Irish Narrow Gauge Railways

Ireland's not vaguely comparable to the UK in terms of populations or outlook. Though @Avonside2 is far better qualified than I to speak on the subject, I'd point out that occasionally muttered aspirations to extend the half-mile of restored C&L from it's (wonderful and well worth a visit) base at Dromod the 6 or so miles to Mohill remain just that .... occasionally muttered aspirations.

 

If you Knew the Irish Preservation Scene you would know that only for a few of us there would be nothing here.
I have Spent over 25 years in Dromod, We have Collected all we can of what is Left of original Narrow Gauge Stock
which went as I was Born, Nancy is now Housed in the Engine Shed with a Current Boiler Cert. but we are Closed due to Covid 19.
Dromad our Fist steam Loco is getting her 10 year overhaul at John Fowler an Company In Cumbria , also we have the Boggies and Chassis of 7T
for a total Rebuild, I found The Coaches in Callan Co. Kilkenny Many Years Ago. As for going to Mohill with the Railway. it would Cost Several Million Euros. which we do not Have . also we are rebuilding our Railway Line with good Second hand Railway Sleepers and New Screw Bolts and Clips from GB Rail in Cardiff , If you want to help Just Get in Touch. we have 2 appeals Going on Face Book , C&L Vintage Train Appeal. and One for the Track.
Again the Email is dromodrailway@gmail.com. Phone No. is 00353-719638599 if you want to Contact Us,
Regards Micheal Kennedy,
Chief Bottle Washer.
Dromod

 

Am I right in saying that a preservation society recently (well, not too long ago) tried to take on the T&D? Did this not succeed or did the council not even let them have a go?

 

No it did not succeed.
Personal opinion: It was killed off by a combination of council demands and intransigence, internal power struggles in the group and naivety from some in the group about what could be done and what it takes to run a safe and successful railway. The naive members of the group succeeded in pushing out anyone with any kind of railway experience, the Facebook page still exists but now mostly posts random vaguely railway related videos/pictures, with very little if any related to the T&D.

 

The Railway in Tralee was Run by the Local Council , who Miss Managed The Whole Place.
They tried to Built a Ship to Sail To America the Jennie Johnston Which Cost them 15 Million Euros,
They went Broke, again it was not their Money, Grants From the Government, The Ship is Sitting in Dublin on the Liffey Rotting away. The Railway was left to Rot as well and Things will Never Change

 

Oh, that’s a shame. I saw that under construction on my first visit to the T&D, it looked fantastic back then.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

This is what it looked like in Dublin back in 2006......



This is what Wikipedia has to say about it.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanie_Johnston



.

 

€15m Jeanie Johnston Is Now Worth Just €700,000
Posted by Dermot Crean



The Jeanie Johnston is now valued at just €700,000.

THE Jeanie Johnston replica famine ship is now worth just €700,000 according to Dublin City Council.

A report in today’s Irish Times says the ship, which was built in Blennerville at a cost of €15m, has sunk in value and costs €240,000 a year to run as a tourist attraction on Custom House Quay in the capital.

Last year the attraction made just €140,000 in ticket sales from 20,000 visitors.

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority, which is to be abolished later this year, bought the ship ten years ago for €2.7 million from Kerry County Council and other shareholders including Tralee Town Council, Kerry Group and Shannon Development.

The ship and other assets worth €8m will be transferred to Dublin City Council in the autumn who will take over the running costs.

The Jeanie Johnston was commissioned in the late 1990s for £4.5 million but it eventually cost the taxpayer €15.5m, €13m of which came from State funds.









#Jeanie Johnston #tourism

 

New Post. "DROMAD"
Our First Steam is Now Going through a Full Overhaul at John Fowler & Co.(Leeds) Ltd
At old Hall Farm Bouth Cumbria. "DROMAD" Started Life as A Brazil Class Kerr Stuart Built in 1916,
in Stoke On Trent, First Used By Balfour Beatty & Co. Ltd. for the building of British Aluminium Factory
and Works in Lochaber in North West Scotland. when the Building was Finished it went to British Aluminium.
as a Works Shunter , it was Sold to the Hampshire Narrow Gauge Society for £70 Scrap Value ,
Eventually ending up in Alan Keef's as a Rolling Chassis, it was Bought by us and Restored in Alan Keefs
In Ross on Wye , Using a stationary Boiler From the Cliff Top Hotel in Bristol, the Boiler is a Robey from 1927,
It arrived in Dromod in 1994 for the New Cavan and Leitrim Railway, "DROMAD" Ran for 10 years going out of Service in 2004,
In the Meantime we were Doing "NANCY" in Alan keefs , which we finished in 2019,
now it was time to start to Return "DROMAD" to Steam , As Nancy Came to Ireland By Duncan Milners Lowlowder ,
the Return Load Was "DROMAD" which went to Stoke on Trent where She was Built for Storage.
So in the end Alex Sharphouse in Cumbria Took on the Job,
To date the Engine Has Been Dismantled and the Boiler taken Apart, It will Need a New inner Firebox as the old one is Shot,
Here are Some of the Photo's from Alex's Workshop Last Week

 

Here are Couple More Pic's of "DROMAD'S" Dismantling,
And If Y0u want to Help us Reach our Goal Please Donate.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...6LS2yq2givSA6z5S-w-GMBHZW0RQDvU_SqNkjmYPqfJ1Y

 

Out of interest, is that crane a hire job, or from your own road vehicle collection?

 

That was in Cumbria, so is either hired or owned by Fowler team there.

 

Prompted by watching some great footage of the Shane’s Castle Railway on tonight’s ‘Walk The Line’ on BBC4 (well worth a watch if you haven’t seen it), I dug out my old (1975!) guide to the line which raised a couple of questions which I’m hoping someone on here might be able to answer namely:

(1) I know the 2 restored steam locos plus Rory the diesel and the coaches went to the Giant’s Causeway, ‘Nancy’ went to the Cavan & Leitrim and Nippy the Planet diesel went to Stradbally but whatever happened to the LLSR crane and wagon and the Ballymena & Larne wagon mentioned in the guide? Ditto the Larne Harbour Turntable? Am i right that the ex-Portrush news stand which was used as a shop at the railway is now the one in the museum at Cultra?

(2) Why did Lord O’Neill decide to shut the railway after 24 years? Dwindling numbers? Lack of volunteers? Seems a shame but I am certain there must be a sound reason as his Lordship is obviously still very passionate about railways.

Thanks in advance for any info!

 

I suspect that the crane, wagon and turntable ended up at the Foyle Valley Railway in Derry, but as there is/was a dispute about the contents of the building they may or may or may not still be there. If they've been moved then the obvious location would be Fintown. To be honest I had never heard that the turntable from Larne had been saved! The news stand is, I believe the one that used to be at the SCR.

The reason for the closure was, I believe, due to dwindling visitor numbers and the refusal by the Roads Service to allow brown tourist attraction signs to be put up which may have helped reverse the trend.

 

I believe the West Clare, across the border, had trouble trying to get brown tourist signs put up. I think they put up their own in the end and the council swiftly cut down the post they were on!

 

Thanks, Ghost. Looking at their FB entry, it does mention the crane being at the Foyle Valley but there’s no mention of the B and L wagon or the NG turntable. Now you mention it, I think I remember the story about the brown signs and dwindling visitor numbers. Seemed like a good move to the Giant’s Causeway at the time. Shame the locos and stock aren’t now being used.

 

Been to John Fowler and Son in Cumbria at the Beginning of September ,
Work on "Dromad's" Boiler Cumming along aswell as the T&D Boggies.
Here are the Latest Pic's.

 

Been to John Fowler and Son in Cumbria at the Beginning of September ,
Work on "Dromad's" Boiler Cumming along aswell as the T&D Boggies

 

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