Passenger Numbers Decline

Rises in fares and goods rates damaged patronage during 1920. The introduction of the eight-hour working day forced the company to curtail its goods service; the volume of traffic did not justify keeping two crews employed, which would have been necessary to maintain the former service. Consequently there was a £1,000 decrease in goods receipts, and the shorter working day necessitated a 25 per cent staff increase. A military curfew also took its toll and was it not for a government compensation award of £21,630 the line would have closed that year.

In 1921 revenue was £8,000 below the 1920 figure -military action contributed to this decrease. A curfew was partially responsible but a military order of 17 June which halted rail and steamer services during the peak season was a major setback. This was in response to I.R.A seizures of mail and military stores. The restrictions were in force until the truce of July. On 15 August the company suspended steamer runs because of poor returns -an outlay of £15,000 on this service had realised just £7,291.

Workers Strike

A decision to resume the steamer goods service in January 1922 was foiled by a railway strike -the first railway workers strike in the C.B. & P .R. history. Following a meeting, the railway employee's ceased work on Sunday 29 January. A subsequent strike on the company's boats prevented the introduction of the planned steamer service. The strike had little effect on workers going to Passage because the dockyard management provided a special boat service for its employees. On 10 February the Cork railway about 100 strikers who planned to run a limited service as the 'co-operative railway workers' occupied terminus. Many different railway lines were involved in the strike and at a meeting on 14 February it was agreed to resume work. The main feature of the agreement was an increase of7s. bringing the minimum pay rate to 51s.. The C. B. & P. R. services resumed on 24 February.