took to get them bangers off the line, replace them with the best alternative 22000s with improved frequency. Now that the bridge is being replaced the whole thing has come full circle. Being a bastard who can help ordinary rail passengers is easier for me to live with than being some gentleman trainspotter looking after his own hobby.

As for ITG. I found them to be a lovely bunch of people. They were courteous and intelligent enough to back off from pushing their own agenda ahead of an all emcompassing goal of a modern, progressive rail service and not the Percy French throwback IRN thought they were getting.

csd

Thanks for the clarifications Derek, but I still don't feel that Nostrudamus's original point of "IE is more interested in running a railway for UK enthusiasts than fixing the bridge" is valid.

My point is the railway we have to day is the result of government policy, not the whims of UK trainspotters. That policy has been shaped to a large degree by two reports Iarnrod Eireann: The Way Forward and the Strategic Rail Review. These have guided the big investment decisions such as the ongoing safety improvements, the move to all-DMU rolling stock, and, ultimately, the replacement of the Lough Tap bridge.

Now, turning the specific case highlighted as proving that IE is beholden to the foaming trainspotters: For one train on a single day in 2005, Dick Fearn got a request to run 121s and Cravens on a scheduled service to Sligo in place of the regular stock. I'm struggling to understand how this is an insult to the regular passengers on the Sligo line.

If we consider what passengers needs are in turn, where's the insult?

• Punctuality. The train would have taken the same amount of time, as the antiques requested were as able to reach the line speed as the normal loco.
  
• Reliability. The fact that two locomotives would have been used would have at least meant that had one failed, the other could have continued, which is an improvement over the single 071 normally rostered. Add also the fact that the antiques would have had newer power plants than the regular 071s.
  
• Comfort. The Cravens, though older than the Mk 2s used at the time, were in much better condition, so passenger comfort would not have suffered.
  
• Safety. I don't see an issue here either. In fact the Cravens were probably safer, if the horror stories of corrosion on the Mk 2s were to be believed. The running a once-off special would not have delayed the replacement of the Lough Tap bridge by a single day.

So, I really can't see how honouring the original request would have made any difference or caused any harm to the cause of the Sligo line. In fact, with a charity standing to benefit, it seems to me there would have been a net gain.

What I do find offensive is the part-bullying, part-xenophobic attitude that many members of P11 display towards enthusiasts. If the UK spotters really were a successful secret cabaal, bent on shaping Irish transport policy to their own Percy French are-you-right-there agenda, then I might agree with you, but the evidence presented to date does not bear that out. At least in my eyes.

These people are harmless, and if they want to fill Mr O'Leary's cheap flights and IE's otherwise empty off-peak services in pursuit of their hobby, then leave them be. If they also want to indulge in (let me get this right now!) orgasmic fits of locosexual delight on IRN, then leave them be too. If the goings-on in IRN have any influence on transport policy in Ireland, then this country is even more screwed up than I ever imagined. I suspect, however, that Minister Dempsey is not an avid reader.

Far more interesting is how West On Track have managed to get the Ennis - Athenry line re-opened. I don't think this is a particularly good use of money either, but again, its reopening is the result of government policy, not Nigel and Tarquin on the "mainland". Nigel and Tarqin don't vote in Irish elections.

Nostrudamus, I did read DW's post, and yours too, so please read mine. I'm not trying to argue that the Sligo line wasn't underfunded. I'm not trying to say the reopening of the WRC is a good idea. I'm saying we get the railway our government gives us, so there's no need and more importantly, no point in being gratuitously offensive to a group of people who have little or no bearing on government policy.

Rather than taking cheap shots at easy targets, we should all focus on the big issues, like how the railway is going to survive in the face of the competition once the motorways are complete. Who knows, maybe the Nigels and Tarquins might have some ideas about that, living as they do in a country whose railway services have been living with this competition for decades...

/csd

Sponge Bob

csd wrote: »

Rather than taking cheap shots at easy targets, we should all focus on the big issues, like how the railway is going to survive in the face of the competition once the motorways are complete.

+1

Nostradamus

csd wrote: »

Nostrudamus, I did read DW's post, and yours too, so please read mine. I'm not trying to argue that the Sligo line wasn't underfunded. I'm not trying to say the reopening of the WRC is a good idea. I'm saying we get the railway our government gives us, so there's no need and more importantly, no point in being gratuitously offensive to a group of people who have little or no bearing on government policy.

Rather than taking cheap shots at easy targets, we should all focus on the big issues, like how the railway is going to survive in the face of the competition once the motorways are complete. Who knows, maybe the Nigels and Tarquins might have some ideas about that, living as they do in a country whose railway services have been living with this competition for decades...

/csd

Fair enough then I respect your comments and reply, but to be 100%, serious and honest you are wrong.

HERE IS WHY's

The day the same Strategic Rail Review was launched a constant series of emails, phone calls and text message came streaming across the Irish Sea from the "mainland" with the likes of "We Have to Sink This Document!" and "It Does Not Support the Foynes Branch and Complete WRC reopening!!!" - the said Nigels and Tarqunis behind this were also adamant that P11 "Must Sink the Interconnector!!!" as it will swallow up all the funds need to reopen the WRC.

and it went on and on and I was there, saw the emails, read the texts form their various Irish based 5th Columnists who were just as frantic and out to get the SRR.

No you tell me if I imagined all this? When P11 went into the Oireachtas Transport Committee and started going on about Dublin Rail Issues (PPT) instead of Lim-Ross, WRC and Foynes they got the message that P11 was working for the rail users and not the Lemon Curd and Bovil brigade. Added to this we also had to deal with a certain "researcher" who was declaring personal war on me from within P11 for not demanding the Portumna and Mguire's Bridge Railway be reopened for Ultra Light Rail and Freight. I have been reported to some Holocaust Denial site by one of these space cadets for not being pro-WRC. The gas thing is half my family are Jewish - even so, being anti-WRC means you support genocide! I got a -email which said "why don't you get a helicopter gunship and machine gun your neighbours in Sligo just to finish off the job." This is how bonkers it got and it was amazing myself Wheeler and few others kept going. It really opened our eyes as to how railways in Ireland were, operated and even developed as "a nice day out on the train" even into the 21st Century. Even many managers in IE had the same mindset. Railways were something nice for the kids. Rail lobbying was the concern of the space cadets and locosexuals. P11 was going to change all that. We went into the Government in our best business wear. We were as professional as possible so as to make sure that they would not for a second sniff out any trainspotters. WE BLEW THEIR MINDS. They actually enjoyed having us there and invited us back. We changed everything that day. We all came out on a high and I get home and there is an email with "You never said anything about the removal of the turntable at Galway, how the hell are the steam loco specials supposed to reverse!"

I am sure Mr Wheeler can back me up with this and provide even more insight if you want it. I have forgotten have the stuff that went on.

The locosexual rabbit hole into Aimens Street goes very deep indeed. Or at least did until recent times.

DWCommuter

Nostradamus wrote: »

I am sure Mr Wheeler can back me up with this and provide even more insight if you want it. I have forgotten have the stuff that went on.

The locosexual rabbit hole into Aimens Street goes very deep indeed. Or at least did until recent times.

Stop it! Stop! Im bent over laughing.:D

Save it for the Book Thomas!;)

My records (and those of other realistic contributers) run just as deep as the rabbit hole. I'm not revealing anything more here except to say that the sligo line was another victim of the incessant rantings and ravings of "enthusiasts" that were out of touch with actual passenger needs. The influence of the "enthusiast" brigade is on record and it makes for very sad reading.

Thankfully the day is approaching where the term, "xenophobic" will be well and trully shoved up their A....

norrie_1001

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61739950&postcount=11

BrianD

norrie_1001 wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61739950&postcount=11

Anyway back to bridge!

Any drawings of the replacement? Are they planning to use te existing piers?

csd

Well enjoy the joke lads, but realise that to those not privy to the inside track (haha), you can sound almost as immature and unprofessional as those you seek to deride.

I don't doubt that P11, as a railway advocacy group, drew the attention of its fair share of headcases, but that doesn't change my argument: we now have the railway of the SRR and IE:TWF, not the paradise of trainspotters. I guess we'll never know how much of that was down to P11's efforts...

Back to the bridge in question. It certainly appeared to be in very poor condition. Perhaps it's just as well those locos haven't been trundling across it with any regularity recently.

I've attached some pics taken in July when the intial work had just started. At the risk of sounding like a crane spotter, I hope someone can get some shots of the new bridge spans being put in place. Largest crane ever used in Ireland!

/csd

dermo88

csd does have a valid point, in that many of those involved in lobbying for railway development were almost as bad as those they denigrated on the likes of Irishrailwaynews. Nevertheless, it was a case of (I sense), "give an inch, and they will take a mile".

I am not innocent in that regard, and between the period 2002-2007 engaged in numerous sarcastic, satirical and often downright rude and irreverent debates on Irishrailwaynews, Platform11, Railusers.ie, politics.ie and boards.ie. Lets just say my mind was opened on much of the internal wranglings that go on. It takes at least 5 years for a rail based project to go from proposal, through construction to physical usage. This is beyond the span of the average politician and county councillors election term. This is a by product of the democratic system we have on one hand, but it is better than having a dictatorship, such as Singapore.

I used the nickname "Cassandra Crossing" to describe the Shannon Bridge on the Sligo line some years ago. It more or less summed up its condition. It could not take a 201 Class Locomotive, apparently, when one was tested on it, the bridge was tested to the limit. Allegedly the Permanent way inspector was very reluctant to allow it to cross on the return trip from Sligo. Now....do bear in mind that a 201 Class weighs 113 tonnes, and has a 19 tonne axleload. It is hardly a piledriver by International standards. The job that they were bought for in the first place is gone. Some comments at the time of their arrival (1994-1995) from engineers were:

- We could have got 32 more 071's for half the price.
- The engines are unreliable.
- 3,200 hp, we'll never need that in Ireland, are they on drugs?

Nostradamus (Thomas), DWCommuter (Derek) were amongst a hardcore group who managed to gain the respect of the Department of Transport, and Iarnrod Eireann. Aidan Brosnan continues to engage as an unsung hero of sorts in preserving locomotives in Carrick on Suir, and he is one of those on both sides of the fence, pragmatic and realistic about future network development. I urged those before, who wanted to retain the loco hauled stock to realise that it was best to "cherish the past, and relish the future", and that if they wanted to "enjoy" that kind of system, it was better to save up the cash for a year and go to the likes of Asia, Africa, Latin America etc, while they still existed, rather than expect Irish or English passengers to suffer more of the same on a dying, moribund, uncompetitive, expensive, mismanaged railway network.

- That 2 Freight trains a week from Waterford to Ballina is hardly indicative of success.
- That the Western Rail Corridor is not the be all and end all.
- That the Interconnector will be far superior to using the Phoenix Park Tunnel, in terms of a journey time of 8 minutes vs 25 minutes.
- That the new DMU's, will offer, for the first time in history, a coherent, standardised brand across the Intercity network, and this means that folk will not be complaining about the banger train to Rosslare/Mayo/Sligo, while Dublin to Cork/Limerick/Galway always have the best.

Those who lobbied were allegedly harrassed at home, and in their businesses, and private lives by certain fringe elements at the extreme edge of insanity in the rail enthusiast fraternity. There is clear evidence of this, and it is documented, and e-mails from that period have been retained. For example, Dublin to Cork will never need a TGV, for Cork, lets face it, is a small city in a European context. Also, when schools, hospitals, law enforcement, are crying out for funding from a limited basket, why should railways get a priority above that. They are part of the solution, but not the solution for economic development.

We are human after all, and imperfect. The views you see here, and on Platform11 are gained from overseas experience, and I am sure that Irish people want the best of overseas practice in Ireland. That was what Platform11 and railusers.ie was about. There were plenty of enthusiasts and trainspotters on IRN realistic enough to see the same thing also. One thing is clear, from my travels, and every engineer states the same thing:

"Never let a trainspotter near the timetable plans"
"Keep the old stuff away from the Intercity from A to B"

For variety is the spice of life, but it costs a great deal more to maintain. In third world countries, a non standardised fleet is their way of obtaining the greatest amount of "kickbacks", from contractors. I doubt that is the case in Ireland or the UK to the same extent, although it may exist to some degree.

We (yes, the royal we) hope that the day comes when the Interconnector opens, and the line from Clonsilla to Navan reopens, then those who lobbied for it will celebrate. Irishrailwaynews, and the enthusiasts will celebrate also. But who will take their place in 2034 on the bicentenary of Irish railways in the history books?

Railusers.ie or Platform11 will be there. A charismatic, provocative, good humoured bunch, who said no to a branch line, and that gained so much more respect than a bunch of corrupt county councillors demanding equality and social justice for the West. They are incredibly misguided in that. For example:

- Ultra light rail to Donegal......
- Galway Light Rail.....
- Waterford Light Rail......

To name 3 dodgy projects from one Independent Transport Consultant.

The very things that have councillors salivating at the bit come election time, only to gain perhaps 20 votes by virtue of their support. Every vote counts, but.....politicians the world over are the same. To quote Robin Williams - They are like nappies and should be changed for the same reasons.

csd

BrianD wrote: »

Is this the bridge that looks like two bridges cobbled together. I think someone posted a photo in this forum in a different thread.

Out of curiosity, is it a double track bridge?

Brian,

From what I've read, the line itself was only ever double between Dublin and Roscommon (and also a short section outside Sligo), so I don't think the bridge itself was ever double track. As Nostrudamus said, the double sections west of Clonsilla were singled in the 1920s.

The bridge did feature an opening span to allow taller ships through, but a book published in 1985 noted that this feature "hadn't been used in several decades". Another source described the opening span as "telescopic in action" as opposed to a traditional swing or drawbridge. Maybe this explains the cobbled-together look.

dermo,

Thank you for your informative and reasoned post. I'm not going to argue with what you say, you make perfect sense. I just think that if you (the royal you) must engage with the lunatic fringe, it's so easy to eviscerate their ridiculous proposals with cold hard facts and logic that there's no need for the playground name-calling. It detracts from the very important message that P11/Railusers/sane people want to get out. That said, I'd be inclined to just leave them on the fringe; by getting stuck in you're almost guilty by association. But hey, what do I know?

/csd

Hungerford

DWCommuter wrote: »

The train at the "behest" of UK trainspotters was to be an historical makeover of a scheduled service from Dublin to Sligo on July 16th 2005. The normal locomotive was to be replaced by antiques that were being decommissioned. The "UK native" in charge of IE, Mr. Dick Fearn and a known colleague of the events "UK based" chief organiser (founder of IRN), agreed to the suggestion that a scheduled inter city service be used as an enthusiasts special.

What I would say is that in the end, they ran two different services and it was a charity event. As long as it doesn't affect passenger comfort or service punctuality, I have no problem with it.

Actually, it may be a good idea commercially to get the RSPI in to run some off-peak services during significant anniversaries.

murphaph

reminds me of...

SeanW

Nostradamus wrote: »

Yes it was absolutely shocking. This was implemented at a time of unpresidented delays, canellation, bus replacements and failures on the Sligo line. Here was the boss of Irish Rail looking after personal requests from the Mainland.

They got found out because one of the locosexuals in an orgasmic fit of hysterical delight blurted out on the old IRN message board that his Lordship at IRN was bequeating them some Loco-Soupism - the post was rapidly pulled, but the damage was done and their chance of getting their historical re-enactment on a schuduled service was found out and stopped. Any consumer rights group in any other area would of done the same. The very idea that our rail network was being operated as a bespoke plaything for visiting eccentrics is part of the reason it is a joke.

Could you imagine the boss of Aerlingus putting a DC 10 on a scheduled flight to Manchester for a handful of planespotters while the regular passengers paid for a normal airplane. This is just what Dick Fearn was arranging on the Sligo line that day.

It actually was not as bad as all that - not that I'm defending Irish Rail's initial decision as I most certainly am not - but it was a case of "never attribute to malice what can be easily explained by incompetence."

At the time, the Sligo Line used Mark 2D carriages the "Supertrain" as the bulk of Intercity rolling stock. There was something of a Connolly/Heuston network divide with these things, beacuse whereas MK2Ds that operated out of Heuston to places like Limerick fequently had doors falling off, exposed electrical wiring, leaking toilets and God knows what else, those running to Sligo were much better maintained, clean, lights maintained, secure doors, that sort of thing.

Irish Rail's original plan was to run the service with the pair of 121 locomotives, Mark2D coaches, add an extra coach for the trainspotters. This IIRC was common when you had school tours or whatever to simply add an extra carriage to a running service, since the biggest cost of running a train was have been the locomotive and generator van, and the carriages didn't have on-board motors or anything like that. The BREL sets were also very flexible in that respect.

The likely impact would thusly have been that the trainspotters and regular passengers would have had to clamor for fewer seats throughout the rest of the train. Platform 11 rightly protested, and instead it was decided to run a proper "Special" with a full train of Craven's coaches.

Obviously this was better for everyone, as the passenger service was left untouched, and the locosexuals not only got to ride behind the 121s, but they had older coaches, and entire train of them, which turned out to be needed as I believe it was full.

I don't think there was any consipracy by raving gricer lunatics to temporarily turn the Sligo line into some kind of historical museum piece, just a case of very bad planning and disrespect, which are both CIE/IE strong points, and unfortunately not limited to any service in particular. :mad:

Back to topic: about damn time this bridge was fixed as I'm sure it was adding at least 5 minutes to Dublin-West of Shannon train times. Along with potentially causing a danger.

Nostradamus

[/quote]

Wow! That was horrible and so scary. Never even heard of this movie.

JupiterKid

Ah yes, the classic 1977 film The Cassandra Crossing, with Burt Lancaster, Richard Harris and Sophia Loren.

At least the Lough Tap rail bridge won't share the same fate - even if it was on just a bit of a smaller scale than Cassandra.:D

Judgement Day

Far from a classic...very poor shots of model trains...and just how many carriages went over the bridge anyway I lost count! Given that the line was closed and derelict how was Burt Lancaster and crew able to watch the train's progress on an electric track diagram? For real crashes with real locomotives and stock "The Train" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFmhlon7jz8 ,again with Burt Lancaster, is your only man.

dowlingm

Does anyone know if the new bridge will be cleared for 201s this time? Are all the new (raised) spans fixed?

DWCommuter

Judgement Day wrote: »

Far from a classic...very poor shots of model trains...and just how many carriages went over the bridge anyway I lost count! Given that the line was closed and derelict how was Burt Lancaster and crew able to watch the train's progress on an electric track diagram? For real crashes with real locomotives and stock "The Train" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFmhlon7jz8 ,again with Burt Lancaster, is your only man.

While we are wildly off topic, the Cassandra Crossing is a known classic despite the gaffs in the film.

The actual bridge is in France and still used today. The SFX shots were done in an outdoor studio water tank using models. This was the norm for pre-CGI FX and you will note that the model shots are never on screen for more than a few seconds and quickly intercut with actual location and studio footage in an attempt to conceal the blatant fakery. All normal practice for the 1970s. As for the electric track diagram....well filmmakers make films for "normal" people who couldn't give a **** less about things like that.:D

And remember that The Train is packed full of gaffs as well, but still great.;)

This has to be my nerdiest post ever!

Judgement Day

dowlingm wrote: »

Does anyone know if the new bridge will be cleared for 201s this time? Are all the new (raised) spans fixed?

Why does it matter if the bridge is cleared for 201s? There is never likely to be any requirement for them to traverse the route. Of course if CIE do their usual thing of running the rolling stock into the ground, in twenty years time the 22000s could end up being de-engined like the AEC railcars and be loco hauled!!

Victor

Can people (a) moderate their landguage (b) keep things firmly in the real world (that works both ways)?

DWCommuter

Judgement Day wrote: »

Why does it matter if the bridge is cleared for 201s? There is never likely to be any requirement for them to traverse the route. Of course if CIE do their usual thing of running the rolling stock into the ground, in twenty years time the 22000s could end up being de-engined like the AEC railcars and be loco hauled!!

LOL! I could actually see that happening.

dowlingm

Judgement Day wrote: »

Why does it matter if the bridge is cleared for 201s? There is never likely to be any requirement for them to traverse the route.

That assumes (a) no GAA specials - okay it's Sligo that's not likely (b) that IE keep enough 071s running to power permanent way trains. "Accidentally" scrapping a bunch of locos is after all the kind of thing we have come to expect from IE.

KC61

Back on topic...

Some good photos of the new bridge as it was installed are here. The crane looks massive.

http://thewanderersirishrailphotospot.fotopic.net/c1774899.html

crushproof

KC61 wrote: »

Back on topic...

Some good photos of the new bridge as it was installed are here. The crane looks massive.

http://thewanderersirishrailphotospot.fotopic.net/c1774899.html

That is one heck of a crane!!! The size of it compared to the height of the bridge!! Any specs on it...the actual height etc?!

KC61

I don't know, but talking to a friend from the midlands I'm told that you could see it from as far away as Longford, which means it was pretty massive!!

munchkin_utd

looks like a Liebherr LR 1600/2
http://www.liebherr.com/cr/en/products_cr.asp?menuID=106142!10940-0&register=7835_794

the main jib can be as long as 144 metres. Which is bloody high for a mobile crane.
The london eye is 135 metres high to put it in perspective!

North Cork

Here's a link to the company who own the crane, God there are some company

http://www.mammoet.com/Default.aspx?tabid=688&language=en-US