Dublin–Rosslare railway line

The Dublin-Rosslare Main Line is a main rail route between Dublin Connolly station and Rosslare Europort, where it connects with ferry services to the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. The line between Dublin and Greystones is electrified and forms the southern part of the DART service. Between Bray and Rosslare the line is single track only. The line connected with the Limerick–Rosslare line outside Rosslare Strand until 2010. From Wicklow on, semaphore signalling was used until April 2008, when the entire line was upgraded to the mini-CTC system controlled from Dublin Connolly. Although it is considered a separate route, the line is continuous after Dublin Connolly, where it connects with the Belfast–Dublin main line. The section between Westland Row (Dublin Pearse) and a point on the line just after Salthill and Monkstown station is the oldest railway line in Ireland, opening in 1834. At that time, the railway terminated adjacent to the start of Dún Laoghaire Harbour's West Pier, at a station called Dún Laoghaire.

Dublin–Rosslare Main Line
Rock protection from flooding at Kilcoole
Overview
Status	Operational
Locale	East of Ireland
Termini	Dublin Connolly Rosslare Europort
Stations	29
Service
Type	Commuter rail, Inter-city rail Heavy rail
System	Iarnród Éireann
Operator(s)	Iarnród Éireann DART Commuter InterCity
Depot(s)	Dublin Connolly
Rolling stock	8100 Class (DART) 8500, 8510 and 8520 Classes (DART) 29000 Class (Commuter) 22000 Class (InterCity)
History
Opened	17 December 1834 - 24 June 1882
Technical
Line length	162 km
Number of tracks	Double track (Dublin Connolly–Bray) and Single track (Bray–Rosslare Europort)
Character	Tertiary
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Irish gauge
Electrification	1,500 V DC OHLE (North of Greystones)
Route map Year closed Dublin–Belfast Main Line Dublin–Sligo Main Line Dublin Connolly for Dublin Airport Luas Red Line   R. Liffey Tara Street Dublin Pearse for Dublin Airport Grand Canal Street railway works 1925 Grand Canal Dock Lansdowne Road Lansdowne Road Ballsbridge Showground Passengers 1941 Goods 1971 Serpentine Avenue Sandymount Sandymount Sydney Parade Sydney Parade Merrion Gates Merrion 1934 Booterstown Williamstown 1841 Blackrock Seapoint Salthill and Monkstown Kingstown Harbour (west pier) 1837 Dún Laoghaire Mallin Carlisle Pier 1980 Sandycove Cutting Sandycove and Glasthule Glenageary Dalkey (Atmospheric) 1854 Dalkey Killiney Hill Tunnel Obelisk Hill 1858 Killiney moved 1882 Ballybrack 1863 1882 Shankill MP 11 (to Pearse) Shanganagh Junct., to Harcourt St. 1958 MP 11 (to Harcourt St.) Woodbrook Halt 1960 County Dublin County Wicklow Bray Bray Daly Bray Cove Halt 1929 Bray Head Tunnel No.1 Bray Head Tunnel No.2 Bray Head Tunnel No.3 Bray Head Tunnel No.4 Greystones Kilcoole (limited service) Newcastle 1964 Wicklow Murrough 1976 R. Vartry Wicklow Rathnew 1964 M11 motorway Glenealy 1964 Rathdrum Avoca 1964 Woodenbridge Junction 1964 Shillelagh branch line 1945 Glenart platform 1925 (private halt for Earl Carysfort) M11 motorway Arklow M11 motorway County Wicklow County Wexford Inch 1963 Gorey M11 motorway Camolin 1963 Ferns 1977 Enniscorthy R. Slaney Enniscorthy Tunnel Edermine Ferry 1963 Waterford line 1963 Macmine Junction 1963 Killurin 1963 Killurin Tunnel Ferrycarrig Tunnel Wexford (Carcur) 1872 Wexford O'Hanrahan Wexford South 1977 Felthouse Junction 1910 Limerick-Rosslare Line 2010 Rosslare Strand Kilrane 1963 Rosslare Europort

Services

• Monday-Friday

4 trains Dublin to Rosslare
1 train Dublin to Wexford
3 trains Rosslare to Dublin
1 train Rosslare to Dundalk
1 train Gorey to Dublin

• Saturday

3 trains in each direction Dublin to Rosslare
1 train Gorey to Dundalk

• Sunday

3 trains in each direction Dublin to Rosslare

No freight services operate on this route as of 2015. Up until 2002, ammonia and fertiliser trains operated from Shelton Abbey near Arklow, where a fertilizer plant was located. However, this closed in late 2002, since when there have been no regular freight trains on this line. Bagged cement trains also operated in the past to Arklow and Gorey.

On a few Sundays during the summer the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland operates the "Sea Breeze", a steam hauled train with heritage carriages, between Dublin and Wexford/Rosslare.

Traction

Now withdrawn 2700 Class DMU (2702) at Arklow

From late July 2004, Dublin-Rosslare services have been worked exclusively by diesel railcars. Initially the railcars used were drawn from the 2700 Class fleet, but these were replaced within a year. At present, most services are worked by the 22000 Class, of which there are four carriage sets, with the 29000 Class working some services. These however, will be replaced by the 22000 Class DMU's by 2020. Prior to July 2004, services were worked by sets of Mark 2D carriages hauled by 071 class locomotives.

Signalling

In April 2008, the signalling on this route was upgraded to the mini-CTC system, controlled from Connolly Station. Apart from the Limerick Junction station area on the Dublin-Cork route, which was itself upgraded to CTC in 2011, it had been the last of the routes radiating from Dublin to use Electric Train Staff (ETS) and semaphore signalling, which was still in place south of Wicklow up until April 2008.

Many of its signal cabins were situated on the corner of a footbridge. Examples include Wicklow, Rathdrum, Arklow and Gorey. At present these cabins remain in situ.

Main connections

This line connects at Dublin Connolly with the Enterprise onwards to Dundalk, Portadown and Belfast Central as well as the Sligo Line.

There is also at Rosslare Europort connections by Stena Line to Fishguard Harbour to the West Wales Line onto Carmarthen, Swansea, Cardiff Central, for Reading and London Paddington.

At Rosslare Europort Irish Ferries connect Pembroke Dock (West Wales Line as such) as well as Cherbourg.

See also

• Dublin and South Eastern Railway
• Iarnród Éireann