Tag Archives: rail line

MORE flooding at Ballycar means the Ennis-Limerick railway line has closed once again, potentially for the next couple of months. Local councillors this week slammed the long standing failure to tackle the flooding issue. “If it was outside Dublin, it’d be fixed,” said Councillor PJ Ryan (Ind) at Tuesday’s Shannon Municipal District meeting. Councillor Pat McMahon (FF) said a government minister had visited the area nearly 40 years ago, and it was anticipated that something would be done at that time. Several of the councillors said that they had received a huge amount of calls about the issue, with many people who rely on the service annoyed at the disruption. In a statement on Monday, Iarnród Éireann said, “Flood waters have risen significantly at Ballycar on the Limerick to Ennis railway line in recent days. As a result, the line between Limerick and Ennis is now closed, and services are suspended, until further notice.” It said that bus transport will …

Íarnród Éireann (IR) has played down the impact of vandalism on the Limerick to Ennis rail track, after a rail engine was slightly damaged on Monday. IR spokesman Barry Kenny confirmed the 4.30pm Limerick to Ennis train struck a number of building blocks, which had been placed on the line. One passenger, who contacted The Clare Champion, claimed rail users were fortunate to escape what would have been a serious accident if the train was travelling at the same speed of a suburban Limerick to Dublin vehicle when it struck the blocks. He said the driver had to stop the train for about 15 to 20 minutes at a location across from the Moyross housing estate to examine the damage. “I could feel the train wobbling. You could hear the stones cracking underneath the train. If any part of the train had toppled over, it would have fallen into a flooded area,” he said. Criticising the vandalism, he appealed to …

THE Ennis to Limerick railway line will reopen from the start of business on Tuesday morning The line had been closed since February 2, due to extensive flooding in the Ballycar area, with water levels peaking at almost two metres above the rail line. The closure was prolonged due to the slow draining nature of the karst landscape in the area. Bus transfers had been substituting the rail service throughout the closure. However, water levels have now receded and following a final inspection and test train this Monday, full services will resume on Tuesday for Ennis to Limerick services (including Sixmilebridge Station), and full Galway to Limerick services. As trains will once again be operating on the route, users of level crossings have been reminded by Iarnród Éireann to be vigilant and to use level crossings safely at all times.  

  By Owen Ryan TRAIN services between Ennis and Limerick are likely to resume on Tuesday as flood water has receded, while all the residents of Ballycar are now able to drive back to their homes. Iarnród Éireann spokesperson Barry Kenny said that divers had inspected the floods at Ballycar this week. There are plans to run a test train through the area on next Monday and all going well normal services will resume on Tuesday. “We’re no longer an island!” said Ballycar resident Hilary Gough, who is relieved that the entrance to her home is no longer flooded. She said that while her own house was isolated for exactly 13 weeks the problem has abated, but she wants Clare County Council to make sure the problem doesn’t recur the next time there is sustained heavy rain. “I’m absolutely determined that this should not happen again. There have been reports that there will be round table talks with the OPW …