Least-Photographed Lines?

[Patrick Davey]

Evening all - I have been thinking recently about which Irish railway lines were the least-photographed.  As I'm in Ulster I am more familiar with those northern lines which have generally escaped the attention of photographers, but there will be many others I'm sure elsewhere.  Obviously the earlier a line closed, the less chance there would have been for it to have been photographed, possibly the most extreme example being the Parsonstown and Portumna Bridge line (closed in 1878 I think?)  Some northern examples which come to mind are the Ballymena & Larne narrow gauge line (very few photographs) and the GNR line from Banbridge to Newcastle (a few but not many photographs).  There are of course plenty of actual stations which have remained camera shy, such as Creevyargon and the other small halts on the BCDR (I know of just one photo of Creevyargon).

Two of the least-photographed GNR lines link to Armagh: the line from Armagh to Castleblayney was fully open by 1910 but closed beyond Keady from 1924 so the southern portion of the line was only open for 14 years which is an insanely short time (last of the 'railway age' lines to open and first to close I think?) There was a halt at Carnagh and a slightly larger halt at Creghanroe, where the classic GNR(I) wooden station building thankfully still stands despite being without a train for close on a century.  I haven't yet seen a photo of Creghanroe in operation, nor of Carnagh.  The other least-photographed line from Armagh was of course the route to Newry and Warrenpoint, which is well-known as having along its route the longest railway tunnel in Ireland, Lissummon tunnel, just one yard short of a full mile in length.  The line was also the location of Ireland's worst railway disaster.  I was working in Armagh today and took some time later on to try and find the location of Hamiltonsbawn station, which has, as far as I know, remained beyond the attention of photographers - I recall seeing a post-closure photograph though, I think it was in one of Mac Arnold's GNR books.  I also visited Markethill station which thankfully survives intact as a private residence, with the trackbed through the station now a car park.  This was the largest station on the line, presumably because Markethill was the largest town on the line.  Ironically, every time I visit, something stops me from taking a photograph....today it was a large white van in the car park spoiling the shot, and last time it was a group of dodgy looking lads in souped up cars eyeing me up suspiciously.....

There are a few excellent photographs of Markethill, mostly taken after 1933 when the line lost its passenger traffic - a railtour visited the line before final closure, hauled by a U class 440 - thankfully there are a few photographs of this railtour tour at Markethill and there are other Markethill views in the IRRS archive.

So I am wondering does anyone know of any other photos of the 'camera shy' Armagh line stations, particularly Hamiltonsbawn?  I have seen a few photos of other stations on the line and indeed there survives a very rare view of the Glenanne & Loughgilly horse tramway....

I am also interested in other 'camera shy' lines & stations - feel free to suggest more!

 

[Galteemore]

NCC branches eg Dungiven. Industrial railways eg Cavehill tramway, Belfast brickworks etc.

[Broithe]

Mountmellick to Kilkenny seems to have not many pictures, beyond a few around Abbeyleix around the closure time.

Birr/Parsonstown to Roscrea went before photography was a widespread hobby, I suppose - I've only recently realised how much of the station buildings still exist in Birr.

[Westcorkrailway]

Kinsale Branch photos (closed 1931) are very scarce wen it was open. If a photographer was around cork in the 1920s ect. They tended to go for the lines with better views/character (passage, muskerry, bantry, skibbereen, clonakikty, courtmacsherry and schull all probobly having more pull then the branch) Photos seem to have been exclusivly taken by military photographers. So far in my years of living I have seen 3 or 4 of it while it was still in use, none of them particularly useful and all of which taking much digging to find! 
 

 

Recently I was asked to find a photo of Trim station on the MGWR branch and I couldn’t find anything of that station either. 

[Mayner]

2 hours ago, Westcorkrailway said:

 

 

Recently I was asked to find a photo of Trim station on the MGWR branch and I couldn’t find anything of that station either. 

The RPSI flickr collection is probably one of the best sources of station, rolling stock and loco photos, access to the collection is well worth the subscription in itself.

There are a couple of photos of Trim and the branch Boyne viaduct in the IRRS flickr collection.

The station building was demolished, but the goods store still standing when I griced the line during the 70s/80s.

[airfixfan]

Have plenty of photos of Ballymena and Larne it is the Parkmore line that is scarce. Currently searching for the Carndonagh line doing a talk there on the Swilly on April 11th.

[Patrick Davey]

2 hours ago, airfixfan said:

Have plenty of photos of Ballymena and Larne it is the Parkmore line that is scarce. Currently searching for the Carndonagh line doing a talk there on the Swilly on April 11th.

Do you have in-service B&L photos of:

Kells - have seen a few

Moorfields - one I think

Ballynashee - none so far

Collin - none so far

Ballyeaston - none so far

TIA

Edited March 26, 2023 by Patrick Davey

[Galteemore]

Some very rare footage of 3’ gauge steam working in east Belfast….https://digitalfilmarchive.net/media/super-8-stories-the-back-garden-628

[airfixfan]

Send me a PM Patrick 

[Branchline121]

On 26/3/2023 at 12:26 PM, Patrick Davey said:

Do you have in-service B&L photos of:

Kells - have seen a few

Moorfields - one I think

Ballynashee - none so far

Collin - none so far

Ballyeaston - none so far

TIA

Which Kells?

Also, I thought the Kingscourt line had very few pictures for a line that lasted 126 years.

[Patrick Davey]

25 minutes ago, Branchline121 said:

Which Kells?

Also, I thought the Kingscourt line had very few pictures for a line that lasted 126 years.

Kells, Co. Antrim, narrow gauge Ballymena & Larne line!

You're thinking of the GNR(I broad gauge Kells on the Oldcastle branch!

There was another one too, Kells, Co. Kerry, on the Valencia Harbour line......