Tracing the Clonmel-Thurles railway line on Google satellite and street view

The railway line between Clonmel and Thurles via Fethard opened in 1879. It closed to passengers in 1963 and to freight in 1867, and today most of the route remains untouched. Highlights include some station buildings in a better state of repair than others, and some impressive bridges and abutments still in place. Later in the video I discuss why I don't think this line would be a good candidate for reopening as a railway and why a new route via Cashel might be easier to justify, even if it is more expensive to construct. For the old line, this is one of the routes where a greenway may be a better use.
Fethard & Killusty newsletter story about the history of the line, Page 17
docplayer.net/150925190-Fetha...
Fethard station
eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/R...
Laffansbridge station:
eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/R...
Horse and Jockey station:
irishrailways.blogspot.com/201...

[@eamonbutler6352]

Hi Eamonn Fethard Station was my first home . My family lived in the station from 1954 to 1959. My dad Thomas Butler was the station master. I remember the “up” trains to Thurles and the “down” trains to Clonmel. My earliest memory was sneaking into my parents bedroom looking over the platform to watch the steam engine puffing black smoke and the driver, face covered in coal dust, looking up at us and blasting the horn and scaring us.
Thanks for the memories. Eamon (with one n)

[@tomdavidson1067]

I went to stay with my Aunt Alice near Horse & Jockey in the 60s. Then there was a freight train that ran from Thurles to Clonmel in the morning, then back to Thurles in the evening. Down the road from Aunt Alice's little cottage was a level crossing. There was a house next to it, but abandoned when the traffic stopped. So the train would draw up, stop, guard gets out, walks length of train, opens gates, train goes through, stops, guard shuts and locks gates, and off you go.
And me, a 10-12-year-old, standing by the gates. So the driver invites me into the cab, and by day two I'm driving the train through the crossing! Well, sort of ...
I remember the Horse & Jockey crossroads, a general store on one corner, post office and pub opposite, a petrol station on the diagonal corner - it stuck, because you could buy an ice lolly in the store, then go across to the petrol station where they were kept in the big fridge! 😁

[@eamonnca1]

Thanks for sharing. Great memories!

[@davidmorrissey5075]

Hi Eamonn. Thanks for this. Really comprehensive.

[@eamonnca1]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@jasonfogartyflp]

There was talk of putting a Greenway from clonmel toThurles on the old railway line somewhere in the future. Who knows it all comes down to money in the end.

[@joshuaW5621]

I don’t know if this line would be necessary to reopen. It feels like a duplicate line when we have a junction to the line through Clonmel.

[@martinwalsh3228]

Reopening of the railway line should happen to stop 1) Pollution, 2) Car Accidents & Road Deaths & 3) Traffic Jams there is need for a 24 hour train service in summer and St. Stephen's Day trains too.

[@djbillybopdjbillybop2817]

Eamonn you are spot on the trains went to the left of the roundabout and today you can still go for walks there it was called the Wilderness where the trees are on both sides of the Track
Most of the Trees are Hazelnut Trees here is another Video of the Tracks you want to follow at 42 seconds go to your left. I will do a video of the old track next week and post it. ruclips.net/video/YJlKn8gzZDw/видео.html

[@thomasbrett5341]

I'm sitting here watching this with my dad who remembers this line running,,😁