Sallins

Sallins, Co.Kildare, is located on the main Great Southern & Western Railway's 1840s built line from Dublin to Cork. Sallins was also once the junction for the 34 mile branchline to Tullow, which opened in stages in 1885 and 1886. The long branch was never heavily used and was closed to regular passenger and goods traffic in 1947. The line to Tullow remained open however for occasional cattle specials before finally closing completely in April 1959. The branch diverged just south of the station beyond the road overbridge, and the GSWR built a large engine shed and loco facilities on the down side adjacent to the junction. A stub of the branch remained until 1973 for the storage of redundant wagons.

Sallins Station itself was closed in 1947, but reopened in 1994 as 'Sallins & Naas' station, Naas had previously been served on the closed Tullow branch. The station retains much of its original buildings, such as its brick built station building, water tower and derelict goods shed, although both the original signal cabins, 'North' & 'South' were demolished in the 1980s following CTC signalling introduction in the late 1970s. The old station footbridge steps were incorporated into the 1994 built modern one.
In early 2002, 141 Class locomotive No.150 leads a permanent way train through Sallins Station, consisting of bogey flat wagons loaded with new concrete sleepers from Portlaoise. In the background is the disused goods shed. 201 Class loco No.232 powers a northbound Mk3 pushpull train towards Dublin through Sallins. In the background a permanent way vehicle is stabled in the siding. Since 2002, the fields surrounding the station have since been built over. Northern Ireland Railway's 111 Class locomotive No.112 'Northern Counties' approaches Sallins Station with a southbound train consisting of 1960s Craven coaches. 141 Class loco No.170, with an unidentified sister, power south through Sallins Station with a loaded Guinness keg train from Dublin to Cork. This freight service has since ceased.
001 Class loco No.021 heads a southbound freight train through Sallins Station in 1971, note the footbridge and signs, one wonders if any of these are preserved. The original name boards at Sallins also once proclaimed to passengers as the station for Tullow and Glongowes Wood College. ©Jonathan M.Allen Ex Great Northern Railway S Class 4-4-0 No.171 'Slieve Gullion' heads north through Sallins Station on the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's 'Burma Road' tour in 1971. At this time the original footbridge and station fittings survived. ©Jonathan M.Allen 29000 Class railcar No.29116 departs Sallins with a northbound service to Dublin. In the foreground is the turnout point for the crossover to the up line which gave access to the loop. It was later re-located to the south of the station. 201 Class locomotive No.232 is approaching Sallins Station with a southbound train of Mk3 stock, built by British Rail Engineering in the mid 1980s. The Mk3 stock have since been replaced by the 22000 Class diesel railcars.
Loco No.224 in Irish Rail's then new 'Intercity' livery approaches Sallins Station with a southbound Mk3 pushpull train. No.224 entered service in February 1995, with the name 'River Feale'. Viewed from the extended down platform at Sallins, Mk3 pushpull driving trailer No.6103 speeds through the station with a northbound service, propelled in the rear by 201 Class loco No.215. 29000 Class railcar No.29101 approaches Sallins with an afternoon southbound stopping service from Dublin Heuston to Kildare. The 22000s nowadays operate these services. 201 Class No.203 approaches Sallins Station from the south at speed with train a consisting of Mk3 stock. Built by General Motors as recently as 1994, this loco has since been withdrawn.
Loco No.221 propels a northbound Cork to Dublin train past the site of Sallins Junction where the former branchline from Tullow joined the mainline just south of the station. A 2-car 2700 Class diesel railcar consisting of units Nos.2715+2724, approaches Sallins from the north while operating a relief service from Dublin. No.225 'River Deel' or 'Abhainn na Daoile', rounds the curve on the northern approach to Sallins with a morning southbound Dublin to Cork express. In the background the 'down' IWT freight train from Dublin to Ballin waits patiently for No.225 to overtake. 071 Class loco No.073, built by GM in 1976, emerges slowly from the loop at the north end of Sallins with its morning freight train from North Wall, consisting of loaded container pocket wagons.
A 3-car 22000 Class railcar, No.22321, pauses at the up platform at Sallins with a stopping service from Kildare to Dublin's Heuston Station. Beside No.22321 is the steam age water tower, complete with tank. Mk4 driving trailer No.4002 leads an up express from Cork through Sallins Station, propelled in the rear by the usual 201 Class locomotive. The exterior of the 1846 built Great Southern & Western Railway station building at Sallins, located on the down side of the line. Although the building is maintained, the interior has been disused since the 1970s. An early 1970s view of the station forecourt at Sallins. The station had closed to regular passenger and goods services since 1947, although it remained an important blockpost retaining its signal cabin. ©Barry Carse
A 6-car 22000 Class railcar set, headed by No.22134, passes the GSWR style station masters house at the south end of Sallins Station with a service to Dublin. Another 22000 Class, No.22134, is seen passing the site of the former junction at Sallins, where the 1885 built line to Tullow diverged to the left. The branch line closed was completely in April 1959. An early 1970s view of the south end of Sallins, where 141 Class loco No.B143 leads an oil train from Foynes to Drogheda. The former junction bracket semaphore signal remained in situ at this time, with its missing left hand signal for the former Tullow branch, the stub of which remained as a siding protected by a ground disc mounted on the post. ©Barry Carse A permanent way vehicle approaches Sallins from the north, probably en route to the PWD depot at Kildare. Sallins 'North' signal cabin was once sited to the right until demolition in the late 1970s.
071 Class loco No.076 rumbles through Sallins with the 'up' IWT freightliner train from Ballina to Dublin, consisting of the rake of standard bogey container flat wagons. 201 Class loco No.223 is seen just north of Sallins with a morning Dublin to Cork express, consisting of the Mk4 stock. 071 Class No.073 is seen at the same location at milepost 17 near Sallins with a permanent way train from Dublin to Portlaoise, consisting of two empty bogey flats and six loaded 4-wheel spoil wagons. The GSWR built 'Sallins North' signal cabin, located north of the station on the down side. The headshunt from the siding serving the goods shed can be seen on the right of this late 1970s photo. ©Jonathan M.Allen
Late 1970s photo of the GSWR built 'Sallins South' signal cabin, which once controlled the junction with the branch line to Tullow, the trackbed of which can be seen curving off in the background by the distant telegraph pole. ©Jonathan M.Allen The first road overbridge just south of Sallins Junction on the former Tullow branch remains, this view is looking south towards Tullow. Although the Tullow branch closed completely in 1959, a short stub of the branch south of Sallins remained to store redundant wagons until the late 1970s, which explains the appearance of the concrete buffer stop on the right, still in remarkably good condition. Close up of the manufacture's stamp on the metal section of this road overbridge on the former Tullow branch south of Sallins.
A view looking north towards Sallins from the overbridge on the former Tullow branch, with the ever expanding housing estate built on the trackbed.