Border Crossings: Ireland - United Kingdom
All entries are listed in route order Ireland to United Kingdom (except where passing from UK into Ireland and back out again) and northwest to southeast. Unless shown otherwise [in square brackets] lines were owned by the Great Northern Railway of Ireland (GNR(I)).
All routes between this pair of countries are/were 1600mm gauge unless otherwise shown.
All routes between this pair of countries are/were non-electrified.
Closure dates are given as "with effect from" date for withdrawal of last regular traffic over the line which was also the passenger closure date, unless otherwise shewn. Irish closures did often take place on the first day of the month - even though that was mid-week. The GNR(I) lines did close on two different dates in October 1957. The closure date refers only to the cross-border section - not necessarily through to the locations in parentheses ( ) on either side. The information tallies with that given in Appendix 1 of Volume 16 (Ireland) of A Regional History of Railways [of the British Isles] and Johnson's Atlas & Gazetteer of the Railways of Ireland; unfortunately other sources cannot necessarily be relied upon due to conflicting dates
(Tooban Junction -) Bridge End - Gallagh Road (- Londonderry)
[Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway, 3ft gauge] Last timetabled passenger train 6 September 1948 but Goods services always included a brake third coach which conveyed anyone wishing to travel. Last Goods train operated 8 August 1953 Official closure date 10th August
Strabane (UK) - Porthall (Ireland) - Carrigans (Ireland) - Londonderry Foyle Road (UK)
Official last train 14 Febuary 1965 but this returned "empty" from Londonderry to Belfast at 0015 on the 15th conveying unofficial passengers to various destinations including Belfast (Source the late John McKegney of the RPSI who travelled on it) [Porthall and Carrigans closed with effect from 14 February as they had no Sunday service]
(Letterkenny -) Lifford - Strabane
[County Donegal Railway, 3ft gauge] Closed 1 January 1960.
(Ballybofey -) Clady - Strabane
[County Donegal Railway, 3ft gauge] Closed 1 January 1960 for passenger traffic, closed completely 7 February 1960.
(Bundoran -) Ballyshannon (Ireland) - Belleek (UK) - Castlecaldwell (UK) - Pettigo (Ireland) - Kesh (UK) (- Bundoran Junction)
Closed 1 October 1957. Through trains ran between Dublin and Bundoran, not stopping at any stations in Northern Ireland, in order to avoid customs examination.
(Collooney -) Glenfarne - Belcoo [& Blacklion] (- Enniskillen)
[Sligo, Leitrim & Northern Counties Railway] Closed 1 October 1957.
Clones - Newtownbutler
Closed 1 October 1957. Through trains between Dublin and Bundoran ran via this route, without any stops in Northern Ireland, in order to avoid customs examination.
Clones - Redhills
The line between these places, both in the Republic of Ireland, passed through the United Kingdom three times but with no intermediate stations (i.e. six border crossings). Closed 14 October 1957 for passenger traffic, closed completely 1 January 1960.
(Clones -) Glas(s)lough - Tynan [& Caledon] (- Armagh)
Closed 1 October 1957.
(Castleblaney -) Creaghanroe - Carnagh (- Armagh)
Last train ran March 31 1923 not officially closed until August 18 1924
(Dublin -) Dundalk IÉ - Newry [station formerly named Bessbrook] NIR (- Belfast)
[D] The only Irish cross-border route still in operation. Passenger services are operated jointly by NIR and IÉ. Both companies run through and own their own rolling stock - that used on principal expresses is to a common design. Revenue freight services into and within Northern Ireland (formerly worked by IÉ) ceased after the last train on 27 February 2004.
(Greenore -) Omeath - Newry Bridge Street
[Dundalk, Newry & Greenore Railway, later owned by L&NW] Closed 1 January 1952.
