Enfield

Enfield, on the Midland Great Western Railway's Dublin to Sligo line, is one of the passing points on the Sligo line which was partially singled in 1930 by the Great Southern Railway. In 1877, Enfield became the junction for the Edenderry branch, which left the Sligo line just west of the village at Nesbitt Junction. In 1930, the GSR removed the junction there and placed it instead at Enfield Station from where the signal cabin controlled the junction. The Edenderry branch lost its passenger services in 1931 and closed completely in 1963. In that in year, Enfield Station itself was closed, but was reopened in 1988 to serve the new commuter service to Mullingar.

The main Midland Great Western station building at Enfield was demolished after closure in 1963, and thus only the platforms, signal cabin and brick goods shed remain. On the up platform is a water crane while on the down is a stone water tower. Enfield signal cabin closed in 2005 with the CTC signalling upgrading of the line, and the loop is now controlled from the signalling centre in Connolly. The goods shed, and a single siding remain for engineering work. The goods yard once also had a turntable and engines for the Edenderry branch locos.
We don't see much of Enfield Station in this view thanks to my early photography skills, but instead see 071 Class loco No.085 preparing to depart with an afternoon Sligo to Dublin service in 2002. No.085 was built by General Motors in 1976 and entered service in May 1977. The signal cabin at Enfield had become redundant by the time 071 Class No.074 rounded the curve on the approach to the station with the 17:05 Dublin to Sligo service, seen shortly before diesel railcars took over. Another 071 Class loco, this time No.073 in its silver & black livery, pauses at the former up platform at Enfield Station with the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's 'Bost of Both' railtour from Dublin to Mullingar. Loco 073 is captured again, this time running alongside the Royal Canal east of Enfield at Cloncurry Bridge, with the return RPSI's 'Best of Both' railtour from Mullingar to Dublin.
Ex Great Southern & Western Railway J15 Class 0-6-0 No.186 speeds through Enfield while operating an RPSI 'Trinity' special from Dublin to Mullingar. No.186, dating from 1879, is seen on the return 'Trinity' special from Mullingar, passing the Cloncurry Bridge just east of Enfield. As the loco could not be turned at Mullingar, it is returning tender first. Enfield Station was originally closed in November 1947, but was reopened for a suburban service in May 1988, although by this time the station building had long since been demolished, and now a single platform shelter suffices. The rather rusty water tower and crane at the east end of the former up platform at Enfield Station, which has long since been out of use.
This is the small Enfield signal cabin, seen following its closure when mechanical signalling on the Sligo line was replaced by Centralised Traffic Control. The cabin was built in the early 1920s and replaced the original Midland Great Western type on the down platform. The medium sized lever frame within Enfield signal, taken in 2002 when it was still in use. The cabin also controlled access to the Edenderry branch following the removal of the physical junction at Nesbitt in 1930 which was located a mile and quarter outside Enfield. The staff/token machines within Enfield signal cabin, taken before mechanical signalling was replaced on the Sligo line by CTC. The machines issused tokens for either Killicun to the west or Maynooth to the east. Some of the redundant signalling equipment was dumped in the former goods yard at Enfield, as seen here. The unusual lattice post was once fixed to the water tower on the down platform, and acted as the 'down starter' signal.
This is the large water tower at the Sligo end of the down platform at Enfield Station, complete with tank. The water tower can still be used by RPSI steam locomotives. The small brick built goods shed at Enfield, located at the east end of the station. Today it is simply used for storage, with goods traffic to Enfield having ceased as long ago as 1947. The 1980s style CIE name board on the down platform at Enfield Station, complete with the former 'IR Point' logo. This was taken before the single platform was modernised and tidied up.