Weigh bridge/tram turning point in Blackrock ?

zagmund

As you come out of Dublin passing Blackrock on the left, there's a green space at the junction of Temple Hill & Newtown Avenue. At the edge of the green space beside the recycling facilities, there's an old structure which has the looks of being either one of those gas 'sub stations' or some other utility building. Yet, there's what looks like a weighbridge set into the ground, and there's also what has the look of a 'track' as well.

I've never been able to work out what it is. Theories include a tram turning point, but given that the tramshed was just down the road it doesn't make too much sense. The other theory is some sort of weighbridge (from the looks of what's in the ground) but I can't imagine the requirement for it in that location.

The green space itself has the look of a small quarry - it's a general dip in the ground for no obvious reason. The rest of the land in the area is either flat or sloping, no real dips or mounds to match this green space.

Any suggestions for what the structure is ?

z

Streetview - http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Dublin,+Ireland&hl=en&ll=53.297414,-6.169993&spn=0.001119,0.00327&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=48.240201,107.138672&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=53.297455,-6.169859&panoid=25nxRZQjce84VuFa-BLVyw&cbp=12,337.43,,1,9.03

Imaging - http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Dublin,+Ireland&hl=en&ll=53.297572,-6.169897&spn=0.000559,0.001635&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=48.240201,107.138672&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=20

Victor

It could be anything. It was in the grounds of Temple Hill (house), which now appears to be a hospital.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Dublin,+Ireland&hl=en&ll=53.296785,-6.168214&spn=0.000635,0.001742&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=48.240201,107.138672&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=20

http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,722093,728946,7,3

marcsignal

If you view that on the old 1870 osi map it's listed as an 'Icehouse'

krattapopov

Icehouse - somewhere to store meat? or even a morgue?

zagmund

Yeah, originally an icehouse like that would have been a cold store, but the building in its current condition doesn't look like it's old enough to have been on that OS map. You can see another one towards the coast on the 1870 map in the grounds of Blackrock House or Blackrock Lodge.

z

mikedragon32

The building there now is an ESB substation afaik.

Fratton Fred

Is this the green space with the iron art in the middle of it?

zagmund

Fred - yep, that's the one. I was passing it again the other day and I noticed that the dip or depression isn't as distinct as I thought, but it does look different than the rest of the area.

The climb up Temple Hill from Blackrock is quite distinct, the same goes for the climb up Temple Park Avenue from Seapoint Avenue, so I thought the dip stood out a bit (especially given the history of mini-quarries in the general DL area used for things like the railway) but in looking at it again it's possibly just a dip.

z

Seaswimmer

zagmund wrote: »

Fred - yep, that's the one. I was passing it again the other day and I noticed that the dip or depression isn't as distinct as I thought, but it does look different than the rest of the area.

The climb up Temple Hill from Blackrock is quite distinct, the same goes for the climb up Temple Park Avenue from Seapoint Avenue, so I thought the dip stood out a bit (especially given the history of mini-quarries in the general DL area used for things like the railway) but in looking at it again it's possibly just a dip.

z

I grew up on Temple Road and if we are thinking of the same "dip" (in front of the cement structure) then there was a bandstand there. I distinctintly remember it as a small child in the 60's when we used to play in that park..there were also swings and a slide over towards the Seapoint Avenue side of the park near where the bus stop used to be. Back then the buses came up Newton Avenue from Blacrock and where the dual carriageway is now was one way towards town.