Limerick Junction's new platform 4 opens for business

[Thewanderer]

Afternoon folks,

The latest batch of pictures from this weekend have now been uploaded to the August gallery which features one of the biggest changes to the operation of Limerick Jct. since 1967 and probably since the opening of the station in 1848, the new Down Platform at the station opened to traffic on Sunday 25th August 2019.

Saturday 24th August 2019:
Today I was out between Templemore and Thurles to photograph the Belmond Grand Hibernian heading to Cork.

Sunday 25th August 2019:
Arguably the biggest change to Limerick Jct. since the 1967 alterations which allowed trains from Dublin direct access to platform 1, plus the direct curve to Limerick City occurred today with the opening of the new Platform 4 on the Down Line. The opening of this platform for Cork and Tralee bound trains allows a faster approach to the station instead of negotiating crossovers ranging from 15mph to 40mph to access the Up Platform as before.

A minor timetable change was introduced from today to take into account the opening of the new platform with trains operating up to 3 minutes faster south of Limerick Jct. than before. A future timetable should allow Up and Down trains to call at Limerick Jct. at the same time.

All Down Road services to Cork and Tralee will serve the new platform every day EXCEPT the following weekday services which will continue to serve Platform 1 (Up Platform)
07.00 Heuston - Cork,
21.00 Heuston - Cork.

Additionally and in a welcome move the 1500 Heuston - Cork (weekdays) will now call at Limerick Jct. with a connection to Limerick available. This plugs a 90 minute gap in the schedule from Dublin to Limerick.

Other photos from today come from Grange Level Crossing on the Thurles side of Limerick Jct.

Click https://bit.ly/31Z5vDB to view all the images from the weekend.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Amazing photos, not what I thought it would be like. There seems to be alot of different train types including loco hauled. I did not think they still had those there.

 

[Pyreneenguy]

Had I known I would have stopped on our way down from Westport to Bantry a couple of weeks ago.
I was fast asleep when we passed with my wife at the wheel !

 

[Billy A]

Amazing photos, not what I thought it would be like. There seems to be alot of different train types including loco hauled. I did not think they still had those there.

The Cork Dublin and Dublin Belfast trains are usually loco hauled and the former passes through Limerick Junction. The first and second pictures show Class 22000 DMUs by Hyundai which serve Waterford - LJ and the flat fronted DMU in the third picture is a Class 2800 which does LJ - Limerick.

 

[Thewanderer]

Amazing photos, not what I thought it would be like. There seems to be alot of different train types including loco hauled. I did not think they still had those there.

Glad you liked the images. Thanks for viewing.

 

[Aictos]

Good news for users of Irish Rail then, thanks for the photos also

 

[duesselmartin]

always good to see new investment but is there a real advantage to the former long split platform? Are Limerick train held longer for people with luggage?
What platform is used for the Waterford service, does it still reverse into Pl1?

Martin

 

[hexagon789]

Afternoon folks,

The latest batch of pictures from this weekend have now been uploaded to the August gallery which features one of the biggest changes to the operation of Limerick Jct. since 1967 and probably since the opening of the station in 1848, the new Down Platform at the station opened to traffic on Sunday 25th August 2019.

Saturday 24th August 2019:
Today I was out between Templemore and Thurles to photograph the Belmond Grand Hibernian heading to Cork.

Sunday 25th August 2019:
Arguably the biggest change to Limerick Jct. since the 1967 alterations which allowed trains from Dublin direct access to platform 1, plus the direct curve to Limerick City occurred today with the opening of the new Platform 4 on the Down Line. The opening of this platform for Cork and Tralee bound trains allows a faster approach to the station instead of negotiating crossovers ranging from 15mph to 40mph to access the Up Platform as before.

A minor timetable change was introduced from today to take into account the opening of the new platform with trains operating up to 3 minutes faster south of Limerick Jct. than before. A future timetable should allow Up and Down trains to call at Limerick Jct. at the same time.

All Down Road services to Cork and Tralee will serve the new platform every day EXCEPT the following weekday services which will continue to serve Platform 1 (Up Platform)
07.00 Heuston - Cork,
21.00 Heuston - Cork.

Additionally and in a welcome move the 1500 Heuston - Cork (weekdays) will now call at Limerick Jct. with a connection to Limerick available. This plugs a 90 minute gap in the schedule from Dublin to Limerick.

Other photos from today come from Grange Level Crossing on the Thurles side of Limerick Jct.

Click https://bit.ly/31Z5vDB to view all the images from the weekend.

Nice selection of images, which show the new development well.

I hasn't realised they were building the new platform on the mainline though, I assumed it was going to be on a loop as with Platform 3.

 

[MarkyT]

always good to see new investment but is there a real advantage to the former long split platform?

The south end of the long split platform was removed completely some years ago, and the land reused for station car parking. Trains in both directions have shared the north part of the platform since removal. The new platform eliminates much directional conflict in the layout and provides greater flexibility and resilience.