Milltown

Milltown, a quiet location in the southern suburbs of Dublin City was first served by rail when the Dublin & Wicklow Railway built a station here in May 1860 on their 1854 built line from Bray to Harcourt St. The station had up & down platforms, with the station buildings been located on the up side adjacent to the parallel narrow road. At the north end of the station was/and still is a level crossing, and adjacent to this on the down side was Milltown signal cabin, which was abolished in 1923 when the station ceased to be a block post, it was demolished shortly after.

The Harcourt St to Bray line was originally closed by CIE in December 1958, but with having taken this short sighted decision, the line was partly reopened as a Luas line as far as Stillorgan in 2004, and to Brides Glen in 2010. The original D&WR platforms were exposed for a short period during the construction of the Luas line but were demolished to allow the building of the new station. Today, only the original platform retaining wall of the station survives on the up side. At the south end of the station the line crosses the River Dodder on the 'Nine Arches' built of Wicklow granite.
The former Milltown Station on the old Harcourt St line, showing the original Dublin & Wicklow Railway up & down platforms, looking north towards the city centre in 2002. The remains of the up platform at Milltown Station, looking south towards Bray. The main station building was once sited here, but was demolished after closure in 1959. On the up platform at Milltown Station, again looking south towards Bray. Shortly after this picture were taken the platforms were demolished to make way for the new Luas line. The 9-arched Milltown Viaduct, located south of the station. This 2002 view shows the then disused and weathered looking 1854 built structure, which crosses the River Dodder.
The trackbed on Milltown viaduct, looking south towards Bray in 2002. Note the telegraph pole still standing nearly 50 years after railway absence. The 'new' Milltown Station, still under construction, looking north towards Harcourt St. Visible on the left is the original stone platform retaining wall of the old statiion. Milltown Station/Stop, looking north towards Harcourt St, prior to reopening. In the foreground is a level crossing, which incidently was here even in railway days. This is also the site of the Dublin Wicklow Wexford Railway signal cabin, abolished in 1923 when Milltown ceased to be a blockpost. Alstom built Luas tram No.4013 arrives into Milltown Station on a southbound service to Sandyford. The tram line terminates at Stephens Green within Dublin's city centre.
No.4014 is the trailing unit on this Sandyford service leaving Milltown Station. Nowadays these units sport a yellow visibility band around the tram. A view looking south towards Bray from the Milltown Luas stop. The former up platform was originally sited here. On the right can be seen the old platform retaining wall. The restored 'Nine Arches' as Milltown Viaduct is known, having received a clean up from its derelict state in 2002.