Dalkey

Dalkey, south Dublin, is very much a primary location for Irish railway history. The first type of railway to operate in the Dalkey area was a horse drawn tramway which carried stone from Dalkey Quarry to Dun Laoghaire to aid with the construction of the harbour there. This began operation in 1817, but in 1844 the majority of the quarry tramway was converted to the revolutionary Atmospheric system which survived until 1854, when the Dublin & Wicklow Railway converted it to conventional railway use in 1854. This allowed the D&KR to build the present station in Dalkey featured here.

The station has up & down platforms, with the main station building, a single storey granite and stone built structure, on the down side. On the up side is a smaller station building which now only houses ticket barriers. The original footbridge at Dalkey once featured a centre spanned 1871 built signal cabin, but this cabin was replaced by a conventional one located at the end of the down platform in 1896, this itself was partially rebuilt by the DSER in 1922, and it was finally closed and demolished in 1983 with the advent of the DART services in 1984. The original footbridge was replaced by a wider concrete type in 1983 and the waiting room on the down side was demolished. Just south of the station the line enters a deep cutting prior to entering the 160 yard long Dalkey Tunnel.

The 13:05 Dublin Connolly to Rosslare service kicks up some rubish as it heads south non stop through Dalkey Station, head by 2800 Class diesel railcar No.2803. This service is now operated by the newer 22000 Class units. 8500 Class DART unit No.8601 arrives at Dalkey on a sunny afternoon with a southbound stopping service to Greystones. This is a mixed DART set containing two of the different 8500 Class units. No.8623, with its more distinctive flat roofed profile, is seen on the rear of this long 8-car 8500 DART set seen preparing to leave on a southbound service from Dalkey Station. The rock cuttings through which the railway line runs through in the Dalkey area are very colourful, 8500 DART No.8632 approaches the station with a southbound service to Bray. Note the rising gradient on the approach to the station and the tight curve in the distance, legacy of the former horse tram road.
One of the refurbished 8100 Class DART units, No.8137, pauses at the north end of Dalkey Station with a service to Howth. The footbridge at Dalkey Station, visible in the background, replaced the original Victorian Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railways one in 1982. No.8137 was first built in Germany by Linke Hoffman Busch in 1983. Another one of the 8500 DART units, this time No.8630, is seen on the rear of a departing northbound service to Malahide. The 8500 units in contrast were built by the Tokyu Car Corporation of Japan. 8100 unit, with its missing DART logo, is seen rounding the curve at the south end of Dalkey Station with a stopping service to Howth. The train is ascending the gradient from Dalkey Tunnel which is out of view around the bend. A view looking south from the public side of the footbridge at Dalkey which does not provide access to the station itself. The car park was once the site of the little used goods shed and yard. An 8100 DART awaits departure from the down platform.
The main station building at Dalkey, located on the down platform and built by the Dublin & Wicklow Railway in 1854. Note the bay window on the rear gable, a somewhat unusual feature. A view from the station forecourt at Dalkey, showing the entrance to the former goods yard, now used for car parking. This small structure located on the up platform at Dalkey Station only houses ticket barriers. This side of the station can be accessed from the Ardeevin Road. The ticket barriers, and one of the newer ticket machines at Dalkey Station. Note the wooden roof and cast iron cross lattice supports.
The bridge at the north end of Dalkey Station carries the Cunningham Road over the railway, a route which leads towards the main street of Dalkey. This bridge was one of many rebuilt in the eatly 1980s to accommodate the overhead wires for the DART. The granite abutment bases are original. The 160 yard long tunnel at Dalkey, located at south end of the Dalkey town area. It was built in 1854 and was particially designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, whom at the time engaged with the Dublin & Wicklow Railway's construction. Ex LMS NCC WT 2-6-4 tank No.4 rounds the curve out of Dalkey Tunnel with one of the 'Kingstown Special' trains from Bray organised by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. The curve at the south end of Dalkey passes through a cutting on the approach to the tunnel. 8100 DART No.8137 heads south with a Greystones bound service. A serious accident caused by the rear end collision by two trains occured here in 1979, fortunately without any fatalities.
This view is looking south towards Rosslare from one of three overbridges just north of Dalkey Tunnel. The section of line between Dalkey and Killiney was originally single, but was doubled between the years 1881 to 1882. Dalkey, or Thorn Island to give the English translation of Deilginis, named after the off shore island near the town's harbour. It was the harbour further north at Dun Laoghaire that prompted the construction of the horse operated tramway from Dalkey quarry to be built.