RAILSCOT | Londonderry and Coleraine Railway

Londonderry and Coleraine Railway

Introduction

This railway forms part of the Belfast to Londonderry line. The route runs west from Coleraine to Londonderry. It is a scenic line, partly coastal.

Dates

/ /1845	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Incorporated.
29/12/1852	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Opened from Londonderry Waterside [1st] via Newtown Junction [Limavady] (station opened 1855) to Newtownlimavady.
18/07/1853	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Extended from Newtown Junction [Limavady] (station opened 1855) to Coleraine Waterside.
/ /1855	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Newtown Junction [Limavady] station opened at the junction.
/07/1855	Magilligan Point Branch (Londonderry and Coleraine Railway) Opened from Magilligan to Magilligan Point. No Act required.
/10/1855	Magilligan Point Branch (Londonderry and Coleraine Railway) Closed.
/ /1859	Belfast and Londonderry Railway This short railway was incorporated to link the Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Portrush Junction Railway to the Londonderry and Coleraine Railway with a bridge over the River Bann.
19/11/1860	Belfast and Londonderry Railway Opened from Coleraine (Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Portrush Junction Railway) over the River Bann Viaduct [1st] (with lifting section) to the Londonderry and Coleraine Railway, swinging over that line to reach it. This short line replaced the L&CR's Coleraine Waterside terminus and a half mile of line.
/ /1861	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Leased by the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway.
/ /1868	Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Lines linked by quayside railway over the double decked Carlisle Bridge [Londonderry] . Access to the line on the lower deck over the Foyle was by means of turnplates.
/ /1870	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Newtownlimavady renamed Limavady.
/ /1871	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Absorbed by Belfast and Northern Counties Railway.
/ /1874	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway The original 1852 Londonderry Waterside [1st] station is replaced by Londonderry Waterside [2nd], a new stone built station building with clocktower and trainshed built by the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway.
/ /1876	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Newtown Junction [Limavady] renamed Limavady Junction.
/ /1883	Limavady and Dungiven Railway Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Limvady branch extended to Dungiven.
/ /1943	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Signal cabin opened at Ballykelly altered to stop trains when bombers were landing at the RAF airfield runway which crossed over the railway, there being communication with the control tower.
/ /1950	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Limavady Junction to Limavady closed to passengers.
/ /1955	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Limavady to Limavady Junction closed.
/ /1965	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Londonderry Waterside [2nd] becomes simply Londonderry (Londonderry [Waterside] [2nd]) with the closure of Londonderry Foyle Road, there now being no other stations for Londonderry.
/ /1975	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Londonderry Waterside [2nd] suffers bomb damage.
24/02/1980	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway The bomb damaged 1874 Londonderry [Waterside] [2nd] closed, replaced by Londonderry [Waterside] [3rd].
08/10/2019	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Londonderry [Waterside] [3rd] closed to allow completion of the new Londonderry station.
21/10/2019	Londonderry and Coleraine Railway Londonderry opens on the site of the 1874 Londonderry [Waterside] [2nd], replacing the 1980 Londonderry [Waterside] [3rd].

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.

Coleraine to Londonderry

Opened in two portions: Londonderry Waterside [1st] to Limavady in 1852, and Limavady Junction to Coleraine Waterside in 1853.

Londonderry [Waterside] [3rd]

This station closed in 2019 and has been demolished. It opened in 1980 to replace Londonderry [Waterside] [2nd], which had suffered bomb damage in the 1970s.
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Interior view of waiting room at the 1980 station at Londonderry, on 2nd August 2018 when my friend John and I were waiting to return to Belfast ...
David Bosher 02/08/2018

Translink Northern Ireland Railways broad gauge diesel unit No.3002, just arrived from Belfast Great Victoria Street at Londonderry on 30th July 2018. ...
David Bosher 30/7/2018

The 1980 station at Londonderry alongside the river Foyle, on 2nd August 2018. This station closed the following year when it was replaced by a new ...
David Bosher 02/08/2018

This terminus opened in 2019, re-using the building built in 1874, replacing the Londonderry [Waterside] [3rd] terminus of 1980. In addition to the elegant reconditioned station building (stone built with a clock tower) and trainshed there is an island platform and sidings.
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Translink Northern Ireland Railways unit 3002 just departed from Londonderry with an evening train to Great Victoria Street, Belfast on 30th July ...
David Bosher 18/12/2018