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Dublin Connolly railway station
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Dublin Connolly, commonly called Connolly station , (previously named Amiens Street Station) is one of the main railway stations in Dublin, Ireland, and is a focal point in the Irish route network. The ornate station facade has a distinctive Italianate tower at its centre. Situated on the north side of the River Liffey, the station provides intercity and commuter services to the north, northwest and south-east of the island. The north-south Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) service also passes through the station.
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Encyclopedia
Dublin Connolly, commonly called Connolly station , (previously named Amiens Street Station) is one of the main railway stations in Dublin, Ireland, and is a focal point in the Irish route network. The ornate station facade has a distinctive Italianate tower at its centre. Situated on the north side of the River Liffey, the station provides intercity and commuter services to the north, northwest and south-east of the island. The north-south Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) service also passes through the station. The station offices serve as the headquarters of the Irish Rail firm, Iarnród Éireann.
History
The station was opened on 29 November, 1844 by the Dublin & Drogheda Railway Company as Dublin Station, but was renamed ten years later as Amiens Street Station after the street on which it is located. Originally the station only served a single mainline to Drogheda, and only in 1853 did through services to Belfast commence. In 1891 the City of Dublin Junction Railway connected the station with Westland Row Station (now Pearse Station) on the city's south side. The C of D Jctn was a separate station known as Amiens St Junction and consisted of the present platforms 5,6 & 7 with a separate street entrance. After the amalgamation of the GNR (I) at the end of the 1950s this station became part of the overall Amiens St and the separate entrance fell into disuse. The C of D Jctn Rly. allowed services to run from Amiens St., through to Westland Row, and onwards to Rosslare and the Southeast. Services to Sligo were transferred to Westland Row (Pearse Stn) operating through the station non-stop in 1937, with the closure of Broadstone Station by CIÉ (see also MGWR). Services to Galway and Mayo also originated/terminated at Westland Row, operating through Connolly Station after 1937, running via Mullingar and Athlone. This was discontinued in the 1970s in favour of running services out of Heuston Station on the better quality Cork line. Passenger running between Mullingar/Athlone ceased completely in 1987. During the 1960s, Sunday trains to Cork, Limerick and Waterford operated from Connolly platforms 5, 6 & 7 (running through the Phoenix Park tunnel) to avoid the cost of opening Heuston (Kingsbridge) for the limited Sunday traffic demand at that time.
In 1966, the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising, the station's name was changed to Connolly Station after Irish revolutionary and socialist James Connolly. At the same time, several other main stations in the Republic were renamed after patriots executed for their roles in the Rising.
At the commencement of DART services in 1984, the C of D Jctn Rly entrance was refurbished and reopened for commuter traffic.
During the late 1990s, Connolly Station was completely renovated and partially rebuilt. An entirely new station hall was built, the roof over Platforms 1-4 was replaced, and a new bar/cafe and shops were installed. The former DART/Suburban station entrance (C of D Jctn Rly entrance) and the secondary station hall built with the DART (further north on Amiens St) were again closed, but a new entrance on the International Financial Services Centre side was opened. In 2004, the Luas Red Line (to Tallaght) began serving the station. As part of the preparation for this, the ramp which had been a bus terminus was demolished and replaced with a 2-platform tram station connected to the main concourse by escalators and lift.
Services
Connolly has 4 terminal platforms, for trains approaching from the north, as well as 3 through platforms for services from the south, or passing through to the south. There are seven platforms in total; four terminal (1-4) and three through - the former Amiens St Jctn station - (5-7).
There are three Intercity routes served:
- The Enterprise service to Belfast (intermediate stops, Drogheda, Dundalk, Newry, Portadown)
- Sligo Mac Diarmada (some main stops, Maynooth, Mullingar, Longford)
- Rosslare Europort, via Pearse Station and the "loop line" bridge (selected stops, Arklow, Gorey, Wexford)
Suburban services run on the same routes, as far as Drogheda, Dundalk, Maynooth and Gorey or Enniscorthy. The aforementioned DART service uses some of the platforms equipped with overhead electrics (Platforms 5, 6, and 7). Terminal platform 4 is also electrified, although it is rarely used by electric trains.
Future
Iarnród Éireann have proposed a major realignment of local services into the capital in order to ease the congestion at Connolly. The opening of Docklands station has provided an alternative terminus for the Western Commuter line to Mullingar. It is planned that these services will form the basis for the planned line to Dunboyne and Navan. IÉ plan to retain Docklands station as a terminus for services from Pace. Docklands will be just across the road from the proposed Spencer Dock station on the Interconnector which will divert DART services from the north away from Connolly, further increasing capacity.
Connections
While Connolly connects Dublin to the east coast of Ireland and to Sligo, Heuston Station serves the south and west of the country. Connolly station is connected to Heuston via the Luas tram system. Rail links also exist connecting the two stations passing through a tunnel under the Phoenix Park. Passenger services seldom use this section, with its main purpose being the transfer of rolling stock and locomotives (the main service depot for Iarnród Éireann is at Inchicore, just outside Heuston).
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