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Kiltimagh railway station facts for kids

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Kiltimagh

Coillte Mach
Freight train at Kiltimagh - geograph.org.uk - 3117336.jpg
A freight train at Kiltimagh in 1975
Location Kiltimagh, County Mayo
Ireland
Owned by Kiltimagh Museum
Operated by Iarnród Éireann
Platforms 2
History
Opened 10 January 1895 (1895-01-10)
Closed 10 January 1975 (1975-01-10)
Other services
    Proposed    
Claremorris   InterCity
Limerick-Sligo
  Swinford
    Disused    
Claremorris   Branch Line
Collooney to Claremorris
  Swinford

Kiltimagh railway station is an old train station located near the town of Kiltimagh in County Mayo, Ireland. It first opened its doors in 1895. This station was an important part of the railway line that connected Claremorris to Collooney railway station and then on to the main line to Sligo.

The railway line was first run by a company called the Great Southern and Western Railway. People sometimes called this route the "Burma Road." The station stopped carrying passengers in 1963. Trains carrying goods continued to use the line until 1975, when it closed completely.

After the station closed, it was turned into the Kiltimagh Museum in the 1980s. The museum shows off local history and culture with different displays and old items.

Modern Uses of the Station

Plans for Reopening the Line

Since 2003, there have been different ideas to reopen Kiltimagh station. These plans are part of a bigger project called the Western Railway Corridor. This project aims to connect Limerick all the way to Sligo by train again. Some of these plans also suggest adding a railway link to Ireland West Airport.

Fun on the Tracks: Velorail

In 2023, a new and exciting activity called Velorail started at the station. Velorail lets people ride special bikes on the old railway tracks. This project was created by IRD Kiltimagh CLG and the Kiltimagh Tourism Association.

The Velorail track covers about 15 kilometers (about 9 miles) of the old railway line that has been fixed up. Currently, about 9 kilometers of this track are used for the Velorail rides. It's a fun way to experience the old railway!

The Original Train Route (1895)

The original train line started in Claremorris. From there, it went north through several towns and stations. These included:

  • Kiltimagh railway station
  • Swinford railway station
  • Charlestown railway station
  • Curry railway station
  • Tubbercurry railway station
  • Carrowmore railway station
  • Leyny railway station
  • And finally, Collooney railway station
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