Sligo to Collooney on the Class 22k. Iarnród Éireann/Irish Rail.

Sligo to Collooney on the Class 22K. Iarnród Éireann/Irish Rail.

The train is the Rotem built Class 22000 or Class 22K is a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) which is made in South Korea. The train is the 0705 from Sligo to Dublin Connolly.

Sligo station was opened on 3 December 1862, when the Midland Great Western Railway extended their Longford branch to Sligo, adding rail links to the town from Dublin. Dublin Broadstone was the original terminal of the Midland and Great Western Railway (M&GWR) which was opened in 1847 and Longford was opened in 1855.

The Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway linked to Enniskillen to the north in 1881 and the Waterford and Limerick Railway (later the Great Southern and Western Railway) followed with a link to Limerick and the south in 1895. The line to Enniskillen closed in 1957 and passenger services to Limerick closed in 1963.

The station building was burned down and destroyed on 11 January 1923 during the Irish Civil War. Seven engines were sent down the line to the quay and one crashed through a concrete wall into the harbour.

In 1966 Sligo Mac Diarmada Station after Seán Mac Diarmada who took part in the Easter Rising of 1916 in Dublin.

The train is running on the former Midland and Great Western Railway (M&GWR) line which went originally to Dublin Broadstone. The alignment was also used by the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway (SLNCR). The train ran towards the currently closed Ballisodare passing the junction of the currently closed line to Claremorris Junction.

The line to Claremorris is on the 'Burma Road' which is part of the planned Western Rail Corridor. The Western Rail Corridor has been partly reopened with direct Galway to Limerick trains. The next section planned to be reopened is from Galway on the line via Athenry, Tuam to Claremorris. It is hoped that the section from Sligo to Claremorris Junction is on the agenda to reopen as a working railway from Sligo to Galway.

The former SLNCR alignment to Manor Hamilton and Enniskillen also went from Collooney. The SLNCR being the last line that was independent in the British Isles. The SLNCR was closed when the Great Northern Railway of Ireland (GNR(I)) into Enniskillen via Omagh was closed.

Collooney being the junction to go all around the island of Ireland.

The train continues towards Dublin.

My video was made on Monday 15th of July in the year of our Lord 2024.