The east end of Tooban Junction station looking east in the early 1950s.

By the middle of the 19th century the city of Derry/Londonderry, on the River Foyle in the north of Ireland, was a thriving port city and industrial centre. Railways had reached the city in the form of the Londonderry & Enniskillen Railway (later to become part of the Great Northern Railway of Ireland) on 19 April 1847 and the Londonderry & Coleraine Railway (later to become part of the Belfast & Northern Counties Railway) on 29 December 1852. Both of those railways developed into trunk routes that connected Derry/Londonderry to cities such as Belfast and Dublin. To the north and west of Derry/Londonderry lay County Donegal, a wild and mountainous place with a rugged coastline and intercut by Lough Swilly (which gave access to the Atlantic Ocean).

Transport links in County Donegal were poor and water transport, where it could be used, was still the quickest way of getting around even though it required travelling around an extensive coastline.

The distance between Derry/Londonderry and the southern edge of Lough Swilly is only 8 miles and the idea of creating a canal between the River Foyle and Lough Swilly had been around since the 1760s. The idea was still being discussed in 1831 but significant differences in the tidal reach of Lough Swilly compared to the Foyle posed major challenges and a canal was never built. However an Act of 1838 did result in embankments being created at the southern end of Lough Swilly in the area by Trady Island. The embankments allowed land to be reclaimed and one of them, the Trady embankment, completed in 1850, would have a direct impact on railway developments.

The arrival of railways at Derry/Londonderry put ideas of a canal to rest once and for all and thoughts turned to using rail as a means of making better connections into County Donegal. In 1852 the Lough Foyle & Lough Swilly Railway Company was provisionally registered and its plan was to create an 8¼ mile railway between Derry/Londonderry and Farland Point on Lough Swilly. On 26 June 1853, by which time the company had become the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway (L&LSR), an Act was passed allowing a 5ft 3inch (Irish Standard Gauge) single track railway to be built.

However things did not go smoothly for the company which struggled to raise the necessary finance. An additional Act became necessary which was granted on 1 August 1859. On 2 February 1860 William McCormick attended a L&LSR board meeting and offered to build the line to Buncrana for £24,000. McCormick had a good reputation as a railway builder and his offer was accepted and work began.

On 26 September 1863 after visiting Derry/Londonderry to open the Carlisle Bridge the Earl of Carlisle travelled over the new railway in a special train. The Board of Trade carried out an inspection of the line in October 1863 but they were not satisfied on a number of points and it did not open until 31 December 1863.

Even before the line had opened the L&LSR had turned its thoughts to an extension along the eastern side of Lough Swilly running north up to Buncrana. Authorisation for a branch line was given on 22 July 1861. The Buncrana branch (as it was originally described) diverged from the main line 6¼ miles from Londonderry Graving Dock and a station was provided appropriately called ‘Junction’.

With few engineering difficulties the branch line to Buncrana opened on September 6 1864.
The station at the Junction was located to the east of the actual junction and consisted of nothing more than a simple platform on the south side of the line. The sole purpose of the station was to facilitate interchange between the two lines.

At the time of opening Junction station was served by four up trains all of which ran to Londonderry from Buncrana, with Farland Point being used as a branch with some connections. In the down direction there were four trains to Buncrana with some connections to Farland Point. 
 
The opening of the Buncrana line had an immediate impact on Farland Point as it gave passengers better journey opportunities, and steamship connections could be made at Fahan. By the end of 1864 the L&LSR was referring to the section of the line between Junction and Farland Point as the ‘branch’ (Londonderry – Buncrana now being considered to be the main line), which showed how things were going. In the second half of 1864 the ‘Farland Branch’ was recorded as making a working loss of £190.

On 17 April 1865 the L&LSR resolved to work trains between Junction and Farland Point by horse. This cannot have been successful as on 25 April 1865 the idea was rescinded and steam locomotives took over again. After a financially dismal second half in late 1865, thoughts turned to closing the line between Junction and Farland Point.

In the early part of 1866, after an arrangement had been made with James Corry for better steamship connections, there was some improvement and at a meeting held in February 1866 it was reported that Farland Point had made a profit. This didn’t last however and all services were withdrawn in July 1866 and the steamer service to Letterkenny ceased. At a meeting held in August 1866 the line between Junction and Farland point was described as abandoned.  Steamship services were transferred to Fahan on the Buncrana line. During 1866 some individual shipping services continued to be operated by private boat owners for a short period. The withdrawal of services to Farland Point meant that Junction station no longer had any purpose and it was closed officially by 1868. Whatever basic facilities had existed appear to have been partially demolished shortly after 1868, although the track between Junction and Farland Point was not lifted until after 29 May 1877 (In August 1867 consideration was given to reopening the branch to connect with a service of the Letterkenny Steamboat Company but nothing seems to have come of the idea).

On 3 July 1860 the Letterkenny Railway (LR) Company had been incorporated and authorised to build a line to Derry/Londonderry. The company struggled from the start and it took a further six Act’s to get a line completed. An 1876 Act confirmed the 18¼ mile route that was eventually built and an Act of 29 June 1880 allowed the single track line to be constructed to the 3ft gauge which was much cheaper to build. The line followed a route that ran along the south end of Lough Swilly and connected to the L&LSR at the site of Junction station (using the course of the old Farland Point branch for about 2 miles). The LR line was to be worked throughout by the L&LSR company.

The Letterkenny line opened on 3 June 1883 and a new station at Junction opened on the same day (there have been suggestions from secondary sources that the station was called Burnfoot Junction at this time but the name doesn’t appear in any timetables).

The new station consisted of a long single island platform 240 feet in length. There were no passenger facilities at the station as it was intended that passengers would simply change from one train to another using the platform. Goods would also be transhipped in the same way. The 5ft 3inch Derry/Londonderry - Buncrana line ran along the northern face of the platform and the 3ft LR line ran along the south face.

The 5ft 3inch line was provided with just a single siding which was located to the east of the platform. The 3ft LR line had a run around loop and a siding with turntable located to the west of the station platform.

As the two lines were of different gauges there was no physical connection between them.

At the time of the re-opening in June 1883, Junction was served by only one train in each direction on the Letterkenny line Monday-to-Saturday. The trains connected with Derry/Londonderry – Buncrana services. Timetables showed a departure from Letterkenny at 8.00am which through a connection at Junction gave an arrival time at Londonderry Middle Quay at 9.20am. Passengers could depart from Middle Quay at 4.15pm and arrive back at Letterkenny at 6.05pm. By November 1883 three trains in each direction were operating from the Junction to Letterkenny.

The 1880 Act that had allowed the LR to be built at 3ft gauge had also contained a provision that allowed the L&LSR to either alter their gauge or lay a third rail (creating a mixed gauge line) between Junction and Derry/Londonderry. Exchanging passengers and goods at Junction made no sense so the L&LSR took up the option of re-gauging their line.

The work was completed between 28 March 1885 and 4 April 1885. As part of the works a junction was once again created between the two lines. It was also located to the east of the platform. Sidings were also provided.
 
The junction was controlled by a signal cabin (which had opened with the LR in June 1883) which was located at the western end of the island platform. The cabin appears to be badly sited for the junction (being at the opposite end of the station) but it was probably well suited for the exchange of tokens and for control of the turntable siding.

As the station was provided purely as an interchange facility its name never appeared on any tickets and it was not shown in fares manuals for passenger tickets.

In the 1887 timetable the station was still listed as ‘Junction’.
 
Despite the fact that both lines were now of the same gauge interchange at Junction was still required in the early days. The May 1888 timetable shows that Monday-to-Saturday the station was being served by three up trains from Letterkenny which terminated at the station. They connected with three up trains from Buncrana that ran to Londonderry Middle Quay. Departures for Middle Quay were at 9.05am, 3.00pm and 8.50pm. In the down direction three Buncrana trains that had originated from Middle Quay provided a connection with three trains that ran from Junction to Letterkenny. It appears that these services departed from the station at the same time at 6.45am, 11.32am and 4.52pm. The island platform at Junction facilitated this way of working. The Buncrana line had two additional services in each direction Monday-to-Saturday but they did not call at Junction. Two trains in each direction ran between Londonderry Graving Dock and Buncrana on Sundays but as there were no Letterkenny services they did not need to call at Junction.

The December 1895 timetable for Monday-to-Saturday showed a 4.15am through down service between Londonderry Graving Dock and Letterkenny but it didn’t stop at Junction as there were no connecting trains. There were three other services to Letterkenny that departed from Junction at 6.40am, 12.10pm and 5.20pm. Three up trains from Letterkenny terminated at Junction connecting with Derry/Londonderry services that departed at 9.18am, 3.23pm and 8.20pm. There was a train in each direction on the Letterkenny line at this time on Sundays but they were direct services and did not call at Junction.

On 1 July 1901 a line was opened between Buncrana and Carndonagh. The opening of the new line saw an increase in trains. There were seven services in each direction between Londonderry Graving Dock and Buncrana, three of which continued on to, or originated from, Carndonagh. Carndonagh trains mostly ran non-stop between Burnfoot Junction and Londonderry Graving Dock. A short local service working between Graving Dock and Junction which called at all stations was also provided. This departed from the Derry/Londonderry terminus at 11.20am.

On 9 March 1903 a line was opened between Letterkenny and Burtonpoint. This line was also worked by the L&LSR, taking their total route mileage up to 100 miles.

With the expansion of the L&LSR the Junction station had become more important and in 1905 alterations were made to it. The turntable and its siding were removed and new connections were put in between the Letterkenny and the Buncrana lines at the west end of the station. These new connections meant that the 1883 signal cabin had to be demolished. It was replaced, in March 1905, by what would be the only brick built signal cabin found on the L&LSR system. The signal cabin was off a standard Railway Signalling Company design with a simple direct lever tappet frame. The new connections allowed trains from either line to use either platform. Additional sidings were also laid at this time.

By April 1910 the station was listed in public timetables as Tooban Junction. There were now 9 down direction departures from Graving Dock station Mondays-to-Saturdays that went through the station with only the 8.30am Mondays Only (and Carndonagh fair days only) departure for Carndonagh booked to call. In the up direction none of the services for Graving Dock from either the Burtonport or Carndonagh lines were booked to call at Tooban Junction. There were no Sunday services at this time. The timetable published on 1 May 1912 showed only one train was serving the station Monday-to-Saturday, an up service that originated from Carndonagh.

The Great War (1914–1918) caused a decline in some of the normal traffic that passed through Tooban Junction. Fish traffic was particularly affected but the losses were more than compensated for by gains associated with the war effort. Lough Swilly for example became a naval base and three large military bases were developed along its eastern shore. The heavy traffic and staff shortages during the war caused difficulties for the L&LSR and after the war ended the Irish War of Independence began. As the lines through Tooban Junction served military bases near Lough Swilly, they were often targeted and the company’s staff threatened. There were some periods when no trains ran at all.
 
In December 1921 a treaty was agreed and Ireland was partitioned by 1922 into two separate countries, the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland. County Donegal became part of the Irish Free State whilst County Londonderry became part of Northern Ireland. Most of the L&LSR network, including Tooban Junction, was located in County Donegal. There were less than 4 miles of L&LSR track located within Northern Ireland (on the section to Londonderry). A civil war broke out in the Irish Free State which caused even more difficulty for the L&LSR, and  that continued into 1923.

The July 1922 edition of Bradshaw lists Tooban Junction as a station with no public services calling at the station in either direction, despite there being 6 departures for the Buncrana line and 3 for the Burtonport line passing through the station Mondays-to-Saturdays.

The L&LSR timetable that came into effect on 2 October 1922 showed Tooban Junction had three passenger trains in each direction Monday-to-Saturday. In the up direction there was a train from Letterkenny that departed from Tooban Junction for Londonderry Graving Dock at 8.49am. This was followed by a train from Burtonpoint that departed at 12.40am. The final up train had also originated from Burtonpoint and it departed at 7.29pm. In the down direction there was a train to Burtonpoint at 7.50am, to Letterkenny at 11.50am and to Burtonpoint at 5.05pm. Passenger trains running between Graving Dock and Buncrana or Carndonagh did not stop at Tooban Junction.

From April 1923 border customs posts came into operation between the two countries and Tooban Junction was chosen for the Irish Free State post for goods traffic only and a special shed was constructed for the inspection of goods traffic. It was located on the southern side of the line to the east of the passenger platform. Passengers were checked for customs at Bridge End station. According to an official L&LSR report of 1928 4 porters were employed, mainly on Customs duties, at Tooban Junction.

All of these difficulties had financial implications for the L&LSR and competition from motor lorries had also begun. In 1924 the company obtained a grant from the Irish Free State government and in 1925 the Northern Ireland government also paid grants to help with the operating costs of the line in its territory. Despite this by 1930 the company was all but insolvent, due mainly to the loss of much traffic with the impact of partition after 1922. Between 1923 and 1938 both Irish governments made grants totalling over £112,960 to keep the L&LSR in business as a railway.

The solution followed by the L&LSR was to purchase competing road services within the area with a view to ending rail operations at some point, a scheme which had the approval of both governments.  Poor roads in County Donegal made that process slower than it might have been.

On 30 November 1935 all services were withdrawn between Buncrana and Carndonagh and passenger services from Tooban Junction to and from Buncrana were suspended. Also from that date all passenger train services between Buncrana and Londonderry Graving Dock were now reduced to Thursdays and Saturdays only (L&LSR buses operating at other times).

In 1937 customs checking of goods trains was moved to Bridge End station. Photographic evidence suggests that the shed facilities were reduced in size at this time.

The public timetable for September 1937 showed Tooban Junction as having only one train in each direction. There was an up departure of a train (from Burtonpoint) for Londonderry Graving Dock at 1.10pm and a down service to Burtonpoint (from Londonderry Graving Dock) at 10.40am. Passenger trains to and from Buncrana were operating only on Thursdays and Saturdays during the summer months but they did not call at Tooban Junction. The Bradshaw timetable of July 1938 shows that none of the surviving passenger services on the Buncrana line to and from Derry/Londonderry called at Tooban Junction. Only the last surviving through train from Graving Dock to Burtonport and the opposite working called at Tooban Junction Monday-to-Saturdays.

When the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland entered the Second World War on 3 September 1939 the Irish Free State remained neutral. With most of its railway being within the Irish Free State the L&LSR was not immediately affected by the war and steps to end rail operations continued. All timetabled passenger services between Tooban Junction and Burtonpoint were withdrawn on 3 June 1940.

Goods services continued to run as required to Burtonpoint until July 30 1940 after which they were cut back to Letterkenny. With the impact of war they were restored between Letterkenny and Gweedore due to fuel shortages (between 3 February 1941 and June 1947). Goods services also continued to run on the Buncrana line. The signal cabin and goods shed at Tooban Junction remained open for this traffic and the station was also used to change crews and locos as required.

Derry/Londonderry was important to the British war effort and for that reason it was attacked by German aircraft in April 1941. A result of the bombing was that many people moved into County Donegal (part of the neutral Free State). To cater for increased commuting into the city a full passenger service was reintroduced between Graving Dock and Buncrana in 1942. There were six trains in each direction Monday-to-Friday, nine each way on Saturdays and two in each direction on Sundays.

By 1947, the L&LSR system had been reduced to just 30¾ miles (which it had been in 1883). The busiest place on the L&LSR system was Tooban Junction at around 11.50am on Saturdays. At this time a mixed train (passenger and goods) from Buncrana, a goods service to Letterkenny and a goods service from Letterkenny all crossed at the station. Apart from these busy periods when there could be up to three trains in the station, life was never too taxing for the Tooban Junction signal cabin staff.

At the beginning of September 1948 passenger services between Graving Dock and Buncrana were reduced to weekends only and by the end of the month they ceased completely.

Excursion traffic continued to run between Derry/Londonderry and Buncrana until the August Bank Holiday weekend of 1951. Goods services continued on both lines through this station until 8 August 1953.

Track lifting through Tooban Junction took place between November and December 1953.
In 2021 the site of Tooban Junction had become overgrown and inaccessible woodland.