Site Description
The station at Ballinasloe was opened with the line from Mullingar to Galway on 1st August 1851. The station building on the Up platform is a spectacular piece of railway architecture complete with date stone and a monogram of "MGWR" built into the building. The running line serves the Up platform, on which is the station building. There is a loop on the Down side which serves the disused former Down platform, after passing an automatic level crossing at the Athlone end of the station. The disused signal cabin, bearing a bilingual nameboard, stating "BALLINASLOE" and "Beal Atha Na Sluagha" is between this and the platform, on which there is a shelter. It is accessed via a footbridge, also at this end of the station. There is a new Down platform at the Galway end of the station. This was built in lieu of extending the former Down platform as to do the latter would have required demolition of the former goods store - a protected structure which was deemed to be architecturally significant. The platform was built on the site of former cattle sidings at the station, Ballinasloe having had a significant traffic flow in this regard historically. Leaving the station, the former goods area is on the Up side at the same end and consists of a loop serving a loading bank and a facing siding at the Galway end of this, serving another loading bank, on which there is a crane. This area is used for ballast loading. There was an accident here in 1864, which resulted in 2 people dead and 22 injured.Photographs
Photo Gallery - Ballinasloe Station
Google Street View - Ballinasloe Station
Geograph.ie - Train west of Ballinasloe Station (Link checked 01012014)
Geograph.ie - Ballinasloe Station (Link checked 01012014)
Links
Archiseek.com - Ballinasloe Station (Link checked 01012014)
Dictionary of Irish Architects - Ballinasloe Station (Link checked 01012014)
Irish Rail Station Information - Ballinasloe (Link checked 01012014)
Chronological Details
| Opened | Closed | Company | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/08/1851 | / /Open | MGWR | Ballinasloe |
Geographical Details
| Section Start | Section Finish | Distance | Milepost | Measured from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portarlington | Galway | 52.89 | 91.75 | Broadstone Station |