The 42km stretch of railway between Limerick city and Foynes Port originally opened in 1858 but closed to passenger traffic in 1963 and has been inactive since 2001. The line remained under the stewardship of Iarnród Éireann and is now being renewed to support the reintroduction of rail freight services.
Mushroom Civil began work on the project in early 2023 and it is anticipated that the route will be commissioned for freight services by the end of 2025. Given the location and duration of the project, the company needed a machine that operates well in tight spaces, is comfortable for the operator and is productive and efficient.
The JCB 245XR with its reduced slewing radius, without any compromise on cab space or performance, is proving to be just the machine to bring this stretch of disused railway back to life.
A Strong Foundation
Established in 2016, Mushroom Civil Ltd has built a comprehensive fleet of plant and equipment for the civil engineering sector and is able to project management and execute complex earthworks projects. The company has developed an outstanding reputation for dependability and efficiency with its experienced team delivering projects across Ireland. At the heart of this success is a longstanding relationship with their local dealer, ECI JCB, and an ongoing investment in JCB machinery which delivers on the company’s needs and stands the test of time when put to work on arduous projects.
Mushroom Civil Ltd’s Managing Director, Mike O’Connor said: “We have a great relationship with ECI JCB in Cork, so they are always our first port of call when we need new machines. The JCB 245XR is one of the only reduced tailswing tracked excavators with the full-size cab - so it ticks all the boxes for us.”
The 245XR JCB excavator has a reduced tailswing radius of 1.72m, 40% less than the 220X - without any compromise on cab space or performance and in fact features the JCB CommandPlus cab, which is one of the biggest, most comfortable and easy-to-operate cabs on the market.