Kilkenny rail services severely disrupted after thieves rob signalling cable from tracks

By COLIN BARTLEY

TRAIN services to and from Kilkenny are experiencing severe delays this morning after signalling cable was stolen from the rail lines overnight.

Trains into and out of Plunkett station are running around 45 minutes late after Irish Rail had to implement a manual system of signalling this morning as the automatic system is knocked out.

320 metres of cable was stolen from between Kildare and Newbridge stations overnight, knocking out the automatic signalling system.

Delays are being experienced on all main lines to Cork, Limerick, Kilkenny and Waterford.

Irish Rail on their website said: “Major disruption to services into and out of Heuston and Phoenix Park Tunnel services due to overnight vandalism of signalling equipment.

“Our App and realtime departures on the website takes its information from the signalling system. As a result of this, information for services into & out of Heuston and Phoenix Park tunnel services is not accurate this morning.”

Engineers are working frantically to restore the cabling and fix the signalling problem. The gardai have been contacted are investigating the theft.