Manulla Junction railway station

{{Short description|Railway transfer station in County Mayo, Ireland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=November 2021}} {{Infobox station | name = Manulla Junction | name_lang = en | native_name = Ghabhal Mhaigh Nulla | native_name_lang = ga | symbol = rail | symbol_location = IE | style = Iarnród Éireann | type = InterCity Rail & Commuter Rail | image = Manulla Junction.JPG | image_caption = Manulla Junction in July 2015 | alt = | address = Skiddernagh, County Mayo | country = Ireland | coordinates = {{coord|53.82792|N|09.192579|W|region:IE-D_type:railwaystation|display=inline,title}} | map_state = collapsed | map_type = | elevation = | line = Dublin–Westport/Galway railway line Ballina branch line | distance = {{convert|145|mi|71|ch|km}}  | structure = At-grade | platform = A single island with 2 platforms | tracks = 2 | train_operators = Iarnród Éireann | original = Midland Great Western Railway | postgroup = Great Southern Railways | years = | events = | years1 = 17 June 1963 | events1 = Closed | years2 = 7 November 1988 | events2 = Reopened | years3 = | events3 = | years4 = | events4 = | years5 = | events5 = | years6 = | events6 = | years7 = | events7 = | opened = 1 May 1868 | status = Unstaffed | code = MNLAJ | route_map = {{Dublin-Galway/Westport railway line}} {{Ballina branch line}} | mapframe = yes }}

'''Manulla Junction railway station''' is a transfer point for train passengers in County Mayo, Ireland.

==Description== It is a rare example of an interchange-only rail station. Passengers cannot enter or leave the station; it is only for passengers travelling to or from Foxford or Ballina, who transfer to or from Dublin–Westport trains.<ref>http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=119&n=147 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402042758/http://www.irishrail.ie/train-timetables/timetables-by-route |date=2019-04-02 }} Irish Rail Printable Timetables</ref>

A similar station is Smallbrook Junction, Isle of Wight, England, where Island Line trains only stop on days when the Isle of Wight Steam Railway is running, to allow passengers to change between lines.<ref name="GeoffMarshall-Smallbrook">{{cite web |last1=Marshall |first1=Geoff |title=Smallbrook Junction - Least Used Station Isle of Wight |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvPpnU3zR5I&t=177s |website=YouTube |access-date=1 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

Other examples are Sagliains railway station in Switzerland, Newark Liberty International Airport Station in New Jersey and the transfer platform at Pittsburg/Bay Point station in California.

==History== The station opened on 1 May 1868.<ref>{{cite web | title=Manulla Junction station | work=Railscot - Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | accessdate=2007-09-06 | archive-date=2007-09-26 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926042407/http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | url-status=live }}</ref>

The signal cabin at the eastern end was destroyed in the Irish Civil War and was replaced by one at the Westport end.<ref name="ES-Manualla-1">{{cite book| title=The Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland - An illustrated History|last=Shepherd|first=Ernie|year=1994 |publisher=Midland Publishing Limited|publication-date=1994|isbn=1-85780-008-7|pages=81,106,139}}</ref>

The station was closed to passengers joining or leaving the railway network in 1963; however, passengers can still disembark to the platforms for connections to and from the Ballina branch line.<ref name="ES-Manualla-1"/>

In 1988, the signal cabin was replaced by a portacabin-style structure on the island platform.<ref name="ES-Manualla-1"/>

== Services ==

=== Train Services === The weekday off-peak service is as follows:

* 4 trains per day to Dublin Heuston * 4 trains per day to Westport * 1 train every 2 hours to Ballina Currently, there is no direct railway route with passenger services connecting the Ballina line to the Dublin line. All passengers travelling between Ballina and Dublin must transfer at Manulla Junction.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Irish Rail Timetable as of July 2024 |url=https://www.irishrail.ie/IrishRail/media/Timetable-PDF-s/Heuston-timetables/10_dublin-westportballina.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240708185039/https://www.irishrail.ie/IrishRail/media/Timetable-PDF-s/Heuston-timetables/10_dublin-westportballina.pdf |archive-date=2024-07-08 |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=irishrail.ie}}</ref>

{{adjacent stations|noclear=y | system1 = Iarnród Éireann | note-row1 = {{rail line|previous=Claremorris|next=Castlebar|route=InterCity Dublin–Westport/Galway railway line|col=FFA500}} {{rail line|previous=Terminus|next=Foxford|route=Commuter Ballina Branch Line|col=00A550}} }}

=== Bus Services === Buses do not serve the station because there is no passenger access to the platforms.

==Incidents== On 5 September 1910, a train overran signals and 15 people were injured. The night mail had run into the engine of the branch line train and it was found shunting procedures at Manulla needed to be changed.<ref name="ES-Manualla-1"/>

== Gallery == <gallery mode="packed"> File:Manulla Junction in 1985.jpg|The Asahi liner train passing the closed station at Manulla Junction, 10th August 1985 File:The Ballina shuttle train at Manulla Junction - geograph.org.uk - 4911444.jpg|The Ballina shuttle train at Manulla Junction station, 13th April 2016 File:Manulla Junction railway station, County Mayo, 2010 (geograph 7024700).jpg|An Intercity train towards Dublin and a Commuter shuttle to Balina at Manulla Junction station, 4th June 2010 File:Manulla Junction - geograph.org.uk - 241211.jpg|The train to Ballina is already waiting, doors open, for the Dublin Westport train to arrive at Manulla Junction station, 6th Sept 2006 File:An InterCity train arriving at Manulla Junction station, heading for Westport - geograph.org.uk - 4908095.jpg|An InterCity train arriving at Manulla Junction station, heading for Westport, 13th April 2016 </gallery>

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.irishrail.ie/Manulla%20Junction Irish Rail Manulla Junction Website]

Category:Railway stations in County Mayo Category:Railway stations in the Republic of Ireland opened in 1868 Category:Railway stations accessible only by rail