Mullingar

Mullingar, county town of Westmeath, was first served by rail when the Midland Great Western Railway opened their mainline from Dublin to here in 1848. The MGWR then extended their Galway line west from Mullingar to Athlone, while the town of Sligo had to wait until its construction to Longford in 1855, and Sligo itself in 1862. Galway & Mayo line services were diverted via Portlarlington on the rival Great Southern & Western's mainline from Dublin after 1973, with the last scheduled train traversing the Mullingar to Athlone line in 1987. This line was used by freight and ballast movements up until the late 1990s, but today only engineering trains have traversed it in recent years.

Mullingar Station is of a 'V' shaped design, with the station buildings, complete with original canopies located in the centre, along with the large signal cabin, one of original three in Mullingar. The Sligo side of the station retains its up & down platforms, along with a bay for commuter trains. In 2003 the complex trackwork at the east end of the station where the Athlone line diverges was rationalised and now only the disused up platform on the Galway side of the station can be of use, the down line having been turned into a siding. The former loco sheds and turntable at the western yard in Mullingar is now used by the RPSI coach department. Even further west can be found the engineers track & ballast loading point adjacent to the semi-disused Athlone line.
071 Class locomotive No.072 runs into Mullingar Station with a Dublin to Sligo train in 2003, consisting of Mk2 stock, which have since been displaced by railcars. The Athlone platforms at the western side of Mullingar Station, seen in 2003 before the station was rationalised during the replacement of the mechanical signalling. These platforms last saw regular passenger use in 1987. The complex double track junction at the eastern end of Mullingar Station, as it was in 2003. This view is looking towards Dublin, where the Sligo and Athlone lines part company. The junction has since been rationalised. The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland have a base at the western end of Mullingar yard, where a rather rusty looking ex Great Northern Railway coal tender is seen stored in 2003.
An ex CIE Park Royal designed coach, seen under restoration in the old locomotive shed at Mullingar, which is now used as a carriage base for the RPSI. The early 1960s vintage Park Royals were the widest carriages to operate in Ireland. The large Midland Great Western Railway style signal cabin at Mullingar, located at the east end of the station between the Sligo and Athlone lines. Today the cabin remains largely redundant following the replacement of manual signalling on the Sligo line. The track layout at Mullingar Station, as it was in 2003. The complex junction at the east end of the station has been much simplified. The large and impressive lever frame within Mullingar signal cabin, as it was in 2003. The cabin was one of two in the area, the second known was 'Mullingar No.2 Cabin' was located out the Athlone line.
071 Class loco No.088 is seen in charge of a midday Dublin to Sligo service, awaiting departure at the north end of Mullingar Station. No.088 entered service with CIE in July 1977. Dating from 1962, 141 Class loco No.155 is seen stabled at the disused Athlone line platforms at Mullingar Station with a rake of Guinness kegs, operating on the Sligo to Dublin freight liner train, which has unfortunately since ceased. The flat wagons loaded with Guinness kegs at the western end of Mullingar Station. The locomotive No.155 on this train, was eventually withdrawn and scrapped in November 2006. The old locomotive shed at Mullingar yard, located just west of the passenger station. In the foreground is the well of the turntable, which remains operational for turning RPSI steam locomotives.
The loco shed in Mullingar yard is now used as base for the RPSI, working on their fleet of vintage carriages. The large buildings attached to the shed once accommodated Midland Great Western Railway offices and railway staff. The vintage water tank and column, located on the disused down Athlone line platform at Mullingar Station. The tank is no longer used by steam locomotives. This is the western approach to Mullingar Station, from the disused Athlone line. Mechanical signalling is still retained here in this area of the station, nowadays mainly for accessing the yard and turntable. A view looking towards Athlone from the western end of Mulliungar yard, showing the disused and overgrown track. The semaphore signal seen here is the down starter in the Athlone direction, which has not operated for many years.
Located just west of Mullingar yard on the Athlone line was a track loading depot, constructed by the Midland Great Western Railway following WW1. Today, the depot appears to be little used apart from storing materials. This is the unusually designed crane, which during MGWR days, was used for loading prefabricated track panals onto permanent way trains. Up to the late 1980s the yard at Mullingar was notorious for the storing of withdrawn rolling stock. Here is a redundant ballast cleaner, No.780 dating from 1979, seen dumped in the yard in 2006. Adjacent to the track depot is the stone base of the former Mullingar signal cabin No.2, which controlled the western approaches to the station.
Another view of the disused line to Athlone at the western end of Mullingar Station. Only some of the tracks at this end of the station are partly maintained. Approaching Mullingar Station from the east is a Railway Preservation Society of Ireland tour from Enfield, which was operating as part of the Heritage Railway Association's visit to Ireland. Ex Great Southern & Western Railway J15 0-6-0 No.186, built at Inchicore Works in Dublin in 1879, is seen on the disused Athlone line at the western end of Mullingar Station, prior to turning around in the yard. No.186 has been turned on the turntable in Mullingar yard and heads back to the station prior to forming the return RPSI special to Dublin. These were the numerious type of steam locomotives to operate in Ireland, amounting to 111 such engines. No.186 was withdrawn by CIE in 1963.
A 29000 Class diesel railcar is seen approaching Mullingar from Dublin with an afternoon service for Sligo. The line from Athlone joins can be seen joining from the right. 29000 Class No.29128 passes the state coach No.351 as it arrives at the down platform at Mullingar Station with service to Sligo. The state coach was built by the GSWR at Inchicore, Dublin, in 1902. The vintage pre 1925 Midland Great Western Railway platform signs, such as the 'way out' sign seen here on the up platform, remains directing passengers to the subway at Mullingar Station. Another diesel railcar, this time of the 'Intercity' type, is seen at Mullingar Station. 22000 Class No.22246 is on a service to Dublin.
The 1970s construction bagged cement and fertliser store at Mullingar Station, located adjacent to the former freight yard, which is now a car park. Freight traffic was handled here until 2000/1. Modern IE nameboard at Mullingar Station, the town of which translates strangely to the 'short/left-handed mill'. The sign below warns of speeding trains, very unlikely however at this very sharply curved station. Restored to their deliveried 1962 CIE 'black & tan' livery, 141 Class locomotives Nos.B141+B142, stand at Mullingar Station with the RPSI's 'Diesel Do' railtour from Dublin to Longford, consisting of the vintage steam heated coaching stock. The 141 Class leader, No.B141, is seen complete with oil lamps, at the head of the RPSI's 'Diesel Do' railtour at Mullingar. Built by General Motors at La Grange Illinois, USA, B141 entered CIE service in December 1962.
Another General Motors built loco, but dating from 1976, is represented by 071 Class loco No.078, seen at the head of an Irish Traction Group railtour at Mullingar Station, operating from Dublin to Sligo. Loco No.078 is seen again at Mullingar, this time in the evening having returned from Sligo. The ITG special consisted of the RPSI's vintage ex CIE coaching stock, painted in the 1950s green livery. In black & silvery livery, 071 Class loco No.073 stands at the east end of Mullingar Station while on railtour duties, this being the RPSI's 'Best of Both' diesel railtour from Arklow to Mullingar. No.073 is seen east of Mullingar as it rounds the curves while following the Royal Canal back towards Dublin with the return RPSI 'Best of Both' railtour, formed again of the vintage ex CIE coaching stock.
An earlier scene sees No.073 standing at the disused Athlone line platforms at the station, having collected of 1960s built Craven buffet coach from the RPSI's carriage base at Mullingar. An old CIE 1950s scene in Mullingar Station, a locations which still retains much of its Midland Great Western Railway heritage. Nowadays much of the levers within Mullingar signal cabin are painted white, indicating that they no longer function following the replacement of the mechancial signalling on the Sligo line with modern Centralised Traffic Control from Connolly Station in Dublin City. Ex GSWR J15 Class 0-6-0 No.186 makes another visit to Mullingar, seen having arrived on an RPSI 'Trinity' special from Dublin. The loco is seen having been coupled prior to running around.
No.186, dating from 1879, stands at the disused Athlone line platforms having taken on water at Mullingar Station prior to returning to Dublin. For the occasion the loco is fitted with a special 'Trinity Express' headboard. No.186 was unable to be turned on the turntable in Mullingar and so will work the 'Trinity' special tender first back to Dublin. The train is seen stabled in the bay platform on the north side of Mullingar Station. 22000 Class diesel railcar No.22232 leaves Mullingar Station with an afternoon Sligo to Dublin service, while No.186 awaits departure time in the bay platform. No.186 is seen running tender first on the return 'Trinity' special to Dublin, seen approaching the N52 road bridge outside Mullingar. The train was formed of the 1960s era Craven built stock.