flying_snail

Hi all,
The EIRETRAINS website has been updated with some new and updated locations on the Irish Railway network.
Some galleries have been updated and reworked with the inclusion of many archive photographs which complement the present day images.
BIG THANKS to all the people who contributed the great pictures included in this update, which range from the 1940s to the present day. Without some of them I would have not been unable to feature these former stations and railway locations.

Here is the list of the locations (some new) to be featured in this update (28-01-10):

NEWBRIDGE STATION 
A recent visit to this Great Southern & Western Co.Kildare station on the main Dublin-Cork line, primarily to photograph the new Dublin (North Wall) to Ballina freightliner. 
Gallery also includes many images of the historic station buildings, as well as other trains photographed on the day.

BARRACK STREET BRANCH
Thanks to a number of photographers, I've been able to create a dedicated gallery for this now disappeared freight only branch in Dundalk, Co.Louth.
Photographs included show both the freight yard at Barrack St, the branchline features, as well as the various trains and locomotives working on line from the 1980s until its closure in 1995. There is a small number of present day photos which complement those of the past. Also featured is the nearby DUNDALK SOUTH JUNCTION.

DROGHEDA CEMENT BRANCH
This is another freight only branch in Co.Louth which has had its gallery reworked and updated with several archive photographs. The archive images include the branch as it was in 1990s, with the loading of ballast at Newfoundwell.
Also shown are some images of the line in the 1970s featuring some black & tan liveried Metrovick A Class locomotives. All archive photographs have been arranged in a past/present theme to show branch line's demise.

BALBRIGGAN STATION
This Great Northern station on the Dublin-Belfast line has also been entirely updated with over 40 archive images, showing the station from the late 1940s to the present day.
Images include classic GNR steam 'Enterpises' passing, as well as the GNR infrastructure to be seen, such as the now demolished signal cabin, and the station building, as well as photographs depicting the harbour viaduct under-reconstruction.
There are also a few photographs taken during a visit in summer of 2008 at the station, and around the nearby County Bridge. 

ROSSLARE HARBOUR
This gallery has been finally updated to show the developments which have occurred at this Co.Wexford location, generally now known as Rosslare Europort. Photographs show the new 'basic' station at Rosslare Harbour, which has replaced the large 1989 constructed terminal.

CARLISLE PIER
Back in October I photographed what remained on this ancient railway station in Dun Loaghaire, south Dublin City, following its demolition for the pier redevelopment. Images show pier after the removal of the 1950s built station buildings. Also included are some new archive images showing trains at the pier in the 1970s and early 80s just before closure.

ATTYMON, DUNSANDLE and LOUGHREA stations have had their galleries updated with several archive photographs showing the branch line in both steam and diesels days, covering the period between 1961 until 1975 when this Co.Galway branch finally closed.
Like some of the other galleries in this update, the photographs have been arranged to emphasise the changes that have taken place since closure.

CLONSILLA, HANSFIELD, DUNBOYNE and PACE stations are some new and updated galleries to be featured in this update.
I recently photographed the works that have taken placed on the former Clonsilla to Navan railway line, which is to re-opened as far as Pace, north of Dunboyne town in Co.Meath.
Images show the recently reinstated double track line, with some past/present style images taken from last year's visit, as well as the new stations (except Hansfield) been built, along with the other nearby line features.

TRIM STATION
This former Co.Meath station has finally been featured, which fills in the missing gap between Kilmessan Jct (again on the former Navan line) to Athboy branch, closed and lifted in 1952. These photographs show the only remaining building to stand at Trim; the large goods shed, as well as the single platform, partially covered over.
Unfortunately photographs showing the station still standing are uncommon, in fact I've never actually seen any.

NORTH WALL
This large gallery has been updated with some photographs taken from around August, along with some more recent images captured in September. Photos include the first runs of the North Wall-Ballina IWT Freightliner, as well as one of the Mk3 coaching stock movements.
Also included are a range of archive images from 2002 showing what was once the busy London & North Western & Midland Great Western yards, featuring a range of locomotive classes.
The photos have been re-arranged to form a coherant past/present theme of the North Wall area.

BALLINDINE STATION
A quick update to this former Western Rail Corridor station, showing a freight train passing through. The train and the locomotives themselves are now history also.


Thanks very much again to all people who contributed many of the photographs included in this update.

I also took the opportunity to remove the 'Irish Rail Archive Gallery'. As the website now features I large amount of quality archive photographs elsewhere in the various photo galleries, the material on that page had been somewhat duplicated.

This update has been in the works since September when I last added pictures to the website, mainly due to other commitments I have I was unable to do any work on it. At the moment I cannot predict when the next update will be on the website.

Thanks and call back soon!