CORK & MUSKERRY LIGHT RAILWAY
The Cork and Muskerry Light Railway was a 3 ft narrow gauge railway, The first part ofwhich opened in 1887 and closed in 1934. A major reason for building the railway was to exploit tourist traffic to Blarney Castle.
The railway operated from its own station at Western Road, Cork. The initial lines westwards from Cork to Blarney and Coachford opened in 1887 and 1888 respectively. The railway was built close to the south bank of the River Lee as far as a station at Coachford Junction, 6½ miles west of Cork. From Coachford Junction the branch to the Blarney line terminus station was 2 miles, and the line to the terminus station at Coachford was 9 miles.
Throughout the railway's existence, the line was equipped with nine steam locomotives.
The Cork Electric Tramways and Lighting Company was later to share railways' line out of Cork city.
An 8½ mile long extension was built north-westerly from St Annes (on the Blarney branch) to Donoughmore. The line was opened in 1893. It was legally a separate company (the Donoughmore Extension Light Railway Company) but worked as a part of the Cork and Muskerry Light Railway.
The line was comparatively unaffected by World War I, but experienced serious damage during the Irish Civil War of 1922-23. The destruction of a bridge over the River Lee seriously undermined the railway's viability; the railway was repaired and incorporated into the Great Southern Railways in 1925.
Road competition started to seriously affect the railway in the 1920's and the railway closed on 29 December 1934.
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 railway operated from its own station at Western Road, Cork. The initial lines westwards from Cork to Blarney and Coachford opened in 1887 and 1888 respectively. The railway was built close to the south bank of the River Lee as far as a station at Coachford Junction, 6½ miles west of Cork. From Coachford Junction the branch to the Blarney line terminus station was 2 miles, and the line to the terminus station at Coachford was 9 miles.
Throughout the railway's existence, the line was equipped with nine steam locomotives.
The Cork Electric Tramways and Lighting Company was later to share railways' line out of Cork city.
An 8½ mile long extension was built north-westerly from St Annes (on the Blarney branch) to Donoughmore. The line was opened in 1893. It was legally a separate company (the Donoughmore Extension Light Railway Company) but worked as a part of the Cork and Muskerry Light Railway.
The line was comparatively unaffected by World War I, but experienced serious damage during the Irish Civil War of 1922-23. The destruction of a bridge over the River Lee seriously undermined the railway's viability; the railway was repaired and incorporated into the Great Southern Railways in 1925.
Road competition started to seriously affect the railway in the 1920's and the railway closed on 29 December 1934.
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.
