THE CORK, BANDON & SOUTH COAST RAILWAY
The Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway was an Irish broad gauge railway opened in 1849 as the Cork and Bandon Railway (C&BR), changed its name to Cork Bandon and South Coast Railway in 1888 and became part of the Great Southern Railway in 1925. The CB&SCR served the south coast of County Cork between Cork and Bantry. It had a route length of 94 miles, all of it single track.
The C&BR was formed in 1845 and began operations on the 6.75 miles from Bandon to Ballinhassig from August 1849, 25 seat horse omnibuses being used for transfers to and from Cork City. The 13.5 miles section from Ballinahassig to Cork opened to public services in December 1851. The C&BR was financially challenged by building the Bandon to Cork section which had had some cost overruns and future extensions to the network were undertaken by independent companies some of which operated their own services for a number years.
The Cork and Kinsale Junction Railway (C&KJR) company built the first extension to the railway to the port of Kinsale which opened in 1863 and was operated by the C&BR from the outset. The 11 miles branch left the main line some 13 miles from Cork at a station simply called Junction. Due to mounting losses the branch was closed in August 1931 with the junction station being renamed Crossbarry.
The West Cork Railway (WCR) was formed with the intention of extending the line to Skibbereen, the C&BR being in favour of such an extension but without the ability to raise the capital itself. The WCR opened the 17.75 miles section from Bandon to Dunmanway in June 1866 and operated the section itself hiring in rolling stock and locomotives from elsewhere. There were ongoing tensions between the WCR and C&BR especially at Bandon with independent stations and goods transfer disputes. The WCR itself was unable to resource the building of the 16 miles Dunmanway to Skibbereen section which was completed by the Ilen Valley Railway (IVR) opening in 1877. Following arbitration the section was worked by the WCR.
May 1866 saw the opening of the independently operated Cork and Macroom Direct Railway (C&MDR) which initially used the Cork Albert Quay terminus before almost immediately branching off on a 24 miles (39 km) line to Macroom. Toll charges and sharing difficulties led to C&MDR to use its own newly built terminus at Cork Capwell from 27 September 1879 with the connection C&BR severed soon thereafter.
The IVR completed a 11 miles branch from Drimoleague to Bantry which it leased to the C&BR to operate from July 1881.In 1886 Skibbereen became an interchange with the narrow gauge Schull and Skibbereen Railway.
The Clonakilty Extension Railway, 9 miles in length, opened in August 1886 and was operated by the C&BR.
The Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Railway opened and operated as a 9 miles independent branch from Ballinascarthy on the Clonakilty branch with stations at Skeaf , Timoleague and terminated at the seaside village at Courtmacsherry.
An Act of parliament passed on 5 August 1888 enabled the name of the C&BR to be changed to the Cork Bandon and South Coast Railway (CB&SCR) as well as allowing various alternations to the system.
October 1892 saw the opening of an extension of the Bantry branch by 1.25 miles by another company, the Bantry Extension Railway, through to the pier at Bantry Bay, the CB&SCR again leasing the line. There was also a pier built in 1909, which was abandoned in 1946.
An 8 miles extension from Skibbereen to Baltimore by the Baltimore Extension Railway was operated by the CB&SCR from May 1893. Baltimore was a port on the southernmost extent of Ireland and increased the length of the CB&SCR to 61.25 miles.
January 1912 saw Cork City Railways creating a connection between the CB&SCR and the rest of the Irish rail network by running a road tramway across the road bridges over the River Lee from immediately before Cork Albert Quay across to the Great Southern and Western Railway at Glanmire Road.
The CB&SCR was subject to various damaging incidents during the 1922—1923 Irish Civil War, the most serious to the railway being the partial destruction of the Chetwynd Viaduct on August 9th, 1922, with services only restored in February 1923.
The CB&SCR and the various sister companies became absorbed into the amalgamations that formed the Great Southern Railway in 1924 and ultimately the Great Southern Railways in 1925. An early action of the new combined management was to re-connect the former CB&SCR and C&MDR railways so the line from Macroom could use the terminus at Cork Albert Quay to achieve some operating economies. The GSR was consolidated into Córas Iompair Éireann in 1945, who introduced AEC railcars to the railway in the 1950's, which helped reduce operating costs.
Due to economic problems, competition from road traffic and falling passenger numbers, the line closed in April 1961.
These pictures are published for pleasure/information/research purposes only and are not for sale or copy under any circumstances. Information in captions has been researched as thoroughly as possible but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
Read MoreThe C&BR was formed in 1845 and began operations on the 6.75 miles from Bandon to Ballinhassig from August 1849, 25 seat horse omnibuses being used for transfers to and from Cork City. The 13.5 miles section from Ballinahassig to Cork opened to public services in December 1851. The C&BR was financially challenged by building the Bandon to Cork section which had had some cost overruns and future extensions to the network were undertaken by independent companies some of which operated their own services for a number years.
The Cork and Kinsale Junction Railway (C&KJR) company built the first extension to the railway to the port of Kinsale which opened in 1863 and was operated by the C&BR from the outset. The 11 miles branch left the main line some 13 miles from Cork at a station simply called Junction. Due to mounting losses the branch was closed in August 1931 with the junction station being renamed Crossbarry.
The West Cork Railway (WCR) was formed with the intention of extending the line to Skibbereen, the C&BR being in favour of such an extension but without the ability to raise the capital itself. The WCR opened the 17.75 miles section from Bandon to Dunmanway in June 1866 and operated the section itself hiring in rolling stock and locomotives from elsewhere. There were ongoing tensions between the WCR and C&BR especially at Bandon with independent stations and goods transfer disputes. The WCR itself was unable to resource the building of the 16 miles Dunmanway to Skibbereen section which was completed by the Ilen Valley Railway (IVR) opening in 1877. Following arbitration the section was worked by the WCR.
May 1866 saw the opening of the independently operated Cork and Macroom Direct Railway (C&MDR) which initially used the Cork Albert Quay terminus before almost immediately branching off on a 24 miles (39 km) line to Macroom. Toll charges and sharing difficulties led to C&MDR to use its own newly built terminus at Cork Capwell from 27 September 1879 with the connection C&BR severed soon thereafter.
The IVR completed a 11 miles branch from Drimoleague to Bantry which it leased to the C&BR to operate from July 1881.In 1886 Skibbereen became an interchange with the narrow gauge Schull and Skibbereen Railway.
The Clonakilty Extension Railway, 9 miles in length, opened in August 1886 and was operated by the C&BR.
The Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Railway opened and operated as a 9 miles independent branch from Ballinascarthy on the Clonakilty branch with stations at Skeaf , Timoleague and terminated at the seaside village at Courtmacsherry.
An Act of parliament passed on 5 August 1888 enabled the name of the C&BR to be changed to the Cork Bandon and South Coast Railway (CB&SCR) as well as allowing various alternations to the system.
October 1892 saw the opening of an extension of the Bantry branch by 1.25 miles by another company, the Bantry Extension Railway, through to the pier at Bantry Bay, the CB&SCR again leasing the line. There was also a pier built in 1909, which was abandoned in 1946.
An 8 miles extension from Skibbereen to Baltimore by the Baltimore Extension Railway was operated by the CB&SCR from May 1893. Baltimore was a port on the southernmost extent of Ireland and increased the length of the CB&SCR to 61.25 miles.
January 1912 saw Cork City Railways creating a connection between the CB&SCR and the rest of the Irish rail network by running a road tramway across the road bridges over the River Lee from immediately before Cork Albert Quay across to the Great Southern and Western Railway at Glanmire Road.
The CB&SCR was subject to various damaging incidents during the 1922—1923 Irish Civil War, the most serious to the railway being the partial destruction of the Chetwynd Viaduct on August 9th, 1922, with services only restored in February 1923.
The CB&SCR and the various sister companies became absorbed into the amalgamations that formed the Great Southern Railway in 1924 and ultimately the Great Southern Railways in 1925. An early action of the new combined management was to re-connect the former CB&SCR and C&MDR railways so the line from Macroom could use the terminus at Cork Albert Quay to achieve some operating economies. The GSR was consolidated into Córas Iompair Éireann in 1945, who introduced AEC railcars to the railway in the 1950's, which helped reduce operating costs.
Due to economic problems, competition from road traffic and falling passenger numbers, the line closed in April 1961.
These pictures are published for pleasure/information/research purposes only and are not for sale or copy under any circumstances. Information in captions has been researched as thoroughly as possible but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
