Donabate

Donabate, north Co.Dublin, between Dublin City and Drogheda on ex Great Northern Railway's main line to Belfast, boasts an array of early Dublin & Drogheda and later GNR station buildings. The station was opened with the D&DR line to Drogheda in 1844. The main building, a two storey red bricked type is located on the up platform, was built prior to GNR take over in the 1876 and is therefore unlike others on the line. The down platform retains its original wooden 1870s built GNR waiting room and signal cabin, which was taken out of use in 1984. The footbridge appears to be of Great Southern & Western origin however and was placed later there by CIE in 1981. This footbridge has since been removed and replaced by a modern type. There was once also a small goods yard on the down side of the line, now a car park.
In late 2001, 201 Class locomotive No.223 passes through Donabate Station on an afternoon pushpull train to Drogheda. This type of service has long since been in the hands of 29000 Class diesel railcars. In November 2003 Guinness trains were still serving Dundalk; here 141 Class loco No.146 passing south through Donabate with a keg train bound for North Wall yard in Dublin. This locomotive, dating from 1962, has since been preserved by the Irish Traction Group. A more recent scene at Donabate Station, showing a 29000 Class railcar arriving with a stopping service from Drogheda to Dublin. The main station buildings, built of brick, are seen in this photo. The Victorian footbridge has since been removed. A scene at the up platform at Donabate Station, showing 29000 Class railcar No.29121 preparing to leave on a Dublin Connolly bound service, while in the distance an empty Tara Mines train approaches.
Seen heading north through Donabate Station is 071 Class loco No.076, hauling a rake of empty ore wagons from Dublin to the Tara Mines near Navan. No.076 was built by General Motors in 1976 and has since been repainted in the silver & black livery. Sister locomotive No.074 in faded orange livery leads a southbound rake of loaded ore wagons through Donabate Station. The car park visible behind the up platform was once the site of a siding serving a small goods shed, now llong since demolished. Viewed from the footbridge at Donabate Station, 2600 Class railcar No.2607 coasts into Donabate Station with a northbound service from Drogheda to Dublin. The road overbridge at the south end of the station seen here replaced the original stone built type in early 2003. In silver & black livery, 071 Class loco No.082 is seen light engine at the south end of Donabate, probably heading from Drogheda to Connolly Station. At one time the platforms at Donabate once extended to this point beyond the road overbridge.
071 Class loco No.080 leads a train of 1960s vintage bulk cement wagons on the approach to Donabate Station. These wagons were returning loaded from the cement factory at Platin near Drogheda. Cement traffic on Irish Rail has however since ceased. No.080 is seen again, this time having climbed the long rising gradient from Malahide to Donabate with a train of empty ore wagons bound for the Tara Mines at Navan. Today this is the only freight traffic to be seen on the former Great Northern Railways main line. 076 passes beneath the cast iron footbridge at Donabate as it heads a loaded southbound Tara Mines train. The ore from the mines is unloaded at the Alexandra Rd in Dublin Port. Donabate originally never had a footbridge; the one seen here is of Great Southern & Western origin and was installed by CIE in 1980. A view from the footbridge sees two trains passing the ex Great Northern signal cabin at Donabate. De Dietrich 'Enterprise' driving van trailer No.9001 leads the 12:30 Belfast to Dublin service through the station, while a northbound commuter train departs for Drogheda.
DVT No.9001 leads at speed the midday Belfast to Dublin 'Enterprise' express through Donabate Station, propelled by 201 Class loco No.209 (see next photo). 201 Class loco No.209, still in its original 1990s 'Enterprise' livery, propels this southbound Belfast to Dublin express through Donabate Station. 29000 Class railcar No.29425 looks well in the afternoon sun as it arrives into Donabate Station with a service from Drogheda to Dublin Pearse. The signal cabin at Donabate has been disused since the station ceased to be a signalling block post in 1983. 071 Class loco No.073 approaches Donabate at a gingerly pace as it leads its rake of empty Tara Mines wagons from Navan. The wagon visible behind the locomotive is in fact a former shale wagon, converted for the Tara Mines ore traffic.
A loaded cement train from Platin utilising the 1977 built bogey bulk wagons is been lead by No.085, heading for Dublin's North Wall yard. The cement train would then travel to one of the last cement terminals open at this time at Tullamore, Co.Offaly. This is a view from the road overbridge at the northern extremity of Donabate. 8500 Class DART units Nos.8604+8603 are seen been hauled by a northbound 29000 diesel railcar. The DARTs were heading from Fairview Depot for servicing at Drogheda. Characteristly missing its Irish Rail logo, 071 Class loco No.075 ambles along the main line north of Donabate Station with its empty ore train from Alexandra Rd to Tara Mines. No.075 entered service with CIE way back in June 1977. Another 071 Class loco that is partially missing its logo is No.077, still in the older orange & black livery, seen powering the southbound loaded ore train from the Tara Mines.
201 Class loco No.207 storms past the residential area of Donabate at the head of the 13:20 Dublin Connolly to Belfast Central 'Enterprise' express. No.207 is named 'River Boyne', a throw back to the ex Great Northern's VS Class steam locomotive which carried the same name and number. No.2607 leads a combined 2600/2800 Class railcar set away from Donabate with a stopping service from Dublin to Drogheda. Donbate Station can just be seen in the distance. A 29000 Class railcar is seen nearing Donabate Station with a southbound service to Dublin. This overbridge, No.35, gives access to the Beaverstown Golf Club. Clearly no luck with the weather on this day, as 071 Class No.081 heads through a rain shower at Donabate with its empty Tara Mines train. New lift shafts for the modern footbridge have already been installed.
Viewed from the road overbridge at Donabate Station, 082 speeds through with its loaded Tara Mines train. The two storey building at this end of the station is now used as offices. One of the modern lift shafts for the new footbridge at Donabate Station stands prominently on the down platform as 29000 Class railcar No.29108 rolls into the station with a southbound service from Drogheda. A similar but rural view taken at Donabate in the early 1980s, looking north towards Belfast when the signal cabin was still in use. There were two sidings at Donabate for handling goods traffic; one visible behind the down platform, while the other on the up side served the goods shed which had been demolished by this time. ©Barry Pickup Construction work for the adjacent new footbridge at Donabate is visible in this view as French built De Dietrich driving van trailer No.9003 leads a southbound 'Enterprise' from Belfast through the station.
Two 29000 Class railcars are seen together at the north end of Donabate Station; No.29429 is heading north for Balbriggan while No.29428 is heading south to Bray. Donabate signal cabin will soon be obscured as the new footbridge takes shape. 071 Class loco No.079 accelerates on the approach to the bridge at Beaverstown, north of Donabate, with a loaded ballast train from Dublin's North Wall yard. With the Rogerstown Estuary visible in the background, No.079 is seen again at Beaverstown as it returns to Dublin having deposited part of its ballast near Skerries. De Dietrich 'Enterprise' trailer No.9001 leads the midday 'up' express from Belfast to Dublin past Beaverstown, just north of Donabate.
2800 Class railcar No.2818 approaches Beaverstown Bridge from the north with a southbound stopping service from Drogheda to Dublin Connolly. An 8-car 29000 Class railcar set heads for Dublin, seen crossing the Rogerstown Estuary near Donabate. 201 Class loco No.8208 propels an 'Enteprise' service from Belfast across Rogerstown Estuary, just north of Donabate. Seen at the same location at Rogerstown, 071 Class loco No.080 leads a rake of empty ballast wagons past Rogerstown, en route from Skerries to Dublin.
A late afternoon view of the brick built station buildings at Donabate, showing the recently refurbished booking office. The two storey structure carries a large wooden name board mounted onto the building. The single storey brick built GNR booking office at Donbate, viewed from the approach road. The wooden gable boards are a typical GNR design seen on other stations along the line. Donabate signal cabin, viewed from the up platform. The cabin retains most of its original features, including its wooden name board. The cabin was taken out of use in 1983 when the signalling block post was abolished. The interior of the cabin still retains its small lever frame. A view of Donabate signal cabin in the summer of 1983, shortly before the cabin closed. The cabin was frequently 'switched out' during off peak times. Beyond the cabin can be seen the two sidings and a typical Great Northern Railway semaphore signal in the 'off' position, indicating that the cabin was switched out at this time. ©Stephen Parker
The track plan visible inside Donabate signal cabin, showing the two sidings at the north end of the station, as well as the associated signals and points. When the cabin closed the signalling block became Malahide to Rush & Lusk and vice versa. ©Stephen Parker For the modellers delight, a shot of Donabate's 'Up Starter' semaphore signal, a typical Great Northern design seen at other stations on the main line. The semaphore signals at Donabate were removed in 1983. ©Barry Pickup The 1870s era wooden station buildings on the down platform at Donabate Station. Today they are simply used a storage and waiting shelter has been boarded up. This is an earlier view of the GNR wooden waiting shelter on the down platform at Donabate Station when it was still open to the public in late 2001.
This is the original 1840s stone built road overbridge at Donabate Station, as it was in late 2001. The platforms once extended beyond the bridge, the down side of which was still in stiu. The bridge was soon demolished to accommodate the widening of the busy road leading into Donabate village.