Waterford/Rosslare Strand Railway reaches the buffer stops (again)!

schemingbohemia

Lifelike wrote: »

But if the line is supposedly being maintained anyway, what's stopping Irish Rail from running a temporary service on the line while the bus can't operate?

well they might need drivers who have been assigned elsewhere, they might need station staff who have presumably been made redundant etc

steamengine

schemingbohemia wrote: »

So a train line that carried 25 people a day should be kept open for the 1 week in a year when there are severe weather conditions?

Given the isolated location of most of the stations on that line how much easier is it to get to the stations rather than just driving to the destination?

We've been over this ground many times on this thread. If there was less waste in IR such as for example the early retired MK3 coaches, money saved could have gone into subsidising that rail route. If services had been scheduled properly and train/ferry times had been synchronised properly increased passenger numbers could have justified the retention of the service.

Rail is subsidised country wide, so South Wexford was no exception and running an argument based on engineered low passenger numbers looks fine on the surface but hides the truth. In most countries a rail line from a port to the main network ie Lim Jct and Waterford would be regarded as commercially strategic and possessing potential value for increasing tourism. So let's stop and take stock here - one of the planks for economic recovery is tourism. So what is the logic of shutting this service down ???

dowlingm

It's a bit simplistic to claim that the train would definitely have saved the day. What if frozen points or a similar cold-related failure had stopped the train from leaving Rosslare?

Lifelike

schemingbohemia wrote: »

well they might need drivers who have been assigned elsewhere, they might need station staff who have presumably been made redundant etc

The only station staff was a person behind the ticket counter in Wellingtonbridge, and if they can find drivers for GAA specials then surely they could find a driver to run a train on this line?

Judgement Day

Lifelike wrote: »

The only station staff was a person behind the ticket counter in Wellingtonbridge, and if they can find drivers for GAA specials then surely they could find a driver to run a train on this line?

All the gatekeepers are also gone with their redundancy packages. Being Ireland it wouldn't surprise me if people have already begun extending their houses and gardens across the track.

steamengine

It is interesting to note that the present big freeze is the fourth occasion in 2010 that ferries and trains are fulfilling the role of transporting passengers due to airports being closed down due to abnormal weather conditions, including the volcanic ash episode (Eyjafjallojokull). It also points up once again the importance of preserving connecting rail services such as the South Wexford, and the superiority of rail over road in freezing weather conditions.

There were posts during the year intimating Eyjafjallojokull was a one off. Well there has now been 'four of these one offs'! in one year.

foggy_lad

Even during the ash cloud there were very few who would have used the train to Waterford from Rosslare most people were heading to Dublin to get connecting intercity trains or busses.

steamengine wrote: »

It is interesting to note that the present big freeze is the fourth occasion in 2010 that ferries and trains are fulfilling the role of transporting passengers due to airports being closed down due to abnormal weather conditions, including the volcanic ash episode (Eyjafjallojokull). It also points up once again the importance of preserving connecting rail services such as the South Wexford, and the superiority of rail over road in freezing weather conditions.

There were posts during the year intimating Eyjafjallojokull was a one off. Well there has now been 'four of these one offs'! in one year.

goingnowhere

foggy_lad wrote: »

Even during the ash cloud there were very few who would have used the train to Waterford from Rosslare most people were heading to Dublin to get connecting intercity trains or busses.

Utter rubbish,

Rosslare Waterford was jammers, trains Rosslare Dublin were all but empty during the volcano incident. Rosslare Waterford was packed during the snow as well.

Passengers for Dublin go via Holyhead, passengers for Munster and south Lenister go via Fishguard/Pembrooke or via Swansea

steamengine

The closure of the South Wexford has in effect isolated the main rail network in the South of Ireland, from Europe/UK as well as the local service it provided. Some posts have referred to this line almost as being a common or garden branch line, ignoring its strategic value. Thankfully other posts particularly by the OP and others foresaw the effects this closure would have a long time ago.

dowlingm

There seems to be a feeling on RUI boards that the intended train schedule during the DART closure on the Bray line will require one or more positioning movements over the South Wexford.

Oliver1985

dowlingm wrote: »

There seems to be a feeling on RUI boards that the intended train schedule during the DART closure on the Bray line will require one or more positioning movements over the South Wexford.

Has this train travelled over?

L1011

ahem:

http://www.newrossecho.ie/news/story/?trs=mhsnaukfmh&cat=news

Theft? Really? Bit hard to steal track panels and something similar "happened" to disconnect Youghal...

save the rail

MYOB wrote: »

ahem:

http://www.newrossecho.ie/news/story/?trs=mhsnaukfmh&cat=news

Theft? Really? Bit hard to steal track panels and something similar "happened" to disconnect Youghal...

Just heard about this, no prizes for guessing who is behind this, not long after we had foreign operators over to look at the line ............................

L1011

Seeing as its meant to be under "maintainence" as ordered by the NTA, I've dropped them a mail asking when they're going to make it be replaced.

save the rail

MYOB wrote: »

Seeing as its meant to be under "maintainence" as ordered by the NTA, I've dropped them a mail asking when they're going to make it be replaced.

Nice one, I will be onto them and the guards first thing in the morning

foggy_lad

24 lengths of rail each one 64 feet long! not your average load that would fit on a lorry or even an artic, unless the lengths were cut in half or smaller pieces, or there was a train out that way with track lifting equipment? maybe irish rail have borrowed it to help them complete the western rail corridor?

although from reading the article again it would seem more likely it is the old lenghts of rail that were lying beside the railway line in Campile that may have been stolen, are there any old sleepers missing?

Losty Dublin

foggy_lad wrote: »

24 lengths of rail each one 64 feet long! not your average load that would fit on a lorry or even an artic, unless the lengths were cut in half or smaller pieces, or there was a train out that way with track lifting equipment? maybe irish rail have borrowed it to help them complete the western rail corridor?

It would also take several men a lot of man hours along with tools to lift out complete rail lengths, especially if it was as many sections as this. If it was cut up, it still has to be removed and lifted from the track plus cutting torches or power saws. No way can it have been done without somebody seeing something but it's fishy to be sure.

DWCommuter

Losty Dublin wrote: »

It would also take several men a lot of man hours along with tools to lift out complete rail lengths, especially if it was as many sections as this. If it was cut up, it still has to be removed and lifted from the track plus cutting torches or power saws. No way can it have been done without somebody seeing something but it's fishy to be sure.

Yes losty, very fishy. Amazing that it wasn't seen or perhaps it was accepted by locals as an inevitable IE activity. Who knows.

Judgement Day

DWCommuter wrote: »

Yes losty, very fishy. Amazing that it wasn't seen or perhaps it was accepted by locals as an inevitable IE activity. Who knows.

Perhaps it was some of the shareholders of the Fishguard & Rosslare Railways & Harbours Company seizing their assets like happened to the Bray & Enniskerry Railway. :rolleyes:

Our man in Havana

Is this part of the running line that was stolen or some track panels left beside the track?

Losty Dublin

Our man in Havana wrote: »

Is this part of the running line that was stolen or some track panels left beside the track?

People wouldn't notice spare rails going missing from the side; they would however notice if the running track is gone hence the news story. In any case, you'd still need a lot of labour and trucks to shift said material.

Perhaps one of our users down that way can visit the site and confirm same.

Judgement Day

Or it could be the work of this man.

foggy_lad

From the newspaper report i would think it is the discarded rails that were taken otherwise we could have expected something to be said about the closing of the line last year. But i suppose it is not national news journalists writing the article so we cant expect too much.

save the rail

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Perhaps one of our users down that way can visit the site and confirm same.

I will be going there tomorrow

save the rail

IT was surplus track that was taken, it was for this line but due to suspension of services was to be moved and laid in another part of the network.

Our man in Havana

save the rail wrote: »

IT was surplus track that was taken, it was for this line but due to suspension of services was to be moved and laid in another part of the network.

So a non story then.

save the rail

Our man in Havana wrote: »

So a non story then.

well I for one am glad it is a non story

Judgement Day

I met a 'Board's Servant' that I know today and he assured me that nearly a quarter of mile of new rail was also stolen on the line recently. Suits IE's plans for the route anyway. Maybe it should be turned into a Greenway.

Cookie_Monster

save the rail wrote: »

IT was surplus track that was taken, it was for this line but due to suspension of services was to be moved and laid in another part of the network.

Our man in Havana wrote: »

So a non story then.

A quarter kilometer or so was stolen and just because it wasn't meant for some closed line it's not a story all of a sudden?

Ok, so it was only 3k, nothing for IE in the grand scheme of things, but who the **** steals rails for god's sake

****ing scumbags

topnotch

Took a few snaps earlier this evening when i gave a quick call down.
http://top204.fpic.co.uk/c1940865.html
The last one is a bit of grafitti on the back of the steps in pic 3.