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To the delight of many, in recent years, a steam train been running over a short stretch of the old Dingle line. What is more incredible is the steam loco is a genuine survivor of the Tralee and Dingle Railway. The Hunslet-built 2-6-2T no 5 is back on the line it was built for, despite being moved away to the Cavan and Leitrim Railway upon closure of the home line. When the Cavan line closed, no 5 was acquired for the Steamtown museum in the United States and was shipped across the Atlantic. On display for many years, the fairy tale continued when the loco made the return journey to Kerry, was restored to full working order and in 1993 re-commenced duties on the relayed Tralee to Blennerville section. More recently, the delay in the heavy overhaul of No 5T has caused partial or total closure of train services.
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Services re-commenced in August 2009, using a diesel locomotive formerly in use at the West Clare Railway.
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Please note this website has no connection with the current operators of the Tralee & Blennerville Railway, although, of course, we wish the Railway every success. For those looking for information about the Tralee & Blennerville Railway, we advise folks to contact the Tralee Tourist Office on 066 7121288.
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| Latest News... |
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| 11 August 2009
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The Tralee Blog has announced some great news: "As announced a few days ago the Tralee and Dingle Light Railway is back in operation, after it had had to cease scheduled travels in the midst of the 2006 season due to massive technical problems with the solitary steam engine. While 5T is still out of service the train is not, because the guys from the railway now managed to source a diesel engine. And today at 10:40 (two hours ago) the small train made its first journey from Blennerville to Tralee after almost three years downtime. It will now continue to travel between the two stations hourly, starting on the full hour from the Aquadome in Tralee and at the half hour from the Blennerville Windmill.". Grateful thanks to The Tralee Blog for this information.
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| No 5T at Blennerville in 2003. |
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| A big day - No 5T comes out of the shed at Blennerville for the first time in early July 1992. Copyright Joe Dunne, courtesy of Ken Elliott |
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