Clontarf Road

Clontarf Road Station, located at the north end of Fairview DART depot in Dublin City, was opened in 1997. The station was one of the first of the newer style suburban stations to be built by Irish Rail, and now serves both the Clontarf and Fairview areas. The already mentioned DART depot, and stabling sidings which partly flank the up side of the station, were in fact first built by the Great Northern Railway in the late 1950s as their diesel railcar depot, which was then expended with the introduction of the electrified DART trains in 1984. Further expansion of the depot has resulted in newer longer stabling sidings been built on the down side of the line at the south end of the station. Prior to the mid 1970s, the sea used to actually come right up against the embankment where Clontarf Rd Station is now situated.
On a dull day with an equally dull grey livery, De Dietrich DVT No.9002 leads an afternoon 'Enterprise' from Belfast on its final approach to Dublin. Linke Hofmann Busch DART units, dating from 1983, are seen at Clontarf Rd Station, while a Japanease 8500 Class EMU can be seen beyond outside Fairview Depot. Looking more like a subway car reminiscent of those in New York, 8100 Class No.8132 is seen approaching Clontarf Rd on a northbound service to Howth. A somewhat grubby looking No.8316 is on the rear unit of this northbound train to Howth, seen departing Clontarf Rd. This train is made up of a set of four 2-car LHB units.
A long view of an 8-car 8500 Class DART, seen deparing Clontarf Rd Station with a southbound afternoon service to Bray. The second most frequent trains to be seen passing through Clontarf Rd are the 29000 Class diesel railcars. No.29403 was the rear railcar unit on this working to Drogheda. 071 Class loco No.072 makes the ground rumble as it heads north through Clontarf Rd with an empty ore train, having just past one of the last original 8100 Class DART units. With its bright characteristic front end 'Commuter' livery, 2600 Class railcar No.2614 is seen crossing the Clontarf Rd bridge at the north end of the station.
One of the 8200 Class DART units, No.8403, leads an 8-car set into Clontarf Rd. These uncomfortable riding units presently remain out of service at Fairview Depot. Northern Ireland Railway's 111 Class loco No.111 named 'Great Northern', heads through Clontarf Rd with an Irish Traction Group special to Belfast. What initially appears to be a DART inside a DART at the Fairview Depot sidings on the down side of Clontarf Rd Station. Creating a smoking blue haze as it leads the 13:20 service to Belfast, 201 Class loco No.206 approaches Clontarf Rd.
Seen following the Belfast bound 'Enterprise' is 071 Class loco No.084, leading an empty ore train to the Tara Mines at Navan. Because of their infrequent service record; the 8200 DART units were not often seen, so here is another view of one such set with No.8405 leading a southbound service into Clontarf Rd 201 Class loco No.207, named 'River Boyne', accellerates through Clontarf Rd on the 13:20 'Enterprise' to Belfast. Viewed from the footbridge at Clontarf Rd, 071 Class loco No.072 leads its rake of empty ore wagons bound for the Tara Mines at Navan. This afternoon freight usually departs North Wall between 13:30 and 14:00.
Fairview Depot, viewed from the down platform at Clontard Rd Station, with refurbished 8100 and 8500 DART Classes present. Cab side views of 8125 and 8122 at the north end of Fairview Depot. 8122 is clearly not long out of the works. No mistaking it's Halloween at Clontarf Road station. WT 2-6-4 tank No.4, dating from 1947, approaches Clontarf Road Station with a southbound Railway Preservation Society of Ireland special from Belfast, consting of ex British Rail Mk2 coaching stock.
All of the 8100 Class DART units have been refurbished, with most obvious exterior features such as the new front headlights and information display, seen here on units Nos.8320 and 8329. No.078 is one of two 071 Class locomotives to retain their now outdated Irish Rail orange & black livery, seen on an empty Tara Mines working. Beside the loco can be seen a footpath crossing used by DART staff to access the stabling sidings on the up side of the line. 071 Class 076 has since been repainted in black & silver livery, but when photographed here passing Clontarf Rd Station light engine for Drogheda it was still in its orange & black colours. No.086 represents the new order on Irish Rail freight trains with its silver & black livery, seen passing by Fairview Depot with an empty Tara Mines ore train. This train originates on the Alexandra Rd in Dublin Docks, and travels through North Wall yard o join the main line at East Wall Jct visible in the distance.
The flat fronted box nature of the 8500 Class DART units is examplified here with No.8631, seen on the rear of a southbound Howth to Bray service Northern Ireland Railway's 201 Class loco No.8208 stroms through Clontarf Rd with morning Belfast bound 'Enterprise'. 8100 DART No.8331 pauses at Clontarf Rd on a cloudless summer day with a soutbound stopping service from Howth to Bray. Sister unit No.8304 is seen stabled in the sidings along the down side of the line at Clontarf Rd Station. The red flag extended from the cab indicates that the unit is not to be moved.
In the morning sunshine, 071 Class loco No.086 slows on the appoach to Clontarf Rd Station with the 9:20 Tara Mines (Navan) to Alexandra Rd (Dublin Port) loaded ore train. 086 entered traffic with CIE in June 1976. The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's WT 2-6-4 loco No.4 leads a special across the twin arched Clontarf Rd bridge, a Dublin & Drogheda Railway structure dating from the 1845. Northern Ireland Railway's 111 Class loco No.112 'Northern Counties' lends a hand to Irish Rail as it heads the loaded 12:30 Tara Mines to Alexandra Rd ore train, seen coasting on the approach to Clontarf Rd. Following 112, French built De Dietrich 'Enterprise' driving van trailer No.9003 is seen at the head of the 12:30 service from Belfast, propelled by a 201 Class locomotive in the rear.
A railcar from the north is represented by one of Northern Ireland Railways Spanish built 3000 Class units, here No.3002 approaches Clontarf Rd with a service from Belfast. 112 is seen again this time as it leads a Modern Railway Society of Ireland special from Belfast seen approaching the up platform at Clontarf Rd Station. The coaches on this train utilised the RPSI's Mk2 stock. 071 Class loco No.079 accelerates past the sidings at the south end of Fairview depot with a train load of concrete sleepers from Portloaise to Platin near Drogheda. Blue liveried Northern Ireland Railway's 111 Class locomotive No.8113 hauls Irish Rail's 201 Class loco No.231 across the Clontarf Road bridge, which it is returning to Dublin's Connolly Station having broken down while operating an 'Enterprise' train near Belfast.
071 Class loco No.085 approaches Clontarf Rd Station from the north with a rake of empty ballast hopper wagons which had deposited their load further up the main line. Having operated the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's 'Province of Leinster' tour from Belfast to Dublin, NIR's 111 Class loco No.112 heads across the Clontarf Road bridge operating light engine back to Belfast. Due to a seized axel, 'Enterprise' liveried 201 Class loco No.233 was hauled through the streets of Dublin from Connolly Station to Inchicore Works. The cavalcade is seen approaching the twin arched bridge at Clontarf Road en route to Inchicore on the west side of the city. Having squeezed beneath the 1840s era Dublin & Drogheda Railway bridge, No.233 makes its way into Fairview, while in the background an 8100 Class DART arrives into Clontarf Rd Station.
29000 Class railcar No.29401 is employed on a DART transfer working from Drogheda to Fairview Depot, seen arriving at the depot sidings at the north end of Clontarf Rd Station. The towed DART unit is a 8500 Class set. Almost identical to the previous working, 29000 Class No.29406 tows a 4-car 8100 DART set into Fairview Depot. The 29000s also operate these transfer workings to Inchicore Works, via North Wall. LHB 8100 DART sets No.8301 and 8307 are seen been towed into the stabling sidings behind the 'down' platform at Clontarf Rd Station. The sets are returning from servicing at Drogheda. The 130 Dublin Bus has just passed beneath the arches at Clontarf Rd as an 8500 Class DART pulls out of the station on northbound working to Howth. Originally the left hand arch was a sea inlet into Fairview, while the roadway soley passed beneath the right hand side. This was also the route of the Clontarf and Hill of Howth Tramway, closed in 1941.
Ex Dublin & South Eastern Railway's 2-6-0 loco No.461 passes over the Clontarf Road as it heads light engine from the RPSI base at Whitehead near Belfast, to Dublin Connolly, prior to operating a test run to Maynooth. On quite a dull day, 071 Class loco No.073 brings the morning laden Tara Mines train through Clontarf Rd as it nears the end of its journey from Navan to Dublin Docks.