Tralee to Dingle Railway.

Ait Eile

Not quite the most westerly in Ireland/Europe. Just pipped by the Valential Harbour branch on the Cahirciveen line. Definitely the most westerly NG line however.

stevielenihan

Bigfellalixnaw wrote: »

But surely it would be possible to convert whatever is left of the railway into a walkway, I understand that the whole line won't be converted but at parts of it could be converted over time.

Possible but currently there are no plans to convert to walkway and cycle path. We will just have to wait and see.

kingdumb

Valentia Harbour Station is closed, Blernerville now holds the title, well it would if the train was running !

Ait Eile wrote: »

Not quite the most westerly in Ireland/Europe. Just pipped by the Valential Harbour branch on the Cahirciveen line. Definitely the most westerly NG line however.

kingdumb

Au contraire Stevie,

There is currently a €69 million project to renovate the road from camp to Dingle including a cycleway/walkway !

This is a scheme to encourage tourists, but the NRA/Kerry CoCo plans have the path running right along side the road !

Yes that's right in one of the most picturesque parts of the country the plan is to encourage tourist to walk and cycle right beside speeding traffic on a boring main road. This despite the fact that there is an existing walking route, one of the nicest you will find, [which is in need of a few bob for upkeep] an old railway alignment with a lot of lovely old infrastructure bridges/viaducts etc. and a network of bothareens which could all be combined to make a world class route at a fraction of the cost.

The mind, it boggles !

stevielenihan wrote: »

Possible but currently there are no plans to convert to walkway and cycle path. We will just have to wait and see.

stevielenihan

kingdumb wrote: »

Au contraire Stevie,

There is currently a €69 million project to renovate the road from camp to Dingle including a cycleway/walkway !

This is a scheme to encourage tourists, but the NRA/Kerry CoCo plans have the path running right along side the road !

Yes that's right in one of the most picturesque parts of the country the plan is to encourage tourist to walk and cycle right beside speeding traffic on a boring main road. This despite the fact that there is an existing walking route, one of the nicest you will find, [which is in need of a few bob for upkeep] an old railway alignment with a lot of lovely old infrastructure bridges/viaducts etc. and a network of bothareens which could all be combined to make a world class route at a fraction of the cost.

The mind, it boggles !

Does this plan include developing a walk and cycle path on some sections of the former railway line?

kingdumb

No just a path right beside the road !

All details here:
http://www.kerrycoco.ie/en/allservices/roads/n86dingletoannascaulgortbreagogetocampris/
it is currently with an bord pleanala so hopefully some sense will be seen.

stevielenihan wrote: »

Does this plan include developing a walk and cycle path on some sections of the former railway line?

stevielenihan

http://www.tdlr.org.uk/gallery/2tsos512px9.jpg T and DR 260 at Glenmore.

http://www.tdlr.org.uk/gallery/5tsos512px2.jpg T and Dr 2 6 2 no 5 at Tralee.

http://www.tdlr.org.uk/gallery/joemaher010610c.jpg Tralee bound no 6 drops down to Blennerville for the short run along the road before the station.

http://www.tdlr.org.uk/gallery/joemaher310510a.jpg Picture of Tralee train station from 1890

gobnaitolunacy

stevielenihan wrote: »

It will operate again for the 2013 season and will include a new station for the Wet Lands Centre.

Wet Lands Centre? Pfffft. Do we really need another centre to 'interpret' a bog?

Re: the railway. The loco would have been better off being sent to the Isle of Man or somewhere else in the UK where they can actually run a real preserved railway rather than the glorified train set that is/was the T&BSR. It was all well and good having getting it back from the US, putting it going, having a few photoshoots for the launch and the Lovely Girls Festival, but what follows that up?

One steam loco is not enough, it needs another for failures/scheduled repairs and I'm afraid an ex- Bord Na Mona diesel no matter how rare it may be is not of interest to folks who want to see a 'Thomas'.

The line runs from nowhere to, well, nowhere, far too short and the lineside could hardly be described as scenic.

No original buildings, or an attempt at period structures. Just modern platforms with no character.

The workers were FAS drones who knew little or nothing about the original line.

stevielenihan

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

Wet Lands Centre? Pfffft. Do we really need another centre to 'interpret' a bog?

Re: the railway. The loco would have been better off being sent to the Isle of Man or somewhere else in the UK where they can actually run a real preserved railway rather than the glorified train set that is/was the T&BSR. It was all well and good having getting it back from the US, putting it going, having a few photoshoots for the launch and the Lovely Girls Festival, but what follows that up?

One steam loco is not enough, it needs another for failures/scheduled repairs and I'm afraid an ex- Bord Na Mona diesel no matter how rare it may be is not of interest to folks who want to see a 'Thomas'.

The line runs from nowhere to, well, nowhere, far too short and the lineside could hardly be described as scenic.

No original buildings, or an attempt at period structures. Just modern platforms with no character.

The workers were FAS drones who knew little or nothing about the original line.

Well I was told that it would be running again next year and that there be new station for wetlands centre.

stevielenihan

Model railway of Tralee to Dingle railway to be exhiibitied on 31st of may. http://www.radiokerry.ie/news/model-railway-of-tralee-to-dingle-line-to-be-exhibited-from-may-31st/

carchaeologist

stevielenihan wrote: »

Model railway of Tralee to Dingle railway to be exhiibitied on 31st of may. http://www.radiokerry.ie/news/model-railway-of-tralee-to-dingle-line-to-be-exhibited-from-may-31st/

Interestig, i wonder what the scale is?

Quaderno

Tralee Chamber Alliance wrote:

(Source)

You are cordially invited to the Opening of the new Tourist Product “The Model Railway” at the Windmill Blennerville.

By Minister Jimmy Deenihan

Friday the 31st of May from 6 o’clock. Also present the Mayor Johnny Wall.

This initiative is funded by the Tralee Town Council.

Set up by the Kerry Model Railway association.

Chairman Gene Lacey, Harry Kelliher, Martin Moore, Vincent Hayes, Eamonn O Reilly, Mick O Neill, Brendan O Brien, Mike O Donnell and Billy Nolan.

The Chester Tralee Dingle Railway will be the main exhibit with a Replica steam powered Engine (This should be very exciting) with our own Model Trains on show and an interactive set for Children.

http://www.chestermodelrailwayclub.com/dingle.htm - Plenty of information there. I think I will drop in with the little one and have a look

stevielenihan

They should redo the curradoff viaduct and lispole viaduct and place a walk and cycle path on them.

irishrail201

I hope everyone here knows that there is no such thing as the Kerry model railway association!!! completely made up! No public events nothing

I know this because I was involved to help out but was stabbed in the back!!

simonstarr

As a new member of this forum might I clear up a few misconceptions about the Kerry Model Railway Association. I have not hidden behind any pseudonym, so you know I am and I can be contacted via the Chester Model Railway Club website. Since 2005, when we exhibited our layout Dingle in the town, I have been in contact with Mike O'Neill. At the start of this year he contacted me about an offer we made of placing the layout on permanent display in Kerry. He said he and a few like-minded individuals were forming an association with a view of setting up a display in the Windmill and to restoring the 3ft line to working order. The result of these negotiations was our recent 'tour' over to Tralee and subsequent demonstration and donation of the layout.
Contrary to comments made on here:
1. The Association have their own OO Irish themed layouts, one of which was on display on Friday and Saturday last which had been put together in an incredibly short space of time. The guys who put that time in deserve all manner of plaudits for their efforts. Further to this they have spent their own time and money in doing not only this but in purchasing a number of 15mm scale T&D wagons, track and locos to haul them to add to the display. They have also commissioned myself and a colleague to build a couple of 4mm T&D locos to run the layout. They are looking into purchasing stock for Dingle so that it will be regularly run. We have also discussed the possibility (probably a bit more than that) of coming over annually to run the layout. The group want to try and extend it to the standard already created by us.
2. A diesel loco has been sourced (more details when this is finalised) and terms are being finalised for its loan. There is an outside chance that the train may run this year, but it is still more likely to be next. However, with the pace that they achieve things and the dedication that those in the association have I wouldn't be surprised to see things happen sooner rather than later.
3. 5T is unlikely to be restored to full working order for the next few years unless 2-300,000 Euros can be had. It needs about 70,000 for a new throat-plate and more for general repairs. Discussions are at an early stage with the Ffestiniog Railway in North Wales about the work that is needed - a visit by one of their staff has taken place very recently. I am sure that any fundraising that people are prepared to do would be well received!
4. In two weeks they have transformed the room at the back of the Windmill to an airy well decorated and secure area for the display of memorabilia and models. To open so successfully on Friday night where several hundred people listened to various talks by visiting members of the Irish parliament was a major achievement and shows, I hope, to any detractors, how committed they are. I also hope that any of you who are local made the effort to show your support and attend and donate to the funds.
Might I add, finally, that that the KMRA are far from a hidden group of business people, that they do have an interest in both model railways and the real thing and have the best interests and skills behind this project. I know they are real because I have worked alongside them and drank with them in the Meadowside Hotel (excellent food by the way) several times over the last week - they are a great bunch of ambitious and motivated enthusiasts. Please don't knock their efforts as they are probably the last chance that Tralee has of restoring the town's flagging tourist industry.
Simon Starr

irishrail201

Simon I must applaud your efforts, and the work you have done.

but:

1) It is not possible to join the KMRA, there is no presence of it anywhere, no facebook page no website no membership no events etc.
2) Tralee town Council funded the majority of it
3) impossible to run this year due to a lot of deterioration in trackwork
4) No one can contribute or join it is an exclusive club or the members were "handpicked" as the leader of it says, there is no constitution, no company......... there is zilch democracy, your a decent chap simon but is that right? why cannot people contribute?

From sources NEKD don't have the grant aid available, and in the event 25% of this will have to come from somewhere? where? Also the grant aid is payable upon when the work is done so who carries the cash flow in the meantime? Also I have a number of contacts in a UK railway body which has some interesting comments about the whole debacle.

No one man can do that!!

gobnaitolunacy

Is this (full size) T&DR group working in conjunction with the Facebook T&DR restoration group or is it the same story as preservation efforts elsewhere with competing groups pulling against each other?

simonstarr

1. It is possible to join the association as several people were asking at the show over the weekend. However I believe at present the ruling is, what can you do for the association, not the other way round. If you have a skill or something you can offer then you would be welcome. I know of six new members of the group as a result of this last week!!
2. True, but why is this a problem? In the long run this is investing in Tralee's future so it should be spending money from whatever source possible!
3. The trackwork has been inspected and although doesn't look great (no doubt it needs some work) is not too awful - impossible? Only in the mind perhaps! Wait and see - if it doesn't open it wont be for want of trying.
4. At Chester Club there is a heirarchy - there has to be. Yes the original members are handpicked because of what they are able to offer, you'd expect little else. As for web presence etc, that was being discussed at the weekend. Refurbishing a room, and organising an event like Friday's, sort of took priority over spending time on a website, but it is coming soon. As for democracy, hmmm. You trying saying democracy in a successful organisation like Alan Sugar's. This is not a game to be playing. You are talking some serious money involved which has to be accounted for. People have criticised the Ffestiniog in North Wales (possible some of those organisations you have spoken to will have few kind words for the management of it) but at the end of the day it gets the job done even if a few people don't like it and wander off. The point being that the railway succeeds where other more 'liberal' organisations are failing. I always try to work with people even if I don't always agree with the way they are doing it because it often ends up with the job getting completed!
'Debacle' is your word and I have yet to see any evidence of that. All I can see is a great result in a short space of time. Stop knocking them and let them get on with it. We at Chester would not be donating the layout if we thought it was a waste of time and that our hard work was in any jeopardy!
Gobna - I think the facebook thing was set up by a member of this forum and is nothing to do with efforts to restore the line just a discussion group with potentialy negative overtones from what what I have seen. There is only one group who are on the ground working to achieve something and that is the KMRA.
Simon

kingdumb

Sorry are ye saying that a model railway group are taking over the running of the Blennerville steam railway, or have I got things mixed up here ?

kingdumb

... I wouldn't be at all surprised or concerned that a group of model railway enthusiasts have no facebook page and no website, but a town council with two major tourists attractions [the windmill and the steam railway] with no officail online presence that is a joke

irishrail201

I represent the facebook page and have been completely flung to one side by the above committee, I produced a 10,000 word report which has gone down very well with chamber and very well locally, a facebook page now with 210 members.

So I got lots to offer, also as i have mentioned a large collection of irish 00 gauge locos and TDLR aritifacts and paintings....


Simon......... what you are saying is simply not fair

I had to fight to get listened by the leader (thanks to the ceo of chamber and a friend of mine) and was simply flung to one side........

All this has been rather upseeting to me personally, I am losing sleep over it and your comments are quite harsh to someone who has come from absolutely nothing to something in a very short period of time..................

One thing i would say to the group is be careful who they fling to one side

gobnaitolunacy

*sigh*

Peoples' Front Of Judea vs Judean Peoples' Front

Plus ca change in the Irish preservation scene.

irishrail201

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

*sigh*

Peoples' Front Of Judea vs Judean Peoples' Front

Plus ca change in the Irish preservation scene.

couldnt agree more, why does this always happen in irish preservation.......people simply want to contribut and are not allowed
, why?

I think i have proven myself..........coming so far with the support of numerous organisations........

Simon the facebook page is better than nothing, at least (with respect) people are free to chat there and can contribute at any level........

simonstarr

I'll try and go through all of your points:
My aim of posting on here was to try and diffuse any conflict rather than create it and I am not about to get involved in a turf war over this. I agree that communication and publicity are areas for development and we said as much to the KMRA members. They are not people who are used to doing this and this was the first show that they have ever organised. However, I would ask you all to think back to when the last model railway exhibition was held in Tralee? The group are trying to do so much that certain things are bound to be forgotten and mistakes made. We don't learn from what we do well but from the errors we make (can't remember who said that, I think it's a Chinese proverb). The point that I would make again is that the group have successfully secured some money from the council and have started to do something with it and furthermore put a lot of their own money into the project both in Euros and time.
The KMRG are interested in both model railways and the real thing. The four members of Chester Club who visited last week, build and exhibit models and volunteer on the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways on a regular basis (note Princess is over in Dublin now for a couple of weeks). One activity does not preclude the other - even the manager of the F&WHR is a model enthusiast. We also run an annual railtour over Network rail with a huge turnover. This is organised by a small group within the club and although the other members help with publicity there is little democracy in the decisions made - our club would not exist without it. Although we are quite successful, we have been around since 1951 and have significant experience in these things!
I agree, it has frustrated me enormously that there is no website for the attractions, but I think this about to change. Clearly not the fault of the KMRA though they are about to rectify this. In the meantime there are a couple of sites which are have information - historical in one case.
http://www.tdlr.org.uk/
http://www.dodingle.com/Heritage/dingle_tralee_railway.html
and the yahoo discussion group which has information
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Tralee-DingleRailway/
Finally, I don't want to set up an argument here Irishrail201, you have my email address and I yours, it will not help 'the cause' to do so here, but with all due respect, what exactly is not fair. I have simply stated the facts. There are comments on here and the facebook page made by you which are without doubt negative and even threatening "One thing i would say to the group is be careful who they fling to one side". It is that attitude that has caused a degree of alienation of you from those in charge. I have no idea what you have offered the KMRA in terms of stock or memorabilia, but it was a shame you didn't come down to the windmill and introduce yourself as I'm sure you would have been impressed by what has been achieved and with a little tact perhaps some bridges could have been built - I would have enjoyed the chat. I cannot emphasis enough that this project needs the support of everyone in the locality. I would humbly suggest that you take a step back for a couple of months and see what transpires. Things wont all happen overnight!
Simon

irishrail201

for the record to all bloggers I currently am minding my 87 year old grandfather who has just had an operation on his kidneys, he is the last person alive who travelled on the castlegregory line as a schoolboy........so that's where my priorities lie.

mp171

Lads, with all due respect why should the re opening of the T&DR succeed this time when it failed the last time , in an era which was far more prosperous than today. I think the Chester lads may have missed a point . The UK as a country is far more heritage minded than here in Ireland, they also have the Heritage Lottery Fund and lastly they have sheer number of population again something which we don't have here. For the record I have been involved in many Heritage attempts in this country (from the age of 14 ) , have put my money and time where my mouth is

irishrail201

mp171 wrote: »

Lads, with all due respect why should the re opening of the T&DR succeed this time when it failed the last time , in an era which was far more prosperous than today. I think the Chester lads may have missed a point . The UK as a country is far more heritage minded than here in Ireland, they also have the Heritage Lottery Fund and lastly they have sheer number of population again something which we don't have here. For the record I have been involved in many Heritage attempts in this country (from the age of 14 ) , have put my money and time where my mouth is

Fair play! Im a bit like yourself, im 18 myself currently.

See the T&D failed when the boom ended so circa 2007 and 2009 (when there was a derailment due to track standards)

It failed largely due to management issues, of course there were other problems such as loco 5T being too powerful.....But largely there was no management at all over the past 20 years, which lets face it was extremely poor, otherwise we would not be here.

I completely agree mp171, as the UK actually care about there heritage, in Ireland if it involves hurling or GAA great but if not

Also as we have learned from preservation "irish style" there are certain personalities who want it their way or no way..........which still goes on (as I am too familiar with).

Remember that there were enthusiasts based on the project at the very beginning, the GSRPS I believe, they managed to bring 5T from America!!! no easy task, but they were locked out by the local business men on famous supervising committees not getting there hands dirty, rather volunteering as supervisors......its a pitty....I know that several ex GSWR signal posts were recovered from the north Kerry line by one individual and given to the railway, but they were "in the way" and scrapped. Also there were several TDLR milestones extant and the original blennerville station, but they all were demolished or disappeared.

irishrail201

simonstarr wrote: »

1.
1) It is possible to join the association as several people were asking at the show over the weekend....
2)If you have a skill or something you can offer then you would be welcome.
3)I think the facebook thing was set up by a member of this forum and is nothing to do with efforts to restore the line just a discussion group with potentialy negative overtones from what what I have seen.
Simon

1) It is not possible as other friends of mine who are local have tried to and failed you need to be a "buddy" of the famous 6.

2) Skills: If you contact the chamber Alliance ceo, Prof. John Heneghan of the university of limerick, and several others....they will tell you the skills demonstrated on the document I created (which you saw the prototype), despite being 18 It was described as the making of a masters. Also a temporary web page was set up by myself as no one else did www.traleesteamrailway.webs.com the facebook page www.facebook.com/groups/traleeanddinglesteamrailway which has gone from 0 to 212 members in 2 months, are these all skillsets which could be utilised as you suggest?

3) nothing to do with the line? You probably got that info from the famous 6....of course that's what they would say! Bear in mind I was asked to look into rolling stock by "the leader" and since have been stabbed in the back by him. I was assured being part of the group, and being accredited as such, as a meeting was held between myself "the leader" and the chamber ceo.

Have they met with any railway engineers such as e.g Patrick keef?? NO Have they approached anyone in the enthusiast world such as the stunning website put together by steve tdlr.org NO.

I think once you may have said that you had no facebook account, in order to view the site you have to be a registered user, unless this has changed. And anyone is entitled to comment, there are no negative comments (as you mentioned in one of the comments above) just facts.

P.S I did email you a week or two back!:o

I don't want this to descend into a war of words, but what would you expect a young no barriers person to do when they were vulnerable and promised to be part of creating something worthwhile in society, for which there is masses of support for you...........but one man says no.

irishrail201

now at the 230 mark and growing...........www.facebook.com/groups/traleeanddinglesteamrailway or www.traleesteamrailway.webs.com

carchaeologist

I must check out this railway, see what all the fuss is about.
Projects like this in Tralee have a habit of being all hype at the start but the long term outcome is a different story.