The train now departing from platform 9 ¾.

It brought a wry smile to my face. I almost broke into a chorus of “We’ll meet again” last Wednesday at the station. Fianna Fail and Greens united on the ground in the south east to oppose rail closures while their colleagues in power did everything to see the line shut. And be cetain that we will meet again. Its gut wrenching to watch the Greens and FF turn up to be filmed by RTE when baring FF’s Tony Dempsey they did nothing about stopping Dempsey and Cuffe. Irish Rail brought forward their opening of the Dunboyne link to coincide with the announced withdrawal of service between Rosslare and Waterford in another spoiler move of theirs. Dan Boyle’s fleeting appearance on the rail protest brought a sense of celebrity to the campaign but nothing else.theirs!

I’ve always been cynical about the Greens but not even I could have thought that they’d stoop this low. On the night of the first protest meeting in Wellington Bridge a Waterford Green assured me that Minister Cuffe would contact me to discuss the matter. I sent him the 2003 report on the line, the rebuttal of costings sent to him by Irish Rail. Did he contact me?
When the Irish Times came looking for him to comment he took his cue from the old Dr Hook song, “Sylvia’s Mother”, he was too busy to come to the phone! One local green councillor was busy spoofing “With Ciaran Cuffe in place as Minister for Sustainable Transport, we have an open ear. We need however to make our own strong case. We need to make sure that we, together with Irish Rail, market this line properly, in order to give it a chance. There is a bit of momentum gathering here and that's good. But don't stop here, so please tell your friends” All of this was done but to no avail.


The Greens aren’t interested in Co Wexford while Fianna Fail are only interseted in bailing out developers. So long as Fianna Fail will tolerate minority middle class issues they’ll indulge Gormley and his party. So long as the Greens can ignore the rest of the country, FF get on with bailing out their supporters and they’ll throw the kitchen at it!
So right now the spin is that the line will close, not so! In fact Irish Rail must provide and maintain the line so that if another operator wishes to utilise the line they will have access and that the NTA will support the Rail Partnership model and the Southern & Eastern Regional Authority in their work to develop links. So in effect the ball is in our court, Irish Rail, the Greens and FF are off the pitch. Let us who live in the area now plan how best to deliver what is in the interest of thise who live here.

Double speaking Greens go dumb on rail closure.

When the Irish Times contacted Minister Ciaran Cuffe about the possibility of closing the Rosslare Waterford rail line the Minister was unavailable to speak to the journalist other than to say that the matter was one for Iarnród Éireann alone. 2 days before he was appointed a minister, Ciaran Cuffe said that if a socio economic case for retention existed he’d listen to it. Now that doesn’t mean that he’d commit to retaining it he only said he’d listen to it. When Ciaran was nominated I sent him a copy of a report on the line asking that he’d respond, 3 months later I’m still waiting despite assurances from local greens that he’d contact me.


Lets face it Fianna Fail have the greens round their little finger. The core green issues such as Stag Hunting and puppy farming don’t wash with the electorate, Fianna Fail will happily let their junior partner “progress” these issues to keep them onside while Fianna Fail get on with running the country for their developer, banker and business buddies.
The Greens of course understand this and are happy to keep their heads down until issues like the Rosslare Waterford rail line turn up and show them up now for what they once said. Here’s Dan Boyle in 2007; “Sinister decisions relating to rail freight have been made in recent years. For example, in my constituency, the freight hub in Cork depends on the Norsk facility, which has been put up for sale. In recent years, the rail turntable, which allowed freight trains to change direction, because Cork is a terminus, was dismantled. This was an attempt to disentangle the rail freight infrastructure.” How right he was so what is he doing about returning freight to rail?

Ciaran Cuffe when he was in opposition knew exactly what had to be done; Green Party 2007 Rail Transport Policy “We must allow the regions to develop their economic and social potential. We believe that the Island's rail network should be used as a basis for informing the location of significant new development over the next twenty years." “urban generated rural settlement and low-density suburban development appears to be increasing, and this pattern needs to be reversed. It is unsustainable to provide large numbers of on-off houses and ribbon development in the country-side. We must revive our rural areas, but we do not wish to see people commuting long distances by car to our towns and cities.”


Minister Mary White could tell us last year that “The Government has a commitment to investment in public transport, another form of environmentally friendly infrastructure. Almost €1 billion is being spent this year on public transport projects and the safeguarding of future public transport projects will ensure jobs are sustained and that our travelling and commuting trends will be sustainable.” So where is that money for the South Wexford line now? The line qualifies for EU funding towards upgrading as I and Nessa Childers discovered at our meeting with the EU in June. Look even if you buy the Iarnród Éireann line that there is no market for passengers what about freight?

I’m aware of a real plan to put freight on the line. Not a word in support from the greens, surprising as in 2007 Dan Boyle knew what to do; “the next Government should at the very least seek to achieve the same balance between road and rail freight as other European countries, which is 77% by road and 23% by rail. A timeframe of ten years should be set down to achieve that. It will mean investment and a reversal of policy “ Have you seen a change in policy in the last 3 years? But wait there’s more from Dan “Ports such as Rosslare, Waterford, Foynes and Cork should be used more because they have rail links, which could be connected to the national system, thereby providing for more freight to be carried. The State should move away from a radial rail system, which comprises only lines in and out of Dublin, and restore the remnants of the rail system.”

That was then and this is now. The silence of any green TD to speak out on this issue in the last 3 months speaks volumes n how suppliant the party has become. Call it Stockholm Syndrome or urban Gombeenism the greens are wrapping themselves up in knots. They’re entitled to do it but the reality is that the Rosslare Waterford rail line is gong off the tracks because of their attitude. So if you’re wondering where the money should come from to support lines like the Rosslare Waterford line I’ll leave the final word to Dan Boyle from one of his newsletters in 2007; In Government we will redress the chronic under investment in bus, rail, cycling and pedestrian facilities and we will redirect the roads budget to improve road safety and traffic management.

Irish Rail's scenic journey to closure; not there yet!

It’s days like today that give you a boost in a long campaign. First I got a call to say that Conor Cullen ahd doen a fine piece about the facebook page and asked a few hard questions of Irish Rail. Then I got the shock of my life at lunch time when I took a call from Eleanor McEvoy’s partner Mick to ask me had I seen the Wexford Echo. I’d spent all day in class so other than a 10 minute tea break I’d seen plenty of homework but no newspaper. When I did my jaw dropped! Eleanor is supportive of our campaign as she and Mick live near the line in the south of the county. I remember her album Yola which drew it inspiration from the locality from a few years back. What I didn’t recall was that the front cover picture was taken on the platform at Bridgetown station. I won’t forget it now as the picture is spread across a half page in all the Echo newspapers with the title “Isn't it a little? ” The ad is a novel way of promoting both the facebook campaign and Eleanor. It will I’m sure bring welcome attention to both in the media. The campaign is now at a crucial stage. Irish Rail thought by now that the line would be closed. The end of April was the date that union sources had advised workers they’d be finished. It seems now that when it comes to closing the line, the company is not quite there to quote their ad campaign but claim to be getting there! In fact they're not going at 90 MPH but at speeds more sedate that most of their passengers are now used to! But of course that doesn't stop Irish Rail from playing head games with their workers as one was recently told that they wouldn’t be back after leave was taken. I’ve never met an organisation that has such a high handed attitude to their workers. It’s like something out of the middle ages where feudal barons treated their serfs like slaves. Before the Wellington Bridge meeting one Irish Rail official whose name I know approached company employees and warned them not to speak out against the company. One who did subsequently received a warning letter! The HSE wouldn’t try this with their employees if there was a meeting over Wexford Hospital.

What Irish Rail should ponder is why there aren’t too many feudal barons left nowadays and if they were smart they’d wake up to the 21st century and face a few facts like they never really understood their market here, they never promoted the service and they cannibalised the timetable here just like they did elsewhere. The last line they closed 20 years ago ran between Athlone and Mullingar. To close that first they closed a perfect station in Athlone and built a new station where the Mullingar line was awkward to access. Next they ran trains when nobody wanted them, reducing the service to one a day each way (Arrive Moate at 11.30 PM), who would in their right mind want to go to Moate at midnight? I kid you not! Eventually the line had service suspended even though it linked 2 key towns in the region. Now where does that remind you of? 25 years on their modus operandi is the same.

I don’t have much n common with Michael O’Leary but one thing he always maintained was that the Department of Transport was the downtown office of Aer Lingus. He may have a point as I think the rail section in transport is definitely the downtown office of Irish Rail! If it was left to Minister Dempsey, I think the track would already be rusting and tumbleweed blowing across Rosslare Europort. From here on every extra day that the train runs is a bonus in my book. Management have undermined it with an unviable service, the minister and shareholder backs them up in this act of vandalism and the county bleeds. The sooner Minister Dempsey is sent packing the better. At least Labour in power would make the trains run! Perhaps Eleanors “Isn’t it a little?” could be the campaign song for the Labour General Election campaign!

Protests at Wexford Railway station

I was asked what I was doing by a councillor today outside O’Hanrahan Railway station in Wexford today as I stood with a placard on my shoulder. I explained that I was taking my placard for a walk! It was a beautiful Spring day in the south east, typically sunny.
So as we set off picketing we got support, waves and beeps of horns from well-wishers. The mood of the protest was humorous as we blew our train whistle and chanted, Rail against Closure! Save Our Train!
When the train came in we went to the side wall and blew and cheered until it was ready to depart. Then we stopped blowing as the guard waved his green flag and off they went. Over 30 people attended and that was good for a start. Next Tuesday we’re off to Bridgetown to protest as the evening train arrives.

I joked to a woman that with school restarting a good project for a few students in woodwork would be a coffin painted in the IE corporate colours for when we eventually take our protest to Waterford! Or maybe it wasn’t a joke?

End of the line for Rosslare Waterford Rail service

Cynics say that you know when a rail line is set for closure because the station gets a new lick of paint. Naturally my concerns grew when I went to Rosslare Strand to see the Waterford platform was painted and resurfaced that there was something a foot. The line serves Wellington Bridge and connects a rural hinterland to Waterford. Many of these small villages have lost their bus service last year and now will see their rail service go. As recently as 1995 there were 3 return trains to Waterford.
Fair play to Brendan Howlin, he flushed Irish Rail out. I’ve seen the correspondence from Irish Rail. They are seeking to put an alternative in placed for their passengers and are offering workers either a severance package or a transfer. The letter to Deputy Howlin is signed by a senior manager in Irish Rail. The fate of the line that links Wexford to Waterford, Cork, Limerick & Galway is sealed. After over 100 years the line will close.
I’ve blogged this matter before, I’ve explained how management blew €30K on taxi fares because they timetabled a Waterford crew to take the train to Rosslare after the last bus returned to Waterford. A Wexford crew was a possibility. I’ve also said how they never promoted the line despite fares being less than Bus Eireann. The timetable was altered making it awkward for passengers to sprint to Plunket Station for the train home.

I’ve written to the Transport Minister as well as the 2 greens who passed the book to Irish Rail. The greens are ostensibly a party of public transport and it is to their shame that they never lifted a finger to stop Irish Rail management. Not so much as a tweet out of Senator Dan Boyle. FF have no policy other than nationally saying one thing while Sean Connick TD touted by some as a possible Minister saying something else. If he’s appointed a Minister will he reverse this decision?

McCarthy called for the lines closure and now we’re starting to see McCarthy by stealth. Despite the fact that the train in to Waterford has a loyal passenger base each morning and is always at least half full and was reliable rail passengers from Wexford will now be faced with gridlock on the Ferrybank dual carriageway in order to get to work. I’ve travelled on that line twice in the 18 months. I’ve seen its potential. So too has RTE’s “Nationwide” which reported positively 4 weeks on the route. Run trains from Wexford to Limerick Junction. Allow connections to the Western Rail Corridor. Where’s the vision with Irish Rail?
Instead over time the line will deteriorate, sleepers will rot and ultimately it will be impossible to re-open a service along the line. Brendan Howlin will raise the matter on the adjournment on Tuesday night in Dail Eireann. Lets see what the Minister says in response.

Model Trains, boats and planes in Wexford

Wexford’s best known train driver Donal Fallon has been a busy man for the last few months. He single handed organised a model exhibition over the Easter week-end in St Josephs Club in aid of the Autism unit at Scoill Mhure, Coolcotts and the RNLI. The inaugural exhibition had exhibitors from Wexford, Dublin, Cork, Laois as well as trade stands form Belfast and Dublin. The models include planes, boats and pf course trains. Donal spent most of Holy Saturday setting up the exhibition. That meant putting in crash barriers, displays as well as awaiting the arrival of HK075. HK075 is a non de guerre of a well known rail gricer Dave. Dave is a railway man to the core. The first time I met him he showed me his RMT badge within minutes of talking. Next he told me that his dad was from Arthurstown. Technically Dave is from Wolverhampton but forget the accent he’s on home turf as his dad is a yellow belly!

The exhibition was opened by Mayor Ted Howlin who congratulated Donal on his initiative on launching the exhibition. Donal was however delighted that the wet weather drove plenty of punters indoors and into support the exhibition. I went along and I was really impressed by the attention to detail in the modelling.

One model stands out as impressive and it has a local significance. It shows Wexford’s famous Kerlogue arriving in Cork Harbour laden down with a human cargo of WW2 German navy survivors from a sinking. The Kerlogue was launched in Holland in 1939. The rescue was one of the most dramatic during World War 2 when a Wexford vessel the Kerlogue was diverted in December 1943 following a request by a German aircraft to the scene of a sunken German vessel whose crew had abandoned ship and were in the waters of Biscay. The Wexford vessel took on board over 168 sailors in rough seas over a 10 hour period and ignored RAF instructions to make for the UK but continued to land at Cork Harbour. The survivors were landed in Ireland and spent the remainder of the war interned but alive. The last surviving crew man Tom O’Neill of the Kerlogue died a few years ago but at his funeral was one of the men he helped rescue. The crew were interned in the Curragh until the end of the war. While the story of the German rescue is well known, what is less often acknowledged is that rescuing at sea was part of the maritime DNA of the Kerlogue as the ship had rescued British seamen previously.Inset is a model of the original navel corvette the Macha which served as the first Irish naval vessel. The Macha is almost a constituent of mone as it snagged a tow rope on the way to a breakers yard and sank off Tuskar Rock about 50 years ago!

Other exhibits that stood out were Gerry Byrne’s display that he’s building at home. Wexford Modelling Club moved their display from Rathaspeck to St Josephs for the week-end. Usually I visit the club at Halloween when they have their open days. Their display goes from strength to strength. I’m not surprised how popular they are each year. Some photos are attached her but check out Youtube channel Menapia1 for video footage of rail models in action. Well done Donal, I hope we’re all back again next year!