Survey Data
Reg No
40901024
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Social
Previous Name
Clonmany Railway Station
Original Use
Railway station
In Use As
House
Date
1890 - 1910
Coordinates
238012, 446179
Date Recorded
17/09/2008
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached three-bay two-storey former railway station, built c. 1901, with attached four-bay single-storey waiting room to west and single-bay single-storey building to east; modern porch extension to rear (platform) elevation, single-storey modern extension to waiting room rear elevation; now two dwellings. Pitched slate roof with pierced decorative clay ridge comb, red brick chimneystacks with plinth and bracketed cornice and clay pots to gable ends of main building and to west gable end of waiting room, cast-iron and replacement rainwater goods on painted timber bargeboards; artificial slate to attached building to east. Rock-faced squared and snecked limestone walls limestone walls with yellow brick block-and-start quoins, yellow brick stringcourse to ground and first floor level 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, original timber two-over-two horned sash windows to rear and gable of waiting room, replacement timber casement and uPVC windows to remainder. Square-headed door opening, yellow brick flat arch and raised plaster continuous hoodmoulding over, yellow brick block-and-start surrounds, uPVC door with toplight over, former door to attached building to east end converted to window. Set in own grounds, former platform with lamp and tracks to rear and water tower (see 40901025) to east, two pairs of ashlar gate piers with cast–iron gates to top and bottom of leading laneway.
Appraisal
A typical example of the railway stations along the Tooban to Carndonagh line of the former Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway which despite the loss of original fenestration, still retains its essential character. Most of the buildings along the line follow a similar architectural language of stone walls with brick dressings. The stringcourses, continuous hoodmoulding and pierced decorative clay ridge comb add to its visual appeal, which together with remnant platform, track and adjacent water tower (40901025) forms an interesting complex. 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.