Ireland rail - a few photos

[user 6862]

wow , I have a Jotul cooking stove of recent manufacture that looks almost identical to that except that it has different insignia on the side . Despite its tiny size it is a fierce little burner that is quick to start up and great fun to cook on .

Has anybody here used Morsø from Denmark? If using new they are our manufacturer of choice although Jotul have a fine reputation in Europe too.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Has anybody here used Morsø from Denmark? If using new they are our manufacturer of choice although Jotul have a fine reputation in Europe too.

I had not heard of them, and have no current needs, but I looked at their website. Wow, those are beautiful wood stoves!

 

[JontyMort]

13.11.2021 Passage East, Co. Waterford

Small hamlet down river from Waterford with a good sized ferry across the river Barrow, the estuary broadens out dramatically after this point.
Weather bright with no rain, very pleasant.

Drove through narrow streets to the quay just as the gates to the ferry closed and the prop wash started to show. Parked in the the entry lane and to our complete amazement the ferry reversed a little, gates opened and we were waved up the ramp. Only in Ireland.
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The entirety of Passage East
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Ferry from the opposite river bank at Ballyhack
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One of the most beautiful estuaries I have ever seen, the photo doesn't come close.
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On the road to Wexford we came across this small disused railway station at Welliingtonbridge, here 52.267783, -6.754551 . While on the subject of Irish rail we stopped, trespassed and took a few photos.
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Wexford rail station, closed up except for arrivals and departures from/to Rosslare ferry port. The line is the Rosslare Europort Service, could this be one of the shortest national rail services anywhere in the world at 23 minutes?
Have to write that the station building just 40m from the quay is a little underwhelming.
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Is the service from Wexford to Dublin no longer running? That would be a shame. We went to Wexford a few years back when our son was singing in the National Opera House, and travelled both ways by train. A lovely run.

 

[John Bredin]

Is the service from Wexford to Dublin no longer running? That would be a shame. We went to Wexford a few years back when our son was singing in the National Opera House, and travelled both ways by train. A lovely run.

Seat 61 says the Dublin-Wexford-Rosslare line is running, as is Dublin-Waterford. It's the Waterford-Rosslare line that's closed.

 

[JontyMort]

Seat 61 says the Dublin-Wexford-Rosslare line is running, as is Dublin-Waterford. It's the Waterford-Rosslare line that's closed.

Ah, yes. That was rather what I expected. Waterford-Rosslare has been closed for some time, and the reinstatement of the Barrow Bridge looks to be €€€€€.

 

[JeanA]

"and to our complete amazement the ferry reversed a little, gates opened and we were waved up the ramp. Only in Ireland. "

They came back for you?? !

Thanks for sharing on Ireland. For genealogical research reasons mostly, I need to make a trip to visit a few remote locations in several counties. I thought I would travel by rail as close as I could get before hiring a car or guide. Of course I would have to tour the entire country while there. ☺

 

[jiml]

Wexford is on the line between Dublin and the ferry port at Rosslare, so has regular service. YouTuber Geoff Marshall and his wife covered this branch in their All The Stations Ireland series.

Here's a map of the Irish long distance network for reference. It's been very useful in planning my upcoming trip there.

 

[cirdan]

I've expanded the original photo, it's impossible to say. That day the drizzle or mist was so fine but also so heavy I had difficulty getting the camera to focus, expanding the photo doesn't add a whole lot more to the detail.

According to Google there is a heritage/museum group that stores diesel locomotives there.

So it is entirely possible that the thing on your photo is an engine.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Traction_Group
https://www.irishtractiongroup.com/

 

[jiml]

It's the Waterford-Rosslare line that's closed.

I found the closure interesting when doing more research. Basically it was lightly-used because trains were infrequent and at impractical times. The route is currently served by a bus, but there is local pressure to bring the trains back as discussed in this article:
https://www.independent.ie/regional...-wexford-to-waterford-rail-line-40120791.html
North American rail advocates will notice some immediate similarities with lines all over our continent that are either discontinued, suspended or in jeopardy.

 

[cirdan]

I found the closure interesting when doing more research. Basically it was lightly-used because trains were infrequent and at impractical times. The route is currently served by a bus, but there is local pressure to bring the trains back as discussed in this article:
https://www.independent.ie/regional...-wexford-to-waterford-rail-line-40120791.html
North American rail advocates will notice some immediate similarities with lines all over our continent that are either discontinued, suspended or in jeopardy.

With Rosslare principally being the ferry port, surely it would be a no brainer to schedule the trains to connect to the ferries. In actual fact it was very difficult to catch a ferry by train without having a huge long wait (as in probably overnight).

I don't like to indulge in conspiracy theories, but sometimes I think that if somebody was intentionally trying to keep passengers away they couldn't have done a better job.

 

[user 6862]

18.11.2021 Dublin to London - Sail & Rail tickets using Irish Ferries and train

Up at 03:30 am, and on the road to Dublin by 05:00, makings of a nice day. We had pre bought our Sail & Rail tickets, 120 euros one way for two, from Dublin Port to Brentwood, Essex (to the east of London).

First sighting of Irish Ferries MV Ulysses just before dawn




Cloud formations changed as dawn broke creating varied affects.






We miss Ireland already for various reasons, more to follow...

 

[JontyMort]

Wexford is on the line between Dublin and the ferry port at Rosslare, so has regular service. YouTuber Geoff Marshall and his wife covered this branch in their All The Stations Ireland series.

Here's a map of the Irish long distance network for reference. It's been very useful in planning my upcoming trip there.

I see from the map that in the north-west there is one of those excellent stations in the middle of nowhere - Manulla Junction - that has no public access to/from the outside world. Like Manhattan Transfer, but possibly with fewer passengers.

 

[jiml]

I see from the map that in the north-west there is one of those excellent stations in the middle of nowhere - Manulla Junction - that has no public access to/from the outside world. Like Manhattan Transfer, but possibly with fewer passengers.

Right, there are two of those in their system apparently. Limerick Junction is also similar. There are several online videos about Manulla, including this one which explains its use:

 

[user 6862]

18.11.2021 Hollyhead, Wales port & train station to London - Part II of the Sail & Rail journey from Dublin to London/Brentwood


The Stenna Lines and Irish Ferries arrival terminal at Holyhead. A bus was taken on board to transport foot passengers to the terminal.


Good number of check-in desks in a light and airy terminal




Not so many passengers though


Thought we could get back to trains. It almost looked 3D


The outside, an original section of the rail station. This is Platorm 3, we depart from Platform 1


New and old join here


Due to re-building works we have to cross this dock to access Platform 1


An empty and unloved Platform 1





Train to London next

 

[user 6862]

18.11.2021 Hollyhead, Wales port & train station to London - Part II of the Sail & Rail journey from Dublin to London/Brentwood... continued


This is the original clock tower that was sited by the station entrance. It was moved around 1980 to make way for modernisation.


Our train to London


The rear of


... and the front. Locals said the footbridge had never been used as it was sited in the wrong place, who knows?


The clock tower again, not the most sympathetic location


Comfortable interior, not many boarded in Holyhead.


Llandudno is a seaside resort


? but spacious


Founded by the Romans in 79 AD, the busy station arrived a little later


At first glance I thought it was cast iron. The numbers and letters were cast then attached to a timber board.




To be continued, nearly there...

 

[jiml]

18.11.2021 Hollyhead, Wales port & train station to London - Part II of the Sail & Rail journey from Dublin to London/Brentwood... continued


This is the original clock tower that was originally sited by the station entrance. It was moved around 1980 to make way for modernisation.
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Our train to London
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The rear of
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... and the front. Locals said the footbridge had never been used as it was sited in the wrong place, who knows?
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The clock tower again, not the most sympathetic location
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Comfortable interior, not many boarded in Holyhead.
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Llandudno is a seaside resort
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? but spacious
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Founded by the Romans in 79 AD, the busy station arrived a little later
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At first glance I thought it was cast iron. The numbers and letters were cast then attached to a timber board.
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To be continued, nearly there...

Ah, the much-maligned Voyager trainset. They were branded Virgin the last time we rode on one.

 

[user 6862]

18.11.2021 Chester train station to London - Part II of the Sail & Rail journey from Dublin to London/Brentwood... continued


Crewe Junction, a historic railway station.

For those interested see this link Crewe railway station - Wikipedia


Is this waiting room in the running for most sterile waiting room ever? I think it is Milton Keynes Central?

Just arrived at London Euston Station

In the Booking Hall ~ same the world over, people waiting for their platform to be called

Night view of Euston outside.

Euston station is located on the NE edge of central London, we have to travel to Liverpool Street station on the eastern side to the City of London (financial and insurance centre) to catch a regional train to Brentwood, Essex.
The Tube is the transport of choice for this type of journey, it leaves from Euston Square underground station about a 200 yards walk from the plaza above.
At Euston Square there are 3 underground lines connecting Euston to Liverpool Street, so minimal waiting at any time of day or night.

Part of the main concourse at Liverpool Street mainline station

Very Victorian architecture



I used to know Liverpool Street well, commuted through here for 3 years solid after leaving school. Decided that commuting wasn't my thing just as fate and international travel intervened.

The regional train from Liverpool Street to Brentwood, Essex was another 25 minutes or so, that brought to an end of Part II of our travels to Ireland. For the third and final part of this journey we collected our camper from UK storage and drove back to France.

Next planned journey is in February 2022. Three weeks of almost exclusive train travel in the US starting February 2022, providing the latest Covid variant allows.

 

[SwedeC]

Our last pass on Sail + Rail was a quick connection between a late-arriving ferry and an on-time departure of the train. Something like seven minutes. We really had to "hoof-it" to get to the first-class car at the head of the train. Rest of trip to Euston was great.