Colbinstown

Colbinstown, Co.Kildare, was one of the smaller stations built on the Great Southern & Western Railway's long branch line from Sallins to Tullow. The GSWR opened the line to Colbinstown in 1885, and it was extended to Tullow some four years later. The station provided at Colbinstown had just one platform, which the main single storey station building was located. The station building at Colbinstown was original wooden, but was destroyed in 1922 during the Civil War, and was replaced by a concrete built one, complete with canopy. At the north end of the station was the brick built 18-lever signal cabin and small stone built goods shed. On the up side of the line was the station masters house and railway cottages.

The branch was never heavily used and passenger services on the route were suspended in 1944 following coal shortages. It reopened briefly only to be closed to regular passenger and goods traffic in 1947. The line to Tullow remained open however for occasional cattle specials before finally closing completely in 1959. Today, all the station buildings remain remarkably intact including the road overbridge at the south end of the station, though the single storey station building has been substantially rebuilt.
The single platform station at Colbinstown, looking north towards Sallins in the late 1950s, showing the single storey concrete station building complete with canopy, and the signal cabin and goods shed Colbinstown Station from the 'up' signal post looking south towards Tullow in the late 1950s, with goods shed complete with wooden canopy, signal cabin, and in the distance the road overbridge. The goods shed and signal cabin at Colbinstown Station, some years after closure. In the background is the now demolished cattle loading bank. Part of the single platform at the south end of Colbinstown Station survives. The station building was sited where the new house is located. This view is looking north towards Sallins.
The northern end of the single platform at the former Colbinstown Station, with the brick built GSWR signal cabin in view. This shot is looking north towards Sallins. The 18-lever brick built GSWR signal cabin at the northern end of Colbinstown Station remains remarkably intact. The brick base of the signal cabin at Colbinstown probably dates from the line's opening in 1885. Some of the original rear window panes survive, seen here. The restored stone built goods shed, located at the north end of Colbinstown Station, as viewed from the approach road.
Original oil lamp holder, still attached to the rear of the goods shed at Colbinstown Station. Some interior photos of the goods shed at Colbinstown during its restoration, showing the original timber supporting beams and sliding doors. The majority of the timber beams within the restored goods shed remain, some were neatly re-used elsewhere, seen here. The large station masters house at Colbinstown Station, built of stone and brick. This was typical of the type built by the GSWR on the Tullow branch and found nearly all of the stations.
Adjacent to Colbinstown is the former station porters cottage, which originally accommodated two families. The approach road to Colbinstown. The former cattle loading bank was sited to the left of the fence. The bungalow on the right is built on the former trackbed at the south end of the station. Close up of the manufacture's stamp on the metal section of this road overbridge at the south end of Colbinstown Station. Note the unusual brick arched method of construction beneath the underside of the bridge plate section, seen at the south end of Colbinstown Station.
The fine road overbridge at the south end of Colbinstown Station remains intact. This substantial structure is typical of the type built on the Tullow branch. What appears to be either a former bridge number plate, seen on the road overbridge abutment at the south end of Colbinstown Station.