All aboard for a walk through a walk-in condition house, on a historic train platform
Address: Ballinhassig Railway Station, Gogginshill, Ballinhassig, Co. Cork, T12A5Y4
Asking price: €700,000
Agent: Bowe Property
Ballinahassig is located on what was the Cork Bandon & South Coast Railway's line from Cork to Bantry.
Opened by the Cork & Bandon Railway in June 1849, Ballinahassig railway station served as a temporary terminus until the completion of the line to Cork City in December 1851.
During this time, passengers travelled on to Cork from Ballinahassig by horse-drawn omnibus.
The up platform travelled in the direction of Cork, while the down platform travelled in the opposite direction.
The original station house was made of wood and is no more.
The bones of the station remain. The platform is in situ. So too is the brick-built base of the signal cabin. There’s a sign also – great for a group photo op
The detached dormer house that sits on the downside of the platform is in an elevated position and could be just the ticket for a family looking for a storybook setting.
The three-bedroom, four-bathroom property was built about 15 years old and extends to about 188 square metres.
The house was constructed on the down platform, opposite where the original station house had been.
It opens into a large entrance hall with a sitting room to the right.
The kitchen is sizeable and runs the depth of the property. It has painted cerulean blue units and walnut countertops, adding a rich feel.
A garden room off it is used as a dining room.
It has a rooflight that spans almost the length of the space, opens out to a large timber deck that looks onto mature trees and rolling farmland.
There’s a large utility and guest WC off the kitchen, and the first of its three bedrooms is also at this level.
Upstairs, there are two large bedrooms. The principal, like the kitchen, extends the depth of the house and has an ensuite and a walk-in wardrobe.
The large family bathroom is almost 12 square metres in size and is bathed in light thanks to the Velux windows.
There’s also a home office on this floor.
Set at one end of Goggins Hill tunnel, which measures 906 yards (828 metres) of which three or four metres of the tunnel belong to the residence, which is set on about one acre of grounds and seeking €700,000 through Bowe Property.
Also on the down platform is the Station Master’s house. Original to the railway, the historic house is also for sale.
The two-bedroom, one-bathroom detached house is Ber-exempt, extends to about 80 square metres and has a more rustic feel to its décor.
The West Cork lines were closed by CIE in March 1961.
Cork County Council are in the early stages of developing a greenway linking Cork to Kinsale Greenway.
Public consultation number three on the proposed route closed last August.
This project, which is funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), and the location of the properties may offer a possible business opportunity along the platform, subject to the necessary planning permissions.
Goggins Hill Tunnel is mentioned in the documents, which you can read here.
The nearby Chetwynd Viaduct is considered the Everest of road bowling.
