1. RAILWAYS
  2. IRISH RAILWAYS

DUBLIN & BLESSINGTON STEAM TRAMWAY

On Wednesday, August 1st, 1888, the Dublin & Blessington Steam Tramway opened for business. The first train was the 8:35 a.m. mail train leaving Terenure for Blessington. The tramway used the Irish standard gauge of 5 ft 3 in and connected with the horse-drawn trams from the city.
An extension of the line to Poulaphouca was opened in 1895, and the Blessington and Poulaphouca Steam Tramway was incorporated, with through-running from Terenure from 1896 until the extension was closed in 1927.
In 1911, a major proposal was put forward for the electrification of the line as far as Crooksling, but the intervention of World War I meant that this was never put into effect.
In 1929, the Paragon Omnibus Company began operating a through bus service between Blessington and the city centre, eliminating the requirement for passengers to transfer between the DBST and the Dublin tram at Terenure. This struck a fatal blow to the DBST. Last-ditch efforts were made in 1931 to have the DBST taken over by either the Dublin United Tramway Company, or by the Great Southern Railways. This did not come to pass, and so it was, that on December 31st, 1932, the last trains ran on the DBST lines.
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.
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A roue map after the Poulaphouca extension was opened.
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A roue map after the Poulaphouca extension was opened.

  • A roue map after the Poulaphouca extension was opened.
  • ELECTRIC SHUNTER - I can find no information on this loco  except that this picture at Terenure dates from 1930.
  • No.2 - 2-4-2T built 1906 by Tim Green & Co., Works No.367 - 1914 to D&BST No.10 - withdrawn in 1932 - seen here at Templeogue Road.
  • No.3 - 2-B-2 Petrol Railcar - built 1926 by Drewry Car Co. with seating for 40 passengers - 1932 sold to County Donegal Railways and regauged to 3 feet - later converted into a trailer - sole surviving vehicle from the Dublin & Blessington Steam Tramway at Ulster Transport Museum, Cultra.
  • No.5 CAMBRIA - W&WR 0-4-0ST - built 1894 by Hunslet Engine Works, Works No.609 as W&WR CAMBRIA - 1898 to GS&WR, no number applied - 1921 obtained from GS&WR in exchange for 0-4-0WT IMP - 1928 withdrawn - seen here at Templeogue in February 1924.
  • No.6 - 0-4-0WT - built 1887 by Falcon Engineering Co., Loughborough, Works No.130 - 1914 rebuilt as tank locomotive - 1932 withdrawn - seen here at Crooksling in about 1920.
  • No.6 - 0-4-0WT - built 1887 by Falcon Engineering Co., Loughborough, Works No.130 - 1914 rebuilt as tank locomotive - 1932 withdrawn - seen here at Templeogue in 1929.
  • No.6 - 0-4-0WT - built 1887 by Falcon Engineering Co., Loughborough, Works No.130 - 1914 rebuilt as tank locomotive - 1932 withdrawn.
  • No.9 - 2-4-2T - built 1899 by Brush Electrical Ltd., Works No.284 - 1932 withdrawn on closure of line.
  • No.10 - 2-4-2T - built 1906 by Tim Green & Co., Works No.367, as D&BST No.2 - 1914 to No.10 - 1932 withdrawn on closure of line - seen here at Terenure in 1931.
  • No.10 - 2-4-2T built 1906 by Tim Green & Co., Works No.367, as D&BST No.2 - 1914 to D&BST No.10 - withdrawn in 1932 - seen here at Blessington in June 1932.
  • No.10 - 2-4-2T built 1906 by Tim Green & Co., Works No.367, as D&BST No.2 - 1914 to D&BST No.10 - withdrawn in 1932 - seen here at Embankment in 1932.
  • No.10 - 2-4-2T built 1906 by Tim Green & Co., Works No.367, as D&BST No.2 - 1914 to D&BST No.10 - withdrawn in 1932 - seen here on a Dublin - Blessington train in 1932. Author Roddy Doyle's father was driver on the D&BST.
  • No.10 - 2-4-2T built 1906 by Tim Green & Co., Works No.367, as D&BST No.2 - 1914 to D&BST No.10 - withdrawn in 1932 - seen here on shed at Blessington, 06/32.
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