Ballyhaunis

Ballyhaunis, Co.Mayo, was first served by rail in 1861 when the Midland Great Northern Railway, later taken over by the Midland Great Western, opened their line between Athlone and Claremorris. Ballyhaunis boasts up & down platforms, with the single storey stone built station building on the up side, complete with canopy, and MGWR brick built signal cabin on the down side, now no longer in use. The original MGWR footbridge also survives. At the north end of the station is the former goods shed and yard. Mechanical signalling on the Mayo lines was replaced in recent years by the Centralised Traffic Control from Dublin.
Seen at the east end of Ballyhaunis Station is 071 Class loco No.074, heading an Irish Railway Record Society special from Westport to Athlone. Contrasts in modern and old railway infrastructure in the form of the CTC aerial and the Midland Great Western semaphore signal and goods crane are seen at the east end of Ballyhaunis Station beside 074. A view looking east from the footbridge at Ballyhaunis Station, with the former goods yard on the left. Today the platforms have been modernised and extended at this end. The small Midland Great Western signal cabin at Ballyhaunis Station, located half way along the down platform. The cabin is no longer in use today.
The interior of Ballyhaunis signal cabin, showing the recently repainted lever frame. Modern centralised traffic control took over mechanical signalling on the Mayo lines in 2006. Another view within Ballyhanis signal cabin. The Mk2 coaching stock visible in the background is also now a thing of the past on the railway, having all been scrapped after withdrawal in 2008. One of the 19th century electric token machines located within Ballyhaunis signal cabin. The signal cabin was often 'switched out' creating a long block section between Claremorris and Castlerea. The station track plan, as viewed within Ballyhaunis signal cabin. At this time there were still two sidings located within the former goods yard.
A rusty siding, still serving the goods shed, albeit disused. In the background can be seen the former Midland Great Western semaphore signal, dating pre-1925.