Bantry Hilltop

Bantry Hilltop Station was the original railway terminus in Bantry, located on a hill high above the large west Co.Cork town. The station was the temporary terminus of the Cork Bandon & South Coast Railway's main line from Cork, and had opened to here following the completion of the Illen Valley Railway's line from Drimoleague in July 1881, who the CBSCR latterly operated. The station had one long platform and a large stone built station building. In October 1894, Bantry Hilltop Station was closed when the CBSCR built a new line which diverged just short of the original terminus and ran into Bantry itself to terminate much closer to the town centre. Today the stations buildings at Bantry Hilltop remain, along with a section of the single platform.
This is the one time substantial station at Bantry Hilltop, the first to be constructed in the town by the Ilen Valley Railway in July 1881. The main building seen here survives as private house. The single platform remains in situ at Bantry Hilltop Station, although it has not seen a passenger since October 1892, when replaced by a new terminus nearer to the town. The large station building at Bantry Hilltop, as viewed from the forecourt. The line to the station was closed and lifted following its replacement by the new 'Bantry Town' terminus in 1892, which was constructed by the Cork Bandon & South Coast Railway, successor to the Ilen Valley Railway. This facade of the Bantry Hilltop Station building retains its original stone front, with brick window surrounds. After the CBSCR sold the station it became a private house known as 'Ardnageena House'.
This stone built structure located adjacent to the single platform at Bantry Hilltop once supported the water tower, the tank part of which has been removed. An original Cork Bandon & South Coast Railway gate complete with characteristic posts remain in situ at the entrance to the former Bantry Hilltop Station. The concrete wall in the background marks the former alignment of the 1892 constructed line to the 'town' station.