Ireland's railway expansion and new Stock!

 Re-opining old lines with re-fits and the new 9000 Stock? 

Ireland is moving on with many improvements and connections to its system, the re-building of Kent street station in Cork city and the line open to Middleton has brought more business!

Meanwhile the line from Limerick to Galway, via Shannon airport also much ease and options to travel without the need of roads and now moving on to Galway via Taum for Clairemorris another new connection.

But it is the ageing stock on the DART Dublin area rapid transport that needs upgrading with the new trains to replace the German and Japanese stock!

Modern Armoured Vehicle. Two.

BAE Systems Republic of South-Africa.

The British army and a few others have opted for a new range of light armoured-less vehicles, believing their speed will help them on the battle field. But light vehicles were tried in the past like the British Crusader light-tank and they were of no value with great losses.

Urban environments demand armoured trucks and Jeeps, as commonly seen in N-Ireland and SWAT teams at work in the United States. In fact nearly every country that have their own automotive industry will produce some form of an armoured vehicle.

The enemy on the battle field uses Anti-tank guided weapons, from the RPG to something more sinister. While in the urban situation it will be either a home-made pipe bomb or a nail bomb of which both can kill and cause very serious injuries.

BAE Systems have taken several of the South-African security vehicles from the 'Aparthied days and re-designed them. The Republic of Ireland, Belgium and a few other countries have bought into some of the more basic designed vehicles that suit their UN military standard.

High Speed Trains. Part-Two.

The Future for Every Nation?

It would seem to be the most popular idea today that every nation should have their own version of the well known and established high speed trains, but is this really possible? 

Larger countries have the space and the need for this type of travel, because their remain many people with a fear of flying that demand ground speed and comforts.

But some countries do not have the ability or the present need for such systems and perhaps never will have either? The Channel Tunnel between Great Britain has demanded that the European network be extended into HS2, thus connection Scotland and Wales with European cities. Similar projects have worked for Denmark and Sweden, but at this time both Turkey and Ireland, Iceland and Finland are exempt from being connected.

Many nations have done their own things and are perhaps behind in speed, rather than length of track age and perhaps see no need for anything further at the moment. 

Freight perhaps will benefit from high speed, over the vast inland areas of Africa, Asia, Australia and the American continents, but they will not be replacing cargo shipping.

Back to the Past. Part-One.

'Cold War Tactics.

It would now seem that both the United States and European NATO are on the verge of another Cold War with the new Russia or as propaganda wants us to believe the Dictatorship of Putin. Meanwhile it looks like both America and Britain are openly supporting Ukrainian Neo-Nazism being held at bay by the European Union German and French leadership of Merkle and Holland.

NATO Air forces are reported now to be intercepting Russian Tupolev TU-95 Bears on a regular bases over the English Channel and off the west-coast of the Republic of Ireland.

The TU-95 is the only survivor of the former Soviet maritime reconnaissance type, it is unique in that it has propellers that rotate in opposite directions on each engine. This effect is known to be very fuel officiant giving the Bear a long operational distance. 

At the moment the United States and NATO have no equivalent type to do this role.

Cargo Ships. Part-Two.

Container World.

It was the introduction of the container that has changed the world, we now can have anything and everything exported and imported in a metal box. The mordern world is built around the container, which can be carried by road, train, large transport aircraft and shipping.

These containers are available in various sizes, I have noticed that in India and Ireland they are smaller and are perhaps easier to handle without the need of a fork-lifter or crane. But the disadvantage with conainers is that they are good for hiding criminal goods and are hard to detect by police and customs.

Old containers are not heading directly to the scap yard, but now being used in housing projects both in the United Kindom and the Netherlands, while in Canada units are employed for small business start ups.

Modern Trams and Metros. Part-One.

Improved Technology.

Modern trams and the various other light rail systems today are a far cry from say seventy years ago. These newer systems and machines have better design and layout, but that is to be expected. We can only learn to improve by experience, trail and error in anything.

The computer, battery technology and design for capacity layout has been a great advantage. Speed and comfort are also improved considerations, employed in some countries with security measures.

The building of town extensions, new town has forced planners to improve the use of both the metro and tram to go to the best pic up and dropping points for both day and night use.

Ambulances. Part-One.

Rescue Carriage.

Ever since men have known the concept of anger, there have been wars and skirmishes. With battles also came rescue carts, waggon's, chariots, it was probably only the king or chieftain and his immediate family and or generals who were rescued to be sorted out by either the priests of shamans.

In British history this claim was attributed to Florence Nightingale who set up medical facilities during the Crimea campaign. The truth was that it was an Black freed American slave women who did mot of the real work. Medical carts were employed during the Crusades 1080-1190 and it was Islamic physicians who helped with the casualties. Which is kind of ironic, because they were the enemy. Yet out of it the Knights of Saint John did establish Guys hospital in London and many other similar institutions across Britain and Ireland.

In the U.S. it was the Christians communities in both the war of Independence and the Civil war who used everything that was available to rescue the wounded and the dying on both sides

Narrow Gauge Railways. Part-One.

Easy to Manage.

It was during World-War 1 (1914-18) that the British army discovered that the Narrow Gauge rail system was easy to manage over a conventional railway. This meant that if the lines where bombed, they could quickly be replaced.

It has traditionally been the quarry that narrow gauge is most suited for, but by the 1960's in the UK this was coming to an end. Most of the types of engines used had small weights of between 4-15 tonnes. Narrow gauge railways were designed for mountain workings and they take narrow corners also.

Wales was I suppose the home of these engines and trains, but today narrow gauge engines still work the Board na Mona bog lands across Ireland and also the Preypet marches of southern Belarus and the northern Ukraine.

Irish trains.

Ireland has turned a corner over the last few years with the introduction of some top quality new rolling stock, such as the Class 22000/29000 Trains built in South-Korea/Japan. Millions has been spent on line, station, signalling improvements and extended electrification, bring the whole system in the Dublin area up to modern standards.


It is interesting to see the split between the passenger and freight locomotives, while the Class 201's remain on the very long distance Dublin-cork services and Belfast Dublin. 


Everything looks for a bright future, with plans to reopen lines and add a few new ones too?

Irelands Railways.

New Railway stock.

Has the modernization of the railway network and rolling stock, north and south in Ireland taken away the charm, that it once had? 

Or has the newness of it all improved everything, speed, cleanness and comfort? 

Ireland has that unique limited gauge of track found on the massive railway networks of Brazil, India and Australia

The Coras Impoar Eireann colour scheme of orange, black and white, latterly yellow on those predominantly American 121/141/181/071/111 and the Canadian 201 stock locomotives had seemed to mark out a difference. 

Perhaps I'm getting old and have to many reminiscences that cover the sleekness and modern look of the new?

Am I right or am I wrong?