Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Introduction
This line extended the Tullamore branch north west to meet the Midland Great Western Railway at Athlone.
With the closure of the older and alternative route from Dublin to traffic - Mullingar to Athlone - this is now the only route west.
Dates
| / /1857 | Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway) Authorised. |
| / /1859 | Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway) Opened from alongside Tullamore [1st] to Athlone. |
| / /1860 | Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway) Connection to Midland Great Western Railway between Athlone [MGWR] and Athlone installed. |
| / /1865 | Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway) Tullamore station opened on the through line, replacing Tullamore [1st]. |
| / /1884 | Clara and Banagher Railway Line opened from Clara (Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)) to Banagher. |
| / /1973 | Midland Great Western Railway Galway Ceannt and Mayo trains cease using the Athlone [MGWR] to Mullingar section, diverted to the Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway). |
Portions of line and locations
This line is divided into a number of portions.
Tullamore to Athlone
Not all locations added!
This is the former Great Southern and Western Railway station which re-opened in 1985. The station is more convenient for the town than Athlone [MGWR] which closed in 1985.
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GM 071 Class waits its next turn of duty. View looks west towards the junction with the mothballed former main line from Dublin via Mullingar. Dublin ...Paul D Kerr /12/2006
Could have sworn I have seen coaching stock like this somewhere else... Dublin bound express at Athlone. View looks East ...Paul D Kerr /12/2006
The current workhorse of the IR Inter City fleet; the GM 201 class Co-Co diesel electric locomotive. As these locos do not have ETH capability a ...Paul D Kerr /11/2006
Dublin and Galway trains passing at Athlone. This station re-opened in 1985 when trains from Dublin to Galway and the West were diverted through ...Paul D Kerr /11/2006
