Lansdowne Road

Lansdowne Road was located on the first railway to be built in Ireland by the Dublin & Kingstown Railway in 1834, however it wasn't until July 1870 when the Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railway built a station at Lansdowne. The station retains its single storey brick station building on the up platform and DWWR signal cabin on the down platform, which can manually control the level crossing gates adjacent to the well known Aviva Stadium, formerly Lansdowne Rd stadium which originally dated from 1872 and is apparently the oldest international stadium site in Europe which hosts both Irish soccer and rugby games. The original 1950s built 'west stand' straddled the railway line until its demolition in 2007 as part of the reconstruction of the entire stadium which was completely in 2010. At the south end of the station the line crosses the River Tolka.
In July 2005, 8500 Class DART unit, with No.8616 leading, brokedown at Lansdowne Rd, not only blocking the busy level crossing, but passengers had to exit from carriages onto the tracks beneath the stadium. After a long wait, passengers finally exit from the failed DART carriges onto the tracks beneath Lansdowne Rd stadium. The rear two carriages belong to an 8200 Class set, a class of DART which now remains out of use at Fairview Depot. The failed 8500 Class DART unit, blocking Lansdowne Rd level crossing. The crossing here was automated as part of the DART electrification scheme in 1983. 8500 Class DART No.8612 passes beneath the stadium and into Lansdowne Rd station on a service to Greystones. The 1950s built stand in the background was gradually been demolished as part of the redevelopment of the stadium, known now as the 'Aviva'.
No.8611 is the trailing unit on this 4-car 8500 Class set to Greystones. Built by Tokyu Car Corporation in Yokohama, Japan, they were delivered to Irish Rail in 2001. Ex 1947 built Northern Counties Commitee WT 2-6-4 tank engine No.4 approaches Lansdowne Rd from the north with a Railway Preservation Society of Ireland 'Seabreeze' special to Greystones. The West Stand at Lansdowne Rd stadium, as viewed from the up platform at the station, durings its demolition. Various cranes at diggers at to be seen at Lansdowne Rd stadium during its demolition, which was completed in 2007, with the new 'Aviva' stadium opening in May 2010.
The eastern approach to the level crossing at Lansdowne Rd Station. Nowadays the area to the right has been opened up to accommodate the 'Aviva' stadium. The single storey Dublin Wicklow Wexford Railway brick station building at Lansdowne Rd, as viewed from the level crossing. The building is located on the up platform. The 1871 built DWWR signal cabin is located at the north end on the down platform, adjacent to the level crossing. It is a gatebox now, and can still manually control the automated crossing gates. The concrete supports for the new West Stand at Lansdowne Rd stadium, with the railway visible to the right.
The Irish Rial name board at Lansdowne Rd Station, opened in July 1870.