Owned by Iarnród Éireann Structure type At-grade Address Montenotte, Cork, Ireland Owner Iarnród Éireann Platforms in use 5 | Operated by Iarnród Éireann Station code 30 Opened 1893 | |
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Location Lower Glanmire Road, Cork, T23 E6TD
Republic of Ireland 1966 Renamed as Kent Station Similar Heuston railway station, Parnell Place Bus Station, Mallow railway station, Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral, Church of St Anne - Shandon | ||
Kent Station (Irish: Stáisiún Kent) is an Iarnród Éireann railway station in Cork, Ireland. Originally opened in 1893, the station operates as a hub for Intercity services to Dublin and Tralee and commuter services to Mallow, Cobh and Midleton.
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Name
The station was originally called Glanmire Road Station, but was renamed for Thomas Kent in 1966 on the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising.
History
The station opened on 2 February 1893 and the current building was built in the same year. The station replaced two earlier stations that served as separate termini for the Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) and Youghal Railway. The original GS&WR station for the Glanmire line was located directly in front of the portal of the tunnel through which the railway into Cork passed. The original Cork & Youghal Railway terminus was above the tunnel portal.
The purpose of the new station was to allow through running of trains after the 1865 takeover of the Cork and Youghal Railway by the Great Southern and Western Railway. The station is the only one of the six Cork railway stations that exists today.
The station served as a filming location for the 1979 movie The First Great Train Robbery starring Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland and Lesley-Anne Down.
On 24 February 2012, Kent Station briefly shut after it sprung a gas leak.
On 18 December 2013, part of the canopy over platforms 1 and 2 collapsed in high winds. There was damage to one train and one person suffered minor injuries. In February 2014 €2.8 million has been allocated to repair the canopy.
Engine No. 36
An old locomotive is on permanent display in the concourse at Kent Station since 1950. "Engine No. 36" dates from 1847 and is displayed in the booking hall. Originally built by Bury, Curtis, and Kennedy of Liverpool at a cost of £1,955, the engine was obtained by the Great Southern and Western Railway to run services from Dublin to Cork. The engine remained in service until 1874.
She was displayed at the Cork exhibition in 1902, the Railway Centenary Exhibition in 1925 and the bi-centenary of the Royal Dublin Society at Ballsbridge in 1930. She was moved to a new position and restored by Iarnród Éireann in 2007.
Services
The station offers direct intercity rail services to Heuston Station and stations in Kerry such as Killarney, Farranfore (for Kerry Airport) and Tralee. Cork Suburban Rail services follow the Cobh and Mallow lines. A new commuter line also operates to Midleton.
The station has three terminating platforms 1-3 (in the Cobh direction) and two through platforms 4 and 5. Formerly there was an additional terminating platform adjacent to platform 3 numbered 4. Until the mid-1990s the through platforms were number 5 and 6. The former platform 4 was removed in 1984. Since December 2005's timetable change, the through platforms tend to get quite congested as commuter trains often come in together, clogging up limited space. Since the reopening of the Cork & Youghal Railway as far as Midleton increased use has been made of the terminating platforms 1 to 3. There is also a loop line behind platform 5, which used to be used to facilitate moving locomotives from the end of arriving trains to the other end in preparation for departure. This line used to be a double tracked freight avoiding line that enabled goods rans to bypass the passenger station. It is no longer necessary since all services to the station are operated either by railcars or by Mark 4 sets with a driving van trailer.
The only platform not directly accessible from the station concourse, platform 5, is accessed through a subway, unlike most other Irish stations, which use footbridges.
Future
Planning permission was granted by Cork City Council in July 2013 for a new entrance building onto Horgan's Quay and a new bi-directional road linking Railway Street/Alfred Street and Horgan's Quay. The plan also included bus shelters, a new Car park with 140 spaces and a set-down area accessed from Horgan's Quay for taxis and buses.
In February 2014 €3 million was allocated towards implementing phase one including site works and detailed planning. Work began in summer 2014
In September 2014 Irish Rail submitted a new application for two rather than one entrance building onto the quayside. The entrances will be smaller and will be connected to the southern end of the station’s existing underpass. Planning was granted to Irish Rail by Cork City Council for this new application and Irish rail put the entrance building project out to tender in early 2015.
Construction commenced in summer 2015 and it was envisaged to take approximately 12 months to complete. However works too longer but should now be completed before the start of summer 2017
Separately the new road project creating a bi-directional road linking Railway Street/Alfred Street and Horgan’s Quay commenced in early 2016 with its completion to coincide with the completion of the entrance building contract.
Bus Éireann will carry passengers from the new entrance to the city centre and will stop at UCC, CIT and Cork University Hospital. Routes to Cork Airport will also be available from the same stop.
Bus Services
Three bus services use Kent Station as a terminus
Additionally, the 221 bus service from Cork to Glanmire stops immediately outside the station.
Parnell Place Bus Station is approximately 750m walk from Kent Station.