Shillelagh branch line

The Shillelagh branch line was a branch line of some 16.5 miles (26.6 km) to Shillelagh, County Wicklow opened by the Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR) in 1865.[1] It joined the Dublin–Rosslare railway line at Woodenbridge halt.[2]

Shillelagh branch line
Earl FitzWilliam, sponsor of the Shillelagh line to his Coolattin Estate
Overview
Other name(s)The Fitzwilliam Railway
Technical
Line length16.5 mi (26.6 km)
Number of tracks1
Route map
Shillelagh branch line
 Shillelagh
 Tinahely
 Ballinglen
 Aughrim
Dublin–Wexford line
to Wexford
 Woodenbridge
Dublin-Wexford line
to Dublin
Old railway bridge at Tinahely

The single track line closely followed the course of the Aughrim River to Aughrim and then the Derry River to Shillelagh. A short spur from Aughrim served the Aughrim Flour Mills.[3]

Passenger services ended in 1944 due to coal shortages which became critical during The Emergency, and though there were hopes of it re-opening this never happened.[1] However, the line remained open for goods as far as Aughrim until 1952, serving Forgarty's Flour Mills. The line was officially closed and lifted the following year.[4]

A walking trail was developed in 2005 on a 2.7km section of the old alignment near Tinahely.[5]

Fitzwilliam connection

In order for the DW&WR to continue its main line to Wexford it needed around 1860 to purchase lands from Earl Fitzwilliam. As part of those negotiations Lord Fitzwilliam hinted he desired a branch line to his home at Shillelagh on his Coolattin Estate. Following his agreement to donate land and other resources, the relevant Bill was passed and construction of the branch line commenced in March 1864.[1] For obvious reasons the line was also known as The Fitzwilliam Railway.

Operations

The line was often allocated weaker or non-standard locomotives, in the period 1925 to 1930 the 0-6-0 No. 50, was allocated to the line.[6]

Stations

Woodenbridge

Woodenbridge Junction station (1865-1964) was originally an exchange platform between the Dublin to Rosslare main line and the start of the Shillelagh branch. It included its own branch platform, foot bridge, sidings, goods shed and turntable. Only the semi-derelict 1876 station house survives. By 1993 it had been relaid as a single track.[7]

Aughrim

The railway to Aughrim was reached in January 1865.[1] The station included a passing loop, goods shed, signal box, cattle pens and a short spur to Aughrim Flour Mills.

Both the station building and the goods shed have survived, as respectively, a private dwelling and a car dealership.

Ballinglen

Although the line reach Ballinglen by 1865, the station itself wasn't built until 1876, some eleven years later. This followed a complaint from the Fitzwilliam estate that the railway had reneged on a promise to build a station there. It was built for a cost of £90[1] and consisted of a modest station house and platform with no other facilities.

The station house survives as a private dwelling.

Tinahely

Tinhely station was a candidate for a branch to Hacketstown but in the end this did not come to pass.[1]

It included a passing loop, signal box and goods shed.

The station house survives as a private dwelling.

Shillelagh Station

Shillelagh station opened on 22 May 1865 as the terminus. The Fitzwilliam Family of the Coolattin Estate had exclusive use of a private waiting room at the station.[8]

The station included a signal box, goods shed, engine shed, sidings and two turntables.

The substantial station house survives as a private dwelling, as do some more modest staff cottages.

Further reading
  • Hayden, Gerard (June 1986). "A history of the Woodenbridge to Shillelagh railway". Irish Railway Record Society.

References
  1. Hayden, Gerard. "The Pure Mile Annacurra" (PDF). Some History - The Fitzwillaim Railway. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. Ahrons, E. L. (1954). L. L. Asher (ed.). Locomotive and train working in the latter part of the nineteenth century". six. W Heffer & Sons Ltd. p. 38.
  3. "Aughrim Flour Mill, Aughrim, County Wicklow: Buildings of Ireland: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage". Buildingsofireland.ie. Archived from the original on 10 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  4. Shepherd, Ernie (1988). The Dublin & South Eastern Railway (1988 ed.). Midland Publishing Ltd. p. 61. ISBN 1 85780 082 6.
  5. "Irish Trails - Tinahely Railway Walk". Irishtrails.ie. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  6. Clements, Jeremy; McMahon, Michael (2008). Locomotives of the GSR. Colourpoint Books. p. 143. ISBN 9781906578268.
  7. Baker, H. C. (1995). Ireland's Railways Past and Present - Ireland - An Introduction (2005 ed.). Past and Present Publishing Ltd. p. 12. ISBN 1858952468.
  8. "1865 – Railway Station, Shillelagh, Co. Wicklow". Archiseek.com. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
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