Tuam railway station

Tuam railway station is a planned railway station intended to serve the town of Tuam in County Galway.

History

The station was originally opened in 1860 as part of the Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway route between Limerick and Sligo, and was the major stop on the section between Athenry and Claremorris, being the only station on this section with two platforms and a passing loop. In 1901, the WLWR was purchased by the Great Southern and Western Railway, and thus became part of the GSWR's network. Tuam also featured an extensive goods yard and locomotive facitilities. The station was closed, along with the whole route, in 1976 during Córas Iompair Éireann's rationalisation of the rail network.^[1]

After its closure to passenger trains, the goods facilities at Tuam continued to be heavily used, as the route remained a significant one for freight. The carriage and locomotive sheds were also used by a group called Westrail. This was a railway preservation group that operated trains between Athenry, Tuam and Claremorris until 1993, when Tuam station was closed as a block post.

Future

As part of the Transport 21 plan, the Limerick-Sligo route is to rebuilt in stages as the Western Railway Corridor. The reopening of the Athenry-Claremorris section has been planned in two sections.

Section 1 will see the section between Athenry and Tuam reopen, with an intermediate stop at Ballyglunin; the section between Tuam and Claremorris will open as Section 2.^[2] Due to financial contraints in public finances both sections are indefinitely postposed but Irish Rail's Rail Vision 2030 report recommends Galway-Tuam to be a priority for review when finances become available.^[3] In the meantime, greenway advocates are advocating the use of the disused alignment as a greenway for cyclists and walkers until such time as the economics favour the reinstatement of a working railway, which would have the benefit of discouraging land-grabbers from making adverse possession claims against the disused track bed

However, the notion that ripping up the railway is the best way to protect it has been roundly rejected by both Mayo and Galway Co. Councils and by Claremorris Chamber of Commerce on the grounds that it would sever Mayo’s rail connection to Galway, the regional capital, and to Limerick, Cork and Waterford, all potentially important freight connections for the county. As the recent case of the Comber railway in Belfast shows once a rail line is converted into a walking or cycling path it is practically impossible to get it back.

• Sligo Mayo Greenway

Preceding station	Iarnród Éireann			Following station
		Future : WRC Phase 2
Ballyglunin		Commuter Limerick-Tuam		Terminus
		Future : WRC Phase 3
Ballyglunin		Commuter Limerick-Claremorris		Milltown

References