2025 marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Castleisland Railway. This branch line ran from Gortalea on the Mallow to Tralee line, and operated for just over 100 years. In this article we will take a look a look at the line’s history, and what survives of it today.
The Opening (1875)
The Castleisland Railway Company was incorporated in 1872 with the line actually opening three years later in 1875. This followed on from a rejected proposal to have the Great Southern & Western Railway’s Killarney to Tralee line run via Castleisland, with a more direct route being ultimately chosen. The branch was 4.5 miles long and, as already mentioned, left the Tralee line at Gortilea.
A special ‘railmotor’ was built for the line, which is was in effect a locomotive and carriage in one (in many ways, a forerunner of the railcars that operate on railways today). It was simply known as ‘C’ and was the only motive power assigned to the line at this early stage.
In 1879 the line would officially be taken over by the Great Southern & Western Railway. This in turn would become part of the Great Southern Railway in November 1924, which would become part of CIÉ in January 1945.
An early view of staff at Castleisland railway station.
The first closure (1947)
Fuel shortages in the 1940s would see services on the branch line suspended in 1947 under the Emergency Powers Order. This would see the end of regular passenger trains, although there was a commitment in the Dail to run turf trains as required. A monthly special for the cattle fair also continued to operate.
A reprieve ten years later
After a decade of no regular traffic, bar some as required workings (such as fair, grain and pilgrimage specials), goods traffic recommenced on the Castleisland branch in January 1957. This coincided with the introduction of diesel traction wth to the branch, with a small Deutz G Class locomotive, No.G602, being allocated to the line. This goods service operated from Tralee each morning. As time went on, larger diesels such as the 141 class GMs and A class Metropolitan Vickers would take over on these duties. Occasional passengers would also operate, including some railtours.
The final closure
Sadly, like many rural branch lines of the period, the Castleisland line was not to last. It became one of a handful of stragglers into the 1970s (along with the branch lines to Ardee and Loughrea), with the line closing to goods traffic in November 1975, just over 100 years after it first opened. The line would be closed completely in 1977, with the final abandonment order being issued in 1986. Little now remains.
A Castleisland Railway survivor
The original Castleisland Railway locomotive, now being restored at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway. We have a special badge available to support her restoration.
Fortunately, the original Castleisland Railway railmotor survives today, albeit rebuilt from its original guise. Railmotor C was later rebuilt by the Great Southern & Western Railway as 0-6-0 tank engine No.90. After initially working on the Casteisland line, it later migrated to the neighbouring county of Cork, where it spent much of its working life. In the 1960s it was withdrawn but luckily was placed on display, initially at Fermoy, and later at Mallow. In the 1980s it moved to Tuam where it was extensively rebuilt by the preservation group Westrail, who would go on to use the locomotive on excursion trains in County Galway during the early 1990s. Sadly these operations ceased, and after a sojourn at Inchicore Works, this locomotive moved to the Downpatrick & County Down Railway Museum in the mid-2000s and was briefly used on their steam train services there. It is currently in the early stages of overhaul so it can steam once more. Our enamel badge range includes a special edition of No.90, and funds from this will be used towards the her restoration. You can order a badge here.
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