Progress on the Line

Report (1847) by John McNeill, Engineer

Half yearly report of John Benjamin McNeill to the Directors of the Irish South Eastern Railway dated 10th April 1847. He is most satisfied with the work as it had progressed to the point that the line from the Carlow-Kilkenny Boundary to Newhouse had been marked out. Estimates were still in preparation for bridges and culveits.

Carlow County Library

Report (1847) by John McNeill, Engineer
Carlow County Library

Report (1847) by John McNeill, Engineer

Carlow County Library

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Engineer Reports

John McNeill submitted an important report on progress on the line from Carlow to Kilkenny on March 27th 1847. He stated that the "progress on the line had been most satisfactory" and that the remaining portion of the line from the boundary of the County Carlow to Newhouse "has been marked out" and the ground plans completed. McNeill reported that the fencing was completed on the first four and a half miles and that the earthwork was largely executed. He was also pleased that the fences had been finished in a "substantial and workmanlike" manner.

The engineer noted that there were "several excellent quarries of granite in the neighbourhood". He said that the road bridges would be built of granite. However since limestone of a superior quality had been found near the Barrow Viaduct this bridge as well as those at Wells and Kilkenny, would be built of that material. In his estimation the only work of any magnitude to delay the line was the Barrow Viaduct but that it should be completed by the following October (1847). He pointed out that the traffic on the existing road connection between Carlow and Kilkenny "amounts to six mail and eight stage coaches" not including other cars and conveyances.

Engineers Report

Extract from Engineers report on the railway works for the line from Carlow to Kilkenny via Bagenalstown. John McNeill records his satisfaction with the progress made. He refers to the viaduct over the Barrow which had obviously been completed between October 1849 and March 1850. John McNeill was chief engineer for these works.

Carlow County Library

Engineers Report
Carlow County Library

Engineers Report

Carlow County Library

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Further Progress on the Line

Another progress report on the line to Kilkenny appeared in the "Carlow Sentinel" on March 30th 1850. Work had resumed in October 1849 on the section from Bagenalstown to the junction with the Waterford and Kilkenny railway (Lavitstown Junction). John McNeill reported that "the viaduct over the Barrow and the large embankment adjoining it had been completed".

The Barrow Viaduct was constructed of cut limestone with a span of four arches. The large cutting at Shankill was, according to the engineer, "one quarter excavated". All the required land had been procured and fencing was progressing "with energy". John McNeill was of the opinion that "provided funds were acquired, the line could be open to traffic" by September 1850.

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