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Field Trip


No modelling for a while [new kitchen taking up much time] but have just returned from a few days in the West of Ireland, so this is a brief account of my wife & I's travels.

Flew into Shannon, courtesy of Mr O'Leary, and then hired a car and motored first to Galway and then west to Clifden. Was delighted to find the station buildings intact and still serving the community over 70 years since closure. Are the tracks in the car park original? If only the line was still open, am sure would make a fabulous tourist route. Foyles Hotel in town a very decent overnight stop. Next day took in the next branch, from Westport to Achill, where again was pleased to see the station buildings still in use. A long drive took us all the way to Bundoran for a couple of nights. Called in at Sligo's enormous fortress of a station to see the arrival of a Dublin train & discovered the truncated remains of the harbour branch.

Found Bundoran an odd little town in that few businesses seem to face the fine beach & instead stare at each other across a rather austere Main Street. Fitzgeralds Hotel an exception, with a rather decent restaurant. Didn't see anything of the station, but did have a fine day touring.

First went north, via Donegal town [fine base for touring methinks and a lovely centre]. railway museum was shut, but Finntown Railway was open. We'd rushed a bit to get there for the 1100 train, but needn't have worried. Despite being the only passengers, a crew of 4 [two in the diesel, two in the railcar] ran us up the lake and back.

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David Holman

Posted

Me again.

Looks like the system only posted half my ramblings, missing out a tour of the SLNCR route around Manorhamilton and the Arigna area. Gave me lots of ideas for my might have been branch down to the latter and have a small piece of Arigna coal which may well go in my next loco's bunker! More of this later, but for those of you who haven't visited the west of Ireland, it is well worth the effort. Beautiful scenery, great food and hospitality, plus lovely people and extra-ordinary history. add in the railways and you have a great holiday.

Eiretrains

Posted

Glad you enjoyed exploring the old lines in the west, still plenty to see with a lot of variety. You probably didn't see the station in Bundoran, as unfortunately there's no trace left of the one time attractive terminus. I don't think the track in Clifden is original, more in place for the aesthetic feel of the restored buildings. Glad to read that the Fintown Railway is still operational, the last place you can see a CDR railcar operating on Donegal.

jhb171achill

Posted

The clifden track is indeed not real. The alignment of it, in fact, would not be possible on an operating railway.

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