Merrion

Merrion, in Dublin City's southern suburbs, once had its own station on the main Dublin to Rosslare line. The station was opened shortly after the completion of the line to Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) in 1834. The Dublin & Wicklow & Wexford Railway, which had taken over the Dublin & Kingstown Railway company, closed Merrion in 1862, but was reopened in 1882, acquiring at the same time a single storey brick station building on the up platform, and waiting shelter on the down platform. It closed in 1901, but was reopened again in 1928 by the Great Southern Railway, but for only six years. The 1871 DWWR built signal cabin was located at the north end of the station adjacent to the notoriously busy level crossing. The cabin was reduced to a gate box in 1936 after the GSR introduced automatic signals, and survived until 1984 when crossing was automated for the DART electrification. The station building, located on the R118, survives as private residence, but the up & down platforms have been demolished.
The 1882 built Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railway's station building at Merrion, located on the former up platform. It was built after the station reopened having been first closued in 1862. The station building at Merrion, a familiar sight to road users on the main R118. The station was closed in 1934 by the Great Southern Railway, but retained its signal cabin until 1984 for controlling the adjacent level crossing. This is the infamous level crossing at the north end of the former station at Merrion, one of the busiest crossings in the country. It was converted to automatic barriers in 1984 as part of the DART electrification. The 1871 built DWWR signal cabin once stood where the relay boxes are now located. Largely reduced to a gate box in 1936 by the GSR, it survived until 1984 when the crossing was automated.
The level crossing at Merrion is located at an awkward junction between the busy R118 and R131 roads in Dublin City's southern suburbs. Some of the original 1983 warning signs for the DART wires remain at this location. In the background can be seen the station. The R131 road which passes by the Sandymount area in Dublin. In the background is the level crossing and former station. Over the years various additional warning signs as be added for road users, such as a portable LED screen.