Farewell to the South Wexford branch

[I T S]

The south wexford branch has now been closed,

pics of the 2nd last day in operation are now online @

http://irishtrainscenes.fotopic.net/c1898207.html

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Is the South Wexford the Rosslare-Waterford? Sad if it is

 

[I T S]

Is the South Wexford the Rosslare-Waterford? Sad if it is

Thats correct Matt. 1906-2010 RIP

Irish rail pratically run it into the ground and wanted rid of it

 

[Newportmuscles]

First time I travelled along the south Wexford it was in a park royal coach

Memories

 

[manaichain]

That's one of few lines i've travelled on back home. Did a weekend trip, Didcot Parkway evening HST to Swansea, the train onwards had broken down, so they had to phone up urgently for a coach to take us to Carmarthen, DMU to Fishguard Harbour, ferry across, Rosslare Harbour to Waterford, Waterford to Dublin Heuston via Kilkenny and Kildare, both the Luasí, DART to Malahide, Howth, then down to Dún Laoghaire, ferry across, Holyhead etc back to Didcot

Easy to tell the line from Kilrane Junction/Assally was much larger, each station had remnants of former platforms, yet not surprised it's closed, there doesn't appear to be anything out there, not even fences, no farms, just scrubland, the stations appear from nowhere

 

[4SRKT]

Sad to see it go, but inevitable really. When I first went on it there were two daily trains each way (actually not badly loaded at that time, and lots of fun with wooden bodied steam heated stock), but the decline of routes like this is unstoppable IMHO. There is no population to speak of, and what there is is highly car dependent. The massive improvement in Irish roads in the last 20 years has changed the situation beyond recognition. What possible economic justification can there be for keeping such a line open in the modern world? If a short line like this can only support one or two trains a day then really it can't justify itself Once the sugar beet traffic went it was only a matter of time before the curtain came down on this line.

 

[Greenback]

I think it was the loss of the freight traffic that killed the line. It's main reason for existence was the freight. The roads have improved since my first ever visit to Ireland in 1995, but that make sit easier to run a bus for what little passenger traffic there is. The fact that there is a bit of a population desert in the area served by the line means that there is no real market to speak of for passenger trains. When the infrastructure could be maintained out of the freight revenue, it didn't hurt too much to stick on a couple of trains with old stock to serve a handful of people.

 

[manaichain]

When i travelled there, back in 2004, they had brand new units running (the early morning Rosslare Harbour - Waterford Plunkett service

I'm surprised the Ballybrophy - Nenagh - Limerick service still runs, it's near a few large towns, but only 2 trains a day last time i checked, any idea if THAT one is used a lot?

 

[4SRKT]

When i travelled there, back in 2004, they had brand new units running (the early morning Rosslare Harbour - Waterford Plunkett service

I'm surprised the Ballybrophy - Nenagh - Limerick service still runs, it's near a few large towns, but only 2 trains a day last time i checked, any idea if THAT one is used a lot?

I'm sure it isn't used much. There is a third train now from Nenagh into Limerick in the morning and back in the evening. This line probably benefits from the fact that there is no large infrastructure that's falling to bits like the Barrow bridge. Does any freight come out of the shale siding at Kilmastulla any more?

 

[jamesontheroad]

I'm sure it isn't used much. There is a third train now from Nenagh into Limerick in the morning and back in the evening. This line probably benefits from the fact that there is no large infrastructure that's falling to bits like the Barrow bridge. Does any freight come out of the shale siding at Kilmastulla any more?

Ended last year.

http://joe-bloggs-irish-railway-photos.fotopic.net/c1579410.html