Rathdrum

Rathdrum, located in the spectacular scenery of Co.Wicklow, was first served by rail when the Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railway opened their line south from Wicklow to here in July 1863. In 1861, prior to the completion of the tall stone viaduct over the River Avondale and the cuttings at the north end of the station, trains had terminate at a temporary terminus further north at Kilcommon. Rathdrum Station is located in a deep cutting, and space was quite limited, needless to say a goods shed and yard was built on the down side of the station, while the up platform side has a rock face at either end. Perched above Rathdrum Station is the DWWR's own railway hotel, opened in 1863 with the station and out of use since 1931 when the Great Southern Railway closed it, remains albeit derelict.
Rathdrum Station retains its now redundant DWWR signal cabin, located in an elevated position adjacent to the station footbridge, which replaced a collapsed bridge in 1876. The goods shed also remains, it has been out of use following closure of the goods yard in 1963. An engineers siding, known as the 'Wood Siding', is located at the south end of the station prior to Rathdrum tunnel, 190 yards long.
141 Class locomotives Nos.147+144 stand at the south end of Rathdrum Station with an Irish Railway Record Society tour to Rosslare. Both these locos have since been withdrawn from service. Rathdrum, looking south towards Rosslare from the station footbridge. The old Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railway goods shed can be seen in the left background, disused since March 1964. Rathdrum, looking north towards Dublin. Much of the station is located within a rocky cutting, with a pedestrian ramp leading down from road level. A view looking north towards Dublin at Rathdrum's down platform. In this view is the Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railway style signal cabin, located in an elevated position adjacent to the footbridge.
Detail of the 1886 built DWWR footbridge at Rathdrum Station. This replaced an earlier one that had callapsed under strain of a large crowd in 1873. The small McKenzie & Halland lever frame within the 1888 built Rathdrum signal cabin. The cabin has since been made redundant following the replacement of mechanical signalling on the Rosslare line. A Dublin South Eastern Railway lattice style semaphore signal post, located at the end of the down platform at Rathdrum Station. These pre-1925 signals have been replaced by colour lights. The northern end of Rathdrum Station was controlled by another semaphore signal which utilises a pre-1925 DSER lattice post, the loop arm is a later CIE addtion.
The northern approach to Rathdrum Station is marked by this tall 1863 built viaduct across the Avondale River, known as the Corballis Viaduct. Rathdrum's name board, complete with porter trolley. In the background the industrial unit marks the site of the one time goods yard on the down side of the station.