Railway Extension Works

During the 1860s and 1870s a number of independent schemes to continue the rail system to Monkstown, Carrigaline and Crosshaven were mooted; ultimately these were rejected. In the early 1890s the C.B. & P .R. resolved to extend its railway network. In 1894 Richard Perry, the Company's engineer, undertook an extensive survey which included consulting some of the earlier proposals. His completed plans met with approved and his suggestion that the introduction of a 3 foot gauge system (i.e., narrow gauge) would save the company £30,000, was enthusiastically received. It was also decided to convert the existing line to narrow gauge. Once news of the extension became public, meetings were held and those at Monkstown, Carrigaline, Crosshaven and Minane Bridge were very much in favour of any project, which provided employment. Reaction at Passage was different and numerous objections were raised -the proposal to run trains through a section of the town's narrow streets were particularly criticised. In spite of a determination to oppose the scheme a Bill authorising the extension was passed in the 1896 Parliamentary session.

In August 1897 John Best of Edinburgh and Leith was accepted as contractor for building the extension at a figure of £82,040, which did not include rails and fastening. Work commenced in October and favourable progress was soon reported. For a while it seemed that the contractors agreed finishing date of March 1900 would be met but a number of labour strikes caused delays. Nonetheless, October 1898 saw the 9Y2 mile extension, on which about 600 men were employed, in an advanced state. On the following August the company director' expressed disapproval with the rate of progress and announced that a dispute between the contractor and the railway engineer was awaiting the decision of an arbitrator. March 1900 saw the extension no nearer to completion and the railway company short of money. On 28 July the contractor ceased work and in December he was awarded £3,000 to satisfy a claim against the company.

The closure of the extension works caused unemployment and hardship in neighbouring areas and meetings calling for government-sponsored aid were held. In the meantime the C.B. & P .R. was awaiting permission to borrow the required money. This was received in August 1901 and soon it was announced that the Board of Works was to lend £65,000 and that a further £60,000 was to be raised by a debenture at four per cent. Work resumed on 17 October 1901.