Rosslare Harbour

Rosslare Harbour, on the southern coast of Co.Wexford, was first served by rail when the Great Southern & Western Railway opened a line from what was to be the harbour to Wexford town in 1882. A delay in construction led to the GSWR's line been closed for just over 20 years, when until Great Western Railway of Britain, in conjunction with the GSWR, opened the proper Rosslare Harbour on the 30th August 1906, along with the construction of the GSWR's Rosslare to Waterford and Cork line, allowing mails from Fishguard to reach the trans-Atlantic liners at Cobh. Originally Rosslare Harbour Station was located on a berth from land, accessed only by a wrought iron railway bridge. In the 1970s and 1980s land reclamation and the expansion of the harbour removed this feature, though some of the bridge supports remain.

In September 1989 however, the station was relocated further inland, and a new purpose built building, with booking facilities and covered gangways to the ships was opened. The station only had one platform, with the run around loop and servicing been provided at the original 1906 station further south. The modern 1989 station was closed in 2008 and was replaced by a basic single platform nearer inland. Rosslare Harbour retains its turntable for steam loco hauled trains. The signal cabin was destroyed by fire in 1997, with hand signalling been used from then on. Today however the line is controlled by Centralised Traffic Control at Dublin Connolly.
141 Class locomotive No.170 stands at Rosslare Harbour station having arrived on the 'Boat Train' railtour from Limerick. The station seen here dated from June 1989, and was recently replaced by a much basic station in 2008. No.170 is seen again at Rosslare Harbour having run around the 1960s built craven coaches for the return railtour to Limerick. No.170 has since been withdrawn and scrapped. A pair of 141 Class locos stand at the southern end of Rosslare Harbour, prior to shunting out an Irish Railway Record Society tour from Dublin. In this view can be seen the large sea wall. The original 1906 built harbour station was sited around the sharp bend. Locos Nos.144+147 stand at Rosslare Harbour prior to departing north with the return IRRS special to Dublin. Built in 1962 by General Motors at la Grange Illinois, USA, these locos have also since been withdrawn from Irish Rail service, along with the Mk2 coaching stock behind them.
Rosslare Harbour signal cabin was burnt down in 1997, afterwhich the station was hand signalled. These semaphores protected the loop at the north end of the station. Part of the filled in bridge parapets which once connected the mainland with the 1906 built station is visible in the background. Two Luas tram intermediate cars are seen been hauled away from Rosslare Harbour heading for the depot in Tallaght in west Dublin. An original GSWR bench at Rosslare Harbour, which was moved from the original 1906 built station to the newly 1989 constructed one. The new basic Rosslare Habour Station, dating from 2008; it has just one platform with no station buildings. 2800 Class railcar No.2808 stands with an IRRS special from Dublin.
No.2818, complete with headboard, stands at the north end of Rosslare Harbour with an IRRS special to Waterford, which would traverse the now closed South Wexford line. On the right is a former concrete road overbridge, built in 1906 as part of the harbour's reconstruction, and removed in 1994. Railcar No.2818 is viewed from the hill overlooking the harbour at Rosslare. The trackbed of the former line leading to the disused 1989 built station can be seen diverging to the left behind the single platform. Another elevated view of Rosslare Harbour, with the now basic station visible below the N25 road . The trackbed leading to the 1989 station can clearly be seen. The disused 1989 built station at Rosslare Harbour. Although the track was removed in 2008, the level crossing gates remain. The modern buildings are still used by road users. The nearer dilapidated short platform belonged to Rosslare Harbour Mainland Station, which served as a temporary terminus until completion of 1989 station.
The 1906 concrete built two road locomotive shed at Rosslare Harbour, dating from Great Southern & Western Railway days. The shed was taken out of use in the 1970s. In the foreground is the run around loop for the station. An elevated view of the former locomotive shed at Rosslare Harbour, now used by road vehicles. Adjacent to the shed is the old steam locomotive turntable. The locomotive turntable at the southern end of Rosslare Harbour. The table remains in use to turn steam locos operating on the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland tours.