Kildare

Kildare, county town of the same name, was the first important stop on the Great Southern & Western Railway's 1846 built line from Dublin to Carlow, and ultimately to Cork. The station, now heavily used by commuters and intercity services, has three tracks allowing up trains to pass non stop through the station at speed. The architecture of the main buildings on the down platform are done in a typical GSWR style, designed by Sancton Wood, built in brick and similar to that of Carlow. A long original cast iron footbridge spans the tracks and has granite/brick steps at either end. On the down platform is the waiting room and at the south end was the signal cabin, redundant after 1976 following CTC introduction and is now demolished. At the south end of the station on the down side is an engineering depot, built on the site of the former goods yard. Freight trains heading from the south, and then travelling west or vice versa must run round at Kildare Station.
In February 2003, 201 Class loco No.223 arrives into Kildare Station with a southbound train consisting of the 1970s built Mk2 coaching stock. Nowadays nearly all intercity services are operated by the 22000 Class diesel railcars. Kildare Station, during the last years of service of the 'Arrow' commuter styled trains in 2003. 2700 Class railcar No.2753 prepares to depart with a service to Dublin Heuston. 181 Class locomotive No.185 is seen having detatched from an engineering train at the south end of Kildare Station. No.185 was built by General Motors in 1966, and was finally withdrawn from Irish Rail service in 2008. 071 Class locomotive No.087 arrives into Kildare Station with the morning Waterford to Ballina liner train, operated for DFDS shipping company.
Sprinting quickly gains another shot of No.087, seen now standing at the northern end of Kildare Station prior to running round the DFDS liner train. 087 was built by General Motors at La Grange Illinois works USA in 1976. The rather colourful roofline of the DFDS liner tran, seen in the centre road at Kildare pior to departure towards Ballina. Most trains travelling from south to the west and vice versa generally pause at Kildare Station to run round. 201 Class loco No.232 in silver & green 'Intercity' livery heads an empty train of Mk3 coaching stock for Dublin through Kildare Station. The 1980s Mk3 stock have since been withdrawn from Irish Rail service. 071 Class loco No.081 heads a rake of loaded spoil wagons from Dublin North Wall through Kildare Station. The 4-wheeled spoil wagons are of 1960s vintage, once used on the barytes traffic from the Silvermines in Co.Limerick
A Mk4 driving van trailer, No.4006, races through on the centre road at Kildare Station on a Dublin bound express from Cork. Seen approaching Kildare Station from the south is empty rail train from Portlaoise bound for Waterford, headed by 071 Class loco No.073. 141 Class locomotives Nos.147+141 accelerate through Kildare Station heading for Inchicore Works on the west side of Dublin City. Loco No.141 has since been preserved. Mk4 driving van trailer No.4006 is seen again, this time passing loco No.073 which has run round its rail train at the south end of Kildare Station.
Another Mk4 DVT makes a fine sight as it heads a northbound Cork to Dublin express through Kildare Station. The Mk4 pushpull stock was built by CAF of spain for Irish Rail in 2007. 201 Class loco No.223 is seen propelling this northbound Cork to Dublin express through Kildare Station. Viewed from the 1840s footbridge, No.22225 arrives at Kildare's down platform with a soutbound 3-car service from Dublin. Shortly after the previous image, a 6-car 22000 set headed by No.22241, approaches Kildare Station with a northbound stopping service, while its southbound counterpart heads into the distance.
No.22335 is seen on the rear of this northbound 6-car 22000 Class set, seen departing from Kildare Station for Dublin Heuston, while a 29000 Class railcar arrives with a commuter service from the city. The other DFDS liner train, an afternoon service from Ballina to Waterford, arrives into Kildare Station behind 071 Class loco No.079. Driver Darren Jones of Waterford commands locomotive No.079 on the DFDS Liner at Kildare Station. The loco would soon detach from its liner train prior to running around and heading to off to Waterford. The 1840s Great Southern & Western Railway style granite milepost indicating that Kildare Station is some thirty miles from Dublin City.
29000 Class railcar No.29110 is seen again, this time departing Kildare Station with a return service as 201 Class loco No.223 races past with a Cork bound express. 071 Class loco No.077 storms through Kildare on the southern approach to the station with a train load of concrete sleepers from Portlaoise to Dublin's North Wall. Creating a haze at the south end of Kildare Station is 201 Class No.217, heading another Mk4 formed Dublin to Cork express. 071 Class loco No.087 crawls on the approach to Kildare Station as it prepares to run round its train and head for Ballina.
141 Class locomotive No.162 is seen stabled in the yard at Kildare Station with a single ballast wagon. Dating from 1962, this loco has since been withdrawn from Irish Rail service in 2010. The driver of No.086 looks upon the noisey 071 Class loco as he awaits a crew change with the somewhat slient approaching 22000 Class railcar. With the crew change having taken place, 22000 Class No.22242 eases off with its northbound service while 086 prepares to rumble away out of the station. A down Cork bound express behind 201 Class No.220 passes railcar No.29104 at Kildare Station. Loco 220 entered service with Irish Rail in March 1995.
This is the view looking towards Cork from the outermost road overbridge in Kildare town, located south of the railway station. A 6-car 22000 Class railcar set, headed by No.22138, approaches with a northbound service to Dublin. Approaching Kildare from the south is 071 Class locomotive No.081, seen heading the lightly loaded Waterford to Ballina DFDS freight liner train. Seen at the same location, a Mk4 DVT is seen at the head of a Cork to Dublin service, approaching Kildare at speed. In contrast to the morning Ballina bound liner, 071 Class loco 076 coasts down towards Kildare Station with the heavily loaded Waterford bound DFDS freight liner train.
No.076 is now seen powering away from Kildare on the Ballina to Waterford DFDS liner, clearing the line for an inspection car, No.EM50 to enter the station. This is EM50, now seen approaching Kildare Station where it will stable itself in the maintenance depot. EM50 entered service with CIE in the late 1970s. The covered box on the rear of the unit contains a track recording camera. Another 'Intercity' liveried 201 Class on Dublin-Cork duties is No.229, seen propelling a northbound service on the approach to Kildare Station. Running down the gradient from Cherryville Junction just south of Kildare is 071 Class 080 at the head of an empty steel train from Portlaoise, bound for Waterford.
On a somewhat dull day, Irish Rail's brightly coloured weed spraying train arrives at the centre road at Kildare Station hauled by 071 Class loco No.081. The loco would shortly run round its train prior to departing for Waterford. Loco No.081 is now seen having run round its weed spraying train at Kildare Station, while 201 Class loco No.222 passes by on a southbound Dublin to Cork express. With the road clear to the south, 081 heads away from Kildare with its weed spraying train bound for Waterford. The loco is seen equiped with its characteristic warning boards which has long been associated with this Irish Rail train. Loco No.075 brings in a DFDS freight liner from Ballina into Kildare Station, consisting of a mixture of container and tanks. Loco 075 shortly detached and operated light engine to Inchicore, while sister loco No.082, just visible in the distance, would work the liner forward to Waterford.
Loco No.082 is now seen leading the DFDS liner out of Kildare Station on its long journey from Ballina to Waterford. 22000 Class railcar No.22341 is glimpsed on the rear of a northbound service to Dublin, viewed from overbridge No.83, as it slows for the stop at Kildare Station, while 071 Class loco No.072 prepares to back onto a liner to Ballina. Loco No.072 is now seen passing the Great Southern & Western's 1846 installed stone milepost measured from Dublin Heuston, as it heads the morning Waterford to Ballina DFDS freight liner train out of Kildare. A rear view of the somewhat multi-coloured IWT freight liner train, seen heading away from Kildare with the morning Dublin to Ballina service.
081 and her weed spraying train is seen again, this time heading away from Kildare for Portlaoise having arrived up from Waterford. The roof of Kildare Station is just visible above the bridge in the distance. In its somewhat grubby orange livery, 071 Class loco No.084 approaches Kildare with a single flat wagon in tow which it is bringing up from Limerick wagon works to Inchicore in Dublin. 201 Class loco No.220 is seen in charge of a rake of loaded container pocket wagons which formed the recently introduced Ballina to Dublin IWT freight liner train, seen having gained a clear signal for the road into Kildare Station. Loco No.084 is glimpsed again, this time with another light load consisting of a single Tara Mines ore wagon which will receive attention at Limerick.
071 Class loco No.081 has arrived at Kildare with the DFDS liner from Ballina, while 201 Class loco No.229 stands by the Up platform having hauled a track machine into the station. The station at Kildare is currently been upgraded. Loco No.229 is seen coupled to the track machine it had hauled to Kildare, where it is seen been stabled in the permanent way depot on the Down side of the line south of the station. No.081 gets the DFDS liner from Ballina to Waterford on its way, seen departing Kildare Station with a healthy load of containers. The doyen of the 071 Class locos, No.071, approaches Kildare from the south with an empty timber train from Waterford to Ballina. The train would be turned in the station for its onward journey to Ballina.
This is the Great Southern & Western Railway's Sancton Wood's 1846 brick built station building on the down platform at Kildare, complete with attached 1990s 'Arrow' commuter paraphernalia. The imposing 1840s tudor style GSWR station at Kildare, viewed from the forecourt. The rather non descript small waiting room on the up platform at Kildare Station. It is not known if it dates from the GSWR era. This is the former goods shed at Kildare Station, with a small attached brick built office. Goods services serving Kildare ceased in 1976 and building is now used for storage.
On the lattice footbridge at Kildare Station. Note the strengthing bars which cross above the structure.