Cork, Blackrock And Passage Railway
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The Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway (CB&PR) was a
narrow gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge (distance between the rails) narrower than . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with Minimum railw ...
railway in
County Cork County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...
,
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
. The line originally opened in 1850 as a Irish standard gauge railway between
Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...
and
Passage West Passage West (locally known as "Passage"; ) is a port town in County Cork, Ireland, situated on the west bank of Cork Harbour, some 10 km south-east of Cork (city), Cork city. Passage West was designated a conservation area in the 2003 Co ...
and operated steam feeder ferries to other locations round
Cork Harbour Cork Harbour () is a natural harbour and river estuary at the mouth of the River Lee (Ireland), River Lee in County Cork, Ireland. It is one of several which lay claim to the title of "second largest natural harbour in the world by navigational ...
. The company was heavily dependent on summer tourist traffic for a considerable proportion of its revenue. The railway was converted to narrow gauge in 1900 in conjunction with extensions southwards to Crosshaven which were completed in 1904. The railway closed in 1932 and has since been replaced by a public pathway and nature area.


History


Background

By the early 1830s century Cork City had become a prosperous port.
Paddle steamer A paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine driving paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, whereby the first uses were wh ...
s were operating out of Cork City to a number of locations in Cork Harbour including resorts such as
Cove A cove is a small bay or coastal inlet. They usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often situated within a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creek (tidal), creeks, or recesses in a coast ...
(later known as Queenstown and now Cobh). A line from Cork City to Passage was seen as a business opportunity that could exploit a shorter travel time to the steamboat destinations around
Cork Harbour Cork Harbour () is a natural harbour and river estuary at the mouth of the River Lee (Ireland), River Lee in County Cork, Ireland. It is one of several which lay claim to the title of "second largest natural harbour in the world by navigational ...
as well as providing important communications to the boatbuilding shipyard at Passage. Some also felt at that time there might be potential for exploiting Passage as a transatlantic port. Following a variety of earlier schemes an act of Parliament was passed on 16 July 1846 authorising construction of the railway to Passage.


Broad gauge operations

The initial, northern section of the line was long and ran from the Cork terminus at City Park some 12 minutes walk from Patrick Bridge to the eastern terminus alongside the steamboat pier at Passage West. A trial run was completed in May 1850 and the railway opened on Saturday 10 June 1850 to large patronage for the opening weekend with trains packed to capacity and 6,000 passengers transported on the Sunday. Three small Sharp Brothers steam locomotives operated the line. The passenger stock was about a dozen coaches comprising a mixture of first, second and third classes. The CB&PR directors decided that with increasing patronage to
Cove A cove is a small bay or coastal inlet. They usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often situated within a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creek (tidal), creeks, or recesses in a coast ...
, now renamed Queenstown, they wished to operate their own Steamship to connect with trains. As the CB&PR did not have power to operate boats a private company was formed and a vessel, the PS Queen'', was chartered from the River Steamboat Company. A price war subsequently ensured with other ferry operators however the enterprise expanded and by 1855 was operating four paddle steamers of between 56 and 11 tons. After the Cork and Youghal Railway opened its branch to Queenstown on 10 March 1862 the competition from the direct route forced the CB&PR to reduce its combined rail/steam fares. The Cork Terminus was relocated to Albert Park in 1873, nearer the city centre and closer to the Albert Quay station of the
Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway The Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway (CB&SCR) was an Irish gauge () railway in Ireland. It opened in 1849 as the Cork and Bandon Railway (C&BR), changed its name to Cork Bandon and South Coast Railway in 1888 and became part of the Great S ...
, the move being subsidised as the City Quay site was needed for development of the docks. The ( 44 & 45 Vict. c. cxxv) authorised the CB&PR to operate steamboats, and those from the subsidiary company were taken into direct ownership. The steamers were expensive to operate but provided essentially feeder traffic to the railway. The rival Citizen River Steamer Company was unable to meet liabilities in January 1890 and was wound up, the CB&PR acquiring the vessels for £1405 2s. 3d. and thereby eliminating that source of competition. The CB&PR remained relatively profitable compared to most railways in the 1880s, though there began to be decrease in passengers, arrested by switching steam services to a one penny pier to pier rate. The company was late to introduce a one-zone fare system in 1891.


Extension and narrow gauge conversion

The latter part of the nineteenth century had seen considerations given to extending the CP&BR to eliminate some steamship journeys and with the aim of creating greater residential development and commuter traffic. By the ( 59 & 60 Vict. c. cxcvii) of 7 August 1896 the CB&PR obtained permission for a extension from Passage to Crosshaven. It was calculated building the extension as narrow gauge would save money, and it was decided to convert the original railway to narrow gauge at the same time. An opportunity was lost in not using the provisions of the earlier Light Railway Acts which would have been cheaper. In the event construction difficulties and time overruns occurred particularly with the tunnel just north of Passage, the final cost being accounted as £200,093. While extension was under construction the CB&PR's own staff converted the existing line to Passage by laying a third rail, the line closing on 29 October 1900 for the switch from broad to narrow gauge. The section between Cork and Blackrock was also converted to double track at the same time, unique on an Irish narrow gauge railway. The southern extension from Passage West to Monkstown opened on 1 August 1902 with Carrigaline being open from 3 June 1903. The final section to Crosshaven opened on 1 June 1904 including a viaduct over the River Owenabue and a four-span lattice bridge at Crosshaven. Rolling stock for the line consisted of four new narrow gauge locomotives by Neilson Reid in
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
and a number of bogie coaches. For the first time the CB&PR showed an interest in freight with a number of open wagons, vans and cattle trucks being purchased also. The building of the extension occurred concurrently with serious competition from the
Cork Electric Tramways and Lighting Company The Cork Electric Tramways and Lighting Company operated a passenger tramway service in Cork (city), Cork between 1898 and 1931. History Origins The Cork Electric Tramways and Lighting Company was a subsidiary of British Thomson-Houston, a ma ...
line operating to Balliatemple and then Blackrock having a negative effect on the commuter traffic in that area. The CB&PR achieved a net profit of £8,859 on receipts of £23,341 in 1904–5, with summer tourist traffic being very significant though the overall financial position remained strained by loans and Debenture Stock. Despite losses from steamer services – which were nonetheless useful for feeder services – the CP&BR's operation was financially manageable through to the start of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
in 1914.


War and civil unrest

The outbreak of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
had an almost immediate impact on the CP&BR. Crosshaven station was closed to civilians on security grounds and non-essential travel was stopped impacting the CB&PR's tourist traffic. Additional strains were placed by demands on the CB&PR's steamers to transport significant amounts of cargo for the military. Unlike in Britain the railways were not brought under government control during the war until 1917 and it was only then that retrospective compensation was received for losses. The railway suffered extensive damage during the
Irish Civil War The Irish Civil War (; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United Kingdom but within the British Emp ...
of 1922–1923. The workshops at Passage were damaged. The viaduct at Douglas was partly destroyed and was initially replaced by a wooden structure built by the Railway Repair and Maintenance Corps of the newly formed
Irish Army The Irish Army () is the land component of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Defence Forces of Republic of Ireland, Ireland.The Defence Forces are made up of the Permanent Defence Forces – the standing branches – and the Reserve Defence Forces. ...
.The CB&PR was financially crippled by the various disruptions and with many other railways similarly financially distressed and the new independent government of the Irish Free State determined to amalgamate all its railways into a single organisation named
Great Southern Railways The Great Southern Railways Company (often Great Southern Railways, or GSR) was an Ireland, 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 Irelan ...
.


Final years

In 1924, the company was incorporated into the Great Southern Railway. Economy measures saw the double track section of the railway singled in 1927 and the steamer fleet was also disposed of by this point. Competition from motor buses and lorries became intense and the former were ultimately responsible for the closure of the railway. The section between Monkstown and Crosshaven closed on 31 May 1932, with the remainder of the railway closing on 10 September 1932. After closure the line's steam locomotives were transferred to the
Cavan and Leitrim Railway The Cavan and Leitrim Railway was a narrow-gauge railway that operated in the south of County Leitrim and the north-west of County Cavan on the northern edge of the Midlands in Ireland; it ran from 1887 until 1959. Unusually for Ireland, this ...
after refurbishment at either Rockferry, Cork or
Inchicore Inchicore () is a suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Located approximately west of the city centre, Inchicore was originally a small village separate from Dublin. The village developed around Richmond Barracks (built 1810) and Inchi ...
Dublin Workshops.


Route

The railway operated along the west bank of the
River Lee The River Lee () is a river in Ireland. It rises in the Shehy Mountains on the western border of County Cork and flows eastwards through Cork, where it splits in two for a short distance, creating an island on which Cork's city centre is b ...
and
Cork Harbour Cork Harbour () is a natural harbour and river estuary at the mouth of the River Lee (Ireland), River Lee in County Cork, Ireland. It is one of several which lay claim to the title of "second largest natural harbour in the world by navigational ...
from Cork City Centre to
Blackrock BlackRock, Inc. is an American Multinational corporation, multinational investment company. Founded in 1988, initially as an enterprise risk management and fixed income institutional asset manager, BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager ...
and
Passage West Passage West (locally known as "Passage"; ) is a port town in County Cork, Ireland, situated on the west bank of Cork Harbour, some 10 km south-east of Cork (city), Cork city. Passage West was designated a conservation area in the 2003 Co ...
. Thereafter the 1904 extension headed inland towards
Carrigaline Carrigaline (; ) is a town and civil parish in County Cork, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, situated on the River Owenabue. Located about south of Cork (city), Cork city, and with a population of 18,239 people, it is one of the largest commuter ...
before running alongside the south bank of the Owenabue River to Crosshaven. Stations were : * Cork Albert Street railway station (replaced the earlier Cork Victoria Road railway station) * Show Ground Halt railway station * Blackrock (CBPR) railway station * Rochestown railway station * Passage railway station * Glenbrook (CBPR) railway station * Monkstown railway station *
Rafeen railway station Rafeen railway station was on the Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway in County Cork, Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the ...
*
Carrigaline railway station Carrigaline railway station was on the Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway in County Cork, Ireland. It served the town of Carrigaline Carrigaline (; ) is a town and civil parish in County Cork, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, situated on th ...
*
Crosshaven railway station Crosshaven railway station was on the Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway in County Cork, Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, t ...


Connections to other railways

The CB&PR had no connections to any other railway system, but had a short connection to the goods yard of the Cork and Bandon Railway for a short time.


Rolling stock


Greenway replacement

Since the closing of the railway, the line has been paved over to serve as a recreational walkway, with lighting and benches put in place. Two bridges were put in place along the Rochestown area of the path for pedestrians. The Albert Road station building has survived. It was, for many years, occupied by Metal Products Ltd. who operated a factory producing nuts, bolts and other metal components. It was later occupied by Carey's tool hire company. The section of former rail between Albert Road and the Atlantic pond has been mostly removed. From the Atlantic Pond to Rochestown a paved footpath follows the route of the rail line. The rest of the walkway to Passage consists of a gravel walkway that follows the river. There is evidence of the rail line between Passage and Monkstown, then onto Carrigaline. From the eastern edge of Carrigaline town the walkway continues to the outskirts of Crosshaven. Other remains of the original rail line are visible at Blackrock – where the signal house and platform are still intact. The bridge over the Douglas estuary, between Blackrock and Rochestown is still standing, although it had fallen into disrepair until the late 1990s when extensive repair work was completed. The remains of the Rochestown platform can be seen from the Rochestown road. At various points on the route from Passage to Monkstown and Carrigaline, smaller bridges, old water towers and tunnels are visible. Along the length of walkway from Carrigaline, signal lights for the trains have been restored and line the Owenabue River to Crosshaven. Work began in May 2017 to improve the path that connected to the Marina Park, as well as the park itself. From the pedestrian bridge over the South Ring Road just past the Rochestown area to the park, construction has taken place to improve the surface of the path, maintain the trees along the path, and install new walkways down from footpaths above. A ''Passage Railway Greenway Improvement Scheme'' commenced in 2021 to improve part of the route for pedestrians and cyclists.


See also

* Cork and Muskerry Light Railway * List of narrow-gauge railways in Ireland *
Schull and Skibbereen Railway The Schull and Skibbereen Railway (also known as the Schull and Skibbereen Tramway and Light Railway) was a minor narrow gauge railway in County Cork, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It opened in 1886 and closed in 1947. The track gauge was a Na ...
* Cork Greenway


References


Notes


Footnotes


Sources

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Further reading

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cork, Blackrock And Passage Railway Closed railways in Ireland Transport in County Cork 3 ft gauge railways in Ireland Irish-gauge railways Railway lines opened in 1850 Defunct railway companies of Ireland