Tralee

Tralee, Co.Kerry, was first served by rail when the GSWR extended their 1852 built line from Mallow to Killarney to here in July 1859. The Waterford & Limerick Railway then extended the line west of Tralee to places in north Co.Kerry such as Listowel and Newcastle West and eventually to Limerick, this becoming known as the 'North Kerry Line' route. Passenger services from Tralee to Limerick ceased in 1963, but the line remained in use for goods until 1977, it was eventually lifted in 1988. Tralee was also a starting point for trains to Fenit, which ran parallel to the North Kerry line for a 1½ miles outside Tralee before diverging south west to the fishing village. The Fenit branch remained in situ and in 1987 the Great Southern Railway Preservation Society planned to reopen the Fenit branch as a heritage railway. Sadly their plans never came about and the Fenit branch is now derelict with the section west of Tralee now disconnected from the mainline.

Tralee Station itself was modernised in the 1970s, but the Victorian era GSWR stone built station buildings and wooden train shed and now redundant signal cabin remain. The large goods shed also survives, the freight yard however was taken out of use in 2004.
141 Class loco No.162 stands at Tralee Station before forming a morning service to Mallow, consisting of 1960s Craven coaches. No.162 dated from 1962, and remains in use as a shunter at Inchicore Works, Dublin. The British Rail built Mk1 generator van, at the rear of thr Tralee to Mallow train, which consists of 1960s built Craven coaches. Nowadays these trains are formed by Intercity railcars. Tralee Station, with the Great Southern & Western Railway built wooden train shed, and stone built goods shed to the left. This view is looking west towards Limerick. In 1968, before Tralee was modernised, Crossley engined C Class loco No.C223, heads light engine through the station carrying CIE's one time green livery. In the background is Rock St level crossing. ©Peter Makinson
Tralee Station, looking east towards Mallow in 2003. On the left are the 1970s built bagged cement wagons; they have since been scrapped following the loss of that traffic on Irish Rail. Tralee still had a freight service at this time. Viewed from the former freight yard at Tralee Station, 071 Class loco No.081 prepares to shunt of rake of British Rail built Mk2 coaches, which formed the Modern Railway Society of Ireland railtour from Dublin. Loco No.081 passes by a 'Commuter' liveried 2-car 2600 Class diesel railcar, Nos.2610+2613, stabled in a siding at the eastern end of Tralee Station. These railcars normally operate on the Tralee-Mallow-Cork services. The 1960s Derby built Mk2s at Tralee, which formed the MRSI railtour. These coaches are owned by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. They are seen stabled by the former freight yard.
Tralee, looking west to what was Fenit and Limerick, commonly known as the 'North Kerry' line. The short section to Fenit remains, although derelict, being out of use since the late 1980s. The North Kerry line to Limerick itself was lifted in 1988, leaving just this section west of Tralee to Fenit, which in 2003 could be seen passing beyond the signal cabin through a firmly locked gate. Nowadays the line at Tralee Station terminates before the end of the train shed, as seen here. The run around loop and the track leading to Fenit were removed to accommodate an access road to a new car park sited in the old freight yard. This is the flat roofed Great Southern & Western Railway signal cabin at the west end of Tralee Station, in September 1980. The cabin was located adjacent to the Rock St level crossing, and was finally taken out of use in 2004 following the replacement of the mechanical signalling on the Tralee line. ©Daniel McFadden The western end of the wooden train shed at Tralee, September 1980. The main building and shed dated from the opening of the railway line from Killarney in July 1859. Trains nowadays terminate out in the open at the eastern end of the station. ©Daniel McFadden
A view within the GSWR train shed at Tralee, showing the trackbed of the former run around loop and line to Fenit. The 1850s built goods shed at Tralee, located on the northern side of the station. The turntable for turning steam locomotives remains in situ at this location. Station name board at Tralee. Formerly known as 'Tralee South', this station became the principal station in the town following the closure of the adjacent 'Tralee North' station in 1901, located on the west side of Rock St which served Waterford & Limerick Railway trains over the North Kerry route. The line to Fenit and Limerick ran parallel for a 1½ miles outside Tralee before seperating. The Fenit branch remains in situ, though heavily overgrown as seen here on the west side of the town. The trackbed of the Limerick line is now a gravel path on the right.
This is where the Fenit and Limerick lines parted company. The overgrown track of the Fenit branch is on the left, while the former line to Limerick heads straight on. A farm level crossing, located adjacent to where the line to Fenit and Limerick seperated. The Fenit branch is seen here, with its tracks and crossing boards, though the line is very much overgrown now.