Cork-Macroom railway bridge (geograph 2426317)

The Cork and Macroom Direct Railway (CMDR) was an

Irish gauge Railways with a track gauge of fall within the category of broad gauge railways. , they were extant in Australia, Brazil and Ireland. History 600 BC :The Diolkos (Δίολκος) across the Isthmus of Corinth in Greece – a grooved ...

() railway in Ireland which ran the from Cork to

Macroom Macroom (; ga, Maigh Chromtha) is a market town in County Cork, Ireland, located in the valley of the River Sullane, halfway between Cork city and Killarney. Its population has grown and receded over the centuries as it went through periods ...

History

It was incorporated in 1861 and was chaired by Sir John Arnott and Joseph Ronayne. The engineer for the scheme was Sir John Benson. Construction work started in 1863. The line cost £6,000 per mile (equivalent to £ in ) and there were five stations on the 24 miles 13 chain length.Bradshaw's railway manual, shareholders' guide, and official directory. W. J. Adams, 1864 It opened on 12 May 1866 and utilised the Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway terminus at Albert Quay. The company wanted independence from the Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway which was charging £2,000 per annum for the privilege, so it built a new terminus on Summerhill South road fed by a link from Ballyphehane Junction. Cork Capwell railway station cost £28,000 (equivalent to £ in ), and opened in September 1879. The link with the CBSCR was severed as the CMDR wished to remain independent however they were forced to re-open it by the Irish Railways Executive Committee in 1918. In 1925, the Cork and Macroom Direct Railway was amalgamated into the

Great Southern Railways The Great Southern Railways Company (often Great Southern Railways, or GSR) was an Irish company that from 1925 until 1945 owned and operated all railways that lay wholly within the Irish Free State (the present-day Republic of Ireland). The ...

(GSR) along with other Irish railway companies. The CMDR whilst small was modestly profitable and had attempted to remain independent even again severing their link to the rest of the network but in the end their attempts were fruitless. Powers to extend the CMDR to

Kenmare Kenmare () is a small town in the south of County Kerry, Ireland. The name Kenmare is the Anglicisation, anglicised form of ''Ceann Mara'', meaning "head of the sea", referring to the head of Kenmare Bay. Location Kenmare is located at the hea ...

had been granted but were never exercised.

Closure

The Cork Capwell terminus closed on 2 March 1925, and trains reverted to the original terminus at Albert Quay. In 1929, the Capwell station buildings were acquired by the Irish Omnibus Company. The last regular passenger train was operated in 1935 and the line eventually closed to goods traffic in 1953 with the line officially closed in 1960.

Rolling Stock

Locomotives

The CMDR had five locomotives at the time absorption into the GSR.

Carriages and Wagons

At the time of the 1925 amalgamation the CMDR passed on 27 coaches and 117 wagons to the GSR.

Livery

In 1903 locomotives were light green with black and yellow lining. By the 1925 amalgamation they were black with red lining.

Incidents

On 8 September 1878, there was a derailment east of that resulted in 5 deaths and 70 injuries. This incident resulted in significant financial outlay for the company for several years.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cork and Macroom Direct Railway Defunct railway companies of Ireland Transport in County Cork Irish gauge railways Railway companies established in 1861 Railway companies disestablished in 1953 1861 establishments in Ireland