Heuston

Heuston Station, in west Dublin City, is Irish Rail's gateway to the south & west of Ireland. Originally named Kingsbridge Station, after the adjacent 1822 built bridge across the River Liffey, it was renamed Heuston in 1966, after a 1916 leader Sean Heuston. Up to the 1970s, Heuston had only three platforms, today it has ten, the tenth platform (now out of use) being located on the Islandbridge Junction to Glasnevin Junction line, which was used during the reconstruction of the station from 2002 to 2004.

Heuston Station building is one of the finest in Dublin City, built by the Great Southern & Western Railway in 1844, with the construction of their line to Carlow in 1846. In 1935, the then Great Southern Railway re-signalled Heuston Station with colour light signals and electronic signalling, this however was replaced during the rebuilding, which also involved the demolition of the GSR built signal cabin just west of the station. The rebuilding also brought about a refurbishment of the train shed and booking hall, and the results today are very pleasing giving a pleasant atmosphere to the station.
Seen in its original 1990s Irish Rail orange livery, 201 Class loco No.228 stands within the dark and drewry train shed at Heuston Station in 2001. General Motors 1966 built 181 Class loco No.185 is seen in ex works condition outside the train shed at Heuston while acting as station pilot. Today this site is occupied by the new platforms Nos.5 & 6. Side profile view of 201 Class locomotive No.226 at Heuston Station in early 2001. Although named 'Abhainn na Siuire' or ''River Suir', the loco here appears to be missing its name plates. It is seen backing down onto a train prior to departing to Cork. To complement the previous photo, 201 Class loco No.226 is now seen getting its Cork bound train underway as it pulls away from the platforms at Heuston. The station area here has since been completely rebuilt and the 1930s era Great Southern Railway colour light signals have been removed.
The 1990s era of Irish Rail is summed up by one of their T-board signs at Heuston, captured in 2001 complete with vintage IR logos. Originally Kingsbridge Station, it was renamed 'Heuston' in 1966 after one of Dublin's 1916 rebellion leaders Sean Heuston. A pair of 201 Class locomotives are seen in the evening sun at the former military platform at Heuston Station, once used by British troop trains. The 201s were built by General Motors in Canada between 1994 and 1995. Work is well underway for the new track layout and platforms at Heuston when 201 Class loco No.209, in its gleaming 'Enterprise' livery, was captured arriving at the station in the summer of 2002. A view looking north from the end of platform No.1 at Heuston Station in 2001. The platform on the left was the old military platform and by the 1990s it was not in regular use. Today there are two platforms sited here, Nos.1 & 2.
This is the valeting depot at Heuston, visible from the station, where in 2001 a pair of 141 Class locomotives were seen on station pilot duties. Nowadays no regular shunting of carriage stock takes place at Heuston. Built by General Motors at their La Grange Illinois works USA in 1962, 141 Class loco No.149 is seen looking rather tired stabled in the Guinness yard at Heuston Station. Loco 149 was eventually withdrawn and scrapped at Inchicore Works in This was the Guinness yard adjacent to Heuston Station, which handled all keg traffic from the nearby Guinness Brewery. Keg traffic on Irish Rail ceased in 2005 and today the yard is now used for storing redundant rolling stock. In mid 2003 with part of the trackwork removed, 141 Class loco No.171 is seen on station pilot duties at Heuston. Presently No.171 is the last 141 Class to remain officially in service.
201 Class loco No.219 leads a rake of Mk3 coaches out of Heuston Station with varying shades of the Irish Rail orange livery. Part of the trackwork here was removed to allow the construction of longer platforms. The 1840s era train shed at Heuston during the reconstruction of the station in 2003. The platforms here have since been extended considerably beyond the shed, with a continious canopy to shelter waiting passengers from the elements. The new platforms Nos.6 & 7 located on the north western side of Heuston Station. 201 Class locomotives Nos.224 & 216 are seen on somewhat miserably day having arrived into the station from the west. Another view during the reconstruction of Heuston Station sees 201 Class loco No.212 heading a train away from the platforms and is passing around the northern side of the valeting depot.
A rake of British Rail built Mk2 coaches with a distinctive Dundalk built generator van are seen stabled in a siding opposite the valeting depot at Heuston Station. These vehicles have since been withdrawn from Irish Rail service. 181 Class loco No.184 is seen shunting a rake of Mk3 coaching stock out of Heuston Station in 2005. The signal in the distance indicates that this train is possibly returning the coaches back to Irish Rail's Inchicore Works. 141 Class loco No.163 is captured at the western end of the valeting depot at Heuston while on station pilot duties. No.163 was built by General Motors in 1962, and was finally withdrawn from Irish Rail service in December 2008. A view from beneath the canopy on one of the new platforms then recently built at Heuston Station, where 201 Class loco No.205 'River Nore' or in Gaeilge 'Abhainn na Feoire' is seen at the head of rake of Mk3 coaching stock.
A distant view of the signal cabin at Heuston Station as it was in early 2003. This cabin was constructed by the Great Southern Railway in 1935, and was finally demolished in 2003. In contrast to the earlier dark and drewry views within the train shed at Heuston, a Mk4 driving van trailer is now seen in the much restored and renovated station. In 2008 locomotive shunting was still the order of the day at Heuston as 071 Class loco No.079 and 141 Class loco No.162 were seen moving around the station. Two white lights on the shunt signal indicates a clear road for 079 to move away from the platforms. A study of 071 Class loco No.079, seen standing at Heuston Station prior to departing west with a service to Ballina. 079 was built by General Motors in 1976, and entered CIE service in the summer of 1977.
With the 'Off' signal visible to the driver, 079 prepares to depart Heuston Station with an evening service to Ballina, formed of MK3 coaching stock. These services are now handled by the 22000 Class diiesel railcars. Dating from the CIE/Irish Rail era of the mid and late 1980s, the Mk3 coaching stock are photographed within train shed at Heuston Station. These coaches have all since been withdrawn from service. One of Irish Rail's 1988 built Mk3 driving van trailers, No.6012, is seen on the rear of a Mk3 pushpull set at Heuston Station's platform No.3. These coaches were once employed on busy commuter services around Dublin, as well as the main line train services. Seen in its original Irish Rail orange livery of the 1990s, though with a recently repainted full yellow end, 201 Class loco No.202 is seen having been released from its train which it has brought into Heuston Station.
Close up of No.202's name plate 'River Lee' at Heuston Station. An Irish version of this name plate, 'Abhainn na Laoi', appears at the opposite end of the loco. The River Lee is the main river which flows through Ireland's southern capital Cork. A nighttime scene at Heuston Station sees 071 Class loco No.073 in black & siver livery, standing near the buffer stops having arrived with a train. The loco would soon return to the locomotive depot at Inchicore Works. The pioneering 201 Class loco, No.201 'River Shannon', stands at Heuston Station's platform No.4 having brought in an evening service from the west formed of Mk3 coaching stock. Mk3 pushpull trailer No.6101 and 201 Class loco No.205 represent the old order of orange trains at Heuston Station.
201 Class loco No.216 stands near the buffer stops at Heuston Station's platform No.5 having arrived with a special from Galway. A common sight at Heuston Station on all Mk3 train formations was the generator van, such as No.7609 seen here. The 1980s Derby built British Rail Enginerring Ltd Mk3 coaching stock at Heuston Station, which had formed the 15:00 Waterford to Dublin service. Driver Darren Jones prepares to take a returning evening service to Waterford out of Heuston Station, headed by 'Intercity' liveried 201 Class loco No.215.
A rake of the Mk3 coaching stock stands Heuston Station, presumebly on an evening service returning to the west. Nowadays Heuston train shed is the demain of the 22000 Class diesel railcars, two which are seen here along with a Mk4 Dublin to Cork train. 141 Class locomotives Nos.171+141 stand at Heuston Station having arrived with the return working of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's Comeragh railtour from Limerick Jct. The 141 Class leader, No.141, with sister loco No.171, are seen together at Heuston Station having arrived on the RPSI's 'Comeragh' railtour.
The now preserved 141 Class loco No.146 stands at the head of the RPSI's British Rail built Mk2 coaching stock, which it will shunt out of the station. 201 Class loco No.224 and 22000 Class railcar No.22014 share the surroundings at Heuston Station. Intercity trains old and new are seen together within the train shed at Heuston Station, with a modern 22000 Class railcar at platform No.3 and the older generation of Mk3 coaching stock at platform No.4. 22000 Class railcars Nos.22331 & 22005 stand at Heuston Station, preparing to take trains out of Dublin. No.22331 carries the standard numerals, where as No.22005 has the now defunct cue ball number.
The Luas Red Line has a stop at Heuston Station, seen here in front of the Great Southern & Western's 1844 built station next to the Kingsbridge. French built Citadis tram No.3023 stands at the Luas tram stop outside Heuston Station with a Dublin Connolly to Tallaght service. With its silver & green 'Intercity' livery shown to good effect, 201 Class loco No.224 stands at Heuston Station prior to departing with a Dublin to Cork service. With the headquarters of the Irish Railway Record Society visible in the background, 071 Class loco No.073 is seen by the site of the old military platform at Heuston Station while on 'taxi duties' to Inchicore Works.
One of the last remaining 141 Class locomotives, No.175, is seen by the valeting depot at Heuston while on station pilot duties. No.175 entered service in December 1962, and was finally withdrawn in 2009. A view of the train shed at Heuston Station, renovated in 2003. The Great Southern & Western Railway style cast iron supports date from the station's opening in July 1848. Heuston Station concourse, very much refurbished and brightened up with shops and cafes. The glass plated shelters get a clean at the Luas tram stop outside Heuston Station.
A nighttime scene of the Great Southern & Western's 1848 built station at Heuston, formerly named 'Kingsbridge' after the nearby 1802 bult bridge across the River Liffey. On the left is one of two towers located either side of the structure, which were folleys added to the initial 1848 construction. Front on view of Heuston Station. 'VIII.VIC' represents the Act of Parliament that incorporated the Great Southern & Western Railway company. The three crests represent the coat of arms of Cork, Dublin and Limerick Cities respectively. The ''arrivals' section of Heuston Station which faces onto St.John's Road. This part of the station was restored in the last couple of years having been in a dilipidated state. Adjacent to Heuston Station is the Guiness's St.James's Brewery. Originally the goods yard on the down side of Heuston Station was linked to the brewery, which exited through this gate. The connection was closed in late 1960s.
One of the 1970 built 'Dutch' generator vans, No.1166, seen stabled in the yard at Heuston Station. These vans were originally steam heated and were manufactured at the ex Great Northern Railway works at Dundalk, Co.Louth. One of the mid 1980s Mk3 coaches, seen stabled in the yard at Heuston Station. These coaches were originally delivered in CIE's rather drab looking 'Supertrain' livery. The Mk3 stock, both loco hauled and pushpull types, are seen stored out of service at the former Guinness yard at Heuston Station. These 4-wheel vans were once a common sight on passenger trains until the late 1970s. These vans also had sliding doors and letter box style openings. This surviving vehicle is seen stored in the former Guinness yard at Heuston.