Omagh Tragedy Remembered

[Patrick Davey]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2p8e5y5rvo

[Galteemore]

Great that’s being commemorated. What really annoys me is the metal sculpture. They have gone to the time and trouble of getting a proper 5’3 track panel laid- a proper GN silhouette would have been an easy win instead of taking what looks like a child’s toy as a model - detracts from the honour being paid to the dead

Edited November 24 by Galteemore

[Patrick Davey]

3 hours ago, Galteemore said:

Great that’s being commemorated. What really annoys me is the metal sculpture. They have gone to the time and trouble of getting a proper 5’3 track panel laid- a proper GN silhouette would have been an easy win instead of taking what looks like a child’s toy as a model - detracts from the honour being paid to the dead

With a ‘170’ added

[GSWR 90]

And it says (GNR)I instead of GNR(I)! 

[Horsetan]

3 hours ago, Galteemore said:

... taking what looks like a child’s toy as a model....

It's just a bit of virtue-signalling; "it's the thought that counts", etc.

[DSERetc]

On the 19th January 1966 I first met Mella Shannon in the Dining car of the Dublin to Belfast train.  Between then and her retirement I, like so many others travelling between Belfast and Dublin, got to know her and became friends.   When she retired in 1990 after 40 years service, she received the honour of BEM for faithful service on the railway during the troubles.   Some time after that I heard that she had been ill and I went to visit her.     We spoke about her work and experiences in the Dining Car.   She was from Omagh and she started work on the Belfast - Derry trains.  When the Derry line was closed in 1965, she transferred to the Belfast - Dublin train.   

She was working on the train from Derry that ran over the men.   She went down and was under the Dining car cradling the head of one of the men who was injured.  He asked her to tell his wife and children that he loved them.  Although she did not know all the men personally she knew their families as they were all from Omagh.   I think that she must have been still in her teens when the accident happened.  It was a terrible tragedy and affected her very much, although she was always a cheerful chatty person when you met her.

There is a picture of her on FACEBOOK when she received her honour of BEM.     She was also interviewed by Andy Crockart during a television programme about the Belfast - Dublin Enterprise.

DSERetc

 

 

 

[GNRi1959]

As someone who has championed Irish railways most of my life I too was absolutely disgusted at the railway silhouette used at Omagh. I have to pass this everyday and it is embarrassing to say the least. Two individuals tried to keep this project to themselves and this is what happened. 

I'm doing my best to gently persuade council to think again!

[Galteemore]

7 minutes ago, GNRi1959 said:

As someone who has championed Irish railways most of my life I too was absolutely disgusted at the railway silhouette used at Omagh. I have to pass this everyday and it is embarrassing to say the least. Two individuals tried to keep this project to themselves and this is what happened. 

I'm doing my best to gently persuade council to think again!

As you say, needn’t have been this way. At Sheringham in Norfolk even a simple bus shelter had a simple but appropriate mural applied….

Edited Saturday at 20:28 by Galteemore

[jhb171achill]

15 minutes ago, GNRi1959 said:

As someone who has championed Irish railways most of my life I too was absolutely disgusted at the railway silhouette used at Omagh. I have to pass this everyday and it is embarrassing to say the least. Two individuals tried to keep this project to themselves and this is what happened. 

I'm doing my best to gently persuade council to think again!

You've my support on that! Extremely amateurish thing.

[airfixfan]

Designers based it upon Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs!

[GNRi1959]

3 hours ago, airfixfan said:

Designers based it upon Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs!

Jim, there were no designers involved!

[airfixfan]

Well then whoever the Council employed for their EXPERT advice from a five year old!

[GNRi1959]

On 24/11/2025 at 12:03 PM, Patrick Davey said:

With a ‘170’ added

The significance of No. 170 'Errigal' was the fact that on the last day of regular operations at Omagh several steam locos were put into service for the day. 170 pulled the last train of the day.