Farranalleen

Farranalleen, Co.Tipperary, one of two somewhat isolated stations located on the independent Southern of Ireland Railway which ran between Clonmel and Thurles, opening between 1879 and 1880, taken over by the Waterford & Limerick, and later Great Southern & Western Railway in 1901. Farranalleen Station opened with the section of line between Fethard and Thurles in 1880. Serving a sparsely populated area, with Moglass being the nearest village, the station was latterly a halt, boasting just one through line and a siding serving the stone built goods shed. The station building however is a substantial W&LR structure, and today retains much of original features, as does the goods shed. Both the passenger and goods platforms are well preserved. An unusual feature at the station is the adjacent road overbridge, featuring a lattice cast iron design. The line closed to passengers in 1963, but remained in use for goods until 1967.
The well preserved Farrannalleen Station, looking south towards Clonmel, showing the small stone built goods shed, large station building and platforms, as viewed from the adjacent road overbridge. The large station building at Farranalleen, built by the Waterford & Limerick Railway in 1880. The station, latterly a halt, opened with the section of line between Fethard and Thurles. The small stone built goods shed at Farranalleen, located on the up side of the line. The platform upon which the shed is located was used exclusively for goods traffic. A typical Great Southern & Western cast iron milepost, seen on the goods platform at Farranalleen Station. Another point of interest is the concrete square paterned paving, laid by CIE at many goods platforms through the network in the 1940s and 50s.
A view looking towards Thurles from the road overbridge on the north side of Farranaleen Station. The trackbed here has been partially removed by farmers. A concrete buffer stop on the north side of the road overbridge at Farranalleen Station, a reminder of the one time siding serving the goods shed. Note it still retains its primitive sleeper buffer bolted to the concrete structure. Lattice designed road overbridges in Ireland are quite uncommon, and therefore the one located at Farranelleen Station is somewhat unusual. This is the former trackbed on the south side of Farranalleen Station, now used as a trackway for adjacent farm. Note the stone bridge abutment, part of a one time bridge spanning the small Clashawley River.