Drimoleague

The large village of Drimoleague, west Co.Cork, was located on the Cork Bandon & South Coast Railway's main line from Cork to Bantry. The line through Drimoleague was first built by the Illen Valley Railway, who opened the line between Dunmanway and Skibbereen in July 1877, and latterly worked by the CBSCR. Drimoleague became a junction when the main line west to Bantry was opened in July 1881, the section of line to Skibbereen and ultimately Baltimore becoming a branch line. As this was important junction, the station at Drimoleague was large, consisting of three platforms and a large corrugated iron station building and signal cabin. Today only parts of the up & down platforms remain, along with the somewhat run down station building, complete with awning. The road overbridge and adjacent loco shed at the east end have been demolished, but the gate keepers house at the western end remains. Part of the station site is now a tennis court, car park and playground.
The former station at Drimoleague, once a busy railway location. This view is looking towards Cork from the west end of the station, showing the up & down platforms and single storey station building. The corrugated iron single storey station building at Drimoleague, located on the former up platform. The building is currently semi derelict. There was also once a platform to the rear of the building but this has been demolished. Another view of the station building at Drimoleague, as viewed from the down platform, showing its rustic nature. The building dates from July 1877 and is a typical Cork Bandon & South Coast Railway structure. A view looking along the up platform towards Cork at Drimoleague Station. A tennis court now occupies the eastern end of the station site. On the right is the well maintained down platform.
A view from beneath the awning of the station building at Drimoleague, looking west towards Baltimore and Bantry. The branch line to Baltimore continued straight ahead, while the main line to Bantry curved off to the right where the houses are now sited. The signal cabin was once sited here, now long since demolished. A view from the down platform at Drimoleague, looking east towards Cork, showing the tennis court which occupies part of the station site. The local church located high above the station was rebuilt in 1960/1 shortly before the railway closed, and features prominantly in old photos of the station. To the rear of the down platform was the small goods yard at Drimoleague Station. A siding once ran here to serve the goods shed, now long gone. This is the site of the locomotive shed at the east end of Drimoleague Station. Today only its stone built retaining wall and part of the brick doorway remains. The shed had fallen out of use by the 1950s.
Drimoleage Station, viewed from what was the overbridge at the east end of the station, looking west towards Bantry. To the right was the former loco shed. The up platform, as well as the platform to the rear of the station building once extended to the where the tennis court is now. A distant view of the former Drimoleage Station, from what was the overbridge. Straight ahead was the line to Baltimore, the trackbed of which is now obstructed by a small bungalow. The Victorian footbridge which spanned the tracks was once sited on the left. A view looking east towards Cork from the site of the road overbridge at Drimoleague Station. The railway line originally ran through a cutting here, which has been filled in since closure and now utilised as back gardens from the adjacent houses on the main street of the village. An original CIE name board, erected recently at the southern end of Drimoleage Station, where now a small park and playground is sited at this once busy junction.
This was Drimoleague level crossing, located on the R586 road at the west end of the station on the Baltimore line. This view is looking across the road towards the station. A view looking across the road towards Baltmore at the former Drimoleague level crossing. A bungalow has been built on the former trackbed. The corrugated iron structure in the background was once a garage, which was in use during railway days. The small stone built gate keepers house, located adjacent to the former level crossing on the Baltimore line at Drimoleague Station. A distant view of the station from Drimoleague level crossing, looking east towards Cork. In the distance was once the road overbridge. The stone wall visible on the left is the abutment of the bridge which carried the Baltimore line across the small River Ruagagh.
The Cork Bandon & South Coast Railway style level crossing gate posts remain in situ at the south end of Drimoleague Station. The playground in the backgrond is sited on the trackbed of the former line to Bantry. Close up detail on the level crossing gate posts on the R586 road at Drimoleague Station. Three rusty forgotten rails remain dumped by the station building at Drimoleague, left behind after closure by CIE of the west Cork railway in March 1961. This was the second level crossing located within Drimoleague Station limits. This crossing was the first west of the station on the main line to Bantry. Here the same CBSCR style gate posts remain.
Just south of Drimoleague village on the R593 road to Baltimore, the branch line to Baltimore itself crossed the road on a metal plate overbridge. Today only the stone bridge abutments remain, with the railway embankment having been removed on the northern side.