Londonderry railway station
Encyclopedia
Londonderry/Derry Railway Station, known commonly as Waterside Railway Station, serves the city of Derry
in Northern Ireland
. The station is also used by residents of the west of County Londonderry
, much of west Tyrone
and County Donegal
. It is operated by Northern Ireland Railways
. Services run to Great Victoria Street, which is the terminus for the line from Belfast
.
The original Londonderry Waterside Station was opened on 29 December 1852. It closed on 24 March 1980, but the station building remains intact. A new station of the same name replaced the larger terminus in 1980, after services were reduced and track layout was severely rationalised. The line consists of a single jointed track with loops at Castlerock
and Coleraine
stations.
The station signs now read Londonderry, as the suffix Waterside became redundant upon closure of the city's two other railway termini. Despite the nameboard inscriptions, the destination signs on any Northern Ireland Railways train read Derry/Londonderry.
In 2010, the Minister for Regional Development
, Conor Murphy
, mooted the possibility of building a new railway station that would connect the railway with a planned foot and cycle bridge across the Foyle
, bringing it closer to the centre of the city.
, with five trains each way running on Sundays.
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The station is also used by residents of the west of County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, much of west Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
and County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
. It is operated by Northern Ireland Railways
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
. Services run to Great Victoria Street, which is the terminus for the line from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
The original Londonderry Waterside Station was opened on 29 December 1852. It closed on 24 March 1980, but the station building remains intact. A new station of the same name replaced the larger terminus in 1980, after services were reduced and track layout was severely rationalised. The line consists of a single jointed track with loops at Castlerock
Castlerock
Castlerock is a seaside village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is situated between Coleraine and Derry and is very popular with summer tourists, having numerous apartment blocks and three caravan sites. Castlerock Golf Club has both 9 and 18-hole links courses bounded by the beach, the...
and Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
stations.
The station signs now read Londonderry, as the suffix Waterside became redundant upon closure of the city's two other railway termini. Despite the nameboard inscriptions, the destination signs on any Northern Ireland Railways train read Derry/Londonderry.
In 2010, the Minister for Regional Development
Department for Regional Development
The Department for Regional Development is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive...
, Conor Murphy
Conor Murphy
Conor Terence Murphy is an Irish republican Sinn Féin politician.According to An Phoblacht, Murphy first became involved with the Irish Republican Army during the 1981 hunger strikes...
, mooted the possibility of building a new railway station that would connect the railway with a planned foot and cycle bridge across the Foyle
River Foyle
The River Foyle is a river in west Ulster in the northwest of Ireland, which flows from the confluence of the rivers Finn and Mourne at the towns of Lifford in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, and Strabane in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. From here it flows to the City of Derry, where it...
, bringing it closer to the centre of the city.
Service
As of September 2009, from Mondays to Saturdays there is a two-hourly service towards Belfast Great Victoria Street operated by Northern Ireland RailwaysNorthern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
, with five trains each way running on Sundays.