Survey Data
Reg No
40901017
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Social
Original Use
Railway station
In Use As
House
Date
1890 - 1910
Coordinates
238590, 448161
Date Recorded
17/09/2008
Date Updated
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Description
Detached three-bay two-storey former railway station, built c. 1900, with attached two-bay single-storey former waiting room to west side. Now in use as a private house. Pitched natural slate roof with pierced decorative clay ridge comb tiles, red brick chimneystacks with bracketed cornice and clay pots to gable ends, cast-iron rainwater goods over painted timber bargeboards. Squared and rough dressed limestone walls, yellow brick block-and-start quoins, yellow brick stringcourse over openings at ground and first floor levels with continuous raised terracotta hoodmoulding over, projecting plinth with yellow brick capping. Square-headed window openings, yellow brick flat arches and raised plaster continuous hoodmoulding over, yellow brick block-and-start surrounds over painted cut stone sills, timber two-over-two pane horned timber sliding sash windows. Central square-headed door opening, yellow brick flat arch and raised plaster continuous hoodmoulding over, yellow brick block-and-start surrounds, timber panelled door with toplight over. Set in own grounds, modern boundary walls and gate piers, single-bay, single-storey goods shed to the north-east, pitched slate, roughly dressed uncoursed limestone walls, ashlar block-and-start quoins.
Appraisal
A typical example of the railway stations along the Tooban to Carndonagh line of the former Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway, in good condition retaining many original features of interest including the pierced decorative clay ridge comb tiles and horned timber sash windows. Most of the buildings along the line follow a similar architectural language of stone walls with decorative brick dressings. The moulded brick stringcourses and continuous hoodmoulding add to its visual appeal. The railway, although relatively short lived, was of major social importance in opening up isolated rural areas. This railway station was built as part of the Tooban Junction to Carndonagh section of the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway line, which opened on the 1st of July 1901 and closed in December 1935. The first sod of new line was turned on the 25th May 1899. It was originally built by the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway Company who had built the earlier section of the line between Derry and Buncrana in 1864. This line was originally a standard 5ft 3-inch gauge but was regauged to the 3ft narrow gauge in March 1885; the later line was also of this narrow gauge. This former railway station now acts as an interesting historical reminder of the formerly extensive railway network in County Donegal, and is an integral element of the built heritage of the local area and of the wider transport heritage of the county.