Irish Railway Archive - Loughrea Branch 1968-1975

Scenes filmed on the Loughrea Branch by Tony Price capturing the last scheduled mixed train (passenger & freight combined) in Ireland. Filmed from the approximately 1968 to shortly before closure in 1975. Film donated by Tony to the Dawson family.

The music is as follows:

Creative Commons CC BY 3.0

Creative Commons CC BY-ND 4.0

[AndreA-keid]

Thanks for sharing this. I grew up in a rural area with the line running at the bottom of our land. I remember the day in 1955 when a very shiny silver thing went past on it's own. To us it was like something from another planet It was of course a brand new C Class Metrovick out on test or driver training. We only had two trains a day, worked by either 0-6-0 steam or 2600 class dmu. When the C Class became regular we would run to the local station every evening to see them. Great days, great memories.

[noeldoyle]

Thanks for the lovely video, I lived in Dun Laoire as a child in the 1960s and as a great treat the family would go out for the whole day on the "Mystery Tour " trains run by CIE, they were always very exciting, and we saw a lot of Ireland that way.
I remember Loughrea, my first time to see the West of Ireland, the train journey there and back was great fun, and was very crowded with Dublin families who were friendly and great fun, singing and making jokes all day.

[eamonnkennerney]

I travelled on this train many times in the 1960's from Dublin to loughrea and back to Dublin. Great to see. Brings back great memories.

[ArcadiaJunctionHobbies]

Incredible footage thank you. Just like the Western Rail Corridor, the locals didn't care.

[joeryan]

Brilliant video, wonderful piece of social history

[RYNT]

Brilliant footage by Tony, the pollution from the Crossley would raise eyebrows today . Some difference with the GM engine, from 550 hp to 1, 100 HP.

[BRaff-hlip]

Excellent footage. Dunsandle station now in private ownership and the wee gate house now currently for sale.

[CatherineKnight-bh]

Tom Thank you so much for sharing this amazing video with me BIG HUGS from me to TYOU with 😊

[gerryconmy]

Hi Guys. Wonderful video, perfect transfer from film to video. I enjoyed watching the video, can imagine the sound of the C class . Thanks for posting.

Gerry

[oceanfroggie]

Fab video. Nostalgia gold. Wow look at the acrid exhaust fumes that old Crossley diesel was belching out, its more like a steam locomotive's chimney. Thankfully our rail network these days seems destained to be electrified and diesel belching NoX a thing of the past. Priceless coverage of a time gone bye.

[douglas]

Thank you for posting this wonderful video. Brought back memories of my ride behind G615 on the evening mixed from Loughrea in June 1971. Never forgotten

[conwaynoel]

Wow, excellent footage. Well done Tony .

[keithmccormac]

Amazing footage of a line which somehow survived into the 70s.

[jeffcarr]

Thanks for this wonderful piece of film. I well remember travelling from Crewe to Loughrea to see my parents in 1975.
Picking up the Euston-Holyhead mail train late evening on a Friday and transferring to the ferry for an overnight cabin to Dun Loghaire. Train to Dublin Connolly for the first service to Galway, with a full Irish in the dining car and then meeting the folks at Attymon for the local service to Loughrea. Then the same journey back on a Sunday arriving bleary eyed for work on Monday morning.
Great memories.

[davecarson]

Fantastic video! Memories of that unique branch. I’ve walked it twice and met Margaret Whelan who was station mistress and crossing keeper at Dunsandle.

[caffjohn]

Makes me sad looking at those films. The Crossley certainly could smoke they were a terrible engine.

[clonSanG]

They nearly finished the foyes to limerick looks we’ll need more lines opened

[TheDafxf]

Great video capturing the past 😊 It’s ironic that I’m going there this week visiting Railway vets with a mobile MRI scanner opposite the old goods shed that’s boarded up 😩 I see the road in is used on the old track bed ☹️ Anyway they call it progress ripping up railway lines 😮

[jameshowitt]

What a piece of history. Were the various crossing keepers (well past retirement age for some!) basically given free accommodation in the houses in return for opening the gates I wonder?

[johnoconnor]

Its strange to see a one coach train (for me) in the 90s I remember working 13 piece cravens and MKIIs after match's and bank holiday weekends