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Luas ('speed') is the modern tramway
system in Dublin, Ireland. There are currently two Luas lines.
The initial phases of Green and Red lines opened in 2004. As of
July 2011, the system has 54 stations and 38.2 kilometres (23.7
miles) of track. The system operates on a 750 V DC overhead
power supply. The international standard rail gauge of 1435 mm
(4 ft 8½in) is used, rather than the Irish 1600 mm (5 ft 3 in).
In May 1998 the government decided to
build two lines. The first was to run from Tallaght to Connolly
Station, while the second would run from Sandyford Industrial
Estate to Dublin Airport, through the city centre via St
Stephen's Green and Ballymun. Part of the second was to be
underground through the city centre. The St. Stephen's Green to
Dublin Airport section was dropped before construction began, as
it was decided to serve the area by a metro. Construction work
began in March 2001 between Tallaght to Connolly line, and from
Sandyford to St. Stephen's Green. Construction finished in
February 2004 and a period of testing and driver training began.
30th June 2004 was decided on as the official launch date of the
Green Line. The Red Line opened on 26th September 2004. On the
8th December 2009 the Red Line C1 Connolly to Docklands
extension opened. There are 4 stops: George's Dock, Mayor
Square, Spencer Dock (serving the new Docklands railway station,
approximately 500m away) and terminating in Point Village,
opposite the the O2. Construction started at the beginning of
June 2007. Test runs began on the line in September 2009 before
the opening.
2009 Route Map showing initial
lines plus the Docklands extension to The Point
An extension of the Green Line from Sandyford to
Brides Glen was opened in October 2010, plus a branch from
Belgard to Saggart on the Red Line was opened in July 2011.
There are numerous plans for extensions, but these may be
affected by the current economic situation. The Green Line has
been built with wider clearances (it uses mainly ex-heavy rail
trackbed) so that it can be upgraded to full metro standards in
the future.
2011 Route Map showing
extensions to Brides Glen and Saggart
My visit to Dublin was in August 2008 and only the
initial Connolly-Tallaght and St Stephen's Green-Sandyford
sections were open. The Red Line was also curtailed at Abbey
Street
due to work on the Docklands extension.
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By chance, the first Luas trams that I photographed were at Cherbourg,
waiting to be loaded onto a ferry for Ireland.
Luas trams on low-loaders at
Cherbourg
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 3rd August 2005
The Green Line runs from St Stephen's Green to Bride's Glen, a distance of
17.5 kilometres (10.9 mi), and it is entirely in the south side of Dublin
city and follows the route of the old Harcourt Street railway line, which
was reserved for possible re-use when it closed in 1958. The main
engineering structures on the Green Line are Milltown Viaduct, also known as
The Nine Arches, a large stone viaduct dating from 1854, and the William
Dargan Bridge, a large new cable-stayed bridge at Taney Cross, near Dundrum
town centre.
St Stephen's Green is the city terminus of the Green Line. It is about 15
minutes walk from the Red Line.
St Stephen's Green
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Ranelagh is an elevated station three stops from St Stephan's Green.
Ranelagh station on a viaduct
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
The main new engineering structures on the Green Line is the William
Dargan Bridge, a large cable-stayed bridge adjacent to Dundrum station.
The William Dargan Bridge seen
from Dundrum station
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Sandyford was the southern terminus of the Green Line in 2008. Work was
under way on the extension to Brides Glen, with only one platform in use at
the time.
Construction at Sandyford on the
extension to Brides Glen
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas 4011 at Sandyford
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
The Red Line runs in an east-west direction through
Dublin's Northside, then crosses the River Liffey and travels southwest to
the heavily populated suburb of Tallaght, with a branch from Belgard through
the Citywest campus, terminating at Saggart. The terminus at Tallaght is at
The Square, a large modern shopping centre (although few units were occupied
in August 2008).
Abbey Street was the city terminus of the Red Line on my visit due to work
on the Docklands extension.
Abbey Street
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Goldenbridge station is on a section of the route which runs parallel to the
Grand Canal (which links the River Liffey to the River Shannon)
Goldenbridge station on the Red
Line with the Grand Canal
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Tallaght was the only western terminus of the Red Line on my visit - the
Saggart branch was not opened until 2011.
Tallaght
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas uses Alstom Citadis trams, manufactured in La
Rochelle, French. They have a top speed of 70 km/h. The 26 initial Red Line
3000 class trams were three-section 30m long Citadis 301 configurations with
a capacity of 256. The 14 Green Line 4000 class trams were five-section 40m
Citadis 401 configurations, and have a capacity of 358 including two
wheelchairs. Starting in 2007, all the 30m Red Line trams were upgraded to
40m by inserting two more articulated sections, with the last one converted
by June 2008.
26 new seven-section 43m 5000 class trams were
ordered for the new extensions. The first deliveries arrived at the
Sandyford depot on 23rd February 2009. They are used on both the Red and
Green lines, and all were service by June 2009.
Luas 3011 arriving at Sandyford,
the temporary southern terminus of Green Line 1
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas 3015 at Goldenbridge on the
Red Line
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas 3015 at Abbey Street on the
Red Line
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas 3016 at Goldenbridge on the
Red Line
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas 4002 at Ranelagh on Green
Line 1
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas 4006 at Dundrum on Green Line 1
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas 4009 at Ranelagh on Green
Line 1
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas 4010 at Dundrum on Green
Line 1
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas 4011 at St Stephen's Green,
the city terminus of Green Line 1
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas 4011 at Sandyford, the
southern terminus of Green Line 1 in 2008
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
Luas 4011 at Ranelagh on Green
Line 1
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th August 2008
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