Posted by bollinsl on June 14, 2009
Posted in Ireland, Railways | Leave a Comment »
Posted by bollinsl on June 12, 2009
The Irish Railway Record Society has arranged a railtour on Saturday 27 June 2007, departing from Dublin Connolly Station at 10.00 and returning at 19.42.
“A one day tour has been arranged using Mark III equipment as these carriages approach the end of their working life with Iarnód Éireann. A Special Train will depart from Connolly Station and travel to Ballybrophy. It will then travel down the Nenagh Branch stopping at all Stations to Limerick. The return train will travel to Limerick Junction via Tipperary and back to Connolly Station.”
More details are available on the Irish Railway Record Society site and on this page.
The fare is €55 and if you are not a member of the society there is a temporary fee of €2.
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Posted by bollinsl on December 29, 2008
I received a nice letter from the Department of Transport advising me that I had passed the written examination / practical /oral test and I am now the holder of a “Radio Operator’s Short Range Certificate of Competency Granted by the Minister for Transport”.
The Department added that I can now apply for a Ships Radio Licence for my boat.
The Ships Radio Licence Application form is available on-line in PDF and Word formats .
The cost is:
- new licence: €100
- transfer of licence: €30
In the case of a transfer of a ships radio licence, the existing licence holder must compete the Ships Radio Licence Transfer form (available on-line as PDF and Word).
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Posted by bollinsl on December 6, 2008
I attended the VHF course run by Sea-Craft in the Motor Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire on Thursday 27 November 7.30 pm – 10.00 pm and Sunday 30 November 2008 9.00 am – 4.30 pm. This was followed by exam on SOLAS (Safety of Live at Sea) amd an exam on Regulations and Procedure, followed by practical test / interview.
Finished at 8.30 pm.
The cost was €204
- €204
- Course fee and notes €125
- Examiners fee €35
- Department of Transport charge €44
Coffee and tea were supplied on Sunday, and there was a bar.
Certificate
On successful completion of the course, the Department issues a “Radio Operators Short Range Certificate of Competance”.
This means that the holder may use VHF DSC equipment on a ship entitled to fly the flag of the country which issues the certificate, in my case Ireland.
Licence
Once you have the certificate you may apply for a Ship Station Licence from Comreg, and if you have bought a second hand boat, the licence can be transferred for €30.
The licence will include:
- Name of boat
- Date of Issue
- The boat’s call sign e.g. EI 9999
- If you have DSC, a MMSI number is included, e.g. 250 123 456
- Name of Licensee
- The Accounting Authority Indicator Code
If a vessel is sold, the call sign and MMSI are cancelled.
The licence lasts for the lifetime of the . If a boat is sold, you can transfer a licence for €30 using this form, and previous owner also have to send a form to the Department of Transport.
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Posted by bollinsl on November 29, 2008
You can transfer a boat’s radio licence by filling in the form on this page:
http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=10775&lang=ENG&loc=2058
It costs €30. Your boat must have a licence. You must have a certificate of competency.
I am doing a course for a short range certificate of competency from the Department of Transport run by Seacraft in the Dún Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club right now.
Next class is all day Sunday, and there are no DARTs north of Connolly because of engineering works at Howth Junction. A few railcars will stop, though.
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Posted by bollinsl on October 28, 2008

Knowth
Drove from Heuston Station to Brú no Bóinne, via the Dublin Port Tunnel, under the 14,000 marathon runners… and onto the M1. Still managed to get lost.
Facinating site, Who were those people, and what does it all mean?
Excellent guides.
Nice lunch in the visitors center.

Knowth Stone
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Posted by bollinsl on October 26, 2008

GNR Bus
This Great Northern Railways bus had the unique distinction of being the only international double decker bus when it ran between Dundalk and Newry in the 1950s.
The bus was on display at Dundalk railway station for the steam excursions from Belfast and Dublin, and is maintained by hte Transport Museum in Howth, Dublin.
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Posted by bollinsl on October 26, 2008
Locomotive No. 186 was transferred from Belfast to Dublin on 28 September 2008, while No. 4 went from Dublin to Belfast.
No. 186 was built in 1879 by Sharp, Stewart & Co., Atlas Works, Manchester for the Great Southern and Western Railway. She was withdrawn in 1964.

- Locomotive No. 186 in Dundalk
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Locomotive No. 186 in Dundalk
Posted in Ireland, Railways, Steam Engines | Leave a Comment »
Posted by bollinsl on September 9, 2008

Sealine Dry Bags
I bought a See Bag 10 (dry bag) from Viking Marine, Dún Laoghaire for €22.00.
Its capacity 10l and it weight is 280g. I hope that it will keep my stuff dry!
The address on the package is Middleton, County Cork, Ireland. By the way, the railway from Glounthaune to Midleton will be restored soon.
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Posted by bollinsl on September 6, 2008
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