Cobh

Cobh in Co.Cork, has always been a well known coastal town and harbour just south of Cork City, with many large transatlantic boats calling here, probably the most famous being that of 'Titanic' in 1912. The short line from Cork to Cobh was built by the Cork & Youghal railway in 1860, and proved to be a very important rail line, particularly for the transport of mail. Once the Great Southern & Western Railway had taken over the C&YR, they could run mail and boat trains from places such as Rosslare Harbour. The original station buildings at Cobh are GSWR origin, built in brick, just like their main terminus at Glanmire Rd in Cork City. Over the years, rationalisation has occurred and now Cobh only boasts just one platform. The line's mechanical signals were replaced in 2010 and the GSWR/Great Southern Railway built signal cabin at the west end of the station was made redundant.
Cobh Station in 1983, with 001 Class loco No.001 seen awaiting departure back to Cork. To the right of the train is the rather ugly breeze block wall, since demolished. ©John Law - Everything on Rails Approaching Cobh Station from Cork is 2700 Class railcar No.2711, seen arriving with a service from Cork City. No.2712 is framed by the Great Southern & Western Railway's Victorian architecture at Cobh Station as it awaits departure back to Cork. The fine Victorian cast iron canopy supports at Cobh Station, now recently refurbished.
The run round loop with associated ground frame and disc signal at the end of Cobh Station. These have since been removed with the re-signalling of the Cobh line. The two lever ground frame and shunt disc signal at Cobh Station, which control the points for the run round loop. Nowadays there is no run round loop for loco hauled trains to Cobh. The buffer stop at the end of the line at Cobh Station. It was here that a locomotive failed to stop and ploughed into the museum part of Cobh Station, since rebuilt. The old buffer stop at the end of Cobh Station has been replaced and the track re-aligned away from the former headshunt, now disconnected.
This is a photograph of the aforementioned locomotive, 141 Class No.165, which ran through the buffer stops at Cobh Station and crashed into the heritage centre. 2600 Class railcar No.2612 stands at Cobh Station as it awaits departure with an afternoon service to Cork. No.2611 is seen on the rear of this 2-car 2600 railcar set seen departing Cobh Station with a service back to Cork. No.2611 passes by the starting semaphore signal at Cobh as it heads for Cork. The new colour light signals had already been installed on the Cobh line, and have now since replaced the mechanical signalling.
No.2611 prepares for quite a lengthy journey to the county town of Sligo in the north west of the country - if only! The railcar is in fact heading back to Cork City. Classic view of Cobh Station, seen from the adjacent footbridge. Originally there was an identical platform and building to the right of the railway line which were unfortunately demolished in the 1970s. An image from the Lawrence collection shows Cobh Station as it was in the early 20th century, when the station had two platforms and several sidings. In the foreground a line leads to the quay side where many left for a new life abroad. Cobh remained largely unchanged up until the late 1970s, after which it was severly rationalised. 141 Class loco B177 stands at the station in May 1971. ©Jonathan M.Allen
Closer view of B177 and its train at Cobh Station, showing the two platforms and centre run round loop, all of which were removed in the late 1970s. ©Jonathan M.Allen Between 1987 and 1990 Northern Ireland Railways leased some of their 80 Class railcars to Irish Rail for work on the Dublin & Cork suburban networks. Here 80 Class No.69 leaves Cobh Station with return service to Glanmire Rd. ©Jonathan M.Allen A new Garda Station has been constructed within the walls of the former carriage shed at the west end of Cobh Station, as seen here. The western end of the former carriage shed at Cobh Station remains intact, used now as a covered carpark. It used to accommodate three sidings.
This is the cast iron footbridge at the west end of Cobh Station, which gives pedestrian access to the quay side. This is the rather odd signal cabin at Cobh Station, dating from the early 1950s. The cabin has since been made redundant. The old & new signals at Cobh; a standard CIE tubular semaphore signal and a modern two aspect colour light signal are seen together at the west end of the station. The semaphore has since been removed. This footbridge is located at the western extremity of Cobh Staton. It is another lengthy cast iron structure.
Looking west from the aforemention footbridge, a 2600 Class railcar, No.2611, approaches Cobh from Cork with a local service. No.2612 is now leading the same railcar set with the return service to Cork, seen approaching Cobh Station's 'advanced starting' semaphore signal. Cobh Station's advanced starting semaphore signal, another CIE design, refurbished by Irish Rail over the years with new counter weight and plastic signal arm. It has since been removed. The parallel elevated road allows another view of Cobh's down home semaphore signal, in the background is its colour light replacement.
The attractive red bricked Great Southern & Western Railway station masters house, complete with picket gate, located adjacent to Cobh Station. An elevated view of Cobh Station, a typical late 19th century Victorian railway station, although only a small section of it remains remains in railway use. Early 20th century view of the interior of Cobh Station, with the main platform visible in the background where a 6-wheel GSWR brake coach can be seen. This section, along with the majority of Cobh Station, is now part of the Cobh Heritage Centre which also includes the 'Queenstown Experience' which documents life in Ireland in the 18th & 19th centuries.
Although this way leads to the single platform at Cobh Station, the railway part of the building is in fact sealed off from the heritage centre.