RAILSCOT | Great Northern and Western Railway

Great Northern and Western Railway

Introduction

The route of this former railway company is still open between Athlone [MGWR] and Westport.

Dates

/ /1857	Great Northern and Western Railway Incorporated. Backed by Lord Lucan and managed from London.
/ /1859	Great Northern and Western Railway Act authorises Castlerea to Castlebar.
/ /1859	Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Deviation Act for the 1857 Sligo branch Act, for avoidance of mid-Roscommon (Great Northern and Western Railway territory).
/ /1860	Great Northern and Western Railway Opened from Athlone [MGWR] (Midland Great Western Railway) to Roscommon.
/ /1860	Great Northern and Western Railway Extended from Roscommon to Castlerea.
/ /1861	Great Northern and Western Railway Extended from Castlerea to Ballyhaunis.
/ /1861	Great Northern and Western Railway Act authorises Castlebar to Westport Quay.
/ /1862	Great Northern and Western Railway Extended from Ballyhaunis to Claremorris and Castlebar.
/ /1862	Ballina Branch (Great Northern and Western Railway) Act authorises Ballina branch.
/ /1862	Great Northern and Western Railway Work on Westport extension commenced.
/ /1866	Great Northern and Western Railway Line extended from Castlebar to Westport.
/ /1868	Ballina Branch (Great Northern and Western Railway) Manulla Junction (Great Northern and Western Railway) to Foxford opened.
/ /1873	Ballina Branch (Great Northern and Western Railway) Extended from Foxford to Ballina.
19/11/1873	Great Northern and Western Railway Line extended from Westport to Westport Quay.
/ /1879	Great Northern and Western Railway Athlone to Roscommon doubled.
/ /1889	Great Northern and Western Railway Westport Quay sees only seasonal use.
/ /1890	Claremorris and Swinford Railway Collooney and Swinford Railway Light railway companies created for the Waterford and Limerick Railway to complete from Claremorris (Great Northern and Western Railway)to Sligo Collooney Junction (Midland Great Western Railway). Initially proposed by the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway.
01/07/1890	Great Northern and Western Railway Absorbed by Midland Great Western Railway.
/ /1892	Great Northern and Western Railway Claremorris rebuilding commences, enlarging the station from one platform to have a loop and sidings.
/ /1892	Ballinrobe and Claremorris Light Railway Line opened from Claremorris (Great Northern and Western Railway) to Ballinrobe.
/ /1893	Killala Extension (Great Northern and Western Railway) Line opened from Ballina (Ballina Branch (Great Northern and Western Railway)) to Killala.
/ /1894	Great Northern and Western Railway Claremorris further expanded in anticipation of the Waterford and Limerick Railway supported Claremorris to Sligo route opening.
/ /1894	Westport and Mullaranny Railway Railway opened from Westport (former Great Northern and Western Railway) to Newport [Mayo] and Mullaranny [1st].
/ /1894	Athenry and Tuam Extension to Claremorris Railway Opened from Tuam (Athenry and Tuam Railway) to temporary terminus at Claremorris South near the Great Northern and Western Railway.
/ /1895	Claremorris and Swinford Railway Collooney and Swinford Railway Sligo branch of the Waterford and Limerick Railway opened from Claremorris South terminus (Athenry and Tuam Extension to Claremorris Railway) to Claremorris (Great Northern and Western Railway) and on to Collooney Junction (Midland Great Western Railway), Sligo.
/ /1912	Great Northern and Western Railway Closed to regular traffic.
/ /1930	Great Northern and Western Railway Athlon West Junction to Knockcroghery singled.
/ /1931	Killala Extension (Great Northern and Western Railway) Regular trains withdrawn.
/ /1931	Great Northern and Western Railway Knockcroghery to Roscommon singled.
/ /1934	Killala Extension (Great Northern and Western Railway) Line closed.
/ /1952	Great Northern and Western Railway Due to rising pilgrimage traffic, a third platform is provided by converting the westbound platform into an island.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.

Athlone to Westport

Athlone [MGWR]

Kiltoom

Knockcroghery

Ballymurry

Roscommon

Scene at Roscommon in 1988. ...
Bill Roberton //1988

Donamon

Ballymoe

Castlerea

Ballinlough

Ballyhaunis

The box at the end of the platform. Ballyhaunis station, Co. Mayo, 1988. ...
Ian Dinmore //1988

Claremorris

Arrival at Claremorris in April 1996. ...
Ian Dinmore /04/1996

Inside Claremorris signal box in 1988. ...
Ian Dinmore //1988

CIE 151 with a train at Claremorris in 1988. ...
Bill Roberton //1988

151 and 076 meet at Claremorris in 1988. ...
Bill Roberton //1988

Balla

Passing through the closed station at Balla, County Mayo (closed to passengers in 1963) on a train heading for Ballina in 1988. ...
Bill Roberton //1988

Manulla Junction

Castlebar

Westport Ticket Platform

Westport

Driver climbs aboard 076 at the head of a train at Westport, Co Mayo in 1988. ...
Bill Roberton //1988

Looking back towards the station at Westport in 1988. The CIEs County Mayo terminus stands in the middle distance beyond the goods and former ...
Bill Roberton //1988

Approaching Westport, County Mayo, in 1988. ...
Bill Roberton //1988

The former locomotive shed and turntable at Westport, County Mayo in 1988. ...
Bill Roberton //1988