Mallow–Tralee line

The Mallow-Tralee railway line runs from Mallow to Killarney and Tralee Casement. Intermediate stations are Banteer, Millstreet, Rathmore, and Farranfore.

Mallow-Tralee
Service from Cork after reversing out of Killarney station to continue forwards to Tralee
Technical
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Irish gauge
Mallow-Tralee
Mallow–Waterford line
Dublin to Cork line
to Dublin Heuston
 Mallow
Dublin to Cork line
to Cork
 Lombardstown
 Banteer
Newmarket branch line
 Rathcool
 Millstreet
 Rathmore
Kenmare branch line
 Headford Junction
Killarney
 Ballybrack
Valencia Harbour branch line
Farranfore
for Kerry Airport
Castleisland branch line
 Gortatlea
 Tralee
Fenit branch line
Limerick–Tralee line

A peculiar arrangement at Killarney is in place, in which trains from Mallow enter Killarney, which is a dead-end. Trains continuing to Tralee, then have to reverse until they reach the junction, before changing direction again to continue westwards.[1]

The length of the branch be 62¼ miles.[2] The line from Mallow to Killarney was noted for severe gradients compared to the line from Dublin to Mallow though the Killarney expresses of 1899 were timed to achieve the section at 40.75 miles per hour (65.58 km/h) westbound and 38.2 miles per hour (61.5 km/h) eastbound.[2]

History

The Killarney Junction Railway (KJR) completed the construction the line from Mallow to the holiday resort of Killarney in 1853. The Tralee & Killarney Railway opened the extension from Killarney junction to Mallow in 1859. The Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) who had invested in both companies absorbed them both in 1860.[1]

At Tralee there were small sidings that were convenient to those of the narrow gauge Tralee and Dingle Light Railway. There was also links beyond the road to the marshalling yards, the branch to Fenit, and the Limerick–Tralee line.[3]

Rolling stock

Alexander McDonnell GS&WR Class 2 Kerry bogies were specifically intended for passenger services on the line.[4] There was a trial of a Drumm Battery Train with temporary charging points set up on the line, line would have been in the late 1930s or 1940s.[5] Class 22000 ICR railcars first began passenger services on the line in September 2008.[6]

Branches

Castleisland

The 4 miles (6.4 km) long Castleisland branch connected to the main line at Gortalea at a junction facing Tralee. It closed in 1974.[7] Alexander McDonnell designed a combined engine and carriage to work the branch.[4]

Kenmare

The branch to Kenmare was about 20 miles (32 km) long and was opened on 4 September 1893.[1]

Newmarket

There was a 8 3⁄4 miles (14.1 km) branch to Newmarket from Banteer with an intermediate station at Kanturk.[8] The line opened on 1 April 1889 which closed to passengers on 27 January 1947 and completely on 1 January 1963,[1] though other sources say 4 February 1963.[9]

Valentia

The branch to Valentia Harbour railway station led to the terminus that was further west than any one in Europe.[7]

This line is connected with Kerry Airport at Farranfore which is a direct rail air link in Ireland.[10]

References
  1. Murray, K. A.; McNeil, D.B. (1976). The Great Southern & Western Railway. Irish Record Railway Society. pp. 26–29, 58–59, 186–188, 195. ISBN 0904078051.
  2. Ahrons, E. L. (1954). L. L. Asher (ed.). Locomotive and train working in the latter part of the nineteenth century". six. W Heffer & Sons Ltd. pp. 21, 25–26.
  3. "Tralee & Dingle Light Railway — Maps". Chester Model Railways Club. Archived from the original on 28 June 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  4. Bulleid, H.A.V. (1967). The Aspinall Era. Ian Allan, London. pp. 38–39, 73.
  5. Baker, Michael H.C. (1972). Irish Railways Since 1916. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 101–102. ISBN 0-7110-0282-7.
  6. "Journal 168 Operations". Irish Railway Record Society. 23 (168). February 2009. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  7. Baker, H. C. (1995). Ireland's Railways Past and Present - Ireland - An Introduction (2005 ed.). Past and Present Publishing Ltd. p. 68,69. ISBN 1858952468.
  8. "Newmarket Railway". áth trasna. Archived from the original on 16 October 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  9. "Kanturk station" (PDF). Railscot – Irish Railways. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
  10. Ltd, rome2rio Pty. "Kerry Airport (KIR) to Farranfore Station - 3 ways to travel via bus, and taxi". Rome2rio. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
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