Killarney

When the Great Southern & Western Railway built their line to Killarney, Co.Kerry, from Mallow in 1855 it terminated there. The westward extension to Tralee did not open until 1859, from then on to the present day, all trains to or from Tralee have to reverse in and out of Killarney's platform termini. Killarney Station is excellently maintained, not surprisingly for this busy tourist area of Ireland. The GSWR built wooden train shed, station building and adjacent hotel all remain. With the upgrading of the station with CTC and the replacement of mechanical signalling on the Tralee line, the platforms have been widened and extended. The wooden built GSWR signal cabin, located at Killarney Check, where trains reverse, is now redundant but still stands. Today, all Mallow-Tralee services are operated by diesel railcars.
141 Class loco No.156 reverses out of the dead end terminus at Killarney Station with a Mallow to Tralee service in July 2002. This view shows loco No.156 climbing the gradient out of Killarney as it heads west with its Tralee bound train, formed of the 1960s vintage Craven built coaches. No.156 was built in 1962 by General Motors and was withdrawn from service in 2006. Seen in its original orange livery, 201 Class loco No.231 stands at Killarney Station with a Tralee to Dublin train, which was formed of Mk3 stock. A view of loco No.231, with a Mallow to Tralee service reversing out of the station at Killarney, prior to continuing its journey west. The Craven coaches were built in Sheffield in the mid 1960s.
Viewed from the bay platform line at Killarney, a 141 Class loco heads its Tralee bound train, while loco No.231 gets a clear signal east with its service to Mallow. Diesel railcars now operate all of the passenger services in Co.Kerry, from Tralee to Mallow and Cork. Here, a 2600 Class railcar dating from 1994, No.2613, prepares to leave Killarney with a Mallow bound service. Another railcar type, the 2700 Class, is seen climbing the gradient away from 'Killarney Check' with a service for Tralee. Another 2700 Class railcar, No.2718, leaves Killarney with a Mallow to Tralee service. The railcar is seen entering the turnback siding where a staff platform is sited to the right known as 'Killarney Check'.
With the driver having changed ends and unit No.2723 now, the same train leaves the turnback siding at Killarney Check and heads west to Tralee. 'Intercity' liveried 201 Class loco No.216 leads an rake of Mk3 coaches out of Killarney Station bound for Dublin. The terminus station at Killarney features a train shed, where 071 Class loco No.081 is seen peering out with a Modern Railway Society of Ireland (MRSI) special from Dublin to Tralee. Loco No.081 is now seen at the east end of Killarney Station working the return MRSI special from Tralee to Dublin. 081 was built by General Motors in 1976 and entered service with CIE in May 1977.
A quick chat before the MRSI special departs Killarney for Dublin. In the distance can be seen the 'Killarney Check' platform. The twin sidings on the northside of Killarney Station are no longer used for freight and now only stable the occasional permanent way vehicle, such as this ballast tamper No.738. This is the wooden roofed Great Southern & Western Railway style train shed at Killarney Station, dating from the opening of the line in July 1853. A view looking out from the train shed at Killarney Station in the direction of Mallow. The car park visible on the left was once the extensive goods yard, removed in the late 1990s.
This is the western end of the train shed at Killarney as it was in September 1980. At this time the station boasted an extensive track layout serving the goods yard. ©Daniel McFadden A large post-1925 Great Southern Railway style name board within the train shed at Killarney, showing its Irish name. The large steam locomotive water tower at Killarney Station still survives, complete with tank. This is the redundant mechanical signal cabin at Killarney Station, complete with name board. The cabin is unusual in being entirely constructed of wooden material.
The interior of Killarney signal cabin in July 2002 when it still had some years of use prior to the replacement of mechanical signalling on the Mallow to Tralee line in 2006. This was the bracket semaphore signal for departing trains at Killarney Station. The left arm signalled trains into the turnback siding for Tralee services, while the right hand arm was for trains departing direct for Mallow. This was the bracket signal for approaching trains heading into the station at Killarney. All of the semaphore signals on the Tralee line were removed in 2006. This was the view looking east towards Mallow from the end of the platform at Killarney in the summer of 2002, with the semaphore signal in the 'off position'.
As part of the upgrading of the Tralee line, the platform at Killarney was extended considerably towards Mallow. This is the present day view looking towards Mallow with colour light signalling now controlling the way ahead. The recent view showing the approach to Killarney Station with the GSWR signal cabin in view. In the distance can be seen the two platforms and the station buildings. The 1855 built GSWR railway hotal opposite Killarney Station, serving this popular tourist area. The hotel is no longer in railway ownership, and is named the 'Great Southern Hotel'.