Gormanston

Gormanston, Co.Meath, on the main Dublin to Belfast line between Malahide and Drogheda, boasts an array of Great Northern Railway style station buildings. What was unique about Gormanston until recently was that it retained a single storey wooden station building on the up platform, of which there were only a few of these types left on the present day ex GNR network. The building was however partially demolished to make way for a car park. On the up platform is the typical GNR style waiting room. At the north end of the station is the former brick goods shed and adjacent to it is the small single storey station masters house. The signal cabin which once stood at the north end of the down platform is preserved at Dromod, Co.Leitrim. South of the station the line crosses the River Delvin on an attractive cast iron bridge.
On one of my first visits to Gormanston, 071 Class locomotive No.073 leads a rake of cement 'bubbles' through the station on their way from Platin to Limerick. A 4-car 2800 Class railcar in their original orange & black 'Arrow' livery head through Gormanston Station with an afternoon commuter service from Drogheda to Dublin. The 2800s still regularly operate to and from Drogheda. A 1980s Irish Rail T-board sign, on the down platform at Gormanston Station. The sign still retains its blue livery which appeared at many of the ex Great Northern stations in the early 1990s. This is the Great Northern Railway wooden station building on the down platform at Gormanston, as photographed in 2003. It has since been partially demolished.
A view of Gormanston Station from the road overbridge, with 071 Class loco No.082 gingerly passing through with its loaded ore train from the Tara Mines near Navan to Dublin Port. On the same dull day, sister locomotive No.075, minus its front Irish Rail logo, passes beneath the road bridge with the empty rake of Tara Mines wagons from Dublin. Seen at the same location is 29000 Class railcar No.29417, arriving with a stopping service from Dublin to Drogheda. These railcars form most of the commuter services on the line. Passing the typical Great Northern style waiting shelter at Gormanston is 29000 Class railcar No.29109, seen departing on the rear of an afternoon service to Dublin.
No.29108 descends the gradient down from Mosney as it arrives at the up platform at Gormanston with a service from Drogheda to Connolly Station in Dublin. Until its removal in 1999, the signal cabin was once located to the left on the down platform. Seen with its distinctive front end commuter livery dating from 2002, 2600 Class railcar No.2614 is seen on the rear of a Drogheda bound service at Gormanston. The unit has since been repainted with a full yellow end. 201 Class locomotive No.207, named 'River Boyne', is glimpsed at the south end of Gormanston Station as it powers the 12:30 Belfast to Dublin 'Enterprise'. 071 Class loco No.084 rounds the curve on the approach to Gormanston Station with a bulk cement train to Platin near Drogheda. No.084 entered service with CIE in June 1977, and is one of the few locomotives left to retain its Irish Rail orange livery.
A 'going away' shot of loco 084 hauling its 1960s vintage bulk cement wagons, nicknamed 'bubbles' due to their shape evident in this view. The brick built goods shed at the north end of Gormanston Station, dating from the late 19th century. This structure has since been renovated and turned into a booking office. Side on view of the Great Northern style wooden station building at Gormanston. Unfortunately it has since been partially demolished to provide more access to the station car park and down platform. This is the railway bridge across the River Delvin located just south of Gormanston Station. On another dull day, 201 Class loco No.207 speeds across the bridge with an afternoon Dublin to Belfast 'Enterprise' service. The coach behind the loco is still in its original 1990s grey livery.
Close up of the bridge construction over the River Delvin at Gormanston. This structure was renewed by the Great Northern Railway in the mid 1930s, which replaced the original wooden bridge here which marks the boundary between Co.Dublin & Co.Meath. An 8100 Class DART, No.8325, is seen been hauled north through Gormanston Station by a 29000 Class railcar on a stock transfer working from Fairview Depot to Drogheda. On the left is the restored goods shed. Rounding the curve into Gormanston is the 071 Class loco leader, No.071 complete with wasp style warning panels, seen hauling the weed sprayer train from Drogheda to Drogheda. To the right is the much cut down GNR station building. On the 21st October 1974, a runaway pushpull train hauled by a C201 Class loco derailed at the north end of Gormanston and collided with a southbound service train. In this view the CIE steam crane is lifting one of the derailed AEC pushpull trailers off the track. ©Barry Carse
001 Class locomotives Nos.052 & 024 are seen at the north end of Gormanston Station following the derailment, with the latter loco hauling a Platin (Drogheda) to Cabra (Dublin) bulk cement train. In this view is the former signal cabin. ©Barry Carse Many years later, a southbound 'Enterprise' express from Belfast to Dublin passes the converted goods shed at the north end of Gormanston Station, headed by DD trailer No.9001. 071 Class loco No.076 takes the loaded Tara Mines to Alexandra Rd ore train through Gormanston Station, en route to Dublin Port. 201 Class loco No.230 approaches Gormanston from the south with an afternoon 'down' Dublin to Belfast 'Enterprise' service.
29000 Class railcar No.29411 enters Gormanston Station with a southbound stopping service from Drogheda to Dublin. The GNR waiting room is still well maintained here. 2800 Class railcar No.2806 approaches Gormanston with a stopping service from Dublin to Drogheda. Towards the rear of the train can be seen the viaduct spanning the River Nanny. Railcar No.2807 is seen on the rear of this northbound 2800 Class railcar set at Gormanston, seen preparing to depart the 'down' platform at the station. Another October 1974 view of Gormanston, this time the south end of the station with 001 (or A Class) loco No.056 leading a Guinness/Harp train, en route from Dublin to Dundalk and Belfast. ©Barry Carse
At the same location, 071 Class loco No.072 takes the empty rake of Tara Mines wagons past Gormanston, heading for Navan. Sister loco No.080 is in charge of an empty ballast train, seen passing Gormanston Station heading for North Wall yard in Dublin. 201 Class No.209 passes the Army Camp bridge just north of Gormanston as it hauls an 'Enteprise' test train to Drogheda, formed with an additional Mk3 generator van behind the loco. 071 Class loco No.081 leads the midday loaded Tara Mines ore train on the approach to Gormanston.
The 12:35 Belfast to Dublin 'Enterprise' approaches Gormanston from the north, propelled in the rear by the usual 201 Class locomotive. A rather rough looking Irish Sea can be glimpsed in the background. Intercity railcars now operate regularly on the northern line services, such as No.22302, seen leading a combined 6-car set past Gormanston with a northbound service from Dublin. Gormanston Station is just visible in the distance. With the loop serving the disused Mosney platform visible in the distance, a 4-car 29000 Class railcar approaches the Army Camp Bridge with a southbound stopping service to Dublin Pearse. Railcar No.29409 lead a 9-car 29000 set past the Gormanston army camp with a southbound working from Drogheda to Dublin.
With much wear and tear visible on its livery, 071 Class loco No.084 takes the empty rake of Tara Mines ore wagons past Gormanston as it heads for Drogheda and ultimately to Navan. Loco No.084 is seen again, passes south through Gormanston Station on the first loaded Tara Mines train of the day from Navan. Northern Ireland Railway's 111 Class loco No.112 'Great Northern' runs past the army camp at Gormanston with ex Great Southern & Western Railway J15 0-6-0 No.186 in tow. The steam loco is en route from Dublin to the RPSI base at Whitehead. The RPSI's loco No.186, seen been hauled past Gormanston by 111 Class No.112. The steam loco is returning to Whitehead for essential repairs before it can operate any further steam specials on Irish Rail.
Having reversed in the loop at the former Mosney Halt, 29000 Class railcar No.29428 heads south in the direction of Balbriggan prior to forming a stopping service to Dublin. Travelling at a snails pace, 071 Class loco No.082 follows the 29000 railcar south with its loaded morning Tara Mines to Alexandra Road ore train. Trains cross at Gormanston Station, with 29000 Class railcars Nos.29108 and 29112 departing and arriving respectively. No.29112's numerals are barely visible on the front of the unit. In bright conditions, loco No.086 glides through Gormanston Station with the midday working from Tara Mines to Alexandra Road.
During a canon training exercise, 29000 Class railcar No.29128 leads a morning 8-car set from Dublin to Drogheda, seen passing the army camp bridge north of Gormanston. Out of the mist, literally, comes loco No.082 with its characteristic 071 Class sound effects, seen leading the morning Tara Mines train to Dublin Port. Foiled by the clouds again(!), sister loco No.076 approaches the army camp bridge, on the same train but different morning, with first laden ore train from the Tara Mines. The 12:35 Enterprise from Belfast to Dublin rushes through Gormanston Station, propelled in the rear by 201 Class loco No.207.
One of the few surviving Great Northern Railway wooden built waiting shelters, still to be seen on the 'Up' platform at Gormanston. On the horizon is the Irish Sea. A 3-car ICR set No.22222, is seen heading away from the 'Down' platform at Gormanston with a stopping service from Dublin to Drogheda. 071 Class loco No.079 leads Irish Rail's track recording (sperry) train through Gormanston Station en route to North Wall yard. The train originated in Platin and travelled north to Dundalk before returning south to Dublin.