Bellarena railway station

{{Infobox station

| name = Bellarena

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| cta_header =

| symbol = rail

| symbol_location = ni

| image = New Station, Bellarena.JPG

| image_size =

| image_caption = The new station under construction in 2016.

| address = Bellarena

| borough =

| country = Northern Ireland

| coordinates = {{coord|55|7|36|N|6|57|6|W|region:GB|display=inline,title}}

| structure = At-grade

| lines = {{Rail color box|system=NI Railways|line=Derry~Londonderry|inline=croute|type=|note=}}

| platform = 2

| tracks = 2

| years = 1853

| events = Opened

| years1 = 1976

| events1 = Closed

| years2 = 1982

| events2 = Re-opened

| years3 = 2016

| events3 = Station moved to new site, passing loop constructed

| owned = NI Railways

| operator = NI Railways

| mpassengers = {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers= 55,822 {{Cite web |title=FOI1317 NIR Footfall 2223.xlsx |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/972545/response/2312885/attach/html/4/FOI1317%20NIR%20Footfall%202223.xlsx.html |access-date=2024-05-27 |website=www.whatdotheyknow.com|date=17 April 2023 }}}}

{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers= {{increase}} 74,030 {{Cite web |title=FOI Footfall 2023 2024 figures PDF.pdf |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/station_usage_2023_2024/response/2648081/attach/html/5/FOI%20Footfall%202023%202024%20figures%20PDF.pdf.html |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=www.whatdotheyknow.com|date=7 May 2024 }}}}

| map_type = Northern Ireland#Island of Ireland

| map_caption = Location within Northern Ireland##Location on the Island of Ireland

| route_map = {{switcher

| 300px
(Click to expand)

| Show NI Railways Network map

| {{Belfast–Derry railway line routemap|inline=y}}

| Show Derry~Londonderry line route diagram

}}

| mapframe = yes

| mapframe-zoom = 14

| embedded = {{Infobox station/NI Railways}}

}}

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)

File:Bellarena Sign.JPG

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.The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland. William Alan McCutcheon, Northern Ireland. Department of the Environment. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1984

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.{{Cite web |title=Bellarena station |url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926042407/http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf |archive-date=26 September 2007 |access-date=2007-08-30 |website=Railscot - Irish Railways}}

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|date=June 2020}}

Current station (2016-present)

File:Bellarena Railway Station - geograph.org.uk - 1859730.jpg

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|date=June 2020}}

Service

Mondays to Saturdays there is an hourly service towards {{stnlnk|Derry~Londonderry}} or Belfast Grand Central operated by Northern Ireland Railways.[http://www.translink.co.uk/present/NIR_3_O.asp "NIR timetable December 2009"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414200023/http://www.translink.co.uk/present/NIR_3_O.asp |date=14 April 2010 }}

On Sundays there are 6 trains in each direction.

{{rail line

|next = Derry~Londonderry

|previous = Castlerock

|route = Northern Ireland Railways
Belfast-Derry

|col = {{rcr|NI Railways}}

|lightcol = {{rcr|NI Railways|Derry}}}}

{{Rail line

|previous=Magilligan
Line open, station closed

|next=Limavady Junction
Line open, station closed

|route=Londonderry and Coleraine Railway
Coleraine-Derry

|col=00008B}}