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Railways In West Cork??

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TrainFanSam

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I just want to know, when are the Irish Government going to see sense and re-introduce the railways back to West Cork. I heard there was a plan in the pipeline to introduce a mixed line from Cork to Clonakilty, Bandon, Dunmanway, Skibbereen and Bantry, but this scheme was apparently scrapped!! I think its a shame that West Cork is the only area of Ireland that has no railways there whatsoever!!
 
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GM078

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There's no such plan. Even some of the reopenings that were listed under the Transport21 plan may not take place. (Phases 2 and 3 of the Western Rail Corridor, Athenry-Tuam and Tuam-Claremorris, are unlikely to happen, though I would question whether or not the latter section was ever a viable proposition). Likewise M3 Parkway-Navan is indefinitely delayed, while the DART Underground and various Dublin Metro schemes seem doubtful (Metro West is officially cancelled). So with these schemes hanging in the balance, I can't see anything happening for West Cork for the forseable future. The rail enthusiast in me would love to see it, but the taxpayer thinks otherwise, indeed questions are being raised as to whether or not Athenry-Ennis was worth the money spent on it, given the numbers using it.

Incidentally, there are other areas of Ireland without rail links, in fact you can travel north from Mullingar to Derry without crossing an open railway line.
 

Csalem

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I just want to know, when are the Irish Government going to see sense and re-introduce the railways back to West Cork. I heard there was a plan in the pipeline to introduce a mixed line from Cork to Clonakilty, Bandon, Dunmanway, Skibbereen and Bantry, but this scheme was apparently scrapped!! I think its a shame that West Cork is the only area of Ireland that has no railways there whatsoever!!

No railway in Donegal either.
 

4SRKT

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There are no railways anywhere near the border for miles in either direction from it, except for the GNR main line and [London]Derry Waterside. This leaves counties Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim, Donegal, Tyrone and Fermanagh with either no railway at all, or merely with a part of the Sligo line just creeping into a corner.

I would hazard a guess that the area bounded by Dublin, Sligo, Portadown and Derry is the largest in Western Europe without any railways in it. It is 150 miles by road from Dublin to Derry, and you will not cross a single railway line in all that distance. Even worse, it's 180 miles from Dublin to Bunbeg in north western Donegal!


/////The UTA\\\\\
 
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pemma

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The plans for County Cork are new stations at Blarney, Monard and Kilbarry and the possible reopening of the Midleton-Youghal line. No other stations or lines are planned.
 

4SRKT

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What will stop at Blarney et al? There is no local service between Mallow and Cork except in the peaks, and I doubt they will stop the Dublins.
 

martinsh

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I would hazard a guess that the area bounded by Dublin, Sligo, Portadown and Derry is the largest in Western Europe without any railways in it. It is 150 miles by road from Dublin to Derry, and you will not cross a single railway line in all that distance. Even worse, it's 180 miles from Dublin to Bunbeg in north western Donegal!

how about northern Norway or Iceland ?
 

GM078

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The stations at Blarney, Dunkettle and Kilbarry were phase 2 of the Cork Commuter Rail plans under Transport21 (which itself is effectively scrapped).

It's now postponed pending revised funding allocations - can't see this happening anytime soon.

http://transport21.ie/Projects/Heavy_Rail/Cork_Commuter_Rail.html

The extension to Youghal was never catered for under T21, so I can't see that happening within the next decade considering that much of what was proposed under T21 is now cut back. Although it is still a more likely candidate than any of the West Cork routes. Often thought that had the preservation movement been bigger in Ireland then one of the West Cork lines would have made a nice heritage line, obviously there isn't the critical mass of potential volunteers for that to have happened but it's a nice thought.
 

TrainFanSam

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The extension to Youghal was never catered for under T21, so I can't see that happening within the next decade considering that much of what was proposed under T21 is now cut back. Although it is still a more likely candidate than any of the West Cork routes. Often thought that had the preservation movement been bigger in Ireland then one of the West Cork lines would have made a nice heritage line, obviously there isn't the critical mass of potential volunteers for that to have happened but it's a nice thought.

I see your point, and it would have been awesome to just jump on a Train at Bantry or Dunmanway instead of relying on the Bus Eireann coaches that 1. take forever to arrive and 2. are becoming ridiculously expensive. Road travel is not the way forward in West Cork as the roads themselves are falling into dis-repair.
Its a crying shame that a coach is the only form of public transport in the area. I mean it would be simple to bring the railways back because on the Bantry to Cork line much of the old trackbed is still there, even the old viaduct is still there. But alas i fear that it wont ever happen because as you and a few people have said its all about money and on a heritage from, lack of volunteers http://1.2.3.10/bmi/www.railforums.co.uk/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif
 

89-763-733

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There are no railways anywhere near the border for miles in either direction from it,

It depends whether you include the Difflin Lake Railway which is in Raphoe county Donegal, about 6 miles from the border. It only has limited public opening however
 

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4SRKT

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It depends whether you include the Difflin Lake Railway which is in Raphoe county Donegal, about 6 miles from the border. It only has limited public opening however

I don't include it for obvious reasons! My mate living near Fivemiletown has an O gauge steam garden railway, which he proudly refers to as the only railway in Co Fermanagh, but I don't include that either!
 
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