Drumcondra

Drumcondra Station in north Dublin City is located on the main Dublin to Sligo line, and is served almost exclusively by Maynooth bound commuter trains. The station, which opened in 1901, closed only six years later in 1907 when the Great Southern & Western Railway passenger service to Amiens Street was withdrawn. It wasn't until the mid 1990s, with the commuter line upgrade to Maynooth, that Drumcondra reopened for passenger traffic in 1998. Much of the original 1901 station survived to be incorporated into the new one, this being the brick retaining walls, typical style of the GSWR. Today the platforms have been extended, probably just as well as the station can become busy following GAA matches nearby at Croke Park.
071 Class loco No.072 startles the pigeons at the west end of Drumcondra Station as it powers an afternoon Dublin to Sligo service, formed of the 1970s built Mk2 stock. 071 Class No.077 is seen leading a loaded timber train through Drumcondra Station. This timber traffic originated in Sligo, and would travel south to Waterford. This timber traffic from Sligo has since ceased. A more mundane scene at Drumcondra Station sees a 29000 Class diesel railcar pauses with a morning commuter service from Dublin to Maynooth. Maynooth is translated in Irish as 'Maigh Nuad'. Drumcondra 20060313 006 CC JA
Rounding the curve on the approach to Druncondra Station in the morning sun is 071 Class loco No.076, leading a Sligo to Dublin service on its last leg of its journey into the city. This service is now operated by 22000 Class railcars. 141/181 Class locomotives Nos.146+190, dating from 1962 and 1966 respectively, lead a permanent way train west through Drumcondra. Both these locos have since been preserved by the Irish Traction Group. A combined set of brand new 3-car 22000 Class railcars, lead by No.22029, approach Drumcondra Station from the west on a morning Sligo to Dublin service. 201 Class loco No.229 is seen heading a rake of 1980s British Rail 'International' Mk3 stock into Drumcondra. These Mk3 carriages were originally employed on the Dublin to Galway service and have since been withdrawn from service.
141 Class loco No.147 is seen light engine heading through Drumcondra Station on its way to pick up a wagon transfer in the North Wall yards. Built in 1962 by General Motors at their La Grange Illinois works, No.142 entered service in Decemeber of that year. The loco was finally withdrawn in 2010. No.147 is now seen again at Drumcondra Station has it heads a freight wagon transfer from Dublin to the wagon workshops in Co.Limerick. On the train are a Tara Mines, ballast and bulk cement wagons, the latter have all since been scrapped. 071 Class loco No.082 in its silver & black livery powers the empty North Wall to Sligo empty timber train through Drumcondra. No.082 was built by General Motors in 1976, and entered service with CIE in the summer of 1977. Sister loco No.076, still in its orange & black livery, is seen on a much brighter day bringing up the empty timber wagons from Waterford to North Wall yard, where the loco would run around the train and continue towards Sligo.
29000 Class railcar No.29428 coasts into Drumcondra Station on a stopping service from Maynooth. The train is bound for Pearse Station on the south side of the city where most commuter services terminate. With the stadium of Croke Park in the background, 071 Class loco No.074, with its faded numbers, leads the Sligo bound empty timber wagons through Drumcondra on a miserable morning. Two 29000 Class railcar pass eachother on this miserable morning at Drumcondra, with No.29421 heading for Clonsilla, while No.29401 is bound to terminate at Dublin's Connolly Station. It has stopped raining by the time 22000 Class railcar No.22019 leads the morning 11:05 Dublin to Sligo service through Drumcondra. The parapets beside the line belong to the bridge carrying the line across the Drumcondra Road.
This is a view from the Claude Road footbridge just west of Drumcondra Station, visible in the background. 1947 built ex LMS NCC 2-6-4 tank No.4 leads a Railway Preservation Society of Ireland 'Santa' special to Maynooth. An Irish Rail inspection car is seen passing through Drumcondra Station heading for Dublin Connolly. This particular car is named 'Jess' and was built in 1994. 071 Class loco No.076 is seen at Drumcondra in the charge of the new IWT (International Warehousing & Transport) freight container train heading from Dublin to Ballina in Co.Mayo, which commenced operation in August 2009. This is the return working of the IWT freight service from Ballina, seen approaching Claude Rd with 071 Class loco No.076 in charge. The train is seen loaded with a mixture of container and tanks.
Seen at the same location, a 3-car 22000 Class unit gleams in the sun as it passes by Claude Rd in Drumcondra with an afternoon Sligo to Dublin service, headed by unit No.22246. Here's one more view of the 'Up' IWT liner passing Claude Rd, this time hauled by 071 Class 086. This time the train is loaded only with standard 40th containers. No.086 is glimpsed again, this time passing through the station at Drumcondra as it heads light engine to Inchicore Works having deposited the IWT liner in the North Wall freight yard, while 29000 Class railcar No.29429 arrives with a service from Maynooth. During the RPSI Christmas 'Santa' specials in 2009, steam locomotive No.4 failed and the train was substituted by Northern Ireland Railway's 201 Class loco No.8208, seen passing Claude Rd with one the specials from Maynooth.
By this time locomotive No.171, dating from 1962, was one of the last 141 locos to remain in service with Irish Rail. It is seen creating a haze of smoke through the Drumcondra area at Claude Rd has it brings a single bogey flat wagon to the North Wall freight yard. The pioneer 071 Class loco, No.071 in silver & black livery complete with warning placards, approaches the Claude Rd footbridge with Irish Rail's annual weed spraying train from Dublin to Navan. The chemical can be seen being sprayed towards the rear end of the train. The weed spraying train is seen again, this time approaching the Claude Rd footbridge from the east, as it heads for Sligo hauled by 071 Class loco No.078, which on this occasion is not fitted with warning placards. A final view of the weed spraying train in the Drumcondra area; No.078 in its orange & black livery approaches the station as it returns to the North Wall yard having sprayed the Sligo line.
Seen at the same location but this time in October, sister loco No.083 has just two carriages in tow as it approaches Drumcondra Station from Mullingar. The two ex CIE carriages, one a Craven bar No.1514, are owned by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. 201 Class loco No.217 in 'Intercity' livery hauls a failed 071 Class loco No.072 on a train of scrap rails from the Sligo line past Claude Rd, bound for the North Wall yard. Seen at the same location at Claude Rd is 071 Class loco No.079, heading a train load of concrete sleepers from Portlaoise to Platin near Drogheda. The train would run around in the North Wall yard before proceeding north to Drogheda. The brick built retaining walls at Drumcondra Station are original and date from the station's opening in April 1901. They once supported a canopy, the supports of which can still be seen.
Drumcondra Station was opened in 1901 along with the Great Southern & Western Railway's line from Glasnevin Jct to Amiens St, now Connolly Station. It closed nine years later in December 1910, and did reopen until March 1998. 'Enterprise' trailer No.9002 leads a De Dietrich test train from Inchicore Works to Dublin Connolly, past Claude Rd, en route to Drogheda complete with an additional Mk3 generator van. 201 Class loco No.209 propels the DD test train past Claude Rd as it nears Drumcondra Station. Behind the loco is the Mk3 generator van, repainted into the 'Enterprise' livery and renumbered No 89605. 071 Class loco No.076 approaches Drumcondra Station with the return Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's 'Mystery Train' railtour from Kilkenny, formed of the 1960s era Craven built coaches.
No.076 is seen again in the Drumcondra area at St Brendan's Rd, this time returning from Dublin Connolly to Inchicore with the empty Craven coaches which had formed the RPSI 'Mystery Train' tour. In failing December light, 071 Class loco No.075 has rescued a failed 'Enterprise' 201 Class loco No.206 which was working the Ballina to Dublin IWT liner, seen passing Claude Rd footbridge just west of Drumcondra Station. Loco No.076 gains a clear signal on the 'up' line towards Drumcondra as it heads light engine from Inchicore Works to the North Wall yards. Glasnevin Station was once sited between the signals in the background, the furthest indicating a clear aspect for a Sligo bound train. 201 Class locomotive No.231 brings a well loaded Ballina to Dublin IWT liner past Claude Rd. The majority of the 'Intercity' 201s have worked the IWT liner at some stage or another.
Taking a rake of Irish Rail's newish auto-ballaster wagons past Claude Rd is 071 Class loco No.080, heading empty to the North Wall yard having discharged its load on the Sligo line. A smart looking ex-works 201 Class loco No.234 brings the IWT liner from Ballina past Claude Rd having recently been outshopped from Inchicore Works. On this occasion the IWT liner is formed of the pocket container wagons. Another IWT shot at the much frequented Claude Rd footbridge near Drumcondra Station. This was loco No.223's first workings on this freight service as the 201 IWT list is gradually ticked off.