Malahide

Malahide, North Co.Dublin, is located on the Dublin to Belfast main line, which had opened as far as Drogheda in May 1844 by the Dublin & Drogheda Railway. The present station at Malahide was built entirely by the Great Northern Railway after 1876, who constructed a typical yellow brick station building on the down platform, designed by W.H Mills, as well as the footbridge and signal cabin on the up platform. There's also the typical GNR style station masters house adjacent to the car park. All of these are well maintained and the station building retains its original canopy. In 2000, Malahide became the second northern terminus of Dublin's electrified DART service, and located at the south end of the station are two stabling sidings for these trains. The signal cabin was taken out of use in the late 1990s. North of Malahide the railway line crosses the large Broadmeadow Estuary on a causeway and viaduct, constructed from stone abstracted from the old quarry south of the station site.
Seen in its original livery, 8100 Class DART No.8117 approaches the up platform at Malahide Station prior to forming a southbound afternoon service to Bray. In lashing rain, 071 Class locomotive No.072 climbs the gradient on the northern approach to Malahide Station with the loaded ore train from the Tara Mines near Navan, to Dublin Port. On the same day, 201 Class loco No.209 in its original 'Enterprise' livery, approaches Malahide Station with the 13:20 Dublin to Belfast express. Refurbished 8100 Class DART No.8125 stands at the northern end of Malahide Station having arrived on a service from Greystones. These units were originally built by Linke Hoffman Busche of German in 1983.
201 class loco No.230 approaches Malahide from the south with the 13:20 'Enterprise' from Dublin to Belfast, while stabled in the quarry siding is 8100 Class DART No.8102, awaiting its next turn of duty 2600 Class diesel railcar No.2615 leads a long 8-car afternoon commuter service from Dublin to Drogheda, which calls at all stations north of Malahide. No.2615 entered service with Irish Rail in May 1995 as part of the 'Arrow' commuter brand. No.2614 is seen on the rear of this 2600 Class railcar set at Malahide Station while operating from Dublin to Drogheda. This unit carries its original front end 'Commuter' livery of 2002. Seen having been recently painted in the new 'Enterprise' livery, Northern Ireland Railway's 201 Class loco No.8208 heads the 13:20 service from Dublin to Belfast through Malahide Station.
The doyen of the 071 Class locomotives, No.071, heads the 12:20 loaded zinc ore train from the Tara Mines near Navan to Alexandra Road in Dublin Port. No.071 entered service in May 1977. French built De Dietrich 'Enteprise' trailer No.9003 leads the southbound 12:30 Belfast to Dublin express on the approach to Malahide Station, propelled by 201 Class loco No.233 at the rear. Japanese built 2600 Class railcar No.2614 is seen again at Malahide, this time leaded a southbound stopping service from Drogheda to Dublin. 071 Class loco No.076 accelerates through Malahide Station with the 50 ton bogey bulk cement wagons, heading from the cement works at Platin to Dublin's North Wall yard.
Sister loco No.077, dating from 1976, leads a rake of empty 4-wheel hopper wagons, used for conveying ballast, through Malahide Station. These trains were usually accompanied by the yellow painted guards vans seen here. CAF Spanish built 29000 Class railcar No.29118 leads a southbound afternoon service from Drogheda into Malahide, bound for Dublin's Pearse Station. Loco No.076 is seen again at Malahide, this time bringing a rake of 1960s vintage 4-wheel bulk cement wagons from Platin to Dublin. This cement traffic has since been withdrawn and the nicknamed 'bubble' wagons scrapped. In silver & black livery, No.080 stands on the down line at Malahide Station while awaiting a clear signal south towards Dublin with the 'bubble' cement wagons from Platin, near Drogheda, to the North Wall yard in Dublin.
A 4-car 8500 Class DART awaits departure from Malahide Station with a southbound service to Greystones, with unit No.8605 trailing. 071 Class loco No.074 takes the 1977 built bogey bulk cement wagons from Platin through Malahide. These wagons also worked to Tullamore until the service was withdrawn in 2009. 207 Class loco No.207 'River Boyne' speeds through the colourful Malahide Station with an afternoon 'Enterprise' service from Dublin to Belfast. No.207 entered service in April 1995. This is the viaduct across the Broadmeadow Estuary just north of Malahide Station, prior to its collapse in August 2009. 29000 Class railcar No.29105 crosses the viaduct on a Drogheda to Dublin service.
071 Class loco No.075 trundles across the viaduct north of Malahide with the heavily loaded ore train from the Tara Mines to Dublin Port. No.075 has yet to have its front end Irish Rail logos applied. Freshly repainted ex-works 071 Class loco No.083 takes the empty rake of ore wagons from Dublin Port through Malahide Station heading for the Tara Mines near Navan. Having received a clear signal, 071 Class loco No.076, pulls its train onto the viaduct across the fast flowing Broadmeadow Estuary on a thoroughly dull day. 'Enterprise' DVT No.9001 leads the 12:30 service from Belfast to Dublin on the approach to Malahide. The original 1844 built viaduct here was wooden, but was rebuilt as a lattice structure with stone piers in 1860. The lattice piers were later replaced by the present concrete decking in 1966, though the piers were not rebuilt.
On the 21/8/09, thirteen days after this photo was taken, one of the eleven stones piers (the forth furthest in this view) collapsed completely just as a commuter train was traversing the structure, after which all train services came to a halt. The viaduct, seen after the collapse of one of the 1860 built stone piers. Fortunately no train traversed the then damaged structure, which could have easily resulted in a serious accident. The up & down lines are seen suspended precariously above the breach. ©Gavin Tobin This is the new bridge pier underconstruction at the viaduct across the Broadmeadow Estuary. The pier and decking was consturcted of modern concrete. ©Barry Pickup In order to rebuild the section of viaduct, a new causeway for construction vehicles was built along the down side of the railway line, seen here. Two lorries are seen depositing stones beneath the other piers. ©Barry Pickup
A 4-car 29000 Class railcar heads across the rebuilt Broadmeadow viaduct north of Mallahide, with a Drogheda to Dublin service. The new concrete pier and decking is contrasted against the other 1960s built sections. ©Barry Pickup Ex Great Southern & Western Railway J15 0-6-0 No.186, built at Inchicore Works in Dublin in 1879, approaches Malahide Station with southbound Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's 'Steam Enterprise' special from Belfast. A test train formed of the 'Enterprise' stock crawls slowly towards the reinstated viaduct across the Broadmeadow Estuary north of Malahide Station. Northern Ireland Railway's 111 Class loco No.8113 approaches Malahide Station with a rake of ex British Rail built Mk2 stock, operated by the RPSI.
With the cranes and construction paraphernalia associated with the rebuilding of Malahie viaduct still visible in the background, 2800 Class railcar No.2804 approaches the station with a Drogheda to Dublin service. The fine Great Northern Railway's yellow brick station building at Malahide, location on the down platform, designed by the GNR's architect W.H Mills. The GNR cast iron column supports at Malahide Station, dating from the 1870s, complete with the company's initials. Malahide Station, viewed from the station forecourt. On the left is the attractive grand wooden porch entrance. Several of these buildings, both on contemporary and disused lines, remain.
The GNR waiting room/shelter at Malahide Station, one of a few still in use on the Irish Rail rail network. The GNR footbridge at Malahide. This cast iron bridge was originally located at Castlebellingham Station, Co.Louth, but was moved here in the 1970s. The GNR signal cabin, located on the up platform at Malahide, now painted in suburban grey colours. The cabin retains its original wooden gable end boards, along with the name board. Goods trains served Malahide Station right up until the early 1970s. In the car park is a reminder of this former activity; the buffer stop belonging to the single siding at the station.