Loughrea branch line
| Loughrea branch line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The 15:30 from Attymon Junction approaches Lynchfort level crossing near Loughrea on 10 October 1975 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other name(s) | Attymon & Loughrea Light Railway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Ceased operation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Midland Great Western Railway Great Southern Railways Córas Iompair Éireann | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | County Galway, Ireland 53°15′58″N 8°36′16″W / 53.26615°N 8.60452°W (Dunsandle station line midpoint)Coordinates: 53°15′58″N 8°36′16″W / 53.26615°N 8.60452°W (Dunsandle station line midpoint) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | Attymon Junction Loughrea | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stations | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Heavy rail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System | Córas Iompair Éireann | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | Midland Great Western Railway Great Southern Railways Córas Iompair Éireann | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1890 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closed | 1975 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line length | 8.75 miles (14.08 km) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of tracks | Single track | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Character | Secondary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Irish gauge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrification | Not electrified | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
to Galway — to Athlone & Dublin 
The Loughrea branch line was a railway line that opened in 1890 and closed in 1975. The 9 mile single track branch ran from the Attymon Junction on the Dublin to Galway main line and terminated at Loughrea. Dunsandle was the single intermediate stop. It was the last rural branch line to survive in Ireland.[1]
Services[]
The branch had five round trip passenger services at its peak in 1895. Many would be mixed passenger and freight.[1]
Locomotives and Rolling Stock[]
Steam Era[]
Pictures exist of 2-4-0 and 0-6-0 engines in use on the branch.
Dieselisation Era[]
The branch was normally operated by a CIE 611 Class with a single passenger coach. When that locomotive was unavailable for servicing or maintenance a CIE 201 Class Metropolitan-Vickers or a CIE 141 Class would normally substitute. Exceptionally a CIE 001 Class could be used.[2]
References[]
- ^ a b Shepherd, Ernie (1994). The Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland – An illustrated History. Midland Publishing Limited. pp. 43, 44, 67, 70, 118. ISBN 1-85780-008-7.
- ^ Bridge, Albert. "The Attymon Jct - Loughrea railway :: Shared Description". Geograph. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
Further reading[]
- O'Cuimin, Padraig (1972). The Baronial lines of the MGWR: Loughrea and Ballinrobe. Dublin: Transport Research Associates. ISBN 0901552003. OCLC 8346109.
 | This European rail transport related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by . |
 | This article about transport in Ireland is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by . |
- Railway lines opened in 1890
- Closed railways in Ireland
- Transport in County Galway
- Europe rail transport stubs
- Ireland transport stubs