Two Bord Na Mona rail derailments in Offaly

Two derailments on Bord Na Móna's industrial railway through Offaly were detailed in the annual report of the Railway Safety Commission this week. According to the report, the two derailments occurred at the Noggus level crossing on the Cloghan to Ferbane road. The commission said: "The gates are connected to a deliberate derailment mechanism which, when closed across the railway, prevents a train from striking the gates and/or entering the road. BNM have now designed, manufactured and fitted a new gate locking mechanism to the gates at Noggus and there have been no incidents since then." Neither derailment resulted in any injury, with circa 30 minute delays to road traffic being the only negative. The commission said its remit in terms of its oversight of Bord Na Móna's industrial railway was limited to where it interfaced with public roads and at level crossings