Shortest lived train stations

GM228

Any info on short lived train stations in Ireland and the reasons for early closures?

The shortest I know of is Meelick on the Limerick-Ennis line opening in January 1862 and closing permanently just 3 months later. Unknown why it lasted only a short amount of time.

Also the original Kilcock station (on our third station at this stage) opened in June 1847 and closed 13 months later due to the severe gradients where it was situated and was replaced by the now abandoned second station.

Del.Monte

Killoughter between Newcastle and Wicklow on the DSER was another shortlived station - can't remember the exact dates.

McAlban

Glasnevin Station (Now the Keg Room for Porterhouse North) Was only Open from 1901 until 1910. Platform and Footbridge long ago removed.

I believe passenger services between Glasnevin Jc. and Connolly were suspended then until Drumcondra re-opened.

flazio

There was a branch from Birr to Portumna that was marked as disused even on the 1911 map on the OSI website.

Elemonator

McAlban wrote: »

Glasnevin Station (Now the Keg Room for Porterhouse North) Was only Open from 1901 until 1910. Platform and Footbridge long ago removed.

I believe passenger services between Glasnevin Jc. and Connolly were suspended then until Drumcondra re-opened.

God I'd love to have that back! It'd make getting to college in the morning 10 times easier.

Pretty big area now but I doubt its even going to be considered ever again. I've heard of the Luas or Metro plans going through one part of time alright.

Del.Monte

flazio wrote: »

There was a branch from Birr to Portumna that was marked as disused even on the 1911 map on the OSI website.

1868-1878

http://www.irrs.ie/Journal%20178/178%20Stolen%20Railway.htm

tabbey

Del.Monte wrote: »

Killoughter between Newcastle and Wicklow on the DSER was another shortlived station - can't remember the exact dates.

Killoughter closed when Rathnew opened, Ashford had been the main source of traffic.
Railscot gives 1867 as the year of closure. It opened with the line in 1855, so about 12 years of service.

The Greystones/Kilcoole to Wicklow section is exceptionally fortunate in having both Newcastle and Killoughter restored externally, both by private occupiers.

tabbey

Some stations have opened, closed and reopened over the decades, the suburban halts being the most prominent.

What may not be well known is that in 1960, the great and good Dr Andrews, (executive chairman of CIE, and prototype for Dr Beeching) initially closed Sandymount, Sidney Parade, Booterstown and Salthill, early summer, without giving the statutory two months notice. Following legal action, they were reopened for the summer, and closed again with the required notice.

Off hand, I do not know how long they got for their stay of execution, but I guess not much more than the two months notice.

Wild Garlic

Maybe someone may have the exact dates but I wouldn't think Kilcommon was open for too long. Closed when Rathdrum opened following the completion of the viaduct.

Losty Dublin

Ashtown must surely warrant mention here. It was reopened, complete with an operational signal cabin, crossovers and signals, solely to facilitate trains for the Papal Mass in Phoenix Park in September 1979. Once the mass was held, both station and cabin were closed completely, the points scotched and signals removed.

Banjoxed

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Ashtown must surely warrant mention here. It was reopened, complete with an operational signal cabin, crossovers and signals, solely to facilitate trains for the Papal Mass in Phoenix Park in September 1979. Once the mass was held, both station and cabin were closed completely, the points scotched and signals removed.

I don't thank that Pope for much very often, but the reuse of Maynooth, Leixlip and Hazlehatch at that time did lead to calls for their permanent reopening.

McAlban

Would Really Love to see some old photo's of these Stations. Eiretrains is interesting but some good back in the day photos would be good.

Would Also like to see the original Blanch Station (Located in the Middle of what is now the N3/M50 interchange.)

When they built railways back then the stations were designed very similar, with an almost corporate identity.

Eiretrains

McAlban wrote: »

Would Also like to see the original Blanch Station (Located in the Middle of what is now the N3/M50 interchange.)

When they built railways back then the stations were designed very similar, with an almost corporate identity.

There's a good shot of Blanchardstown on the NLI site in the Jim O'Dea Collection. The old footbridge appears to be getting dismantled. The station building was identical to that found at Leixlip, Lucan North etc..
http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000305283

McAlban

Eiretrains wrote: »

There's a good shot of Blanchardstown on the NLI site in the Jim O'Dea Collection. The old footbridge appears to be getting dismantled. The station building was identical to that found at Leixlip, Lucan North etc..
http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000305283

Great Shot, Looking west towards the 12th Lock?

Some very good photos in that collection

Seanmk1

McAlban wrote: »

Great Shot, Looking west towards the 12th Lock?

Some very good photos in that collection

Cork had a temporary terminus at Kilbarry prior to the tunnel being finished.

http://corkheritage.ie/?page_id=388

ted1

While not the shortest, was the atmospheric railway in Dalkey the most interesting?

Del.Monte

ted1 wrote: »

While not the shortest, was the atmospheric railway in Dalkey the most interesting?

I think that the Lartigue wins that one hands down.

Seanmk1

Del.Monte wrote: »

I think that the Lartigue wins that one hands down.

Gotta love this one. Irish inventor too.

Markcheese

Seanmk1 wrote:

Cork had a temporary terminus at Kilbarry prior to the tunnel being finished.

Isnt there talk of (or at least proposals to reopen kilbarry

tabbey

McAlban wrote: »

Great Shot, Looking west towards the 12th Lock?

Yes, looking west.

McAlban

Seanmk1 wrote: »

Cork had a temporary terminus at Kilbarry prior to the tunnel being finished.

http://corkheritage.ie/?page_id=388

Thinking about Corks railway heritage depresses me. Expensive ring roads, tunnels and reclaiming land to get commuters into a city that used to have a web of connecting railways and light railways...

Plenty of Short lived stations in Cork.

end of the road

Markcheese wrote: »

Isnt there talk of (or at least proposals to reopen kilbarry

i believe so. most likely won't happen though.

McAlban wrote: »

Thinking about Corks railway heritage depresses me. Expensive ring roads, tunnels and reclaiming land to get commuters into a city that used to have a web of connecting railways and light railways...

indeed. i'm sure if some had had their way the whole of the east cork railway would have gone as well. we can be thankful CIE didn't get to destroy the lot.

armaghlad

Goodyear Halt, Lurgan, Co Armagh

tabbey

armaghlad wrote: »

Goodyear Halt, Lurgan, Co Armagh

Goodyear opened 31 August 1970, (source: IRRS Journal oct 1970).
It probably closed shortly after the Goodyear factory closed in October 1983.

Incidentally the factory opened in 1967, but may have been smaller then. At it's peak, it employed about 1,000.

The halt was a simple pair of platforms, with lamp posts, and little else.

It was situated at Silverwood,between Portadown and Lurgan, just on the Lurgan side of the bridge between the artificial lakes. At that time this area was the centre of the new town of Craigavon, which failed to develop because of the political troubles.

whisky_galore

McAlban wrote: »

Thinking about Corks railway heritage depresses me. Expensive ring roads, tunnels and reclaiming land to get commuters into a city that used to have a web of connecting railways and light railways...

Plenty of Short lived stations in Cork.

There was a halt for the 1932 Cork Exhibition on the Cork & Muskerry. May have only lasted the length of the show itself, 6 months-ish.

Del.Monte

Naylor's Cove Halt just south of Bray opened in 1906 to serve the nearby swimming baths. It closed to regular traffic a year later but remained available for occasional use until the late 1920s. The single platform, on the down side, was still extant until the late 1990s.