Curragh

The Curragh platforms on the ex Great Southern & Western Railway's Dublin to Cork main line, Co Kildare, were built to serve the nearby famous racecourse. The station has both up and down low platforms, the up once being partly wooden, and can be access from the adjacent road overbridge where steps are provided. Both platforms retain their 1980s style wooden waiting shelters, complete with platform step ladders, all painted in late 1980s Irish Rail blue livery. There was also once a very short branch which converged just at the north end of the down platform; it served the nearer 'Curragh Racecourse Station' opposite the course stands, but it closed in 1977 and was lifted in 1988. The trackbed is now used as an access road to the main line. The main line Curragh platforms were last used in 1999 and station is now officially disused.
In Irish Rail's 1990s livery, 201 Class loco No.225 speeds through the Curragh with an afternoon Dublin to Cork express. A Mk4 driving trailer leads an 'up express from Cork past the platforms at the Curragh. The platforms here have been disused for some years now. In matching silver & green 'Intercity' livery, 201 Class loco No.222 passes beneath the road overbridge at the Curragh platforms with a Cork bound express. No.205 heads through the Curragh platforms with an afternoon service from Galway to Dublin, seen passing the spartan style waiting shelter on the up platform.
A view from the road overbridge at the Curragh, showing the up & down main line platforms, with a southbound 201 hauled express passing. 201 Class loco.No.220 passes the disused station at the Curragh with the Ballina to Dublin IWT liner. An 'up' train formed of a 6-car 22000 Class railcar passes the Curragh plains west of the station heading for Dublin. 201 Class loco No.224 races across the flat Curragh plain with a morning 'down' Dublin to Cork express.
071 Class loco No.083 heads across the flat terrain of the Curragh with the morning Dublin to Ballina IWT freightliner. Loco No.226 is captured approaching the Curragh Racecourse station with an afternoon southbound service to Cork, formed of the Mk4 stock. The facilities at the Curragh platforms are not generaous; this is the waiting shelter on the up platform. Because of the low platforms not being able to reach the height of the carriages, a step ladder on wheels is permanently kept here. New and old name boards on the disused up platform at the Curragh, the grounded sign being of Irish Rail's 1990s vintage.
The Curragh platforms are no longer used by trains today, although some of the platform furniture still survives on the down platform seen here. A view looking south from the end of the down platform at the Curragh. The short branch to the Curragh Racecourse once converged from the left. The branch closed in the late 1970s, but remained in situ until 1988. The 1840s Great Southern & Western's granite mile posts still remain on the Dublin to Cork line. Here is one at the Curragh, indicating it is 27½ miles from Dublin Heuston. The gate entrance leading to the down platform at the Curragh. The station was last served by specials in the early 2000s, but has since closed altogether.
This was a level crossing on the branch leading to the Curragh Racecourse. One of the wooden crossing gate posts remain. This was the approach to the Curragh Racecourse Station, located ajdacent to the course. It had an island platform and was served by trains until 1977. A view looking along the trackbed of the branch which once served the Curragh Racecourse. The trackbed is now used as an access road to the main line. The branch was lifted in 1988.