Hazelhatch

Hazelhatch, Co.Kildare, serves mainly the nearby village of Celbridge. The station, located on the main Dublin to Cork line, was opened by the Great Southern & Western Railway in August 1848. The station was closed however by CIE in 1947, but was reopened in 1994 to serve the new suburban service to Kildare. The station, once a secluded spot, now has a modern appearance, accept for the Great Southern & Western Railway built station building, typical of the type built at smaller stations on the Cork line. It remains today, although no longer use. At the north end of the station on the down side the former goods shed also survives. Hazelhatch is where the current quadruple track from Dublin ends, and there are two sets of up & down platforms, as well as a bay platform for terminating services from Heuston.
This is Hazelhatch Station, looking north towards Dublin. On the up platform is the 1846 built Great Southern & Western Railway station building. Since this view was taken, additional platforms have been built at the rear of the structure. On a wet aftenooon, 201 Class locomotive No.228 heads through Hazelhatch on a Dublin to Cork express formed of the Mk4 coaching stock. A view at the south end of Hazelhatch Station sees the Mk3 driving van trailer No.6104 heading an afternoon Dublin bound express. Nowadays the four tracks from Dublin City converge into two single up & down lines at this location. The northbound Mk3 pushpull train is propelled north through Hazelhatch in the Dublin direction by a rather clean looking 201 Class loco No.218.
The arched stone built bridge at the south end of Hazelhatch Station which Mk4 driving van trailer No.4006 is about to pass beneath has since been demolished. The train is a Cork to Dublin express. 201 Class loco No.215 propels this northbound Cork to Dublin express through Hazelhatch Station. No.215 was built by General Motors at their London Ontario works in Canada in 1994. A view of Hazelhatch from the footbridge located at the south end of the station, with 201 Class loco No.219 passing with Cork bound express. Seen carrying the Dublin-Belfast 'Enterprise' livery, 201 Class loco No.233 passes beneath the Victorian era Great Southern & Western footbridge at Hazelhatch Station with a northbound service.
A 29000 Class diesel railcar No.29111 is seen standing at Hazelhatch Station with a commuter service from Kildare to Dublin. 201 Class 228 is seen again at Hazelhatch, this time revealng its old Iarnrod Eireann orange & black logo on its side, which is normally blanked over by the new 'Intercity' branding. Work on reconstruction station at Hazelhatch can seen to the rear of the station building. The days were numbered for the 1840s era stone overbridge at the north end of Hazelhatch when 201 Class loco 223 passes through with a southbound service formed of Mk3 coaching stock. The original GSWR footbridge at Hazelhatch, located at the south end of the station. The footbridge survived the closure of the station in 1947. Although it has since been replaced by a modern footbridge with lift shafts, this GSWR bridge remains in situ with a preservation order.
This is the new much larger footbridge at Hazelhatch Station which connects to the modern booking office located above the railway lines. A photo showing the new up & down platforms, as well a terminating bay platform underconstruction at the north end of Hazelhatch Station. Double track has since been laid on this side of the station. The new additional up & down platforms on the north side of Hazelhatch Station were nearing completion when this photo was taken, although the track had yet to be laid. Despite the major reconstruction work at Hazelhatch, the small Great Southern & Western Railway stone built goods shed survives at the north end of the station on the down side. Regular goods services to Hazelhatch ceased in the early 1970s.
Hazelhatch has changed beyond recognition to when 141 Class locomotive No.146 first went on a trail run from Dublin to here in November 1962. This since preserved loco is seen light engine at the station preparing to head south to Portlaoise. 201 Class locomotive No.216 in 'Intercity' livery is seen heading the morning IWT freight contrainer train from Dublin to Ballina at Stacumny Bridge, located north of Hazelhatch on the four tracks to Dublin. The wide formation of the four tracks to Dublin can be seen in this view taken from the road overbridge at the north end of Hazelhatch. 201 Class loco No.217 is seen on the approach to the station with the IWT freight liner train from Dublin to Ballina, formed of the container pocket wagons. 'Enterprise' liveried 201 Class loco No.209 takes the long curve at Stacumny near Hazelhatch with a morning Dublin to Cork express formed of the Mk4 stock.
In silver & black livery, 071 Class loco No.088 has eight flat wagons in two as it approaches Stacumny Bridge while working back to the permanent way depot at Portlaoise. Now running on the reopened 'fast' line between Dublin and Hazelhatch, 201 Class loco No.217 heads the morning IWT freight train from North Wall to Ballina past Stacumny, consisting of fully loaded pocket container wagons. By now with some leaves on the trees at Stacumny, sister loco No.220 heads the 'down' IWT freight liner to Ballina, again on the fast line. Running along the 'down slow' line at Stacumny is an empty ballast train from Dublin's North Wall yard, seen been hauled by 071 Class loco No.075. These ageing wagons are to be withdrawn from traffic soon.
Following a brief shower of rain at Stacumny, 071 Class loco No.079 follows the ballast train, this time on the fast line as it heads Irish Rail's annual weed spraying train from Dublin to Waterford. Towards the rear of the train can be seen the slow line been sprayed. 201 Class loco No.234 brings the lightly loaded 'up' IWT freight liner from Ballina to Dublin past Stacumny. The barn on the right was once part of a lime kiln, and is over a 100 years old. Around the bend in the distance is Hazelhatch Station. Loco No.234 'River Aherlow' is seen on the 'down slow' line passing Stacumny just the morning Dublin to Ballina IWT liner, formed of the standard container flats. No.218 hauls a rake of 1960s Craven built coaches past Stacumny on a test run, which later in the week would form a RPSI's 'Mystery Train' tour to Kilkenny.
A morning southbound Dublin to Cork express passes Stacumny, with 201 Class loco No.229 'River Maine' in charge. No.220 has a short train at Stacumny, formed of a single 'Enterprise' generator van en route from Dublin to Limerick Jct. Two 22000 Class railcars pass each other near Stacumny Bridge, the furthest formed of two 3-car units NIR owned 'Enterprise' loco No.209 passes Stacumny Bridge, north of Hazelhatch, with the morning Dublin to Ballina IWT liner, nicely loaded with a colourful mix of 20ft and 40th containers and tanks.
22000 Class railcar No.22346 passes the old lime kiln at Stacumny Bridge with a combined 6-car set to Dublin. Mk4 DVT No.4001 leads an 'up' Dublin to Cork express at Stacumny, propelled in the rear by the usual 201 Class loco. The train is using the 'up fast' line to Dublin. Mk4 DVT No.4003 is seen on the rear of a southbound Mk4 train heading from Dublin to Cork. The loco at the front is just passing the GSWR milepost 9, measured from Heuston. 201 Class loco No.232 speeds past Stacumny as it nears Hazelhatch on a southbound Dublin to Cork express. The modern LED colour light signal replaced that of the original 1977 installed batches, one of which is seen lying by the lineside.
Another 'Enterprise' liveried 201 Class loco to be employed on IWT freight services is loco No.230, seen heading past Stacumny with the morning liner from Dublin to Ballina, consisting of the pocket container wagons. 22000 Class railcar No.22136 forms a 'Down' 6-car ICR working past Stacumny. 071 Class loco No.086 passes an 'Up' Mk4 express from Cork at Stacumny while working a PWD train from Dublin to Portlaoise. Only one of the bogey flat wagons is loaded, with a stack of concrete sleepers. Another 22000 Class, No.22336, approaches Karneystown Bridge south of Hazelhatch, with an 'Up' express to Dublin Heuston. In the distance is 'Karneystown South' Bridge.
Seen approaching the bridge at Karneystown is the 'Up' IWT liner from Ballina, hauled by 'Intercity' liveried 201 Class loco No.226 'River Suir'. 201 Class loco No.209 takes the curve at Stacumny Bridge, north of Hazelhatch with a morning Dublin to Cork service. Loco No.226 is captured again, this time hauling the container pocket wagons past Stacumny, forming the 9:30 Dublin (North Wall) to Ballina IWT. In old and new liveries, a 4-car 2800 Class railcar passes Stacumny while en route from Inchicore to Limerick, formed of units No.2805 and No.2803.
The only 071 Class hauled IWT liner to appear in this gallery so far; No.073 brings a mixed rake of containers and tanks past Stacumny while en route to Ballina. Passing the lime kiln on the south side of Stacumny Bridge is an 'Up' 22000 Class railcar, No.22340, partially missing its front surround. Loco No.230 brings a colourful liner formed of the standard bogery flat wagons up past Stacumny, hauling the Ballina to Dublin (North Wall) IWT.