Swinford

Swinford, Co.Mayo, was one of the larger towns to be served by the Waterford Limerick & Western Railway's built line from Claremorris to Collooney and Sligo, which opened in October 1895 to relieve poverty in this sparsely populated area. The 'Burma Rd' as its known, lost its passenger service in June 1963, but remained in use for goods until November 1975. Since closure the line has remained in situ, though abandoned. The route is part of the Western Rail Corridor scheme, but whether it will reopen in the future remains uncertain.
Swinford Station itself consists of up & down platforms, with main station building on the down side, and waiting shelter, water tower and brick built signal cabin on the up side. The large goods shed, complete with wooden canopy, and overgrown goods platform survives. Point rodding, signal posts and even one or two shunt signals also remain on site.
The disused Swinford Station, looking south towards Claremorris. The building on the left is now a private residence. Beyond it can be seen the goods shed. The large Great Southern & Western Railway station building at Swinford, located on the up platform. The building dates from the opening of the line in October 1895. The ivy covered roofless waiting shelter survives on the disused down platform at Swinford Station. It has not seen a regular passenger since June 1963. The water tower, complete with tank and step ladder, remains in situ at the north end of Swinford Station.
Swinford Station, looking south towards Claremorris from the up platform. In this view is the former signal cabin and disused passing loop. The 1890s GSWR brick built signal cabin at Swinford, now boarded up and looking quite derelict. The cabin is located at the south end of the station. The large stone built goods shed at Swinford, located at the south end of the station on the up side of line. It last saw use in November 1975. A view of the good shed from the loading bank at the south end of the structure, where the yard office was located. Part of the base for the one time crane can be seen. The wooden awning over the road side of the building also remains.
The southern approach to the forlorn looking Swinford Station, looking north towards Collooney, showing the main station buildings. The station was a regular passing place for the up & down goods trains until the line closed in 1975. Part of a now rusty small ground signal remains at the south end of Swinford Station. The track in the foreground was used by trains to access the goods yard on the right. This is the double arched rail overbridge at the north end of Swinford Station, where the line crosses the main N26 road through the town. The double arched rail overbridge at Swinford, as viewed from the N26 road. A small river passes beneath the shorter right hand arch.
Bullhead rail, which the 'Burma Rd' (Claremorris-Colllooney line) consists almost entirely of. This is the section of track on the N26 bridge. The pre-1925 rail chair has the Great Southern & Western Railway initials. Semaphore signal post, complete with ladder and lamp at the south end of Swinford Station, it could almost be mistaken as a tree! One of the 1960s CIE whistle board signs, located just north of Swinford on the disused line. The driver would sound the loco horn when passing the board on the approach to a nearby level crossing. This type of sign is still used today on the current rail system.