Skerries

Skerries, in north Co.Dublin, is located on the Great Northern Railway's main Dublin to Belfast line, which opened with the Dublin & Drogheda Railway's May 1844 built line to Drogheda itself. The Great Northern Railway later added a number of other buildings to the original station following its takeover in 1876, these included the GNR signal cabin located at the north end of the station on the up side, and canopies on the down platform, some of which display some fine ironwork. The brick built goods shed, complete with engineers siding and loop is located at the north end on the down side. Skerries has a subway, one of few at Irish stations, though a new modern footbridge has been constructed by the station building. The station also retains an array of original GNR passenger notices and signs. The signal cabin was made redundant in 1995 following the replacement of mechanical signalling on the Dublin to Belfast line.
29000 Class railcar No.29107 begins to move away from the up platform at Skerries Station as it forms the rear of a southbound afternoon Drogheda to Dublin service. No.29111 leads an 8-car 29000 Class railcar set on the approach to Skerries Station, operating a service from Dublin to Drogheda. With faded numerals, 071 Class locomotive No.084 arrives into Skerries while operating wrong road to access the loop at the north end of the station. The train is the empty Alexandra Rd to Tara Mines ore working. Sister loco No.074 approaches Skerries Station from the north with the rake of loaded ore wagons operating from the Tara Mines near Navan, to Dublin Port. The loop at the north end of the station is visible in the background.
On the following day, No.074 is seen again, this time at the south end of station in charge of the loaded ore train from the Tara Mines. Built by General Motors in 1976 at La Grange Illinois, USA, the loco entered service in June 1977. With its attractive front end 'Commuter' livery, 2600 Class railcar No.2614 is seen on the rear of a Dublin to Drogeda service at Skerries Station. This unit has since been repainted into the silver 'Intercity' livery, operating in Co.Cork. Loco No.084 runs through the loop at Skerries and past the disused signal cabin at the north end of station while operating the midday loaded Tara Mines to Dublin Port ore train. A 4-car 2800 Class railcar set, headed by No.2804, approaches the up platform at Skerries with a southbound Drogheda to Dublin Connolly service.
The Great Northern Railway style signal cabin at the north end of Skerries Station. The cabin was taken out of use in 1994 following the replacement of the mechanical signalling on the main Dublin to Belfast line. Behind the structure can be seen a modern Centralised Traffic Control signalling aerial. Skerries Station, looking south towards Dublin from the down platform, showing the large modern footbridge, installed in the early 2000s. The main station buildings at Skerries, dating from 1884, are located on the up side of the line. Dating from May 1844, this is the single storey station building and booking office at Skerries, located halfway along the up platform. The building retains its Great Northern era canopy. The GNR cast iron canopy supports at Skerries Station, complete with its colourful flower hanging baskets. The brackets feature the GNR initials.
The entrance to the subway from the up platform at Skerries Station. Station subways in Ireland are not common, this possibly dates from the Dublin & Drogheda Railway era (pre 1870s). The GNR station masters house opposite Skerries, a typical GNR design, though its brick has been plastered over. The old goods siding and shed at the north end of Skerries Station, as viewed from the new footbridge. The siding is nowadays used for storing engineering vehicles. Closer view of the brick built goods shed complete with canopy and siding, located on the up side of Skerries Station, possibly datng from D&DR days.
A connecting Dublin Bus service is seen outside the station, which operates between the garage here to Holmpatrick in Skerries. I have limited knowledge of buses! But I believe these are two Alexander ALX400 types.