Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway
The Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway, formerly the Waterford and Limerick Railway up to 1896, was at the time it was amalgamated with the Great Southern and Western Railway in 1901 the fourth largest railway in Ireland, with a main line stretching from Limerick to Waterford and branches to Sligo and Tralee.
Inception
The ' was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 31 May 1826 and had the distinction of being the first act authorising an Irish railway. No construction followed and it was 1845 before the Waterford and Limerick Railway was authorised by the ', the first section of the line being opened from Limerick to Tipperary on 9 May 1848, the remainder of the main line being opened in stages, finally reaching Waterford in 1854.Secondary lines
The company eventually operated two long branch lines which extended from Limerick, north west to Sligo and south west to Tralee.Branch lines
By 1900, there were a number of branch lines:- Ballingrane to Foynes,
- Killonan to Killaloe,
- Clonmel to Thurles,
- Tralee to Fenit, an section opened in 1887 by the Tralee and Fenit Railway.
People
The was generally short of cash to maintain rolling stock and most locomotive superintendents who were typically did not stay long. Incumbents included:- Thomas Lunt, who came from the Liverpool and Manchester Railway and was in position from 1853 to 1857.
- Jonathan Pim, son for James Pim, locomotive superintendent from 1857 to 1861.
- Martin Atock was locomotive superintendent from 1861 until 1871.
- John G. Robinson was locomotive, carriage and wagon assistant superintendent of the railway from 1889 till 1900 when he moved to a similar position with the Great Central Railway.