Suvarna Garge (Editor)

Dublin–Rosslare railway line

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
System
  
Iarnród Éireann

Locale
  
Republic of Ireland

Status
  
Operational

Stations
  
29

Dublin–Rosslare railway line httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Type
  
Commuter rail, Inter-city rail Heavy rail

Termini
  
Dublin Connolly Rosslare Europort

Opened
  
17 December 1834 - 24 June 1882

Operator(s)
  
Iarnród Éireann DART Commuter InterCity

Rolling stocks
  
IE 29000 Class (Commuter), IE 22000 Class (InterCity)

The Dublin-Rosslare railway line is a main rail route between Dublin Connolly station and Rosslare Europort, where it connects with ferry services to the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. The line between Dublin and Greystones is electrified and forms the southern part of the DART service. Between Bray and Rosslare the line is single track only. The line connects with the Limerick-Rosslare line outside Rosslare Strand. From Wicklow on, semaphore signalling was used until April 2008, when the entire line was upgraded to the mini-CTC system controlled from Dublin Connolly. Although it is considered a separate route, the line is continuous after Dublin Connolly, where it connects with the Belfast-Dublin main line. The section between Westland Row (Dublin Pearse) and a point on the line just after Salthill and Monkstown station is the oldest railway line in Ireland, opening in 1834. At that time, the railway terminated adjacent to the start of Dún Laoghaire Harbour's West Pier, at a station called Dunleary.

Contents

Services

Services include four InterCity services a day each way between Rosslare Europort and Dublin. There are now four services between Wexford and Dublin Connolly on weekdays. No freight services operate on this route as of 2015. Up until 2002, ammonia and fertiliser trains operated from Shelton Abbey near Arklow, where a fertilizer plant was located. However, this closed in late 2002, since when there have been no regular freight trains on this line. Bagged cement trains also operated in the past to Arklow and Gorey.

On a few Sundays during the summer the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland operates the "Sea Breeze", a steam hauled train with heritage carriages, between Dublin and Wexford/Rosslare.

Traction

From late July 2004, Dublin-Rosslare services have been worked exclusively by diesel railcars. Initially the railcars used were drawn from the 2700 Class fleet, but these were replaced within a year. At present, most services are worked by the 22000 Class, of which there are four carriage sets, with the 29000 Class working some services. These however, will be replaced by the 22000 Class DMU's by 2020. Prior to July 2004, services were worked by sets of Mark 2D carriages hauled by 071 class locomotives.

Signalling

In April 2008, the signalling on this route was upgraded to the mini-CTC system, controlled from Connolly Station. Apart from the Limerick Junction station area on the Dublin-Cork route, which was itself upgraded to CTC in 2011, it had been the last of the routes radiating from Dublin to use Electric Train Staff (ETS) and semaphore signalling, which was still in place south of Wicklow up until April 2008.

Many of its signal cabins were situated on the corner of a footbridge. Examples include Wicklow, Rathdrum, Arklow and Gorey. At present these cabins remain in situ.

Main Connections

This line connects at Dublin Connolly with the Enterprise onwards to Dundalk, Portadown and Belfast Central as well as the Sligo Line.

There is also at Rosslare Europort connections by Stena Line to Fishguard Harbour to the West Wales Line onto Carmarthen, Swansea, Cardiff Central, for Reading and London Paddington.

At Rosslare Europort Irish Ferries connect Pembroke Dock (West Wales Line as such) as well as Cherbourg.

References

Dublin–Rosslare railway line Wikipedia