Mallow–Tralee railway line

The Mallow–Tralee line runs from Mallow to Tralee Casement. Intermediate stations include Banteer, Millstreet, Rathmore, Killarney and Farranfore.

Mallow–Tralee
Service from Cork after reversing out of Killarney station to continue forwards to Tralee
Overview
Status	Operational
Locale	County Cork, County Kerry
Termini	Mallow Tralee
Stations	7
Service
Type	Heavy rail, Inter-city rail
System	Iarnród Éireann
Services	Mallow–Tralee Dublin–Tralee Cork–Tralee
Operator(s)	Iarnród Éireann
Rolling stock	22000 Class
History
Opened	15 July 1853 (1853-07-15)
Technical
Line length	61.5 mi (99.0 km)
Number of tracks	Single track
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Irish gauge
Operating speed	70 mph (110 km/h)
Mallow-Tralee Legend Waterford–Mallow railway line Dublin–Cork line to Dublin Heuston Mallow Dublin–Cork line to Cork Lombardstown Banteer Newmarket branch line Rathcool Millstreet Rathmore Kenmare branch line Headford Junction Killarney Ballybrack Farranfore–Valentia Harbour line to Valentia Harbour 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]

Irish Rail's network statement gives the length of the line as 61.5 miles (99.0 km),^[2] though other sources give the length of the line as 62+1⁄4 miles instead.^[3] 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.^[3]

History

The Killarney Junction Railway (KJR) completed the construction of the line from Mallow to the holiday resort of Killarney in 1853. The Tralee & Killarney Railway opened the extension from Killarney junction to Tralee in 1859.^[4] 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.^[5]

Rolling stock

Alexander McDonnell GS&WR Class 2 Kerry bogies were specifically intended for passenger services on the line.^[6] There was a trial of a Drumm Battery Train with temporary charging points set up on the line during the late 1930s or 1940s.^[7] 22000 Class ICR railcars first began passenger services on the line in September 2008.^[8]

Branches

A non-geographical diagram of the Mallow - Tralee line.

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.^[9] Alexander McDonnell designed a combined engine and carriage, the GS&WR Class 90, to work the branch.^[6]

Kenmare

The branch to Kenmare was about 20 miles (32 km) long and was opened on 4 September 1893.^[1] It closed on 1 February 1960.^[4][10][11]

Newmarket

There was a 8+3⁄4 miles (14.1 km) branch to Newmarket from Banteer with an intermediate station at Kanturk.^[12] 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.^[4]

Valentia

Main article: Farranfore–Valentia Harbour line

The terminus on the branch to Valentia Harbour was further west than any in Europe.^[9]

Rail Air Link

The railway passes close by to Kerry Airport, with the station at Farranfore being located about 1 mile (1.6 km) away.^[13][14]

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. Reidy, Michael (30 October 2021). Network Statement (PDF) (2022 ed.). Irish Rail. pp. 75–. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
3. Ahrons, E. L. (1954). L. L. Asher (ed.). Locomotive and train working in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Vol. six. W Heffer & Sons Ltd. pp. 21, 25–26.
4. "Kanturk station" (PDF). Railscot – Irish Railways. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
5. "Tralee & Dingle Light Railway — Maps". Chester Model Railways Club. Archived from the original on 28 June 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
6. Bulleid, H.A.V. (1967). The Aspinall Era. Ian Allan, London. pp. 38–39, 73.
7. Baker, Michael H.C. (1972). Irish Railways Since 1916. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 101–102. ISBN 0-7110-0282-7.
8. "Journal 168 Operations". Irish Railway Record Society. 23 (168). February 2009. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
9. 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.
10. "Kenmare's Last Train – Amharc Éireann: Eagrán 32". Irish Film Institute. 18 July 2016. On the 1st of February 1960, Kenmare locals and railway workers looked on as the last train made its final journey on the tracks before the line closed
11. "36 hours in Kenmare". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 6 August 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023. the last train out of Kenmare [was] on February 1st, 1960, at 9.30am. The railway had opened in 1893, and the Kenmare branch line was the last stop on the Great Southern and Western Railway route
12. "Newmarket Railway". áth trasna. Archived from the original on 16 October 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
13. "Kerry Airport". Discover Kerry. Travel Ireland. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
14. "Farranfore". irishrail.ie. Irish Rail. Retrieved 22 September 2022.