Ex-GNR(i) Carpenter

[GNRi1959]

A friend introduced me to an old ex-GNR(i) employee today who worked as a Carpenter on the railway. He said his job was carrying out the maintenance of GNR(i) station buildings, gate houses and fencing. When the railway closed he was 'Clerk of Works' on the lifting trains, with the responsibility of lifting the lines between Derry and Portadown. Interestingly, he has photographs which he is going to dig out, one of which includes my grandfather Paddy McGartland who worked with the GNR(i) for 43years.

[Kirley]

The prospect of seeing some new photographs from that era is mouthwatering.

[jhb171achill]

Fantastic, Tony, well done. He probably knew my late father. Ex-GNR men are fewer and fewer now. You should interview him at length and introduce him to Selwyn Johnston in the railway museum in Enniskillen. Selwyn has recorded many old railwaymen, particularly from that area and has some priceless collections on tape of many railwaymen now gone to their well deserved rest.

[GNRi1959]

An idea yes, I was talking to Selwyn just a few weeks back. He has a great collection. Thats were I got the Omagh North diagram and idea. Did your dad work Omagh, like my grandfather?

[jhb171achill]

My dad was based in Enniskillen from the early 50s until closure, as District Engineer, with responsibility for track, bridges and other structures Omagh - Enniskillen - Dundalk, Portadown - Cavan, and the branches to Carrickmacross, Cootehill, Belturbet. Fintona and Bundoran. So Omagh was where he crossed over with whoever looked after Foyle Rd - Portadown and Cookstown / Keady - Portadown, and Antrim / Belfast / Newcastle to Amiens St. / Howth / Oldcastle was the Eastern District. he passed away just over two years ago, and Selwyn got him recorded.

[GNRi1959]

Very interesting indeed, he had a busy portfolio!

[jhb171achill]

Very interesting indeed, he had a busy portfolio!

 

Indeed.... during this time he also took a look over the SLNCR in his own time and made recommendations to them; the SLNCR couldn't afford their own civil engineer. The CDR system was run under both NCC and GNR auspices. While on the NCC he also inspected that system, and his report on the track condition was unreservedly damning! he slapped an overall 25 mph limit on the entire system for railcars, with 20mph for steam engines (in 1949, I think it was), and had previously told them that if the Glenties line was to remain open (it didn't) they would have to replace the entire track; rails, sleepers and all, and renew much of the lineside drainage from scratch. Needless to say, the CDR hadn't the money, and the track became so bad that the branch would have become uninsurable, especially after an engineer's report like that. So it closed.

[GNRi1959]

I am sure they would have met, along the lines.......

 

my grandad was promoted at one point to manning the level-crossing at Edenderry and then to foreman. This got him a railway house at Beragh. My dad hating living in the country so he would cycle into Omagh every day to play football.