Harcourt Street railway line
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The Harcourt Street railway line was a railway line in Dublin, Ireland; running from Harcourt Street (south of St. Stephen's Green) through the southern suburbs to Bray. It was opened in 1854 by the Dublin and Wicklow Railway (later to be operated as the Dublin and South Eastern Railway, DSER). The route was closed in 1959 by Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ).
Photos of the Luas on the Harcourt Street line
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[edit] Route
The route ran south from a terminus on Harcourt Street, the building of which is still standing today. After crossing the Grand Canal it passed through and had stops in Ranelagh, Milltown, Dundrum, Stillorgan, Foxrock, Carrickmines and Shankill, joining the Westland Row line at Shanganagh Junction and then to Bray. One of the major engineering feats on the line was the Milltown viaduct, or Nine Arches, which still stands today crossing the River Dodder.
[edit] Legacy
The route was preserved after closure, allowing for its potential reopening in the future. The route corridor remained in situe, albeit with flora taking over and back gardens expanding, until the 2000s. The route section between Ranelagh and Sandyford was chosen for use by the Luas light rail system. The Green Line of the Luas system, incorporating this section of the old Harcourt Street line, was opened in 2004. The line is brought across Dundrum on a new cable-stayed bridge; the William Dargan bridge.
An extension of the Luas Green Line is planned, though it is not certain as to whether the old railway alignment will be used in full, part, or at all.
[edit] References
- Johnson, Stephen (1997). Johnson's Atlas and Gazetteer of the Railways of Ireland. Midland Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85780-044-3.
[edit] Further reading
- Mac Aongusa, Brian (2003). The Harcourt Street Line - Back on Track. Curragh Press. ISBN 1-85607-907-4.
