Was the MGWR main line double tracked?

liklik3

I remember reading somewhere that the MGWR line from Dublin to Galway was double tracked for its length, but haven't been able to find any further details. From google it looks like many bridges on the line are wide enough for a second line, and I am aware that the line was redoubled to Maynooth around 2000, does anyone have further details about the line, such as when it was singled?

tabbey

liklik3 wrote: »

I remember reading somewhere that the MGWR line from Dublin to Galway was double tracked for its length, but haven't been able to find any further details. From google it looks like many bridges on the line are wide enough for a second line, and I am aware that the line was redoubled to Maynooth around 2000, does anyone have further details about the line, such as when it was singled?

The three main lines of the MGWR were double tracked for most of their routes.

Sligo line double to Longford.

Westport line double to Roscommon.

Galway line double to Ballinasloe, then single for most of the remaining 35 miles. There was a short section of double between Ballinasloe and Galway, cannot remember exactly now, but will look into it.

The reason for singling, apart from not being busy enough, was the quality of the MGWR track.
During the First World War, railways throughout the UK were worked hard for the war effort. The government paid compensation to each company for this. The MGWR put their compo into track renewal, constructing a track-laying machine, which for many years could be seen on the Athlone side of Mullingar station.
With the formation of the GSR from 1924/25, the former GSWR and DSER looked enviously at the MGWR track, as there was no money to buy new rails, sleepers etc, for relaying the other lines. The singling of the MGWR took place in the late 1920s, I think it was complete about 1929, the track being used for relaying where needed in other parts of the country.

L1011

The Sligo line was also double closer to Sligo - not sure how much of it though

tabbey

L1011 wrote: »

The Sligo line was also double closer to Sligo - not sure how much of it though

That was just from Carrignagat Junction where The Sligo Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway joined, but you are right, it was worked as a double line.

tabbey

tabbey wrote: »

Galway line double to Ballinasloe, then single for most of the remaining 35 miles. There was a short section of double between Ballinasloe and Galway, cannot remember exactly now, but will look into it.

West of Ballinasloe the line was single to Attymon, then double to Athenry, then single to Oranmore, finally double Oranmore to Galway.

Seanmk1

The historical maps on geohive.ie are great for looking at old railway infrastructure.

Eiretrains

One of the closed lines of the MGWR was partially double-tracked, that to Navan from Clonsilla Junction as far as to Drumree, but was singled in 1919. Nowadays the double-track exists again on the reopened section between Clonsilla and Dunboyne/M3 Parkway.

Losty Dublin

Eiretrains wrote: »

One of the closed lines of the MGWR was partially double-tracked, that to Navan from Clonsilla Junction as far as to Drumree, but was singled in 1919. Nowadays the double-track exists again on the reopened section between Clonsilla and Dunboyne/M3 Parkway.

Don't forget the line into Docklands. It too was closed and reopened although it didn't undergo abandonment

Just on Drumree, didn't the track from it end up being sent to Castlecomer and Wolfhill?

Temp101

The Sligo line was double from Collooney to Collooney Junction (no idea why, it's so short it can't have served much useful purpose) and from Carrignagat Junction to Sligo.
Singling started in the late 20's and took into the 1930's, with the last sections done being those Athlone to Roscommon.
I'm not so sure about the MGWR track being singled out (sorry!). I can't remember when Cork to Blackrock was done, but at much the same time in the late 20's, the DSE section had Newcastle to Wicklow singled, Limerick Junction to Limerick was singled, Fiddown to Waterford too. Aside from the Dublin area to Clonsilla and Bray both ways, only Dublin to Cobh remained double, aside from the stations at Mullingar, Athlone and Claremorris. I think it was just the GSR saw economies in manpower through reduced permanent way maintenance, plus a useful opportunity to remove some junctions and associated signalling, although given the amount of new signalling gear that was bought, one wonders.
Athy to Carlow was also singled in the Great War period and I thought some of that went to the colliery branches to Wolfhill and Castlecomer. The rest up to Cherryville also got singled later. Not sure what Drumree back towards Dunboyne was used for (possibly just materials for the MGWR?), but I don't think all the line back to Clonsilla was singled during that war.