Limerick Colbert railway station

Railway station in Limerick, Ireland

Limerick Colbert Station

Luimneach Stáisiún Uí Cholbáird

Limerick Railway Station

General information
Location| Parnell Street, Limerick, V94 H2PP
Ireland
Coordinates| 52°39′32″N 8°37′26″W﻿ / ﻿52.659°N 8.624°W﻿ / 52.659; -8.624Coordinates: 52°39′32″N 8°37′26″W﻿ / ﻿52.659°N 8.624°W﻿ / 52.659; -8.624
Owned by| Iarnród Éireann
Operated by| Iarnród Éireann
Platforms| 4
Construction
Structure type| At-grade
Other information
Station code| 40
Key dates
1858| Station opened as Limerick
1966| Renamed Limerick Colbert Station

Services

| Preceding station  |  |  Iarnród Éireann |  | Following station

|
|
|
|

Terminus  |  | InterCity
Dublin–Limerick via Thurles |  | Thurles
Terminus  |  | Commuter
Limerick–Nenagh/Ballybrophy |  | Castleconnell
Terminus  |  | Commuter
Limerick Suburban Rail |  | Limerick Junction
Terminus  |  | InterCity
Limerick–Galway |  | Sixmilebridge
| Commuter
Limerick Suburban Rail |

* v
* t
* e

Dublin–Cork

Legend

|  |  |

|  |

| Phoenix Park Tunnel

to Dublin Connolly

|  |

|  |

| Luas Red Line

to Dublin Connolly & The Point

|  |

|  | Dublin Heuston
|  |

|  |

| Luas Red Line

to Tallaght & Saggart

|  |

|  |

Inchicore Works

|  |

|  | Park West and Cherry Orchard †
|  |

|  | Clondalkin/Fonthill †
|  |

|  | Kishoge

unused

|  |

|  | Lucan (south)  |

1947

|  |

|  | Adamstown †
|  |

|  | Hazelhatch and Celbridge †
|  |

|  | Straffan |

1947

|  |

|  | Sallins and Naas †
|  |

|  | Newbridge
|  |

|  | Curragh Racecourse  |

1977

|  |

|  | Curragh Mainline  |

1999

|  |

|  | Kildare
|  |

|  |

Dublin–Waterford Line

|  |

|  | Monasterevin †
|  |

|  | Portarlington
|  |

|  |

Dublin–Westport/Galway line

|  |

|  | Portlaoise
|  |

|  |

to Kilkenny

1962

|  |

|  |

Laois Traincare Depot

|  |

|  | Mountrath  |

1976

|  |

|  |

Limerick–Ballybrophy line

|  |

|  | Ballybrophy
|  |

|  | Lisduff  |

1963

|  |

|  | Templemore
|  |

|  | Thurles
|  |

|  | Goold's Cross  |

1976

|  |

|  |

to Cashel

1954

|  |

|  | Dundrum  |

1976

|  |

|  |

| Limerick–Rosslare line

to Limerick Colbert and Rosslare

|  |

|  | Limerick Junction
|  |

|  | Emly  |

1963

|  |

|  | Knocklong  |

1977

|  |

|  | Kilmallock  |

1977

|  |

|  | Charleville
|  |

|  | Buttevant  |

1977

|  |

|  | Mallow
|  |

|  |

Mallow–Tralee Line

|  |

|  | Mourne Abbey  |

1963

|  |

|  | Rathduff  |

1976

|  |

|  | Blarney (GSW)  |

1963

|  |

|  | Cork Kent
|  |

|  |

Cork–Cobh/Midleton line

* * *

† Not served by services from Dublin to Cork

|  |  |  |  |  |

* v
* t
* e

Limerick–Galway

Legend

|  |  |

|  |

Dublin–Galway Line

|
|
|
|

|  |

|  |

to Claremorris

|  |

|  | Athenry
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  | Oranmore
|  |

|  | Galway
|  |

|  | Craughwell
|  |

|  | Ardrahan
|  |

|  | Gort
|  |

|  | Ennis
|  |

|  | Sixmilebridge
|  |

|  | Limerick Colbert
|  |  |  |  |  |

* v
* t
* e

Limerick–Rosslare

Legend

|  |  |

|  |  |

| Year

closed

|  |

|  | Limerick Colbert
|  |

|  |

to Foynes

2009

|  |

|  |

| Western Railway Corridor

to Galway

|  |

|  | Killonan  |

1963

|  |

|  |

Limerick–Ballybrophy line

|  |

|  | Boher  |

1963

|  |

|  | Dromkeen  |

1976

|  |

|  | Pallas
|  |

|  | Oola  |

1963

|  |

|  |

← Dublin–Cork line →

|  |

|  | Limerick Junction
|  |

|  | Tipperary
|  |

|  | Bansha  |

1963

|  |

|  |

River Suir

|  |

|  | Cahir
|  |

|  | Clonmel
|  |

|  |

to Thurles

1967

|  |

|  | Kilsheelan |

1963

|  |

|  | Carrick-on-Suir
|  |

|  | Fiddown and Portlaw  |

1855

|  |

|  | Grange  |

1963

|  |

|  |

Dublin–Waterford line

|  |

|  |

Mallow–Waterford line

1967

|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |

Waterford West goods yard

|  |

|  | Waterford Plunkett
|  |

|  |

to New Ross

1995

|  |

|  |

River Barrow

|  |

|  | Campile |

2010

|  |

|  | Ballycullane |

2010

|  |

|  | Wellingtonbridge |

2010

|  |

|  | Duncormick |

1976

|  |

|  | Bridgetown |

2010

|  |

|  | Killinick |

1976

|  |

|  |

| Felthouse Junction

curve closed 1918
Dublin–

Rosslare Line

|  |

|  | Rosslare Strand
|  |

|  | Kilrane  |

1963

|  |

|  | Rosslare Europort
|  |  |  |  |  |

* v
* t
* e

Limerick to
Ballybrophy line

Legend

|  |

|

| Ballybrophy

|

Dublin–Cork main line

|

| Roscrea

|

| Cloughjordan

|

| Nenagh

|

| Birdhill

|

| Castleconnell

|

|

Dublin–Cork main line and to Waterford

|

| Limerick Colbert

Limerick Station (Irish: Stáisiún Luimnigh) also known as Colbert Station (Irish: Stáisiún Uí Cholbáird) or Limerick Colbert serves the city of Limerick in County Limerick. It is on Parnell Street and is the main station on the Limerick Suburban Rail network. It has approximately 2,500 rail passengers a day travelling on four rail routes. The Bus Éireann bus station on site services approximately one million passengers a year, with 125 buses departing each day.[1]

## Services[edit]

The station is the terminus of the Dublin–Limerick, Limerick–Nenagh–Ballybrophy and Limerick–Ennis–Galway lines.[2] Connections for Cork, Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, Waterford and Kerry stations, such as Killarney, Farranfore and Tralee can be made at Limerick Junction.

Bus Éireann's Limerick depot is adjacent and offers Intercity, Express and Eurolines services.

## Connecting to Shannon Airport[edit]

Buses connect the railway station to Shannon Airport.

## History[edit]

The station in 1907.

The station opened on 28 August 1858, replacing a temporary station 500 metres (1,600 ft) further east, which had operated from 9 May 1848. It was built by the Waterford and Limerick Railway (W&LR), which ran its first train, as far as Tipperary, on Tuesday, 9 May 1848, with intermediate stations at Killonan, Pallasgreen and Oola (all since closed). Two months later the GS&WR connected their Dublin–Cork line with the W&LR at Limerick Junction, near Tipperary. The work was carried out at the height of the Great Famine, resulting in extreme financial difficulties for the company.

Originally named "Limerick", the station was given the name Colbert on 10 April 1966 in commemoration of Cornelius Colbert, one of the executed leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916.

Other former routes[3][4] from Limerick station included:

* a direct route to Cork via Patrickswell and Charleville (on the Dublin-Cork line) built by the Cork & Limerick Direct Railway
* the "North Kerry" line to Foynes, Newcastle West, Listowel and Tralee built in stages by three different companies in the mid to late 19th century
* a siding from Limerick Check to Castlemungret cement factory.

The direct line to Cork between Patrickswell and Charleville and the North Kerry line between Ballingrane and Tralee were dismantled in the [late 1960s - to be confirmed] and in the late 1980s respectively. A single-track remains in place between Limerick Check and Foynes, although disconnected from the network.

Parts of the video for the Westlife song "My Love" were filmed at Colbert Station.[5]

## Redevelopment[edit]

Conditional planning permission was granted by Limerick city and county council for the €16.8m redevelopment of Colbert Station in December 2014.[6]

Plan included:

Phase 1. A new pedestrian plaza limestone paved area of 3,350 square metres (0.83 acres) replacing the car park at the front of the station.

Phase 2. Knocking the former toilet block to make way for a new bus station, with the former bus station being converted into the access area for a new 235-space car park.

Phase 3. Significant refurbishment of the interior of the railway station with new finishes throughout and provision of a new ticketing office and retail units.

Funding of approximately 3 million euro was secured for Phase 1 and work began in Quarter 1, 2015.[1] The disused Fuel Station site was leveled and work completed on-site for a temporary car park in summer/autumn 2015.[7] The temporary parking was used while work on station redevelopment took place. Phase 1 was completed in 2016.

During June 2017, extensive re-signalling works took place at Limerick Colbert. These works replaced two life-expired signal cabins that signaled all routes into and out of the station. During this time, platforms 3 and 4 were also straightened, lengthened and resurfaced.[8]

In October 2017, one of the former Station Signal cabins was demolished to facilitate the extension of Platforms 1 and 2. Buffer stop arrangements to comply with modern safety requirements, similar to those on Platforms 3 & 4 were also provided for.[9]

Separately Limerick council sought in 2015 to redevelop the Parnell Street area including the interface between the street and Colbert station. Plans included a raised platform and new pedestrian crossing across Parnell Street at the entry to Colbert Station to complement the new pedestrian plaza. Work was completed in 2017.[10]

## See also[edit]

* List of railway stations in Ireland
* Limerick Suburban Rail
* Great Southern and Western Railway
* History of rail transport in Ireland

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Bus Éireann News - Bus Éireann - View Ireland Bus and Coach Timetables & Buy Tickets". Buseireann.ie. 13 January 2015. Archived from the original on 16 January 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
2. ^ Irish Rail. "Limerick (Colbert)". Irishrail.ie. Archived from the original on 16 January 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
3. ^ "Limerick". Irrs.ie. Archived from the original on 30 November 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
4. ^ "Limerick as a railway centre" (PDF). www.limerickcity.ie. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
5. ^ "WESTLIFE- My Love". Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016 - via www.youtube.com.
6. ^ "Green light for €16.8m new Limerick travel plaza". www.limerickleader.ie. Archived from the original on 18 November 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
7. ^ "Works progressing at Limerick's Colbert Station". www.limerickleader.ie. Archived from the original on 18 November 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
8. ^ Burke, Ceimin. "Major disruptions coming down the tracks for Limerick train users". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
9. ^ "LimerickSignalling". www.irrs.ie. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
10. ^ "Parnell, Davis & Wickham Street Upgrade & Improvement Works - Limerick.ie". www.limerick.ie. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Limerick railway station.

* Irish Rail Limerick (Colbert) station Website
* Limerick–Clonmel–Waterford & Nenagh lines

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