Carlingford

Carlingford, Co.Louth, was one of the few significant stopping places on the Greenore to Newry section of the Dundalk Newry & Greenore Railway. The line was opened in August 1876 and was partly owned by the London & North Western Railway. In 1923, the Great Northern Railway took over the operation of the railway and it remained in use until closure at the end of 1951. Today, the station building at Carlingford survives as a tourist office, but the single platform has long since disappeared, the R176 having been rerouted onto the former trackbed by the lough. The site of the small goods yard with two sidings is now occupied by a car park.
The former station at Carlingford, looking north towards Newry. The single storey stone built station remains in use as a tourist office. The R176 road was built on the railway trackbed following closure in 1951. The station building at Carlingford, built in the 1870s, viewed from the railway side of the structure. The station only had a single platform. Another view of Carlingford showing the R176 road running through the station site. This view is looking south towards Greenore. Close-up detail of the chimneys found on the roof of Carlingford station, showing three distinctive designs.
The station forecourt of Carlingford is now in use as a public car park for the town, as seen here. The stone built window surrounds on the former station building at Carlingford which now display colourful vintage railway posters. More vintage railway posters on display at the former station building at Carlingford. Just north of the station the railway passed through a cutting adjacent to the ruins of Carlingford Castle. Today the R176 road follows the route of the railway to Newry. A tall stone arch spans the cutting giving access to the castle. Also located here was footbridge giving pedestrian access to a pier on the lough to the right.
The wide tall stone and brick arch bridge which spanned the one time Dundalk & Greenore Railway at Carlingford. Another view of the bridge which spanned the railway cutting just north of Carlingford station. Part of the castle ruin is visible above the bridge. Close-up of the impressive stone and brick arch which spanned the former railway line just north of Carlingford. The bridge foundations are built into the rock cutting, as seen here. At the south end of Carlingford station was a level crossing which gave road access to one of two quays on the lough. The stone built gate keepers house remains at this crossing, seen here to the left.
Possibly a former railway mile-post measurement mounted on the former gate keepers house at the south end of Carlingford station. The railway afforded fine views of Carlingford Lough and the Mourne Mountains. Here, the former railway embankment running between Carlingford and Greenore remains as a pathway within a large golf course. The stone abutments of an old bridge is also visible. The line to Dundalk diverged to the west just north of the present golf course.