Tuam railway station
Encyclopedia
Tuam railway station is a planned railway station intended to serve the town of Tuam
in County Galway
.
and Sligo
, and was the major stop on the section between Athenry
and Claremorris
, being the only station on this section with two platforms and a passing loop
. In 1901, the WLWR was purchased by the Great Southern and Western Railway
, and thus became part of the GSWR's network. Tuam also featured an extensive goods yard and locomotive facitilities. The station was closed, along with the whole route, in 1976 during Córas Iompair Éireann
's rationalisation of the rail network.
After its closure to passenger trains, the goods facilities at Tuam continued to be heavily used, as the route remained a significant one for freight. The carriage and locomotive sheds were also used by a group called Westrail. This was a railway preservation group that operated trains between Athenry, Tuam and Claremorris until 1993, when Tuam station was closed as a block post
sadly.
plan, the Limerick-Sligo route is being rebuilt in stages as the Western Railway Corridor
. The reopening of the Athenry-Claremorris section has been planned in two sections between 2011 and 2014. In 2011, the section between Athenry and Tuam will reopen, with an intermediate stop at ; the section between Tuam and Claremorris is due to open by 2014.
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
in County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
.
History
The station was originally opened in 1860 as part of the Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway route between LimerickLimerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
and Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
, and was the major stop on the section between Athenry
Athenry
Athenry is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies east of Galway city, and one of the attractions of the town is its medieval castle. The town is also well-known by virtue of the song "The Fields of Athenry".-History:...
and Claremorris
Claremorris
Claremorris , is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, at the junction of the N17 and the N60 national routes. The population of Claremoris in the 2011 Census was 3,979....
, being the only station on this section with two platforms and a passing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
. In 1901, the WLWR was purchased by the Great Southern and Western Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway
The Great Southern and Western Railway was the largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
, and thus became part of the GSWR's network. Tuam also featured an extensive goods yard and locomotive facitilities. The station was closed, along with the whole route, in 1976 during Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
's rationalisation of the rail network.
After its closure to passenger trains, the goods facilities at Tuam continued to be heavily used, as the route remained a significant one for freight. The carriage and locomotive sheds were also used by a group called Westrail. This was a railway preservation group that operated trains between Athenry, Tuam and Claremorris until 1993, when Tuam station was closed as a block post
Token (railway signalling)
In railway signalling, a token is a physical object which a locomotive driver is required to have or see before entering onto a particular section of single track. The token is clearly endorsed with the name of the section it belongs to...
sadly.
Future
As part of the Transport 21Transport 21
Transport 21 is an Irish infrastructure plan, announced in November 2005. It aims to greatly expand Ireland's transport network. A cost estimate of €34 billion was attached to the plan at the time....
plan, the Limerick-Sligo route is being rebuilt in stages as the Western Railway Corridor
Western Railway Corridor
The Western Railway Corridor , or Conair Iarnróid an Iarthair , in Ireland is a recent term for a mostly disused railway line running through the West of Ireland...
. The reopening of the Athenry-Claremorris section has been planned in two sections between 2011 and 2014. In 2011, the section between Athenry and Tuam will reopen, with an intermediate stop at ; the section between Tuam and Claremorris is due to open by 2014.