Campile

Campile, south Co.Wexford, is a small village that was served until recently by trains operated to and from Waterford and Rosslare Harbour. The line was opened as late as 1906 by the Great Southern & Western Railway. Campile Station once had an island platform, footbridge, large goods yard and corrugated iron station building, typical of the type to be found on the line. There was also a private siding on the down side of the station serving the now demolished Co-Op creamery, which was remarkably bombed by the Luftwaffe during WW2. The station ceased to be a signalling blockpost in 1987 and the sidings, passing loop and signal cabin were removed. The remaining station building and footbridge were also demolished in the early 2000s. Passenger services over the south Wexford line ceased in September 2010, although the track remains in situ.
Standing at the somewhat bare platform at Campile Station is 071 Class loco No.081, operating the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's 'South Wexford' railtour. A general view of the much simplified station at Campile, which once boasted an island platform, station building and footbridge. The wide ramp visible on the right was once the sugar beet loading bank. An Irish Railway Record Society special, formed of a 2800 Class railcar with No.2815 leading, is seen at Campile Station. Visible on the left is the trackbed of a former private siding, the forlorn looking wooden gate of which remains in situ in the background. This siding served the adjacent creamery. The former island platform at Campile, which once boasted a corrugated iron station building. The loop and signal cabin at the station were removed in 1987.
Another view of Campile, viewed from the west end of the station. The small goods shed was once located on the right on the concrete constructed platform. General view of Campile Station, looking east towards Rosslare, with the trackbed of the former passing loop clearly visible on the right. A similar view at Campile but taken in September 1977, with 141 Class locos No.171+B168 operating a special from Wellingtonbridge to Waterford. In this view is the footbridge, station building and goods shed. ©Barry Carse A November 1977 view of Campile Station during the sugar beet season, with 001 Class loco No.050 shunting by the beet loading bank. Amongst the open wagons loaded with the crop is a covered wagon which conveyed beet pulp to the processing plant at Thurles. ©Barry Carse
An early 1970s view of Campile, taken in the early 1970s from the station footbridge. In this view is the small station building which was eventually demolished in the early 2000s. Beside A Class loco No.A52r is the siding serving the creamery, while in the background a tractor tips its load into an open beet wagon. ©Barry Carse There are two public road level crossings east of Campile, at Burkestown and Rathumney. This is the latter crossing where 071 Class loco No.079 is seen working the Irish Rail weed spraying train en route from Rosslare to Limerick. The distant signal arm on the right with the fishtail end protects Burkestown LC. Loco No.079 is captured again just east of Campile at the user operated level crossing at Carrowanree, the site of Campile Station's one time 'up' distant signal.