Ballybrophy halt
Encyclopedia
Ballybrophy is a railway station at Ballybrophy
, County Laois
, Ireland
, near Borris-in-Ossory
and Rathdowney
. The station is the junction for services to via . Comparatively few services stop there.
Lifts were fitted to the footbridge in late 2007. Therefore disabled passengers who cannot use steps and are boarding or alighting from trains to Cork and Limerick via Limerick Junction
are no longer required to cross the tracks at ground level, as was previously the case. This was only possible when trains were clear of the tracks.
Up until the mid-1980s the line to Limerick via Nenagh diverged from the mainline via a junction that faced Cork. This was replaced by a siding connection when the mainline was resignalled. For trains to enter the Nenagh branch from the Dublin bound mainline requires trains to set back into the bay platform before proceeding to Nenagh and Limerick. A train travelling from Dublin to Limerick via Nenagh would need to set back from the Down mainline onto the Up mainline before pulling forward into the bay platform. Prior to 1967, the only route from Dublin to Limerick that did not entail a reversal was via Athenry and the former Sligo to Limerick line of the Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway.
Some of those who favour retaining the line have theorised that replacing the current south facing connection at Ballybrophy with a new line east to the more populated Borris-in-Ossory
, and joining the line nearer Portlaoise would be better for Dublin connections. However, in addition to the substantial capital cost of this work, substantial parts of the line would still need to be re-laid nearer Limerick to eliminate severe speed restrictions. It also offers no advantages over the current through route from Dublin to Limerick via Thurles and the north curve at Limerick Junction. Recent upgrading of the N7 road to motorway also dissuades rail usage.
Ballybrophy
Ballybrophy is a village in County Laois, Ireland, with a population recorded in the 2002 census of 145. It forms part of the Borris-in-Ossory electoral area...
, County Laois
County Laois
County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, near Borris-in-Ossory
Borris-in-Ossory
Borris-in-Ossory is a village in west County Laois, Ireland. Bypassed by the M7 motorway on 28 May, 2010, the village is situated on the R445 road close to the County Tipperary border between the towns of Mountrath and Roscrea.-Features:...
and Rathdowney
Rathdowney
Rathdowney or Rathdowny is a town in southwest County Laois, Ireland. It lies some 32 km southwest of Portlaoise in the Irish Midlands, at the point where the R433 regional road from Abbeyleix to Templemore is crossed by the R435 from Borris-in-Ossory to Johnstown...
. The station is the junction for services to via . Comparatively few services stop there.
Overview
The station opened on 1 September 1847 as Roscrea & Borris, was renamed Roscrea & Parsonstown Junction in 1858, and renamed again in 1871 as Ballybrophy.Lifts were fitted to the footbridge in late 2007. Therefore disabled passengers who cannot use steps and are boarding or alighting from trains to Cork and Limerick via Limerick Junction
Limerick Junction
Limerick Junction is an important railway station in South Tipperary, Ireland which was originally named "Tipperary Junction". Tipperary town is about two miles away to the south-east. Limerick Junction, with a cluster of pleasantly presented railway cottages and a pub, is a small hamlet...
are no longer required to cross the tracks at ground level, as was previously the case. This was only possible when trains were clear of the tracks.
The future
Ballybrophy's railway station is a connection point between the main Dublin-Cork main line and the Limerick–Ballybrophy railway line. The branch line is lightly travelled, as the principal route between Dublin and Limerick is via Limerick Junction. This is faster and more comfortable due to higher line speeds. Since the introduction of a two-hourly Dublin-Limerick service in 2008, this journey does not usually require a change of train.Up until the mid-1980s the line to Limerick via Nenagh diverged from the mainline via a junction that faced Cork. This was replaced by a siding connection when the mainline was resignalled. For trains to enter the Nenagh branch from the Dublin bound mainline requires trains to set back into the bay platform before proceeding to Nenagh and Limerick. A train travelling from Dublin to Limerick via Nenagh would need to set back from the Down mainline onto the Up mainline before pulling forward into the bay platform. Prior to 1967, the only route from Dublin to Limerick that did not entail a reversal was via Athenry and the former Sligo to Limerick line of the Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway.
Some of those who favour retaining the line have theorised that replacing the current south facing connection at Ballybrophy with a new line east to the more populated Borris-in-Ossory
Borris-in-Ossory
Borris-in-Ossory is a village in west County Laois, Ireland. Bypassed by the M7 motorway on 28 May, 2010, the village is situated on the R445 road close to the County Tipperary border between the towns of Mountrath and Roscrea.-Features:...
, and joining the line nearer Portlaoise would be better for Dublin connections. However, in addition to the substantial capital cost of this work, substantial parts of the line would still need to be re-laid nearer Limerick to eliminate severe speed restrictions. It also offers no advantages over the current through route from Dublin to Limerick via Thurles and the north curve at Limerick Junction. Recent upgrading of the N7 road to motorway also dissuades rail usage.