Carrickmines

Carrickmines, south Co.Dublin, was located on former Dublin Wicklow & Wexford's mainline from Harcourt Street to Bray, which opened in stages in 1854 and 1859. The line was originally closed by CIE in December 1958, but the Green Luas line has partly utilised most of the former railway trackbed from Harcourt St, extending from Stephens Green down to Brides Glen near Shankill.

Carrickmines railway station once had up & down platforms, with the main DWWR station building on the up side along with a water tower, while on the down side was the waiting shelter, the latter of which was demolished to make way for the Luas line. Today the new platforms for the Carrickmines Luas stop are sited at the south end of the former station, the building of which remains but unoccupied, along with the water tower. North of Carrickmines the line deviates from the former railway route to cross Dublin's M50 orbital motorway.
Carrickmines Station on the Dublin South Eastern's former main line from Harcourt Street, looking south towards Bray from the road overbridge. The station building is a typical Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railway structure, located on what was the up platform. A February 2009 view of Carrickmines Station, showing the preporation for the restoration of the former Harcourt Street line as the (Green) Luas tram line from Dublin to Cherrywood. By this time the overgrown trackbed had been cleared of vegetation. A present view of the former Carrickmines Station with a Luas tram, No.5068, heading north away from the adjacent tram stop with a service from Brides Glen to Dublin City (Stephen's Green). The new tram stop is located at the south end of the original railway station. Possibly an original Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railway lamp at the road entrance to Carrickmines Station. The station can be seen to the right.
This is the Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railway style waiting room on the former down platform at Carrickmines Station. This shot is taken from what was the up platform. The building has since sadly been demolished for the Luas line. Closer view of the station building at Carrickmines, which also shows the platform entrance to the right. The building had been extended across the former trackbed, but this was removed for the relaying of the Luas line. The typical Dublin & Wicklow Railway built station building at Carrickmines, which was similar to that at other locations on the Harcourt St line, such as Stillorgan and Shankill, as well as those on the Rosslare main line. In the foreground work is underway in building the Luas line. A general view of Carrickmines Station from the forecourt, where on the left the former entrance to the up platform can be seen. Today the station remains unoccupied.
The majority of D&WR built station buildings had this arch built above the doorway, other examples where this exists is at Dundrum and Stillorgan. The interior of the building was recently refurbished at the time this photo was taken. The former ticket counter inside Carricmines Station also survives, as seen here. This is the intact water tower at Carrickmines Station, complete with tank. The tank itself had a capacity of 6,800 gallons, and was often used for replenishing the steam locomotives on 'race specials' to nearby Foxrock. It was located at the south end of the former up platform. Another view of Carrickmines Station during the line's rebuilding in 2009, looking north towards Harcourt Street. A ramp from the road overbridge for passenger access was constructed on the right, replacing the original D&WR one.
Coming up to date, a Luas tram from Dublin City approaches the stop at Carrickmines on a service to Brides Glen. To the left can be seen the former DWWR water tower. The week before the Luas line through Carrickmines and Brides Glen opened, a special service operated from Sandyford for the Irish Railway Record Society. The tram rostered for the duty was No.5015, seen here reflecting the evening sunllight at the new Carrickmines stop/station. This is the Carrickmines Luas stop on the day of the opening, with tram No.5014 on the rear of a Brides Glen bound service. This Luas tram is one of the later batches ordered from Alstom in Spain. A Luas tram approaches Carrickmines with a service from the Brides Glen to Stephens Green in Dublin City centre. The wide formation of the line along here is clearly evident, a remnant of its 1850s railway construction.
Before the rebuilding of the line, this was the parapet of the original road overbridge adjacent to the former Carrickmines Station. It was of cast irion construction. At this time the trackbed on the north side of the bridge was completely overgrown. The Glenamuck Road was considerably widened during the line's rebuilding and the original Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railway cast iron bridge was replaced by a modern concrete type, featuring these high sandstone walls. This is the new road overbridge adjacent to the former Carrickmines Station as viewed from the trackbed, looking south towards Bray. In October 2005 this was the trackbed of the former railway line on the north side of the road overbridge at Carrickmines Station. It was largely overgrown and waterlogged.
By February 2009 the entire trackbed had been cleared of vegetation and the alignment of the former railway line could recognised. This view is looking north towards Dublin. The same view but on the day of the line's re-opening as Luas tram No.5003 approaches Carrickmines with a service from Dublin City to Bridges Glen. The Luas stop visible in the background is the 'Racecourse', built to serve the nearby Leopardstown Racecourse. This Luas stop is currently not open to the public. In 2009 this was the trackbed just north of Carrickmines where the current 'Racecourse' stop is now located. The new Luas line diverges to the northwest across the M50 motorway while the trackbed of the former Harcourt St line, closed 1958, continues straight ahead. This is the new M50 bridge which the Luas line uses to span Dublin City's orbital motorway. Although the bridge was completed at this time, the track had yet to be laid.
New rails for the Luas line are seen awaiting attention on the new M50 bridge. This was the first time rails had been seen in this area since the Harcourt St railway line was closed in December 1958. nother view of the trackless bridge just north of Carrickmines, spanning the M50. This view is looking north towards Dublin.