About SideTracked Caches
This cache is part of the SideTracked series. They are not designed to take you to a magical place with a breath taking view. They are a distraction for the weary traveller, but of course anyone else can go and find them too. We have Motorway Mayhem. We have A-Road Anarchy. But what about public transport users? SideTracked Caches are intended to provide quick Cache-and-dashes at Train Stations.
Arklow Railway Station
The station has existed since 1863 with little alteration.
Opened by the Dublin and South Eastern Railway the station was part of the Great Southern and Western Railway then absorbed into the Great Southern Railway by the Railways (Great Southern) Preliminary Amalgamation Scheme of 12 November 1924.
The station passed to CIÉ as a result of the Transport Act, 1944 which took effect from 1 January 1945, then to Iarnród Éireann on 2 February 1987.
As with other stations between Wicklow and Rosslare Europort, semaphore signalling and ETS operation ceased here in April 2008. A colour-light signal existed here in semaphore days, having been installed in 1977.
On 3 October 1979, a passenger train and a freight train were involved in a head-on collision. Twenty-nine people were injured.
It is the proud winner of several 'Best Kept Station' awards.
The railway bridge itself is the apex of a man-made hill. Both bridge and hill are called after the Navvys or Navigators, the term used to describe the hardy labourers who created Ireland's railway system. Originally it was planned to put the station by the river bank in the centre of Arklow but the railway company and the ground landowner could not agree on a price. After the station's construction, St. Mary's Road was depicted on some maps as 'Station Road'.
May require tweezers and BYOP. Please replace exactly as found. It has gone missing a few times and I suspect people may be dropping it so please be careful!