Harmonstown

Harmonstown in the northern suburbs of Dublin City is located between Killester and Raheny on the ex Great Northern Railways main line to Belfast line. Harmonstown Station was opened by the Great Northern Railway in January 1959 to serve the expanding northern suburbs of Dublin City. The platforms and waiting shelters were built with concrete, unlike any other earlier smaller station halts built by the GNR. The station was modernised in 1970s, and later in 1983 with the introduction of the electrified DART services. More recently the up and down platforms have been extended at the south end with the DART upgrade project of 2005.
Harmonstown Station is located on long curve, where we see 071 Class loco No.088 nearing the end of its journey hauling a rake of loaded ore wagons from the Tara Mines near Navan to Dublin Port. 8100 Class DART No.8122 is seen arriving at the down platform at Harmonstown with a northbound stopping service to Howth. All of the 8100 DARTs have since been refurbished. Approaching Harmonstown Station from the south is 201 Class loco No.233 with the 13:20 Dublin to Belfast 'Enterprise' express. Loco No.233 is named 'River Clare' or in Gaeilge 'Abhainn na Chlair'. Two different manufactured DART units pass eachother at Harmonstown, with the Japanease built 8500 Class No.8602 departing for Bray, while a Spanish built 8200 Class No.8203 approaches with a service to Howth.
No.8402 makes up the rear unit on this 8200 Class DART set, seen preparing to leave Harmonstown with a northbound service to Howth. All of the 8200 Class units, built by CAF in Spain, are stored out of use at Fairview Depot. Signal 'KR27' stands for the Killester area, even though Hormanstown is futher north than that station. Note the metal grill for protection from the overhead line equiplemt. This signal, installed in 1982, has since been replaced by an new LED type. The 'feather' indicates for a crossover located at the north end of Killester. Northern Ireland Railway's 201 Class loco No.8208, powers an afternoon southbound 'Enterprise' service from Belfast past Harmonstown on the last leg of its journey to Dublin. Diesel & electric traction meet at Harmonstown Station, with 8500 Class DART No.8603 departing on a northbound service, while 29000 Class railcar No.29413 passes non stop with a commuter service from Drogheda to Dublin.
Another 29000 Class railcar, No.29418, approaches Harmonstown Station at speed with an afternoon northbound Dublin to Dundalk service. In the afternoon sunlight, 8500 Class DART No.0606 glides into Harmonstown Station with a southbound Malahide to Greystones service. Like nearby Killester, Harmonstown tends to be in shadow for most of the day due the cutting in which the station is located. On a dull January day, a respectable looking 071 Class loco No.073 begins to take the curve at Harmonstown with its rake of empty ore train from Alexandra Rd to the Tara Mines near Navan. A few seconds later from the previous photograph, sister locomotive No.085 in its dull silver & black livery takes the midday Tara Mines to Alexandra Rd ore train through Harmonstown Station.
The station building at Harmonstown dates from 1982, and was constructed above the railway line as part of the DART electrification scheme. Loco No.073 is seen again, this time heading an empty Tara Mines train. An 8-car 8500 Class DART No.8615 heads an empty working through Harmonstown presuembly from Fairview Depot to Howth, in order for form a return southbound service to Bray. 8500 Class DART No.8624 is glimpsed on the rear of a northbound service to Howth, seen having just departed Harmonstown Station. The signals at the north end of Harmonstown have four aspects, having an additional yellow light allowing trains to follow eachother in close sucession. An 8-car diesel railcar heads through Harmonstown Station formed of a mixed set of 2600 & 2800 Class units. These railcars were originally deliveried in the original orange 'Arrow' livery.
A rake of new concrete sleepers bound for Platin near Drogheda is hauled north through Harmonstown by 071 Class loco No.081.