Irish Rail, Cork, September 2013

Kent Station and Cobh and Midleton Lines.

Last week, I traveled by train from Dublin to Cork to make photographs and visit with friends. I was traveling light and only brought two cameras, my Lumix LX3 and Canon EOS 3. In addition to some Velvia 100F, I also played around with some Fuji 400 color print film I had stored in the refrigerator.

Initially I focused my attention on Kent Station, which features a unique curved train-shed that make it one of the most interesting railway structures in Ireland. Signaling at the Cobh-end still retains a few mechanical semaphores.

New Irish Rail logo.

Later, I worked east making a variety of images at Glounthuane (Cobh Junction) where Cobh and Midleton lines come together. The Midleton line had been closed for decades and was only reopened for passenger service in 2009. Years earlier, I’d explored the then derelict line.

Earlier this year, I featured a series of posts on Irish Railway Record Society’s locomotive hauled Dublin-Cobh-Midleton excursion. See: Irish Railway Record Society Trip to County Cork, 20 July 2013; Sun Scorched Irish Extravaganza—Part 4.

Where that visit was blessed with bright sun through out the day, on this recent trip I experienced more ordinary Irish weather.

Irish Rail signs at Glounthaune, Cork. Lumix LX3 photo.

Here are a few views from the two cameras. Special thanks to Ken and Janet Fox and Donncha Cronin for location advice and local transportation. Also thanks to John Gunn Camera shop on Wexford Street in Dublin for color negative film processing and prints.