Cavan and Leitrim Railway
The Cavan and Leitrim Railway was a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railway in the counties of Leitrim and Cavan in northwest Ireland, which ran from 1887 until 1959.[1][2] Unusually for Ireland, this 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge line survived on coal traffic, from the
Development
The line had the support of the Earl of Kingston of Kilronan Castle, Ballyfarnon, who wanted to bring prosperity to this part of Ireland. In September 1883, a public meeting in Ballinamore declared that a light railway and tramway would open up the coal and iron districts of Arigna and Lough Allen. The Cavan, Leitrim & Roscommon Light Railway & Tramway Company was set up with a guaranteed capital of £202,000 in 40,400 shares of £5 each. Chairman of the board was the Rt.Hon. The Earl of Kingston D.L., Kilronan Castle.[3][verification needed] [4][page needed]
Route
The 54 km (34 mi) main line was built between Dromod and Belturbet with a 24 km (15 mi) branch from Ballinamore to Arigna.
The Belturbet to Dromod part of the Cavan and Leitrim Railway ran from Belturbet through Tomkin Road, Ballyconnell, Bellaheady, Bawnboy Road, Killyran, Garadice, Ballinamore, Lawderdale, Fenagh, Adoon, Rosharry, Mohill and Dereen to Dromod.[4][page needed]
The Belturbet to Arigna part of the line ran from Belturbet to Ballinamore and from there through Ballyduff,
]Later years
In 1925, the company was amalgamated into the Great Southern Railways.[4][page needed] All lines were closed in 1959.
Locomotives
When the line opened, there were eight
Preservation
The privately owned Cavan & Leitrim Railway is based in the former Dromod Station, in Co. Leitrim. There is a transport museum, with narrow-gauge trains of several gauges, buses, planes, fire engines and artillery guns from World War I and World War II. It was originally intended to rebuild the line to Mohill but this is now most unlikely to happen. With the help of volunteers, trains are running on a short section of the line. The
One of the original locomotives, No. 2, and one of the original carriages, is preserved on display at the
See also
References
Footnotes
- ^ "Visit Cavan and Leitrim Railway with Discover Ireland". Discover Ireland. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ "Cavan And Leitrim Railway". Family Fun. 6 July 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ Freemans' Journal. 6 May 1885.
{{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)[full citation needed] - ^ ISBN 0-7110-2680-7.
- ^ Clements & McMahon (2008), pp. 212–215.
- ^ Flanagan (1972), pp. 113–115.
- ^ "Industrial Notes and News". Bulletin. Vol. 1031. Industrial Railway Society. May 2019. p. 13.
- ^ Eden-Green (2021), 5m 5s.
- ^ Eden-Green (2021), 5m 53s.
- ^ Eden-Green (2021), 5m 10s.
Sources
- Eden-Green, Chris (21 May 2021). Here We Are & Here We Go. Gauge the Issue. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021 – via YouTube.
- Clements, Jeremy & McMahon, Michael (2008). Locomotives of the GSR. Newtownards: ISBN 978-1-906578-26-8.
- Flanagan, Patrick J. (1972) [1966]. The Cavan & Leitrim Railway. David & Charles.
- Parks, David (May 1994). Cavan & Leitrim Railway Guide Book and Stock List (1st ed.).
- Parks, David (October 1994). Cavan & Leitrim Railway Guide Book and Stock List (2nd ed.).
External links
