Castlerea

Castlerea is located on the Athlone to Claremorris section of the Midland Great Western Railway's line to Westport in Co.Mayo. The station retains much of its earlier Great Northern & Western architecture, with a latter MGWR signal cabin and footbridge. The stone station buildings are single storey and similar to others on the Mayo line, the main building also retains its canopy. At the time these pictures were taken, CTC work had commenced, which would banish mechanical signalling on the Westport line. The goods yard still retains a siding for loading ballast. Castlerea town is also home to the well known Hells Kitchen Bar where there is a small railway museum with hundreds of artifacts relating to Irish railways, including of course Metrovick A Class loco No.A55.
This is a general view of Castlerea Station, looking east towards Dublin, showing the main station buildings which date from the early 1860s. This is the single storey station building at Castlrea, complete with attractive canopy. This structure was original constructed by the Midland Great Northern Railway, which was latterly taken over the larger Midland Great Western Railway in the 1860s. A view looking from the up platform at Castlerea in the days of semaphore signalling and Mk2 coaching stock. The train visible here is an Irish Railway Record Society special from Westport. This is the Victorian footbridge at Castlerea Station, which is of Midland Great Western Railway orgin, and is one of a number still in situ on the line to Westport.
A view looking from the footbridge Castlerea towards the former stone built goods shed. Goods traffic ceased serving Castlerea in the mid 1970s, and yard now been used for civil engineering work. The stone built waiting room on the down platform at Castlerea Station, another structure which dates from the line's opening in November 1860. The attractive Castlerea Station, looking towards Westport. showing the main buildings at the west of the station. A view looking from the footbridge Castlerea towards the former stone built goods shed. Goods traffic ceased serving Castlerea in the mid 1970s, and yard now been used for civil engineering work.
The neat lever frame within the tidy Castlerea signal cabin. The crossing gates could also be operated from the cabin using a large wheel. Today manual signalling has been replaced on the Mayo lines and the level crossing is now operated by automatic barriers. Another view of Castlerea signal cabin, as viewed from the level crossing. The cabin sports one of the pre-1925 Midland Great Western name boards. Beyond the level crossing at Castlerea Station is the small water tower, complete with tank. The semaphore signal and crossing gates have since been removed. A local attraction in Castlerea town is the Hells Kitchen bar; a small railway musuem featuring ex CIE A Class locomotive No.A55, dating from 1955.
Although the museum in Hells Kitchen is small, it contains what must be the largest private collection of railway memorabilia in Ireland. Here, A55 is surrounded by all sorts of Irish Rail heritage. Amongst the exhibits is the Great Southern Railway name board from the now derelict Balla signal cabin, Co.Mayo. More miscellaneous Irish railway memorabilia in the Hells Kitchen. The station at Ballymoe was the first south of Castlerea, it opened one year after the line in 1861 and closed to passengers in June 1963. Note the numerous designs of the staff signalling tokens in the right of the photo. Outside the Hells Kitchen bar, which is located some distance from Castlerea Station itself, is a lattice posted distant semaphore signal. The signal in the 'off' position (as seen here) indicates that the railway museum is open.