Railway Year Book. (1924)

CORK, BANDON AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.

GENERAL OFFICES.
CORK TERMINUS.

DIRECTORS.

THEODORE F. CARROLL (Chairman), Cork.
COLONEL JAMES M. SUGRUE (Deputy Chairman), Sidney Place, Cork.
JOSEPH PIKE, D.L., Dunsland, Glanmire, Cork.
DR. WM. LOMBARD MURPHY, Dartry, Dublin.
THE RIGHT HON. JONATHAN HOGG, Dublin.
T. J. CANTY, Clonakilty.
ALFRED R. MACMULLEN, Oriel House, Ballincollig, co. Cork.
REGINALD BENCE-JONES, Lisslan, Clonakilty, co. Cork.
HUGH FRENCH, Cuskinny, Queenstown.

CHIEF OFFICERS.

(Unless otherwise stated, the addresses of the Officers are at the General Offices, as above.)

General Manager - JOHN R. KERR, B.E., M.Inst.T.
Secretary - ROBERT H. LESLIE.
Traffic Manager - W. C. R. Coe
Accountant - ROBERT H. LESLIE.
Locomotive Superintendent - J. W. JOHNSTONE.
Chief Engineer - JOHN R. KERR, B.E., M.Inst.T.
General Stores Superintendent - GEO. A. COE.
Auditors - E. C. HITCHMOUGH, Cork, and W. C. L. SULLIVAN, Cork.
Solicitors - ARTHUR JULIAN, 43, South Mall, Cork.
Bankers - MUNSTER AND LEINSTER BANK, LTD., Cork.

    There were no changes in the Official Staff during 1923.

Telegraphic Addresses and Telephone Numbers of Principal Departments.

HISTORICAL SKETCH.

THE Cork and Bandon Ry. was incorporated 1845, and opened for traffic December, 1851, between Bandon and Ballinhassig, a service of coaches being maintained pending the comletion of the tunnel between the latter place and Cork. The Cork and Kinsale Junction Ry., incorporated 1859, was worked by the C. & B. Company at a mileage rate, until purchased in 1879. The West Cork Ry., from Bandon to Denmanway, was opened for traffic June, 1866, but worked by an independent company. The Ilen Valley Ry., opened for traffic July 21, 1877, extends from Dunmanway to Skibbereen. The Cork and Kinsale and West Cork lines were taken over as from January 1, 1880, with the lease of the Ilen Valley Ry. and power to construct the Bantry extension

In 1909, the Ilen Valley Ry. was acquired by the Bandon Company. Other sections are the Bantry extension, opened for traffic July 1, 1881; the Clonakilty Extension, opened August, 1886, and the Baltimore Ry. to Baltimore, 61¾ miles. The latter railway is worked by the C. B. and S. C. Ry. The Cork and Macroom Ry., opened June, 1866, for some years used the Cork terminus of the Bandon Company, but in September, 1897, provided an independent terminus. The line carries a heavy fishing traffic from Bantry and Kinsale, and there is also a considerable tourist traffic, especially by the "Prince of Wales route" to Glengariff and Killarney viâ Bantry. C. B. and S. C. trains also work through over the Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Light Ry., opened December, 1890.

    Principal Towns Served. - Cork, Bandon, Kinsale, Clonakilty, Dunmanway, Bantry, Skibbereen and Baltimore.

    Largest Stations. - Cork, Bandon, Clonakilty, Skibbereen and Bantry.

    Total length of platform faces at largest station. - Cork, 300 ft.

    Steepest Gradient. - 1 in 60 for a distance of 2 miles, from 55½ to 57½ miles, falling towards Bantry. The steepest gradient for goods and mineral trains only is 1 in 60.

    Permanent Way. - Flange section rails, 85 lbs. per yard, sleepers, 9 ft. by 4½ in., placed 2 ft. 3 in. apart, centre to centre, and sole plates, weighing 11 lbs. each.

    Colours of Locomotives and Rolling Stock. - Olive green, lined in yellow.

    Heating of Passenger Trains. - Foot-warmers.

    System of Automatic Brakes. - Vacuum automatic.

    Longest Tunnel. - Ballinhassig, ½ mile long.

    Driver's Position on Footplate. - Both sides. Principally left.

    Mile Posts and Gradient Boards on down side of main line.

    Number of Shareholders. - 1,335.

STATISTICS, - Year Ending December 31st, 1923.

..... continued ....

The road from Timoleague to Courtmacsherry pictured here just in front of the abbey. The railway crossed the narrow end of the bay at this point.
	Further along towards Courtmacsherry the track of the railway is now a track to the left of the road.
By 2003 a signal post has appeared with a plaque which reads as follows. This walk follows the line of the old Timoleage and Courtmacsherry Railway, which was the last roadside railway operating in Ireland. Its regular passenger service ceased in 1947, due to the coal famine, and thereafter it operated only for summer excursions and the winter beet harvest. Summer passenger excursions operated every Sunday from Albert Quay in Cork and they were well supported from the small stations on route. The leisurely pace at which the trains rounded the sharp curves of the roadside track undoubtedly contributed to the relaxed and jovial atmosphere for which these excursions were renowned. Alas the entire West Cork Railway terminated without warning in the autumn of 1960. This project is jointly funded by the Timoleague community and West Cork Leader.
	Here at Skibbereen, the bridge that carried the single track railway across the river Ilen. The station was across the river from the town. The line went north to Cork and south to Baltimore. The Schull & Skibbereen branch (click for book details) followed the river west via Ballydehob.
Another view of Skibbereen.
	The West Cork model village at Clonakilty; there's lots of old railway memerobilia here.
The Station at Baltimore. The railway buildings and station canopy are still evident.
	Railway sign now in a pub in Baltimore (great food if I remember rightly!) - If someone can remind me of the name I'll add it here. I was told that fish landed here used to be available early the next morning at Billingsgate fish market in London; it takes much longer today to get the fish to market!
A Station platform sign also on display in the pub.
	The Pier at Schull - an extension to the Schull & Skibbereen Railway (click for book details) once terminated on this pier. The main line terminated a few hundred yards east. It ran from the pier along the foreshore, south of the church and to the main road.
This mural is painted on a wall (a hotel I think) in Skibbereen.

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Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway Company	West Carbery Tramway & Light Railway Company Limited	The Cork Railway Company
Clonakilty Extension Railway Co.	Great Southern & Western Railway	Clonakilty Extension Railway Co.
Balliniscarty & Timoleague Junction Light Railway Company	Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Extension Light Railway Company Limited	Baltimore Extension Railway Company

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