Loo Bridge

Loo Bridge Station, Co.Kerry, was located on the September 1893 opened Great Southern & Western Railway branch line from Headford Jct, on the main line to Tralee, to the market town of Kenmare. Never a profitable line, the Kenmare branch was closed to all traffic in January 1959, with the tracks been lifted the following year. Loo Bridge Station only had one platform, and this survives along with the station building, which has been extended considerably since closure. The trackbed of the line has been turned into a narrow country lane. Adjacent to the station is an old GSWR semaphore signal and buffer stop. North of the station the line crosses the Clydagh River on a lattice girder bridge.
The former Loo Bridge Station, looking north towards Headford Jct. The 1893 built station only had one platform. At this time the structure was in a largely dilapidated state. The station building at Loo Bridge, which had been used a hostel since closure, has now been restored into a private residence, seen here. ©The Wanderer Photos Loo Bridge, looking south towards Kenmare from the north end of the station, showing the extent of the large station building here. A view looking towards Headford Jct along the fomer platform at Loo Bridge Station. The old trackbed along here has been converted into a small country lane.
A Great Southern & Western Railway semaphore signal adjacent to Loo Bridge station, it appears to have been a distant signal at one time. A GSWR buffer stop, belonging to the former goods siding at Loo Bridge, remains in situ at the south end of the station. This is a metal girder bridge, located just north of Loo Bridge Station. The bridge has been converted to road use. A side view of this metal girder bridge, spanning the Clydagh River just north of Loo Bridge Station.
The builders plate on the River Clydagh bridge, just north of Loo Bridge Station. ©The Wanderer Photos The southern approach to Loo Bridge Station, looking north towards Headford Jct. On the right is the R569 road to Kenmare, which the railway once crossed via a level crossing. ©The Wanderer Photos Between Loo Bridge and Kilgarvan there is much evidence of the former Kenmare railway branch. This is a small stone built culvert bridge located alongside the R569 road to Kenmare.