Schull and Skibbereen Light Railway

Introduction

This closed light railway extended the Ilen Valley Railway west from Skibbereen to Schull. It was of a different gauge to the Irish standard gauge Ilen Valley line, being a 4ft gauge line.

The formal name for the company for which the railway was built, in anticipation of building more lines, was the West Carbery Tramways and Light Railways Ltd. Other lines were not built.






Dates

  /  /1886Schull and Skibbereen Light Railway
Incorporated.
  /  /1886Schull and Skibbereen Light Railway
Opened from alongside the Skibbereen station of the Ilen Valley Railway to Schull.
  /  /1893Schull and Skibbereen Light Railway
Extended from Schull station to the harbour, Schull Pier.
  /  /1925Athenry and Tuam Extension to Claremorris Railway Ballinascarthy and Timoleague Junction Light Railway Ballinrobe and Claremorris Light Railway Baltimore Extension Railway Bantry Extension Railway Cavan and Leitrim Railway City of Dublin Junction Railways Clonakilty Extension Railway Cork and Macroom Direct Railway Cork and Muskerry Light Railway Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway Cork City Railways Donoughmore Extension Railway Dublin and Kingstown Railway Dublin and South Eastern Railway Great Southern Railway Loughrea and Attymon Light Railway New Ross and Waterford Extension Railway Schull and Skibbereen Light Railway South Clare Railways Southern Railway [Ireland] Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Light Railway Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Extension Light Railway Tralee and Dingle Light Railway Tralee and Fenit Railway Waterford and Tramore Railway West Carbery Tramways and Light Railways West Clare Railway
Merged to become Great Southern Railways.
  /  /1944Schull and Skibbereen Light Railway
Line closed.
  /  /1945Schull and Skibbereen Light Railway
Line re-opened.
  /  /1947Schull and Skibbereen Light Railway
Line closed.
  /  /1954Schull and Skibbereen Light Railway
Line abandoned.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.

Skibbereen to Schull

The surviving goods shed at Skibbereen, with a surviving crane to the left. The bent rail gate posts are originals too, being a feature of all gates ...
Mark Poustie 03/05/2021
The surviving goods shed at Skibbereen, now a series of retail outlets. The standard Irish gauge lines were on the left of the shed while at one time ...
Mark Poustie 03/05/2021
Surviving goods crane at Skibbereen. Although the crane appears somewhat marooned, the loading bank originally extended to here and there were cattle ...
Mark Poustie 03/05/2021
The CB&SCR platform side of Skibbereen station building is on the left of this picture - with the plant growing out of it. The nearer building is a ...
Mark Poustie 30/06/2020
The surviving, although ruined, station building at Hollyhill between Skibbereen and Ballydehob on the Schull and Skibbereen Railway which opened in ...
Mark Poustie 30/06/2020
The former goods shed to the east of the station site at Ballydehob, now in use as a part of a builders yard. Formal closure was in September 1952 ...
Mark Poustie 30/06/2020
The surviving although much modified station building, now a private house, at Ballydehob looking westwards in the direction of Ballydehob Viaduct and ...
Mark Poustie 30/06/2020
A view westwards in the direction of Schull along the deck of the former Ballydehob Viaduct, now part of a short walkway. Ballydehob station sits ...
Mark Poustie 30/06/2020
A view along the southern side of Ballydehob Viaduct looking westwards in the direction of Schull. The viaduct crosses Roaringwater Bay. ...
Mark Poustie 30/06/2020
A view of the impressive 12 arch Ballydehob Viaduct with Schull westwards to the right and Ballydehob station just at the eastern end of the viaduct. ...
Mark Poustie 30/06/2020
Schull & Skibbereen Railway. Ballydehob viaduct. This 12 arch viaduct mid way along the 3ft gauge line between Skibbereen and Schull at Ballydehob ...
Mark Poustie 01/02/2019
View westwards of the former Schull station site looking at the station building and platform with former goods shed to the left of the car. The ...
Mark Poustie 30/06/2020
The former Schull station building and platform, with an extension under construction. View is from the west where the 3ft gauge line from Skibbereen ...
Mark Poustie 30/06/2020
Schull & Skibbereen Railway (formally known as the West Carberry Tramways & Light Railways Co Ltd). Schull Pier extension. This was a 15 1/2 mile ...
Mark Poustie 01/02/2019