Sandycove

Sandycove & Glasthule, to give its full title, is located within Dublin's southern suburbs south of Dun Laoghaire on the Rosslare line. The line through Sandycove was original built in 1817 as a horse drawn tram route, used to carry stone from Dalkey Quarry through to Dun Laoghaire Harbour. In 1844, the trackbed of the tramway, by then no longer in existence was converted into the revolutionary Atmospheric system, which operated from Dalkey to Dun Laoghaire. This was converted to conventional railway operation by the Dublin & Wicklow Railway in 1854, who in the following year provided a station at Sandycove, consisting of up and down platforms, accessed by ramps leading from the adjacent road overbridge at Summerhill Rd. Unusually the station building was located above the tracks. This structure was largely replaced by a more modern building in the 1960s by CIE. Sandycove is located within the southern end of the narrow cutting from Dun Laoghaire, and is only provided with basic narrow platform shelters. A new lift shaft was constructed on the up platform during the suburban upgrade. At the south end of the up platform was also the 1900 built DWWR signal cabin, replaced by a Dublin South Eastern structure in 1923, and taken out of use in 1926.
2600 Class railcar No.2612 heads the 13:05 Dublin to Rosslare train out of the cutting and into Sandycove Station. Note the incorrect destination blind for Manulla Junction in Co.Mayo! 8100 Class DART No.8128 arrives at Sandycove Station with a northbound service to Malahide, as viewed from the down platform ramp. Behind 8128 is the recently installed lift shaft. No.8127 approaches Sandycove Station with a northbound service to Howth, which is about to commence its travel over the concrete slab track laid between here and Dun Laoghaire in 1982. No.8329 heads away from Sandycove Station and into the cutting towards Dun Laoghaire with a northbound service to Malahide. Note the brace between the rails, as well as the adjacent CTC signalling equipment.
8500 Class DART No.8601 heads away from Sandymount with a northbound service to Howth. The faint red line painted on the cutting wall indicates to railway workers where not to stand as the ground is uneven by the original rock surface, a safety feature implemented in the early 1980s. 8100 Class DART No.8303 arrives at Sandycove Station with an afternoon southbound service to Bray. Since this views were taken, the slab track on the down line has been removed. Two DART pass each other at Sandycove Station. No.8612, now sporting its 'DART 25' logo heads north, while 8638 arrives with a southbound service to Bray. Ex Great Southern & Western J15 0-6-0 No.198, pauses at Sandycove Station with a southbound service to Bray in the mid 1950s. In the background is the original station building. The Park Royal built coaches seen here were not withdrawn until 1994. ©J.C.W Halliday
Another steam locomotive is seen a passing Sandycove, Ex LMS NCC WT 2-6-4 tank No.4, runs bunker first as it takes the curves through the station with the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's 'Kingstown Special'. The original gable end wall of the D&WR stone built station building at Sandycove is seen here. The small shop, no longer open, occupied the western end of the structure. A newer gentler graded ramp was recently constructed adjacent to the original down platform ramp at Sandycove Station, seen here. An array of railway paraffinalia attached to the cutting wall at the north end of the up platform at Sandycove Station. The mirror is one of the newer smaller types installed at DART stations.
Dublin Wicklow & Wexford Railway era mile post, and a modern Irish Rail type, both measured from further north at Westland Row (now Pearse) are seen on the down platform at Sandycove Station. Modern IE nameboard at Sandycove Station. Some detail of the original 1855 construction material is seen in the form of large sandstone blocks, some of which was native to this area.