Bellarena railway station serves the village of Bellarena and the broader Limavady area in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The current two-platform station was opened in 2016, replacing the original single-platform 1853 station located on the opposite side of the nearby level crossing.
Original station (1853-2016)
One feature Bellarena retains from BNCR days is the station name spelled out in tiles on the building
Bellarena station has served several railway companies since its first opening on 18 July 1853. The original station buildings were erected between 1873 and 1875 to designs by the architect John Lanyon.[1]
It was closed for goods traffic from 4 January 1965, and to passengers from 18 October 1976, but was later re-opened on 28 June 1982.[2]
The original station buildings are now in private ownership and were converted to living quarters in 2005, with the exterior boasting the station's name in a unique tile pattern. The stationmaster's house was renovated in the 1980s.[citation needed]
Current station (2016-present)
The original station, opened in 1853 and closed in 2016. The new station is located behind the camera.
In late 2015, work started on a new station at Bellarena, replacing the original 1853 station with one on a new site located on the other side of the adjacent level crossing. The new station opened to traffic on Monday 21 March 2016. Unlike the old station, the new station has two platforms, with a new passing loop replacing the one originally at Castlerock railway station. The original station features are still in existence and can easily be seen from the new station.[citation needed]
^The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland. William Alan McCutcheon, Northern Ireland. Department of the Environment. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1984
^"Bellarena station"(PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Archived(PDF) from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
