Newry and Armagh Railway

Last updated

The Newry and Armagh Railway was opened in 1864 and ran until 1879.

Contents

Stations and line description

Armagh

The Newry and Armagh Railway (N&A) opened in 1864, and had its own temporary terminus just outside Armagh until it started using the Ulster Railway of Armagh railway station in 1865. [1] In 1876 the Ulster Railway became part of the new Great Northern Railway (GNR), which took over the N&A in 1879. The Government of Northern Ireland made the GNR Board close the remaining lines serving Armagh on 1 October 1957. [2] Government Minister for the Department for Regional Development, Danny Kennedy MLA indicates railway restoration plans. [3]

Hamiltonsbawn

Hamiltonsbawn railway station opened on 25 August 1864 and finally closed on 1 February 1933. [4] Hamiltonsbawn was the scene of the Armagh railway disaster which happened on 12 June 1889 near Armagh, Ulster, Ireland, when a crowded Sunday school excursion train had to negotiate a steep incline; the steam locomotive was unable to complete the climb and the train stalled. Much later at the time of closure the line was run by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland).

A disused railway bridge in Hamiltonsbawn with evidence of soot from the steam trains as used by the GNR (I). Disused Railway Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 547221.jpg
A disused railway bridge in Hamiltonsbawn with evidence of soot from the steam trains as used by the GNR (I).

Markethill

Markethill railway station opened on 25 August 1864, closed for passenger traffic on 1 February 1933 and finally closed altogether on 2 May 1955. [5] Located on the Armagh to Goraghwood section of line run by the Great Northern Railway of Ireland.

Lissummon Railway Tunnel 1,608m 1759 yd long constructed with stone with some brick in the early 1860s. [6]

Gorraghwood

Goraghwood railway station was opened on 6 March 1854 on the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway where a junction existed on the present day Belfast-Newry railway line. In 1875, the D&BJct merged with the D&B, forming the Northern Railway of Ireland. [7] In 1876 it merged with the Irish North Western Railway (INW) and Ulster Railway to form the Great Northern Railway (Ireland).

The station at Goraghwood railway station connected with the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore Railway via Newry Edward Street railway station in Newry.

By the 1950s the GNRI had ceased to be profitable and in 1953 the company was jointly nationalised by the governments of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The two governments ran the railway jointly under a Great Northern Railway Board until 1958 then being absorbed into the Ulster Transport Authority. Goraghwood was closed by the Ulster Transport Authority in 1965 closing to passengers on 15 February 1965 and previously to freight on 4 January 1965. [8] Presently trains run Northern Ireland Railways pass the closed station as well as the Enterprise.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County Armagh</span> County in Northern Ireland

County Armagh is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 1,327 km2 (512 sq mi) and has a population of 194,394 as of the 2021 census. County Armagh is known as the "Orchard County" because of its many apple orchards. The county is part of the historic province of Ulster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulster Transport Authority</span> Parastatal railway and bus operator in Northern Ireland

The Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Markethill</span> Village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland

Markethill is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is beside Gosford Forest Park. It had a population of 1,647 people in the 2011 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richhill, County Armagh</span> Village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland

Richhill is a large village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies between Armagh and Portadown. It had a population of 2,738 people in the 2021 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Northern Railway (Ireland)</span>

The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) (GNR(I) or GNRI) was an Irish gauge (1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)) railway company in Ireland. It was formed in 1876 by a merger of the Irish North Western Railway (INW), Northern Railway of Ireland, and Ulster Railway. The governments of Ireland and Northern Ireland jointly nationalised the company in 1953, and the company was liquidated in 1958: assets were split on national lines between the Ulster Transport Authority and Córas Iompair Éireann.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisburn railway station</span> Station in County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Lisburn railway station serves the city of Lisburn in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belfast–Newry line</span>

The Belfast–Newry line operates from Lanyon Place station in County Antrim to Newry in County Down, Northern Ireland. The manager for this line is based at Portadown railway station, although the line extends to the border to include the Scarva and Poyntzpass halts and Newry. Newry is on the fringe of the network, being the last stop before the border with the Republic of Ireland. The line follows the route of the northern half of the main Dublin–Belfast line, with the exception of calling at Belfast Great Victoria Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portadown railway station</span> Railway station in County Armagh, Northern Ireland

Portadown Railway Station serves the town of Portadown in County Armagh, Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newry railway station</span> Railway station in County Armagh, Northern Ireland

Newry railway station serves Newry and Bessbrook in Northern Ireland. The station is located in the northwest of Newry, County Armagh on the Dublin-Belfast line close to the Craigmore Viaduct. It is the most southerly railway station in Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knockmore railway station</span>

Knockmore railway station was a station on the Belfast–Newry railway line. The station served the suburb of Knockmore in Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The Great Northern Railway (GNR) opened Knockmore station as a halt in 1932. Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) closed the station on 25 March 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belfast Great Victoria Street railway station</span> Railway station in Belfast

Great Victoria Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is one of two major stations in the city, along with Lanyon Place, and is one of the four stations located in the city centre, the others being Lanyon Place, Botanic and City Hospital. It is situated near Great Victoria Street, one of Belfast's premier commercial zones, and Sandy Row. It is also in a more central position than Lanyon Place, with the Europa Hotel, Grand Opera House and The Crown Liquor Saloon all nearby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poyntzpass</span> Village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland

Poyntzpass is a small village on the border between southern County Armagh and County Down in Northern Ireland. It is situated in the civil parish of Ballymore and the historic barony of Orior Lower within the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon area. It had a population of 552 people in the 2011 Census. It was a part of the South Armagh constituency and is now part of the Newry and Armagh constituency.

The Portadown, Dungannon and Omagh Junction Railway (PD&O) was an Irish gauge railway in County Armagh and County Tyrone, Ulster, Ireland.

The Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway (E&BR) was an Irish gauge 5 ft 3 in railway company in north-west Ireland. It linked Bundoran and Ballyshannon on the Atlantic coast of Donegal with the Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway (L&ER) at Bundoran Junction in Fermanagh. The line was opened in 1868 and closed in 1957.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dungannon railway station</span>

Dungannon railway station served Dungannon in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castleblayney, Keady and Armagh Railway</span> Defunct railway between Counties Monaghan and Armagh, Ireland

The Castleblayney, Keady and Armagh Railway (CK&A) was an Irish gauge 5 ft 3 in railway in Ulster. It linked Armagh in County Armagh with Castleblayney in County Monaghan. The Armagh – Keady section was opened in 1909 and closed in 1957. The Castleblayney – Keady section was opened in 1910 and closed in 1924.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goraghwood railway station</span>

Goraghwood railway station was a railway station in County Armagh in Northern Ireland; it was opened in 1854 and closed in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen's Quay railway station</span>

Queen's Quay railway station served the east of Belfast in Northern Ireland. It was formerly one of the three terminus railway stations in Belfast. The others were Great Victoria Street, and York Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newry, Warrenpoint and Rostrevor Railway</span> Defunct railway in Ireland

The Newry, Warrenpoint and Rostrevor Railway (NW&RR) was a former railway line linking Newry and the port of Warrenpoint on the Carlingford Lough inlet in Ireland, and the company operating it. The railway was absorbed into the Great Northern Railway of Ireland in 1886 and the line closed in 1965.

References

  1. ↑ Hajducki, S. Maxwell (1974). A Railway Atlas of Ireland. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. map 8. ISBN   0-7153-5167-2.
  2. ↑ Baker, Michael H.C. (1972). Irish Railways since 1916. London: Ian Allan. pp. 153, 207. ISBN   0-7110-0282-7.
  3. ↑ "Kennedy has hopes for Armagh line restoration - Portadown Times". Archived from the original on 21 August 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "Hamiltonsbawn station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
  5. ↑ "Markethill station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved 3 November 2007.
  6. ↑ "Lissummon Railway tunnel" . Retrieved 30 June 2013.[ permanent dead link ]
  7. ↑ Friel, Charles P. "Railways in Craigavon". Journal of the Craigavon Historical Society. 2 (2). Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  8. ↑ "Goraghwood station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved 28 August 2007.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.