Drogheda

The large town of Drogheda was first served by rail from Dublin in 1844 by the Dublin & Drogheda Railway, who built their first terminus roughly opposite the present day station which opened following the completion of the large viaduct across the River Boyne in 1855. Nearly all the station buildings in Drogheda are original D&DR structures, the main single storey brick building is located on the up side, as is the water tower, and latter wooden Great Northern Railway style parcels office. On the down platform, the brick retaining wall of the now island platform remains, complete with GNR wooden waiting room, and just beyond at the north end is the engine shed, used by the new railcar depot.

In 1850, Drogheda became the junction of the branch line to Navan and Oldcastle which diverges at the south of the station, and which lost their passenger services in 1958. The section to Navan is still open, serving Tara Mines, and the Platin Cement Works. Colour light signalling replaced both Drogheda north and south signal cabins in the late 1970s, and both are now demolished. The Buckeys Sidings, the site of the original D&DR terminus, which was a place of dereliction for years, is now occupied by the new large railcar depot, which services the Drogheda and Dundalk trains.
This photo was taken on one of my first visits to Drogheda in early 2002, where 201 Class loco No.209 is seen in its 'Enterprise' working a northbound Dublin to Belfast express. A view looking south towards Dublin from the footbridge at Drogheda Station, looking across to the railcar stabling point. The earth mound and spruce trees would soon be cleared away for the new diesel railcar depot. A year later in 2003 sees a busy scene at the south end of Drogheda Station with an 'Enterprise', diesel railcar and locomotives. Work on the new railcar depot had already begun. Until the end of 2003, some of the commuter trains to Drogheda and Dundalk were operated by 201 Class locos hauling Mk3 pushpull stock, seen here at Drogheda Station. These services are now operated by 29000 Class railcars.
Mk3 push pull driving van trailer No.6103 is seen on the rear of this northbound commuter service to Dundalk. To the right is one of the 2800 Class railcars in its orange & black 'Arrow' livery. Due to civil engineering work at Dublin in 2004, 'Enterprise' services had to terminate at Drogheda, were two such trains are seen here at the station. Work on the new railcar depot was already improgress when 181/141 Class locomotives Nos.188+163, dating from 1966 and 1962 respectively, were seen stabled adjacent to Drogheda Station. Both these locos have since been withdrawn. Seen beside what would become the new railcar depot at Drogheda in 2004 is 201 Class loco No.229, stabled in front of two fuel tankers used by the diesel locomotives based at the station.
Seen stabled on the Navan branch at the south end of Drogheda Station is 201 Class loco No.220, with a rake of Mk3 pushpull stock. The houses visible in the background were built by the Great Northern Railway and are located on the appropriately named road 'Railway Terrace'. One of the French built De Dietrich 'Enterprise' driving van trailers No.9004, is seen at the head of a southbound 'Enterprise' service at Drogheda Station. The dull grey livery has since been replaced by much brighter green and white colours. Locomotives are often stabled on the Navan branch at the south end of Drogheda Station, were 071 Class loco No.075 is seen. No.075 was built by General Motors at their US La Grange Illinois works in 1976, entering service with CIE in June 1977. The pioneering 141 Class locomotive, No.141, is seen stabled on the Navan branch in early 2003. The 141/181 locos generally operated cement trains from the Platin factory just outside Drogheda. No.141 has since been preserved by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland.
181 Class loco No.184 is also seen on the Navan branch at Drogheda, fitted with tail lamps having arrived light engine with 141 from Dublin. No.184 was withdrawn and scrapped in August 2008, it was original built by General Motors in 1966. 141/181 Class locomotives have since disappeared from the Drogheda area following the gradual withdrawal of gypsum and cement trains from the Navan branch. Nowadays only the 071 Class locos and Tara Mines trains are seen stabled on the branch at Drogheda, such as No.088 seen here. A general view from the south end of Drogheda Station, showing the new footbridge used by staff to access the diesel railcar depot just visible on the extreme right. A 201 Class locomotive is seen stabled adjacent to the depot. The single storey brick built station building at Drogheda, dating from 1853 and built by the Dublin Drogheda & Belfast Junction Railway. To the left can be seen the large water tower, complete with tank.
A Victorian era letter box mounted onto the station building at Drogheda. The Boyne viaduct at Drogheda was finally completed in 1854, and carried double track. When the central metal spans were rebuilt in 1932, it was singled with interlaced track, today it is just single track only. The wagon repair depot at Drogheda Station utilised the former loco shed and turntable. It has since closed and is now part of the railcar depot, seen here while under reconstruction. The 1850s built two road locomotive shed is seen following its reconstruction to form part of the diesel railcar depot at Drogheda. Unfortunately it appears that the shed can no longer be accessed other than by road vehicles.
This view of Drogheda is taken from the twin road overbridge south of the station, with the Navan branch visible diverging to the left. On the other side of the earth mound on the right is the site of the original Dublin & Drogheda Station, built in 1844 and replaced by the present station in 1853. Nowadays the site of the original station is occupied by the diesel railcar depot. This similar view from the road bridge sees Northern Ireland Railway's Spanish built 3000 Class railcar No.3003 leaving the station on a substituted southbound 'Enterprise' from Belfast. The usual De Dietrich set which forms the 'Enterprise' is seen here been led by driving van trailor No.9001, heading out of Drogheda with a midday service from Belfast. In the background the 1850 built Navan branch can be seen diverging to the west. The same 'Enterprise' set is seen approaching Drogheda Station from the south with the 13:20 service from Dublin to Belfast, headed by 201 Class locomotive No.206, which is still in its original 'Enterprise' livery.
071 Class loco No.082 accellerates out of Drogheda Station with its 12:20 Tara Mines to Alexandra Rd ore train, bound for unloading at Dublin Port. Seen at the same location is No.084 in the older orange & black livery, hauling a loaded cement train from Platin to Dublin formed of the bogey bulk wagons. The cement traffic from Platin has since ceased. Sister loco No.075, in its silver & black livery with its missing Irish Rail logo, approaches Drogheda with the empty rake of Tara Mines wagons from Dublin Port. The train would soon diverge onto the Navan branch for Tara Mines. 29000 Class diesel railcar No.29108 snakes its way over the points at the south end of Drogheda Station departing on a service to Dublin Connolly. These trains were built by CAF of Spain.
One of the older generation of railcars, 2800 Class No.2612, passes a 29000 unit stabled at the south end of depot at Drogheda. No.2612 is arriving with a service from Dublin. 2600 Class No.2614, with its attractive original front 'commuter' livery, heads out of Drogheda Station with its return service to Dublin City. This unit has since been repainted. View of the modern railcar depot at Drogheda, built on the site of the Buckeys Sidings which was the one time D&DR 1844 built terminus. Ironically in the 1960s & 1970s withdrawn ex Great Northern Railway railcars were stored here prior to scrapping. 29000 Class No.29114 passes through the washer opposite the railcar depot at the south end of Drogheda. Part of the earth mound which once had spruce trees is visible in the background.
Northern Ireland Railways 111 Class loco No.112, stands at the nouth end of Drogheda Station while working a Railway Preservation Society of Ireland special to Dundalk, to mark the 50th anniversary of the closure of the Great Northern Railway's Dundalk works. A view of blue liveried 112, named 'Northern Counties', at the down platform at Drogheda Station. The water column on the left can still be used by RPSI steam locomotives. The 1960s Craven built carriages of Sheffield are now used by the RPSI, as seen here at Drogheda. The canopy on the down platform dates from the station's opening in 1853. A view from the RPSI 'Dundalk 50th' special, with 112 preparing to cross the single trackbed Boyne Viaduct north of Drogheda Station. The rising gradient of the line can clearly be seen as it heads north towards Dundalk.
The 071 Class leader, No.071, hauls Irish Rail's annual weed spraying train into Drogheda Station prior to departing west for Navan. The loco is seen adorned with yellow and black wasp placards to warn permanent way staff of the chemical spraying nature of this train. A 29000 Class railcar, No.29103, starts its engine in the stabling sidings at the south end of Drogheda Station, prior to forming a morning commuter service to Dublin. 071 Class locomotive No.076 gets the morning loaded ore train from Tara Mines underway as it heads out of Drogheda bound for Dublin Port. 'Intercity' liveried 201 Class loco No.228 approaches Drogheda with a morning Dublin to Belfast 'Enterprise' service. No.228 entered service in the original Irish Rail orange livery in April 1995.
An Intercity 22000 Class railcar, No.22342 enters the diesel railcar depot at Drogheda for servicing, which is located on the 'up' side of the station. Three generations of diesel railcars are seen at the north end of Drogheda Station, with 2800 Class No.2820, 29000 Class No.29103 and 22000 Class No.22242, the latter heading out of the sidings. No.22342 is seen again on the rear of this 22000 Class railcar set at Drogheda, seen passing through the carriage washer at the south end of the station. A morning 'Enterprise' service to Belfast crosses the Boyne Viaduct north of Drogheda Station, headed by 201 Class loco No.230.
A patchy 071 Class loco No.084 departs Drogheda with the morning loaded Tara Mines ore train from Navan to Dublin Port. Much of the Navan branch, as well as this section of track in Drogheda has recently been relaid and reballased. 071 Class No.073 has emerged across the steel span section of the Boyne Viaduct at Drogheda with a weed spraying train from Dundalk. Originally built to accommodate double track, the central span, which us under refurbishment, was rebuilt in 1932 to a single track only. Loco No.073 is en route from Dundalk to Navan and is approaching Drogheda with Irish Rail's annual weed spraying train. The stone arches of the Boyne Viaduct are original and date from 1855. Seen entering the steel span section is NIR's 111 Class loco No.112, hauling the RPSI's ex GSWR J15 0-6-0 loco No.186, which is returning to Whitehead for repairs.
On the outskirts of Drogheda town, 071 Class loco No.082 leads the afternoon empty Tara Mines from Dublin to Navan, seen approaching the M1 motorway bridge. A 6-car ICR No.22342 is seen passing through the wash road south of Drogheda Station prior to forming a stopping service back to Dublin. At Colp Bridge, south of Drogheda, Enterprise liveried 201 Class loco No.8208 approaches the town with the 13:20 Dublin to Belfast service. 071 Class loco No.080, sporting its borrowed orange & black liveried cab doors, approaches Colp Bridge with the midday loaded Tara Mines to Alexandra Road ore train.
Propelled in the rear by 201 Class No.223, the 12:30 from Belfast gathers speed as it heads away from Drogheda with the Dublin bound Enterprise service. On the horizon in the right background is the former Boyne Road cement factory. Approaching Drogheda from the south at Colp Bridge is 071 Class loco No.082, seen again hauling the empty rake of Tara Mines wagons from Alexandra Road to Navan.