airfixfan

Was in that train and we were delayed after Taunton when Network Rail.put a heavy stone train out ahead of us the whole way to New fury.

Very rare photos of the WW2 branch into the Airport today!

Will be published on September 22nd according to an email.in my inbox this morning

Yes it is the October issue

Superb review in latest issue of Hornby Railway magazine purchased in Glasgow Central this afternoon!

According to a response by email and now on social media Fintown closed until further notice due to Covid impact! Some good ideas Colin and made similar suggestions about 2007 Give everyone a chance just concerned about an 80 year old railcar

Some good points JJB and Colin and personally as John points it would be great if Fintown could join forces with the other railway projects in Donegal Town and Derry for the mutual benefit of all involved in the North West of Ireland. Fintown staff employed and operated through Gaeltacht funding each year with limited volunteer input. 80 year old Donegal Railway in poor external condition not designed to operate trains in reverse for over 2 miles! As JHB points out the Tralee scheme had a similar set up and look what happened to that scheme Attended an event in 2006 in Fintown where a planned extension to a terminus/park areas announced Rails left just past end of running line and area to be used untouched since then Photo below of this area from a few days ago.

Made contact with them today after being sent more photos by a concerned friend who found it running a few weeks ago. My friend noted that Railcar 18 was still running solo again so he passed on some photos to myself today Matter is now in process. Their remote location has always been both an asset and a problem. Whilst we were there yesterday morning other visitors arrived asking the same question Are trains running today.? Send a PM if you want to chat in more detail

Just reporting the facts went to the railway early August after it had re-opened 2 weeks before that date. Was back again yesterday and that is the relevant detail

Work continues at Donegal Town to welcome Drumboe home soon. Photo of work on display area from yesterday

Wasted a few hours travelling to Fintown yesterday to find the place open but staffed by the Invisible Man. Phoned last week to check so I could bring visitors to visit this line for the first time. This is not the first time that the line/place is closed on arrival when meant to be open. In May 2018 acting as Tour Guide brought a coach load of English enthusiasts for a booked visit. We arrived and guess what was closed and nobody answering phone etc! Photo from yesterday

Follow up visit to Fintown found that despite stating line was open today. Place deserted and all rolling stock still left now locked up. Staff appeared to be there but were pretending to be a famous H G Wells character!

Some former NIR Enterprise oaches converted to replace bomb damaged stock etc

Can help as well have my own notes plus the classic Harris BR Mk 2 book as well Even got to Athenry and Tuam etc in an NIR Mk 2 set many moons ago!

The Lough Swilly track was in better condition than NIR track

Progress has made since my last visit 2 weeks ago. Looking good and nearly finished phase one.

The GNR operated some bus services in County Donegal.including a service from Killybegs to Malinmore via Glencolumbkille

In the 1980s for a while there was a Hunslet set pus coaches did a Friday Only run Belfast to Derry and back in the late afternoon for a number of years. Still waiting on photos of Mk 2s on Larne line itself?

The rumour always was that it was built for a cancelled railway in 1895 which is how it ended up at the twin towns. A bit like the rumour of the engine swallowed by the peat bog when building the Burtonport Extension. Sounds interesting your news that is!

Nice photo of the massively over scale bridge between Stranorlar and Ballybofey

Ballymena yes but Larne now that is a question?

Interesting speculation about how the Swilly and the County Donegal could have fared under GSR/CIE control on page 55!

When I arrived home this evening after a research trip with photos of stations closed in 1935 that there have never been photos published before. This new book was waiting for me so I fully appreciate the hard work of the Author tracking his rare photos etc down etc Well Done JHB 171

Still waiting on my copy to arrive but have already been sent some positive messages. Have more photos of railways in NI still to use from same source from 1965

There was an article on the Banagher branch in a recent issue of Railway Bylines magazine