Tralee as a Railway Centre

Judgement Day

These two 1930s pics from http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/ are new - to me anyway - and illustrate the former scale of railway operations in Tralee. The first pic shows the Waterford, Limerick & Western Railway station (north of Edward Street LC) latterly known as the North Kerry Yard.

To the top right of the picture the narrow gauge Tralee & Dingle Railway workshops and station can be seen. The second pic is a close-up of the Tralee & Dingle operation.

When I first visited Tralee in the late 1970s little had changed and many of the warehouse buildings still remained. Today Dunnes Stores occupies the North Kerry Yard.

The extensive GSWR station and yard are just off the top of the first photograph.

Judgement Day

This screen grab of an OSI map shows most of the GSWR layout too.

corktina

there was a lot if railway way back when RIP

ClovenHoof

When the railways were big and the towns were tiny. Now the towns are big, but the railways have nearly all gone.

CIE; the anti-matter of European Railway Development...

whisky_galore

It was all well and good when the only competition was donkey and cart or walking.

end of the road

whisky_galore wrote: »

It was all well and good when the only competition was donkey and cart or walking.

yeah. because rail can only go a tad bit faster then donkey and cart or walking. strangely i'm unable to beat the train on foot myself but maybe some here have magic feet?

corktina

What he means is that Rail was King when it had no competition, rod vehicles have developed to a high level now, whereas train still have all their limitations and haven't developed hardly at all in 100 years

whisky_galore

corktina wrote: »

What he means is that Rail was King when it had no competition, rod vehicles have developed to a high level now, whereas train still have all their limitations and haven't developed hardly at all in 100 years

Pretty much this. I doubt if a meandering route like the North Kerry made much revenue even in the heady days of the GS&W. As for the T&D, it was a shoestring, slapdash operation that was an accident just waiting to happen, sometimes quite literally.

end of the road

corktina wrote: »

train still have all their limitations and haven't developed hardly at all in 100 years

of course they have and a hell of a lot, and are developing all the time. the infrastructure can only do so much because its not going to run everywhere, but new technologies in relation to rail are developing and being developed all the time. its only ireland who is insistant on staying at speeds from the dark ages, and some may say the company insistant on operating a 2 teer railway, but thats another debate.

corktina

How has rail developed in the last 100 years (other than closing down most of it)? It can still only deliver passengers (and freight if there was any) from A to B (where the Customer lives at C and is actually heading for D).
The point is it has been out-evolved by Road Transport just as Rail eclipsed the Canal which took business from the Coaching Trade.

ClovenHoof

These photos seem to be potential military targets. Anyone know where this is?

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/xaw009754?search=ireland&ref=78

Judgement Day

Oi - just to keep this thread on topic i.e. about Tralee.

Can't resist posting this H C Casserley view of a double-headed cattle special - no longer have any of the T&D books and I can't remember the location but it's an epic shot.

Having lived near Listowel for a good bit of my life, I've always had an interest in the North Kerry and what's left of it.

ClovenHoof

They North Kerry was fully intact and looked like a train could come along at at any moment when I first saw it in the early 1980's.

end of the road

and then it was stolen (sorry) i mean lifted. my big mouth

end of the road

end of the road wrote: »

and then it was stolen (sorry) i mean lifted. my big mouth

Apparently, the track ended up in Sudan.

It is commonly believed that the building of the N21 Rathkeale bypass marked the end of the line, as there was no provision in its construction for crossing the line. Also, the steep gradients at Barnagh (between Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale) were always a problem.

end of the road

Karsini wrote: »

It is commonly believed that the building of the N21 Rathkeale bypass marked the end of the line, as there was no provision in its construction for crossing the line.

oh i'd well believe it. as such road construction was the end for many line even though it was unlikely it would ever reopen. still we don't rip up roads for some reason (all though the roads where i live may as well have been)

Karsini wrote: »

Also, the steep gradients at Barnagh (between Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale) were always a problem.

ah surely a couple of babies would handle it no bother had it remained. was a lifting train used for the removal?

Judgement Day

Karsini wrote: »

Apparently, the track ended up in Sudan.

It is commonly believed that the building of the N21 Rathkeale bypass marked the end of the line, as there was no provision in its construction for crossing the line. Also, the steep gradients at Barnagh (between Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale) were always a problem.

Can't see why the gradients on the Barnagh Bank would have been a problem - in the days of loose coupled goods trains perhaps but hardly relevant today.

The line was lifted by road. A lot of the signals ended up in Dromod. In a fit of madness I bought the turntable in Newcastle West - it eventually ended up in Hammond Lane. I also bought the signal cabin in Abbeydorney - it's still there as far as I know. A fool and his money are soon parted...

whisky_galore

Karsini wrote: »

Apparently, the track ended up in Sudan.

Wonder if this is true or just legend? The West Clare's or West Cork's rails were said to have been shipped to Nigeria, was there some sort of a booming trade sending rail to Africa?

end of the road

whisky_galore wrote: »

Wonder if this is true or just legend? The West Clare's or West Cork's rails were said to have been shipped to Nigeria, was there some sort of a booming trade sending rail to Africa?

god only knows. did they even sell them or give them away. maybe it was to add insult to injury to those along the lines against their closures? well it was 1960s ireland and CIE so nothing would surprise me.

end of the road

Judgement Day wrote: »

Can't see why the gradients on the Barnagh Bank would have been a problem - in the days of loose coupled goods trains perhaps but hardly relevant today.

The line was lifted by road. A lot of the signals ended up in Dromod. In a fit of madness I bought the turntable in Newcastle West - it eventually ended up in Hammond Lane. I also bought the signal cabin in Abbeydorney - it's still there as far as I know. A fool and his money are soon parted...

thats rather a shame.

Grandeeod

Judgement Day wrote: »

Can't see why the gradients on the Barnagh Bank would have been a problem - in the days of loose coupled goods trains perhaps but hardly relevant today.

The line was lifted by road. A lot of the signals ended up in Dromod. In a fit of madness I bought the turntable in Newcastle West - it eventually ended up in Hammond Lane. I also bought the signal cabin in Abbeydorney - it's still there as far as I know. A fool and his money are soon parted...

Don't feel so bad. Your intentions were honourable.

Banjoxed

Grandeeod wrote: »

Don't feel so bad. Your intentions were honourable.

JD, if I ever get a chance to bump into you in real life I will stand you a pint of Guinness or five for doing what you did.

end of the road

Banjoxed wrote: »

JD, if I ever get a chance to bump into you in real life I will stand you a pint of Guinness or five for doing what you did.

and for speaking the truth over the years whatever the cost

Judgement Day

I tried but not everybody would share your kind opinions.

http://irishrailways.blogspot.ie/

corktina

I always wanted to be notorious ;-)

I'd also buy you a pint or 5

Judgement Day

On the Tralee & Dingle west of Camp....mighty scenery.

Judgement Day

Materials recovery 'train' on the North Kerry - Joe St.Leger in foreground.

Judgement Day

Weedspraying train approaches Tralee (Edward Street LC) from the North Kerry yard in 198x.

Grandeeod

Judgement Day wrote: »

I tried but not everybody would share your kind opinions.

http://irishrailways.blogspot.ie/

LOL! And obviously at the latest post!

Poor fecker!

RikkFlair

Judgement Day wrote: »

On the Tralee & Dingle west of Camp....mighty scenery.

Great photos....is the 2nd photo Annascaul?