Ballymena railway station

Ballymena
General information
Location	Ballymena Northern Ireland
Coordinates	54°51′51″N 6°17′5″W
Owned by	NI Railways
Operated by	NI Railways
Line(s)	Derry~Londonderry
Platforms	2
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Key dates
11 April 1848	Original station opened
4 December 1855	Station relocated
1904	Rebuilt
1981	Current station opened
2008	Refurbished
Passengers
2022/23	661,364
2023/24	849,825
NI Railways Translink NI railway stations
Route map (Click to expand) Year closed Great Victoria Street 2024 Belfast Grand Central Belfast-Dublin line to Portadown, Newry, Dublin Connolly City Hospital Botanic Lanyon Place River Lagan Belfast-Bangor line to Holywood, Helen's Bay, Bangor Lagan Viaduct over River Lagan Cross Harbour Rail Link over Belfast Harbour York Street Yorkgate 2024 York Road depot York Road 1992 Fortwilliam Traincare Depot Whiteabbey Belfast-Larne line to Carrickfergus, Whitehead, Larne Town Belfast-Derry line via Greenisland 1963 Monkstown 1981 Mossley 1982 Mossley West Ballyclare Junction 1961 Ballyclare branch line to Lisnalinchy, Ballyclare 1930 Ballyrobert 1920 Doagh 1970 Templepatrick 1981 Dunadry 1954 Muckamore 1961 Lisburn-Antrim line to Crumlin, Knockmore, Lisburn Antrim Cookstown Junction 1976 Cookstown branch line to Randalstown, Cookstown 1955 Kellswater 1971 Andraid 1850 Ballymena and Larne Railway to Kells, Kilwaughter, Larne Town 1950 Ballymena Ballymena, Cushendall & Red Bay Rly to Rathkenny, Parkmore, Retreat 1940 Cullybackey Glarryford 1973 Killagan 1973 Dunloy 1976 Ballymoney Ballycastle Railway to Dervock, Armoy, Ballycastle 1950 Derry Central Railway to Garvagh, Kilrea, Magherafelt 1950 Macfin 1954 Coleraine Coleraine Harbour 1963 Coleraine-Portrush line to University, Dhu Varren, Portrush River Bann Coleraine Waterside 1861 Barmouth 1856 Castlerock Castlerock Tunnel Downhill Tunnel Downhill 1973 Umbra 1861 Magilligan 1976 Bellarena River Roe Limavady Railway to Limavady, Dungiven Limavady Junction 1976 Ballykelly 1954 Carrichue 1954 Faughanvale 1859 Eglinton 1973 River Faughan Derry~Londonderry
Location Ballymena Location in Northern Ireland Ballymena Location on the Island of Ireland

Ballymena railway station serves the town of Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located just outside Ballymena town centre on the Galgorm Road, and is integrated with the local bus station. It is situated on the Derry line between Antrim and Cullybackey. The station is operated by Northern Ireland Railways.

History

The first station in Ballymena opened on 11 April 1848 by the Belfast and Ballymena Railway. This initial station was rebuilt and relocated on 4 December 1855 when the Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Portrush Junction Railway extended the line northwards.

At one time, there were several other stations in the Ballymena area, however the only other one which survives to this day is Cullybackey.

In addition to mainline services between Belfast York Road and Coleraine, the station provided a terminus for two narrow gauge railways:

• Ballymena, Cushendall and Red Bay Railway - which opened in 1875 and closed in 1940
• Ballymena and Larne Railway - which opened in 1877 and closed in 1933

The station buildings were rebuilt in 1903-1904 to designs by Berkeley Deane Wise. The rebuilding cost in excess of £15,000 (equivalent to £2,041,387 in 2023). The clock was provided by Sharman D. Neill of Belfast, and iron water storage towers were constructed by Cowan Sheldon and Company of Carlisle. On 19 May 1921 the station suffered an arson attack by the Irish Republican Army.

The original station buildings were removed in 1981-1982 during a modernisation programme by Northern Ireland Railways.

Station exterior

Platform 1 during rebuilding works

Ballymena station in 1980 prior to the 1981 modernisation

Current services

Ballymena railway station consists of two platforms and serves as a passing point on the mainly single-track Belfast–Derry line.

On Mondays to Saturdays, there is an hourly service to Belfast Grand Central. In the other direction, there is an hourly service to Derry~Londonderry, with the last service terminating at Coleraine.

On Sundays services alternate between going to Derry~Londonderry or Portrush and the last service terminating at Coleraine. In the other direction there is an hourly service to Belfast Grand Central.

Future plans involve the reinstatement of the original double-track between Antrim and Ballymena.