Chetwynd Viaduct

About

The Cork and Bandon Railway was formed by the Cork and Bandon Railway Act 1845 ( 8 & 9 Vict. c. cxxii) and began operations on the 6 + 3 ⁄ 4 miles (10.9 km) from Bandon to Ballinhassig from 1 August 1849, 25 seat horse omnibuses being used for transfers to and from Cork City. The - 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (21.7 km) section from Ballinhassig to Cork opened to public services on 1 December 1851. The C&BR was financially challenged after by building the Bandon to Cork section which had some costly overruns and future extensions to the network were undertaken by independent companies some of which operated their own services for a number years.

The Cork and Kinsale Junction Railway (C&KJR) company built the first extension to the railway to the port of Kinsale. It was authorised by the - Cork and Kinsale Junction Railway Act 1859 ( 22 Vict. c. xxiii), opened in 1863, and was operated by the C&BR from the outset. The 11 miles (18 km) branch left the main line some 13 miles (21 km) from Cork at a station simply called Junction and was notable for some long 1-in-76 and 1-in-80 gradients. The C&BR completed purchase of the line from the C&KJR on 1 January 1880.

The West Cork Railway (WCR) was formed by the - West Cork Railways Act 1860 ( 23 & 24 Vict. c. cciii) with the intention of extending the line to Skibbereen, the C&BR being in favour of such an extension but without the ability to raise the capital itself. The WCR opened the - 17 + 3 ⁄ 4 miles (28.6 km) section from Bandon to Dunmanway in June 1866 and operated the section itself hiring in rolling stock and locomotives from elsewhere. There were ongoing tensions between the WCR and C&BR especially at Bandon with independent stations and goods transfer disputes. The WCR itself was unable to resource the building of the 16 miles (26 km) Dunmanway to Skibbereen section which was completed by the Ilen Valley Railway (IVR) opening in 1877. Following arbitration, the section was worked by the WCR. The operating situation agreed to was resolved on 1 January 1880 by running the network under a single operational management, the C&BR leasing the IVR until absorbing it in the - Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway Act 1909 ( 9 Edw. 7. c. xxxii) whilst concluding terms to absorb the WCR in October 1882.

12 May 1866 saw the opening of the independently operated Cork and Macroom Direct Railway (C&MDR) which initially used the Cork Albert Quay terminus before almost immediately branching off on a 24 miles (39 km) line to Macroom. Toll charges and sharing difficulties led to C&MDR to use its own newly built terminus at Cork Capwell from 27 September 1879 with the connection C&BR severed soon thereafter.

The IVR completed an 11 miles (18 km) branch from Drimoleague to Bantry which it leased to the C&BR to operate from 1 July 1881.

In 1886 Skibbereen became an interchange with the 914 mm ( 3 ft ) narrow gauge Schull and Skibbereen Railway.

The - Clonakilty Extension Railway (from Clonakilty Junction), 9 miles (14 km), authorised by - Clonakilty Extension Railway Act 1881 ( 44 & 45 Vict. c. ccxvi), opened on 24 August 1886 and was operated by the C&BR. A 0.5 miles (800 m) long siding for a flour mill owned by the Bennett family at Shannonvale about 2 miles (3 km) north of Clonakilty was notable for being horse-operated. The siding was created in 1887 and extended to the mill shortly thereafter and remained horse operated until closure in 1961. Horse traction was used uphill, and trains were worked by gravity downhill.

On 21 September 1887 a draft bill was submitted to the company's board. The draft would give the C&BR powers to construct a 1 mile 41 chains (2.4 km) line to avoid Gogginshill Tunnel, at an estimated cost of £10,702. Other powers to be granted included a connecting line to the Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway, extensions to Cork's quays, and closure of the Gas Works level crossing. Cork Corporation objected to the quay line and level crossing closure, and the connection to the Cork, Blackrock and Passage was defeated. The - Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway Act 1888 ( 51 & 52 Vict. c. lxxxvii) passed on 5 July, changing the name of the C&BR to the Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway (CB&SCR). Powers to build the line avoiding Gogginshill Tunnel were granted in this act of Parliament, but the line was never built.

The Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Railway opened and operated as a 9 miles (14 km) independent branch from Ballinascarthy on the Clonakilty branch with stations at Skeaf, Timoleague and terminated at the seaside village at Courtmacsherry.

22 October 1892 saw the opening of an extension of the Bantry branch by - 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles (2.0 km) by another company, the Bantry Extension Railway, through to the pier at Bantry Bay, the CB&SCR again leasing the line. Direct passenger services onto the pier were introduced in 1908 to connect with Bantry Bay steamers. These services ceased in 1936 and the pier was dismantled in 1949.

An 8 miles (13 km) extension from Skibbereen to Baltimore by the - Baltimore Extension Railway was operated by the CB&SCR from May 1893. Baltimore was a port on the southernmost extent of Ireland and increased the length of the CB&SCR to - 61 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles (98.6 km).

1 January 1912 saw Cork City Railways creating a connection between the CB&SCR and the rest of the Irish rail network by running a road tramway across the road bridges over the River Lee from immediately before Cork Albert Quay across to the Great Southern and Western Railway at Glanmire Road.

The CB&SCR was subject to various damaging incidents during the 1922—1923 Irish Civil War, the most damaging to the railway being the partial destruction of the Chetwynd Viaduct on 9 August 1922. Passenger services were restored between Cork and Bandon on 20 February 1923, with full service across the network being restored on 23 May.

The CB&SCR, Great Southern and Western Railway, and Midland Great Western Railway were amalgamated into the Great Southern Railway (GSR) in 1924. It then amalgamated with the Dublin and South Eastern Railway to form the Great Southern Railways in 1925, absorbing the smaller railways within the Irish Free State. An early action of the new combined management was to re-instate the connection between the former CB&SCR and C&MDR railways so the line from Macroom could use the terminus at Cork Albert Quay to achieve some operating economies.

Due to mounting losses the Kinsale branch was closed on 31 August 1931. A parliamentary question asked in February 1934 sought to prevent the line from being lifted, but the relevant minister lacked the power to do so. The line was fully lifted that summer. The junction station remained open, being renamed Crossbarry in October 1936.

The GSR was consolidated into Córas Iompair Éireann in 1945.

Due to economic problems, competition from road traffic and falling passenger numbers, the line closed on 1 April 1961. The planned closure of the railway network met with strong local opposition, including the establishment of the West Cork Railways Association. At a meeting of Cork County Council's Southern Committee on 3 October 1960, councillors were very critical of CIÉ 's running of the line.

A report published by a local pressure group in 2022 suggested that the railway in West Cork could feasibly return. This suggestion was rejected by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan.

The Cork and Kinsale Junction Railway (C&KJR) company built the first extension to the railway to the port of Kinsale. It was authorised by the Cork and Kinsale Junction Railway Act 1859 ( 22 Vict. c. xxiii), opened in 1863, and was operated by the C&BR from the outset. The 11 miles (18 km) branch left the main line some 13 miles (21 km) from Cork at a station simply called Junction and was notable for some long 1-in-76 and 1-in-80 gradients. The C&BR completed purchase of the line from the C&KJR on 1 January 1880.

The West Cork Railway (WCR) was formed by the - West Cork Railways Act 1860 ( 23 & 24 Vict. c. cciii) with the intention of extending the line to Skibbereen, the C&BR being in favour of such an extension but without the ability to raise the capital itself. The WCR opened the 17 + 3 ⁄ 4 miles (28.6 km) section from Bandon to Dunmanway in June 1866 and operated the section itself hiring in rolling stock and locomotives from elsewhere. There were ongoing tensions between the WCR and C&BR especially at Bandon with independent stations and goods transfer disputes. The WCR itself was unable to resource the building of the 16 miles (26 km) Dunmanway to Skibbereen section which was completed by the Ilen Valley Railway (IVR) opening in 1877. Following arbitration, the section was worked by the WCR. The operating situation agreed to was resolved on 1 January 1880 by running the network under a single operational management, the C&BR leasing the IVR until absorbing it in the - Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway Act 1909 ( 9 Edw. 7. c. xxxii) whilst concluding terms to absorb the WCR in October 1882.