Category Archives: Irish Tramways

The Giants’ Causeway and Portrush Tramway – The Modern Tramway, Vol. 13 No. 153

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In the Summer of 2024, my wife and I visited Giants’ Causeway as part of a few days meandering along the North coast of Ireland. When reading a series of older copies of the Modern Tramway, I came across an article written in 1950. … The Modern Tramway of September 1950 featured an article by D. G. Evans about one of the very early electric tramways – The Giants’ Causeway and Portrush Tramway. His article is quoted in full in this article.

Wikipedia tells us that The Giants’ Causeway, Portrush, & Bush Valley Railway & Tramway was a “pioneering 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge electric railway operating between Portrush and the Giant’s Causeway on the coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The line, 9 1⁄4 miles (14.9 km) long, was hailed at its opening as ‘the first long electric tramway in the world’. [2] The Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills Railway today operates diesel and steam tourist trains over part of the Tramway’s former course.” [3]

The Giants’ Causeway, Portrush, & Bush Valley Railway & Tramway. [24]

Writing in 1950, Evans says that:

“The recent decision of the shareholders to close down the Giant’s Causeway tramway was sad news to those who knew the line and can recall the pleasure of breezy rides along the cliff tops in the qua’nt cars that had seen but little change since their first day of operation. The line was the first tramway in the United Kingdom to be operated by electricity and the current was produced by a hydro- electric power station at Walkmills, one mile from the Bushmills terminus. A waterfall on the river Bush was the source of the hydro-electric power.

Opened from Portrush station to Bushmills in January, 1883, the line was extended to the ultimate terminus at Giant’s Causeway in 1887. The original current collection was from a side conductor rail 17in. above ground and 22in. from the inside running rail. This method was of course unsuited to a street tramway and the portion of the line which ran in the centre of the street through the town of Portrush was therefore worked by steam tram engines of the usual vertical boiler pattern. This method of operation of the first half-mile of the tramway persisted until 1899, when a change over to the overhead trolley system was made. From that date until 1915 the steam tram engines were retained for use during the peak traffic periods in the summer at which time the original power station proved inadequate for the needs of the system.” [1: p185]

The Giants’ Causeway, Portrush, & Bush Valley Railway & Tramway Company. [1: p 185]
The Portrush Railway Station in the 1890s. The tramway terminus is in the foreground and on the left of this image, © W. Lawrence, Public Domain. [4]
A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, July 2023]

Wikipedia gives some of the background to the opening of the line: “The Giant’s Causeway Tramway came about through the enthusiasm of William Atcheson Traill, M.A.Ing., of Ballylough (1844–1934), together with his brother Dr Anthony Traill, who between them undertook most of the promotion and fundraising for the line. W.A. Traill was a man with not only an interest in railways but also a keen interest in technological developments in engineering. The Act of Parliament incorporating ‘The Giant’s Causeway, Portrush, and Bush Valley Railway and Tramway Company’ was passed on 26th August 1880. It authorised a tramway from Portrush to Bushmills and a railway from there to join the Ballycastle Railway (also 3 ft. gauge) at Dervock. The only section of the railway never built was a short spur at Dervock. [5] The Dervock section was abandoned by an 1885 Act, which authorised extension from Bushmills to the Causeway.” [3][6]

“At the Berlin Trade Fair of 1879 Siemens was demonstrating the first railway electrification system and it was that which led the British branch of the firm to be commissioned to incorporate this new technology into the Giant’s Causeway Tramway venture. Sir William Siemens (1823–83) was briefly a Director and Siemens Brothers of London were appointed electrical engineers to the company, their representative being Dr Edward Hopkinson, who later went on to work on the Bessbrook and Newry Tramway and the City & South London Railway. Surveying and civil engineering work was carried out by Edward Price, son of the eminent Irish civil engineer James Price.” [3]

“The line was the world’s first to be powered by hydroelectricity, something that was later developed at Bessbrook and in Switzerland. Traill built a generating station at Walkmill Falls (24 feet (7.3 m)) head), near Bushmills, installing 104 horsepower (78 kW) Alcott water turbines to produce up to 250 volts at 100 amps of electrical power for his line. Later 160 horsepower (120 kW) turbines were installed. [8] This building, although without its equipment, is still in existence.” [3]

The hydroelectric scheme at Walkmills, © Unknown. [25]
A diagrammatic representation of the hydro electric scheme as included in The Engineer, Vol. 56, 1883,© Public Domain. [25]

“Because of legal problems over water rights, erection of the Walkmills turbines was delayed and when the first section of the tramway, from Portrush to Bushmills, was opened on 29th January 1883 some of the timetabled passenger traffic was handled by steam tram engines which were in any case necessary on the town section in Portrush where it was impossible to provide electric power since this was originally fed to the trains via an elevated third rail which ran alongside the line. Therefore, a 25 horsepower (19 kW) steam generator was installed at the Portrush depot, [9] (by 1936 replaced by a 550 volt diesel generator for the Portrush-Dunluce section).” [3]

The tramway at Portrush – a steam tram can be seen on the right ▶️ f this week mage, © Public Domain. [18]

“The ceremonial opening, using electric traction, took place on 28th September 1883 although a full scheduled electric service did not begin until 5th November and steam locomotives remained available for use until at least 1926.” [3] In 1897, of the annual mileage travelled, “17,797 miles (28,641 km) were steam operated and 4,721 miles (7,598 km) electric. In 1901 the figures were 7,423 miles (11,946 km) and 23,550 miles (37,900 km) respectively. Very little use of steam was made after 1916.” [3]

Evans tells us that:

“In 1915, the Portrush power plant was installed and the two remaining steam engines were kept as stand-by equipment for use in the event of electricity failures. They were finally sold in 1930 to a public works contractor.

The voltage was 550 d.c., the Portrush plant supplying the Portrush-Dunluce section and the original station outside Bushmills the remainder of the line. Laid to the 3ft. gauge, the line was 7.5 miles in length, single track throughout with loops at irregular intervals.

The loops were normally run through on the landward line, the other line being used only when it was necessary to pass another car. All points (except those at the Portrush terminus which were tramway section) were of light railway type, controlled by dolly-weighted point levers which normally held the rails set for the direct (or landward) line.” [1: p185]

Wikipedia tells us that “the section from Bushmills to the Giants’ Causeway opened on 1st July 1887. In 1895, a cyclist died of electric shock after coming into contact with the conductor rail. At the subsequent inquiry it was revealed that the line voltage varied from an average of 290 V up to 360 V, and the company agreed to a temporary reduction in the voltage, which limited the number of services that could be electrically worked. The third rail was replaced by overhead electric wire using side poles from 26th July 1899, apparently initially at 250 V. Voltage drop remained a problem and the tram was the subject of a song by the Irish Rovers which comments on its slow speed. The song was written by Hugh Speers of Bushmills. [10] After upgrading of the Bushmills generating station in 1907 it was possible to produce a 550 V output.” [3]

Evans continues:

“As the wiring was double and followed the rails through the gantry type standards at loops, it followed that the trolley pole had to be changed from the wire normally used (the landward wire) to the seaward wire when a loop was to be used pass another tram. The writer has often seen this trolley changing performed whilst the cars her were at full speed on a downward grade and has marvelled at the dexterity with which the trolley wheel was placed on the opposite wire. The operation was also seen when the cars were descending the long hill outside Portrush. It seemed usual to lower the trolley bo boom west of White Rocks loop to the Holyrood Hotel. and coast from a point just West of White Rocks loop to the Holyrood Hotel.

The Portrush terminus was outside the N.C.C. (formerly B. & N.C.R.) station and consisted of a run-round loop and lay-by siding in Eglinton Street. At one time there was a short branch which diverged just beyond the loop and ran down to the Harbour, but this was taken up about 1893.” [1: p185-186]

The main line station at Portrush appears in this map extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey revised 1931 and published in 1934. The tramway terminus can be seen in Eglington Street. A harbour tramway can be seen on the West side of the Station. The Giants’ Causeway tramway ran North on Eglington Street before turning sharply to the right.[19]
The sharp turn to the right can be seen at the bottom of this extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey. This is a different map sheet to the one above, also revised in 1931 but published in 1935. The tramway ran Southeast on Causeway Street. [20]
The area of Portrush covered by the map extracts above, as it appears on 21st century satellite imagery. The station is on the left, alongside Eglington Street, Causeway Street runs Southeast from close to the top-centre of the image. [Google Maps, January 2025]
Eglington Street looking North with the railway station on the left and a tram in the centre of the image, © Public Domain. [21]
Looking North along Eglington Street with the railway station on the left. [Google Streetview, July 2023]
The tramway turned sharply to the right at the junction shown in this photograph. The road beyond the memorial and leaving the right side of the image, is Causeway Street which the tramway followed out of town. [Google Streetview, July 2023]
A tram negotiating the tight curve close to the Methodist Church in Portrush, © Unknown. [21]
A very similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, July 2023]
Looking Southeast along Causeway Street in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, July 2023]
Causeway Street led out of Portrush to the Southeast. The Gas Works sat on the North side of the tramway with the tramway depot just to the East. The depot was provided with two connections to the tramway. [19]
Looking North from Causeway Street at the tram depot building, © Public Domain. [21]

Evans continues:

“For a short distance, the line ran due north before turning in a 75-degree curve into Causeway Street. The single track was of tramway section rails as far as the outskirts of the town. From a point near the depot the line was laid on flat-bottom light railway track on the seaward side of the Portrush-Bushmills road. The depot consisted of a dead end road with a permanent way yard at one side. The auxiliary power station was also here. This power station had a modern diesel plant installed in latter years.

After leaving the depot the line ran through open country on its roadside reservation. Climbing steadily, it passed the famous Royal Links and at White Rocks gained the cliff tops. Onward to Dunluce, the trams ran close to the sea and in places the cliffs fell almost sheer from the trackside. There can be no doubt that the tramway, with its open toast-rack cars, was the best means of appreciating this wild and rugged coast.” [1: p186]

The tramway depot can be seen on the left side of this extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey revised in 1931 and published in 1934. Top-right of the extract the tramway is back very close to the coast. [19]
White Rocks and the coast are just to the North of the edge of the map sheet. [22]
The junction on the left of the map extract is shown in this view which looks Northeast towards the sea. [Google Streetview, September 2022]
The tramway ran East along the coast and the White Rocks.[20]
Beyond the White Rocks it ran a little further from the cliff edge passing on the landward side of Dunluce Castle and Dunluce House and then on the seaward side of Gallows Hill. [20]
A steam-powered tram runs towards the Causeway and is seen here passing Dunluce Castle in 1890, © W. Lawrence, Public Domain. [3]

Evans continues, again:

“Before reaching Dunluce, the tramway climbed to its highest point at Clooney Hill. This section, nearly 200ft, above the sea, abounded in sharp curves, gradients of 1 in 40 and even a short stretch of 1 in 30.

Beyond Dunluce, the line ran inland for a short distance below Gallows Hill, reaching the coast again at its most spectacular point. Here one could gaze down 140ft. to the foam-covered rocks below. From this point the line again ran inland and after three more passing loops reached Bushmills, a village known for its whisky. Bushmills had a light railway station provided with waiting room, luggage office and lavatories.” [1: p,186-187]

The tramway dropped back to the cliff edge at Gortnabane Cove and Peggy’s  Hole before turning inland. [20]
Gortnabane Cove and Peggy’s Hole as they appear on Google Maps. [Google Maps, January 2025]
The view out to sea from the sharp bend on the A2 which appears on the satellite image above. The tramway ran along this section of road. [Google Streetview, September 2022]
Turning away from the coast the tramway headed for Bushmills. This is the next 6″ OS Sheet to the East. It was revised in 1921 and published in 1935. [23]
A close up of the station at Bushmills (bottom-right). The branch to the Giants’ Causeway runs away North at the West end of the station site. The road to the South side of the station became the A2. [23]
The same location in the 21st century. The station occupied the area between the A2 and Ballaghmore Road. The tramway serving the Giants’ Causeway headed away to the North on a curve just to the West of the station building which is now a private home. The building show under the lilac flag for a Red Phone Box straddles the line of the old tramway. The tramway then crossed Ballaghmore Road before turning the Northwest to run adjacent to the road. [Google Maps, January 2025]
A tram on the curve heading off to the left of the door image for Giants’ Causeway, the original station was located off to the right of this image alongside the modern A2, © Public Domain. [21]
The location of the old Bushmills Tram Station. The station buildings are now a private home. [Google Streetview, June 2023]

Evans continues:

“At one side of the station yard is a small tram shed with accommodation for two cars. The line to the car shed is of interest in that it was to have formed the beginning of an extension to Dervock on the 3ft. gauge Ballycastle Railway. It was with a view to through running with the latter railway that the narrow gauge was adopted for the electric line. The owners wisely decided that an extension to the Causeway would probably be more remunerative.

From Bushmills the line was completely private right-of-way and negotiated cuttings and embankments of railway proportions. After passing a loop, the Bushfoot Golf Links request halt was reached. Soon after this, the line crossed the Bush river by the impressive Victoria Jubilee Bridge, a three-span structure so named because it was erected in 1887.” [1: p187]

Looking North from Ballaghmore Road along the line of the old tramway. A modern standard gauge tourist line makes use of the formation of the old tramway from this level caution to its old terminus close to the Giants’ Causeway. The station platform for this modern railway can be seen on the right side of this image.  The tourist line was still in operation in December 2024. [Google Streetview, June 2023]
The line North of Bushmills ran on an independent formation over private land. For a distance it ran on the Northeast side of Ballaghmore Road before turning to the Northeast. It ran on the Northwest side of Bush River to the Victoria Jubilee Bridge. This is the 6″ Ordnance Survey again, revised in 1921 and published in 2935. [23]
The line ahead, at the end of the modern station car park. A footpath closely follows the line of the railway. [Google Streetview, June 2023]
For a few hundred metres the line runs parallel to Ballaghmore Road. It then turns away to the Northeast running across open country. [Google Streetview, June 2023]
The Victoria Jubilee Bridge was a fine lattice girder structure, carried on masonry piers, the centre span was 70 feet long and about 25 feet above the river. The extension to the Causeway opened in 1887 and as this was Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee year, Mr Traill named the bridge ‘The Victoria Jubilee Bridge’. It was constructed by P & W MacLennan at their Clutha Iron Works in Glasgow, the bridge withstood the test of time facing as it did Atlantic storms and sea spray.  It was finally demolished by the army in the 1970’s and replaced by a footbridge – now since itself replaced – by a new railway bridge for the heritage railway,© Public Domain. [21]
The relatively new replacement bridge over the River Bush as it appears on Google Earth (3D). The heritage line has a passing loop  on the North side of the river. [Google Earth, January 2025]
The 11.30am on 14th August 2012 from Bushmills passing the little-used (and rusty) Bushfoot Golf Links loop bound for the Causeway. This section, close to the public path and Bushfoot golf course is passed at walking pace, © Albert Bridge and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [26]

And, Evans again:

“On the other side of the bridge the line passed through sandhills and rabbit warrens, reaching the coast again and following it for a short distance before finally turning inland for the last time. There were two loops between the Victoria Bridge and the terminus; the layout at this latter point consisted of a run-round loop and a siding. The passenger accommodation was unpretentious, consisting merely of a shelter. The tourist had still almost a mile to walk before reaching the Causeway itself, and here, as is usual in such places, he has to pay for admission.” [1: p187]

This extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey shows the remaining length of the line. The terminus is shown in the top-right of the image. [23]

Discover Portrush describes the last part of the journey, thus: “the tram would run behind Black Rock Strand for about half a mile before turning right and climbing towards the Causeway Terminal. On the left passengers would see Runkerry House, a fine red sandstone house constructed in a striking location. Then part of the McNaughten Estate, occupied by two unmarried McNaughten ladies – later it became a home for the elderly after being passed to the government in lieu of death duties. Later still, it became an outward bound centre and is now divided into apartments.” [21]

An enlarged detail from the OS map above showing the Causeway terminus of the line. [23]
The terminus of the modern preservation line sits on the site of the old terminus. It has a slightly more significant footprint! [28]
A number of carriages/trailers standing at the Causeway Hotel terminus of the line, © W. Lawrence, Public Domain. [7]
Another view of the terminus. The unique tramway terminal building was constructed of corrugated iron (known locally as ‘wriggly tin’) and served as both booking office and waiting room. It had a steeply pitched roof curving up to a sharp point when viewed on the gable and had been purchased in and brought from Switzerland at a cost of £400, © Public Domain. [21]

The next three views show the modern preservation line’s buildings in the early 21st century.

The first of these three views shows the approach to the stationary from the Southwest.vThe second is a panorama of the station site and the third looks into the Station site from the East. [Google Streetview, September 2011]

Operation

Evans describes the operation of the original line:

“The somewhat tortuous route along the cliff tops gave the line a reputation for scenery rather than speed, but high speeds were frequently attained on the long falling gradient between White Rocks and the Portrush depot.

When the full summer service was operating, the lengthy sections between passing loops rendered operation difficult, and, as some of the loops were not visible from each other, boy signallers were employed. These boys were supplied with white and red flags which they would display to the drivers from a convenient vantage point, the red flag calling on an eastbound car and the white a westbound

The small shed at Bushmills was used by the morning tram from the village which left, with a load of school children and others, to journey into Portrush before the main service started from the depot The winter service was extremely meagre and did not continue beyond Bushmills out to the Causeway unless three or more passengers booked through to that point. During the summer peaks five sets (of one motor car and two trailers) were often in operation at one time.” [1: p187-188]

Wikipedia tells us that “Traill, a former geological surveyor, expected a considerable mineral traffic between quarries along the line and Portrush harbour, and there was originally a goods branch into the main square of Bushmills. However, this traffic fell away, the narrow gauge harbour branch being taken up when the Northern Counties station was opened in 1893, [11] and for most of its life the line primarily served tourists visiting the Causeway. From 1925/26 the line was closed down during each winter.” [3]

“Increased patronage, partly from military traffic, during World War II meant a brief revival of winter services, but receipts were becoming inadequate to support maintenance of the company’s ageing assets, and the line did not reopen after the end of the 1949 season (last day of regular service 30th September 1949), [12] and was subsequently dismantled.” [3]

Rolling Stock

The original power on the line was a series of four steam locomotives built by Wilkinsons. This is their Steam Tramway Locomotive ‘Dunluce Castle’ (No. 3) which served on the line until well into the first half of the 20th century. Delays to the construction of the hydroelectric plant meant that in the first instance steam needed to be used on the tramway Indeed, the need for steam remained significant in to the 29th century as water use for generating sufficient electricity to meet demand could not be fully guaranteed, © Public Domain. [21]

Evans provides details of the rolling-stock used on the line:

“The steam locomotives were Nos. 1 and 2 (1883) (scrapped 1910 and 1899 respectively), Nos. 3 and 4 (sold 1930).

The electric stock was all single deck, single truck:

Nos. 1, 2, 10 (closed trailers with end platforms).

Nos. 4-7, 11, 13, 15, 16 and 19 (toast-rack trailers with canopies).

No. 9 (vestibuled motor-car 2 x 20 h.p. B.T.H. motors. Peckham truck),

Nos. 20-23 (toast-rack motor-cars with canopies, originally completely open).

No. 24 (vestibuled motor-car, Peckham pendulum truck, originally double deck 3ft 6in. gauge car and purchased as such from Dunfermline and District Traction Co., August, 1937. It had longitudinal cushioned seats).” [1: p188]

A typical consist on a loop on the tramway, © J. H. Meredith, most probably now Public Domain. [1: p188]

Wikipedia expands somewhat on the rolling-stock record provided by Evans: “the original cars were built by the Midland Railway Carriage and Wagon Company and were later followed by 5 examples from GEC, each with 2 x 20 horsepower (15 kW) British Thomson-Houston motors, and also a Peckham car. There were a maximum of six electric power cars owned at any one time, all being single-truck, single-deck vehicles with both enclosed and “toast rack” examples; typically these would haul several 4-wheel “toast rack” trailers, of which there were 15. There were four steam tram engines, ordered from Wilkinson of Wigan. They had vertical boilers, weighed 7 tons and burnt coke. No.2 was scrapped in 1899, No.1 converted to a ballast wagon in 1910 and Nos. 3 (Dunluce Castle) and 4 (Brian Boroihme) were sold in 1930 for the River Bann Navigation works near Portstewart.” [3][11]

“In 1938 a final electric tram was added to the stock as number 24. This vehicle was formerly a double deck Dunfermline and District Tramways car which was both re-gauged and extensively modified to become a single decker with enclosed ends for the Giants Causeway route.” [3][14]

The modified Dunfermline tram which was given the number 24. It was once a double-deck tram and ran originally on a different gauge. [21]

“A power car and trailer are restored at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra and another power car is in the care of the National Transport Museum of Ireland at Howth.” [3]

A motorised tramcar on display at Cultural, © Milepost98 and licenced for use here under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [15]
A trailer car on display at Cultural, © Milepost98 and licenced for use here under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [16]

Full details of the steam locomotives can be found here. [17]

Evans concludes:

“The disappearance of this historic tramway, which changed so little in its 66 years of operation, yet provided a useful amenity, and an attraction for tourists, will be mourned by many and the line will be greatly missed by holidaymakers who have in previous years enjoyed rides along its scenic coastal route.” [1: p188]

The editor of The Modern Tramway commented: “We understand that a conference of local authorities is being held to urge the Government to subsidise the Giants Causeway line to the amount of £2,000 a year, so that it may be carried on as a tourist attraction. This is a move that commands our support, but we submit that the modernisation of the line might after a while actually render the subsidy unnecessary.” [1: p188]

Preservation

The Giants’ Causeway and Bushmills Railway was later constructed over the final two miles (3.2 km) of the Tramway and carried its first passengers at Easter 2002. Trains were running at least until the end of 2024. [3][13]

The Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills Railway (GC&BR) is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge heritage railway operating between the Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills. It “uses equipment originally assembled by Lord O’Neill for a tourist line at Shane’s Castle, Country Antrim, which closed in 1994. The idea of using this to revive part of the Tramway was largely conceived and promoted by David Laing. The Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills Railway Company is a not-for-profit organisation with charitable status. Clearance of the trackbed commenced at the end of 1999 and the railway carried its first passengers at Easter 2002.” [27]

“On 10th July 2010 the railway took delivery of a specially customised 4 coach diesel multiple unit capable of accommodating up to 90 passengers. Manufactured by Severn Lamb UK Ltd., it was designed to enhance the visitor experience to the North Antrim Coast and to recreate, in so far as was possible, the passenger experience of the original hydro electric tram. Commissioning of the new rolling stock by the manufacturers began on Monday 12 July with the inaugural journey three days later. The DMU is powered by a Kubota V3600-E3 engine and shares the line with the previous steam rolling stock. All vehicles run on bogies. The power vehicle is on the Causeway side and is shorter (4 windows) than the three trailers (5 windows).” [27]

Rolling Stock

In addition to the 4-coach DMU, the line has three locomotives and a number of coaches.

The Locomotives owned by the preservation line. [27]

References

  1. D. G. Evans; The Giants’ Causeway and Portrush Tramway; in The Modern Tramway Vol. 13 No. 153, London, September 1950, p185-188.
  2. Railway Times; 22nd September 1883. (Cited by the article at Reference No. 3)
  3. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant%27s_Causeway_Tramway, accessed on 17th January 2025.
  4. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrush_Rly_Station,_1890s.jpg, accessed on 16th January 2025.
  5. Railway Magazine. May 1936. p. 355. (Cited by the article at Reference No. 3)
  6. Railway Magazine. May 1936. p. 360. (Cited by the article at Reference No. 3)
  7. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giant%27s_Causeway_tram,_Causeway_Hotel.jpg, accessed on 17th January 2025.
  8. Railway Magazine. May 1936. p. 359. (Cited by the article at Reference No. 3)
  9. Railway Magazine. May 1936. p. 356. (Cited by the article at Reference No. 3)
  10. David Hammond; The Singer’s House. Greenhays GR702, 1980, sleeve note.
  11. Railway Magazine. May 1936. p. 361. (Cited by the article at Reference No. 3)
  12. Irish Railway Record Society Journal, no. 9; Smmer 1951, p140.
  13. https://m.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100063607388865, accessed on 17th January 2025.
  14. https://discoverportrush.com/buildings/transport-travel/giants-causeway-tramway, accessed on 17th January 2025.
  15. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cultra_a7.jpg, accessed on 17th January 2025.
  16. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cultra_a12.jpg, accessed on 17th January 2025.
  17. http://www.trainweb.org/i3/lbld_wi.htm#loco_wi_c, accessed on 17th January 2025.
  18. https://itoldya420.getarchive.net/amp/media/the-giants-causeway-tram-at-portrush-in-built-up-areas-was-initially-the-steam-6740ac, accessed on 17th January 2025.
  19. https://maps.nls.uk/view/247678121, accessed on 17th January 2025.
  20. https://maps.nls.uk/view/247678106, accessed on 17th January 2025.
  21. https://discoverportrush.com/buildings/transport-travel/giants-causeway-tramway, accessed on 17th January 2025.
  22. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.5&lat=55.20428&lon=-6.60729&layers=6&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 18th January 2025.
  23. https://maps.nls.uk/view/247678112, accessed on 28th January 2025.
  24. https://www.mediastorehouse.co.uk/fine-art-finder/artists/english-school/new-electric-tramway-portrush-bushmills-23543986.html, accessed on 18th January 2025.
  25. https://www.ulstertransportmuseum.org/collections/causeway-tram, accessed on 18th January 2025.
  26. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3083952, accessed on 19th January 2025.
  27. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant%27s_Causeway_and_Bushmills_Railway, accessed on 19th January 2025.
  28. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.0&lat=55.23149&lon=-6.51811&layers=6&b=ESRIWorld&o=0, accessed on 19th January 2025.

The Modern Tramway – Part 4 –  Touring Ireland’s Light Railways in June 1953.

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The featured image above shows one of the last tram journeys in Belfast. This tram is travelling along Castle Place on 27th February 1954, heading for Ardoyne Depot. [7]

In ‘The Modern Tramway’ of August 1953, [1] there was a report of an expedition by members of the Light Railway Transport League in June 1953 which toured a number of Ireland’s Light Railways. [1: p150-155] The visits included:

In 1953, this represented all the remaining Irish narrow gauge railways and tramways, with the exception of the derelict Schull and Skibbereen and Ballycastle lines and certain industrial lines (Guinness Brewery, British Aluminium Company, several Irish Turf Board lines and a few others) The Lough Swilly and Tralee and Dingle railways were both to close in the summer of 1953.

The tour commenced in Belfast on Saturday, 6th June and the morning was spent on the Belfast Bangor section of UTA, which was served by 3-car diesel trains. In the afternoon, a tour of Belfast  Corporation Tramways ran from the Mountpottinger Depot in an old tram (No. 340). It was noted that tramcars and track on the Belfast network were in a very poor state. Belfast had just purchased 100 surplus London buses which would hasten the closure of the tramway network.

A visit to the Hill of Howth Tramway consumed much of the next day.

The tour party at Sutton Depot with Tram No. 9 which provided transport for the journey along the full length of the line, © J.H. Price. [1: p151]

On the Cavan and Leitrim, the tour party travelled behind 2-4-2T No. 12L. The train consisted “two open platform coaches and a sting of vans, some of which were detached and shunted at Mohill.” [1: p152] The description of the time on the Cavan & Leitrim continued: “At Ballinamore our coach was transferred to another, smaller train behind 4-4-0 tank locomotive No. 31, complete with cowcatcher for the roadside journey, to Arigna. This line is the last roadside steam tramway with passenger service in the whole of the British Isles, and is kept open by reason of the fact that it serves the Arigna coal mines. The speed is quite brisk, despite some really abrupt curves and switchback gradients, but the journey was cut short by an encounter with a road vehicle at Mahanagh (Shannon Crossing), through no fault of the train crew.” [1: p152]

After a short hiatus while a policeman from Drumshambo took everyone’s particulars the tour continued to Manorhamilton and then to Enniskillen and Fintona Junction where they enjoyed a short return journey on the newly reconditioned Fintona horse tram (G.N.R. No. 381), continuing later to Omagh and then Derry (Londonderry).

The reconditioned Fintona horse tram at Fintona Town Station, © J.H. Price. [1: p151]

From Derry, the tour party travelled to the border behind 4-6-2T No  15. This loco was replaced by 4-6-2T No. 10 for the remainder of the outward journey to Buncrana. The article continues: “The return journey from Buncrana was run as a mixed train. At Pennyburn sheds were locomotives Nos. 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8 – Nos. 5 and 6 are 4-8-4 tanks, the most powerful locomotives ever built for the Irish narrow gauge.” [1: p152]

The article reported that at the time of the visit, Derry had “four quite separate railway termini, each served by a different company and linked only by mixed gauge tracks laid along the quays and across the lower deck of the Craigavon Bridge. One railway, the 3 ft. gauge Londonderry and Lough Swilly, is to close down very shortly, and the special 3-coach passenger train provided on 9th June to take the L.R.T.L.-I.RR.S. party to Buncrana and back is likely to be the last; regular passenger service ceased in 1948.” [1: p152]

After a morning spent on the Lough Swilly, the party travelled to Strabane to explore parts of the  Co. Donegal Railways system. They were taken from Strabane to Stranorlar in Railcar No. 19 and toured the company’s workshop. They noted what at the time was “probably the oldest surviving railcar in the British Isles, a small 8-seater built as an inspection car in 1906 and fitted latterly with a Ford engine for use in pass- enger service; it [was] still in working order, and … stored at Stranorlar together with the Directors’ Saloon, which [was] still used once per year for an annual inspection by representatives of the Joint Committee. The locomotive shed housed two locomotives in startling brick-red livery as [were] the coaches and railcars.” [1: p153]

Co. Donegal Railways Railcar No. 19, © C. L. Fry. [1: p151]

From Stranorlar, Railcar No. 19 took the party non-stop through Barnesmore Gap to Donegal town, where it coupled with Railcar No. 10 and ran on to Killybegs. Returning to Donegal town the party transferred to a train of “Railbus No. 14, observation saloon No. 30 and trailer No. 1 for the last section to Ballyshannon, which ran fast to Rossnowlagh Friary halt and there picked up about 70 churchgoers from the Tuesday evening service at the Fransiscan Friary, some of whom were subsequently set down at their cottages along the line.” [1: p153]

Wednesday, 10th June started with a long cross-country journey to Ennis for a visit to the West Clare section. In 1952, the section had received 4 new railcars and a demonstration run between Ennis and Kilkee was provided for the tour group.

The following day saw the group travelling on the Tralee and Dingle Railway. By this date only monthly trains timed for the Dingle Fair were timetabled. The visit was on a Thursday and a special train was provided. 2-6-0T No. 8 took charge of two bogie vans fitted with new wooden benches and a few from the station platforms. The journey to Dingle took more than three hours and was followed by a return journey which also lasted longer than three hours and included a marvellous view of the sun setting over Tralee Bay.

Other visits followed before the tour returned to Dublin. None of which quite measured up to their experiences on the Tralee and Dingle!

Associated news carried by The Modern Tramway in the same issue of the journal included:

The end of the Londonderry and Lough Swilly

“The Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway, a light railway, which together with the Burtonport Extension, was once Ireland’s largest narrow gauge railway (99 miles of route) closed finally on 1st August. At its fullest extent, the line once extended from Londonderry to Burtonport with a long branch to Cardonagh. The Company, unlike its railcar-minded neighbour, the County Donegal Railway, decided that its future lay on the roads, and in 1929 began to operate buses, closing the railway between Buncrana and Carndonagh six years later. The Gweedore Burtonport section was closed on 3rd June, 1940 and the Letterkenny-Gweedore section in 1949. Occasional passenger trains during the holiday season, to relieve double-deck buses, ran to Buncrana until August, 1951.” [1: p159]

Belfast

“The General Manager stated recently that in conformity with the policy of abandoning tramcar operation at the earliest possible date, tramway repairs and maintenance have been reduced to the minimum consistent with safety. The Queen’s Road tramway will not be replaced by trolleybuses but by motorbuses as the movement of large pieces of machinery to and from the shipyard is inconvenienced by overhead wires (in the past the tramway wires have occasionally been temporarily removed to allow “out-of-gauge” loads to pass along this way). During June and July the following tramcars were withdrawn and scrapped: [300, 301, 320, 337, 338, 340, 341, 369, 392, 394, 400, 413, 415, 419, 428].” [1: 159-160]

Late News from Ireland

“Two steam-worked light railways visited during the Irish Tour have just been finally closed. On the Tralee and Dingle Railway, the last train ran on Wednesday 22nd July, to collect wagons from Dingle station yard. On the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway, the last goods train was due to run on 10th August.” [1: p160]

References

  1. The Modern Tramway Volume 16 No. 188.
  2. https://rogerfarnworth.com/2023/05/14/the-hill-of-howth-tramway/
  3. https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/06/01/the-fintona-line/
  4. https://rogerfarnworth.com/category/railways-and-tramways-blog/ireland/west-clare/
  5. https://rogerfarnworth.com/category/railways-and-tramways-blog/ireland/co-donegal/
  6. https://rogerfarnworth.com/category/railways-and-tramways-blog/ireland/cavan-and-leitrim/
  7. https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/history/gallery/belfast-trams-origin-end-12044457, accessed on 12th June 2023.

The Hill of Howth Tramway

5 Replies

At the end of a fortnight’s holiday in Co. Donegal my wife and I had 3 nights staying close to Dublin. We chose to stay in Howth as it was at the Northern end of the DART, but perhaps also because of its history and particularly for the Hill of Howth Tramway, or to give it it’s formal title, “The Sutton and Howth Electric Tramway.” The tramway should not be confused with the Clontaff and Hill of Howth Tramroad.

The Tramway served Howth Head, near Dublin. The termini were at Sutton railway station, by the entrance to the peninsula, and Howth railway station by the village and harbour of Howth.

The tramway operated from 17th June 1901 to 31st May 1959 and was run by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) (GNR(I)), which viewed it as a way to bring more customers to its railway stations at Sutton and Howth. The tramway replaced a horse bus service, which had run since 1867. [1][2]

When it opened, “the Hill of Howth Tramway had eight trams, open-top 67-seaters built by Brush of Loughborough. … Traction current at 550 volts dc was drawn from the overhead wires by conventional trolleypoles. … In 1902, two further trams … were obtained. Nos. 9 and 10 were 73 seaters built by Milnes, the firm which also supplied Dublin’s first electric trams in 1896. There were 41 seats upstairs and 32 inside seats.” [9]

“The tramway also had a freight and engineering car, No. 11, built in 1903. This … had a cab at each end, with a wagon body between. No. 11 also had a maintenance tower and at least in its later years was fitted with a telephone which could be connected into the wires along the line.” [9]

“Around 1918, the original crimson lake and ivory livery gave way to varnished grained teak. When the colours changed again around 1930 to blue and cream, Nos. 9 and 10, being used so seldom, remained in teak. Reasons for their lack of use included [an] awkward seating layout and a tendency to derail because the motors were outside the wheelbase. Furthermore, cross springs were not fitted between the bogies: when these were added in the fifties, their performance improved. By then these two cars were in constant demand and the invariable choice of the many enthusiast groups visiting the line in its twilight years.” [9]

“No. 9 was the last tram to run in public service on the Hill of Howth on 31st May 1959, and thus the last to operate anywhere in Ireland. Following the closure, No. 10 was sent to Britain’s National Tramway Museum at Crich in Derbyshire, while No. 2 went to California and No. 4 to Belfast. Due to vandalism and apathy, No. 9 was the only survivor of three cars set aside for inclusion in a future museum” [9] at the National Transport Museum at Howth Desmesne.

“On 1 October 1958, Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) took over GNR(I)’s operations in the Republic of Ireland, including the Howth Tram. [7: p32] A year later, the tramway was closed down. It was initially replaced by two CIÉ bus routes – numbers 87 (Sutton to Ceanchor Road) and 88 (Howth to Windgate Road). [8] Two routes were necessary, as several narrow hill curves were not passable by the buses used. Eventually, sections of the disused tram route between the Baily post office and the Summit were expanded to form an extension of Carrickbrack Road; this enabled a single bus route (number 88) to be used.” [1]

The area was then served by the 31, 31a and 31b bus routes, which operated from Abbey Street in the city centre. In winter, icy roads on the hill occasionally cause the bus service to be suspended, unlike the tram, which ran in all weather conditions. A public footpath now follows the tram route between Howth station and the Summit.

It is important not to confuse the Hill of Howth Tramway with the Clontarf and Hill of Howth Tramroad, a completely different company which ran trams from Dublin to Howth.

The Clontarf and Hill of Howth Tramroad Company (C&HoHT) “operated a tram service from central Dublin via Dollymount in Clontarf to Howth Harbour in the Dublin area of Ireland from 1900 to 1941. Formed in the 1880s, it was a separate entity from the other Dublin tramways, notably the Dublin United Tramways Company (DUTC), but worked closely with the latter, who owned the line as far as Dollymount, for most of its operating existence.” [5]

A horse-drawn or steam tram service for the Howth area was first proposed in 1883, by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) (GNR), to bring more passengers to Howth and/or Sutton railway stations. The Clontarf and Hill of Howth Tramroad Company (C&HofHT) raised the idea of a circular line around Howth Hill. “Neither idea progressed, not least because the slopes of the hill were too steep to be safe for horses, or practical for steam power, though a line may have been considered using a viaduct over Balscadden Bay, just beyond Howth village, to keep gradients within the range of steam propulsion.” [5]

In 1890, the C&HofHT sought an Order in Council to allow it to build a tram line from Howth Harbour to Dublin’s fish market. It was intended that the line should have “a gauge of 3 feet, with lines running from Mary’s Lane past Halston Street to Capel Street, and then along Parnell Street and Summerhill, through Ballybough, Fairview, Killester and Raheny, then along the coast through the fields of Kilbarrack to Sutton and Howth. While this matter did not proceed, the company developed two new proposals after the DUTC received permission to electrify its lines. The proposed lines, at a gauge of 5 feet 3 inches, were from the DUTC’s terminus in the Clontarf area, via the hamlet of Raheny-on-the-Strand and Sutton, to Howth Harbour, and from the Summit on Howth Hill down past Howth Station and the Howth Estate to the gates of Claremont. The GNR made a two-part counter proposal, seeking to electrify their railway line from Amiens Street Station to either Sutton or Howth, and to provide a circular tram line, with connections at Sutton Cross and Howth, and with the trams able to move all the way to Dublin’s centre. The C&HofHT added a third element to their proposal, for a tram line from Sutton Cross to the Summit, and the GNR then objected to the whole package, and won. The GNR then received permission for its proposed circular line, which became the Hill of Howth Tramway, and dropped the idea of electrification from the peninsula to Amiens St., and so of trams through-running around Howth and to the city centre.”

The C&HofHT eventually received “permission for a line from the DUTC’s depot at what had become Dollymount in Clontarf to Howth Harbour, and this was enshrined in a Private Local Act of 1898, The Clontarf and Hill of Howth Tramroad Bill, 61 & 62 Victoria I, cap. clxxxii. This Act had its Second Reading on 3 March, and on 18 July was the subject of debate about the possible insertion of a clause requiring the purchase of rolling stock from England, the promoters having expressed a preference for buying from the DUTC, or failing that, from the United States. The bill was returned to the House of Lords on 26 July, and later completed its passage.” [5][6]

Construction costs ultimately came to £71,624. Much of the work was “straightforward, allowing for the challenges of building at the water’s edge, but there were difficulties with Lord Ardilaun, the Guinness heir, whose estate of St. Anne’s ran to the coast where the line was to be laid. At the time, there was no coastal road, and Lord Ardilaun sought multiple conditions in return for removing objections to the project. He received most of what he sought, including the provision that the trams would not stop along the margin of his property, and line construction proceeded. The line opened on 26 July 1900.” [5]

The company purchased twelve large tram cars (larger than those of the DUTC) “for its operations, each seating 74 passengers, 29 inside and 45 on the upper deck. The enclosed lower deck had a driver’s cab, and separate areas for each of First, Second and Third Class. The journey from Nelson’s Pillar to Howth took 45 minutes, and the price for much of the operating period was 2 shillings and 6 pence.” [5]

The C&HofHT approached Howth on the main road across the isthmus, ran close to St. Mary’s Church and to the railway station, under the viaduct which carried the actual Hill of Howth Tramway, before running along the Harbour wall. [10]
A C&HofHT approaching the terminus at Howth on the main road and passing under the viaduct carrying the Sutton and Howth Electric Tramway just as a tram is crossing that viaduct. This photograph was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 7th March 2021 by Liam McLoughlin. [28]
The terminus of the C&HofHT was at the East end of Harbour Road close to the Martello Tower at the landward end of the East Pier. [10]
Looking East along the harbour wall towards the terminus of the C&HofHT. This image was shared by Hugh Walsh on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 22nd February 2023. [14]
A C&HofHT tram standing at the terminus at the landward end of the East Pier at Howth. This photograph was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 12th October 2020 by Liam McLoughlin. [31]
Another C&HofHT tram standing at the terminus. This photograph was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 13th March 2020 by Liam McLoughlin. [33]

“During the 1930s, the line became unprofitable, and when the GNR put forward a proposal to run a competing bus service on the Howth Road, and launch a bus to Malahide, the Board of the C&HofHT offered to end their service if the GNR agreed not to run a bus to Malahide. The line ceased operation on 29th March 1941, with the last tram to Howth, No. 294, departing Nelson’s Pillar at 11.45 pm, driven by Dick Ward. The company was wound-up on 1st July 1941, and the remaining tram cars were transferred to the DUTC’s Dalkey route, where they served until that line closed in 1949.” [5]

As we have noted already the Hill of Howth Tramway was more correctly called the ‘Sutton and Howth Electric Tramway‘. It was GNR(I) owned but made little or no profit for the Company. When Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) took over GNR(I)’s operations in the Republic of Ireland, it reviewed all of the lines (including this tramway) over which it took control and the Howth Tram was replaced by buses within 8 months. It’s removal opened the way for the construction of a housing estate over a length of the route from Howth to the Summit Station. As we will see, this makes it difficult to be precise about the course of the line over that length. Much of the rest of the line can be followed relatively easily, either on foot or in a car.

The Route of the Hill of Howth Tramway

The Ordnance Survey of Ireland (OSi) have relatively recently released both a 6″ and a 25″ national survey from the early 20th century. We will follow the route of the tramway as shown on the 25″ beginning at Howth and finishing at Sutton.

On this 25″ OSi map extract the ‘headshunt’ of the Hill of Howth Tramway can be seen running alongside the GNR(I) lines from the Claremont Hotel into Howth Railway Station. The C&HofHT  can be seen as a single track tramway with a passing loop on the bed to the East of the Manse. [10]
That headshunt was long, seemingly much longer than necessary. It certainly provided some storage space for the trams owned by the Tramway. This is a second extract  showing the Tramway from the 25″ OSi mapping. [10]
This next extract from the 25″ OSi mapping shows the terminus of the GNR(I) line. The Hill of Howth Tramway can be seen running to the rear of the railway station platform and then turning away onto the viaduct which took it over the Harbour Road. [10]
A very similar area as shown on Google Maps satellite imagery in 2023. [Google Maps, 8th May 2023]

The photograph above shows Tram No. 3 about to leave Howth Station for Sutton via Summit Halt. This image is embedded here from David Bradley’s webpages with his kind permission. [13]

Looking West from the end of the platform at Howth Station. a single tramway line ran parallel to the main GNR(I) lines for some distance beyond the Signal Box before it was lifted with the rest of the tramway tracks. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
This view of the GNR(I) station at Howth from close to the signal Box, looking East, shows the tram stop backing onto the platform. This photograph was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 22nd December 2020 by Shay Larkin. [27]
A view from adjacent to the Signal Box in 2023, looking East along what was once the tram line. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
Tram No. 2 and a sister tram at Howth Station. This image was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 6th October 2015. [18]
Tram No. 4 at Howth Station. This image was shared by Hugh Walsh on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 22nd February 2023. [19]
A particularly crisp image of Tram No. 6 at Howth (c) Eamon J. Martin and shared by him on the Old Howth photos Facebook Group on 28th December 2021 [20]
Howth Station with the tram stop backing onto the GNR(I) platform. This photo was shared by Liam McLoughlin in the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 22nd August 2020. [24]
A similar view of Howth Station, this time in colour. This picture was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 4th October 2015. [25]
Tram No. 6 at Howth Station. The Signal Box beyond the tram faces out onto the platform of the GNR(I) Station at Howth. This photo was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 8th April 2020. [26]
Tram No. 7 leaving Howth Station with a service for Sutton via the Summit of the Hill of Howth. This photo was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 4th October 2015. [25]
Tram No. 3 arriving at Howth Station just having crossed the viaduct. This photo was shared by Lorenzo Caira on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 4th October 2015. [36]
Tram No. 1 comes off the viaduct on its way to the terminus at Howth Station. This picture was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 25th August 2020. [34]
Looking along the viaduct at Howth from the GNR(I) Railway Station. This photo was shared by Lorenzo Caira on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 4th October 2015. [35]
The Hill of Howth Tramway Viaduct facing West towards Sutton. This photograph was taken in 1902 early in the life of the tramway. [11]
The Hill and of Howth Tramway Viaduct facing East towards the Harbour. This photograph was taken in March 1959 shortly before the closure of the line. It is in the public domain and is held by the National Library of Ireland and shared by them on Flickr [12]
Given the vehicle visble under the viaduct this photo dates from the era when only trams No. 9 and No. 10 remained in the teak livery mentioned above. This probably means that the tram on the viaduct is No. 9 or No. 10. This photo was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 17th June 2021. It was also shared by Gary Hitchcock on the same Group on 1st March 2019, he dates the photo as being taken sometime in 1959. [37]
Looking East under the viaduct in the 1950s. This photograph was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 7th January 2016. [38]
The viaduct, looking West. This must have been taken very early in a morning as there is no sign of any road or tramway users/vehicles. This photo was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 17th June 2021. [39]
Looking across the R105 along the line of the old viaduct (from the South). [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
The abutment of the viaduct hidden by the advertising hoarding. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
This extract from the 25″ OSi mapping shows the old tramway running away to the South after crossing the Viaduct. [10]
Google Maps staellite imagery for the same area shows a footpath on the alignment of the old tramway. The length of the footpath which follows this length of the tramway is shown in photographs below. [Google Maps, 8th May 2023]
After a short steep length of footpath from the R105 the footpath joins the formation of the old tramway which curves away to the South.[My photograph, 8th May 2023]
These two photographs show that curve which brings the tramway onto a southerly path. [My photographs, 8th May 2023]
The old tramway route heading South, viewed from the North. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
The footpath continues South. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
And again, looking South. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
A view back along the tramway looking North. The fencing is the boundary of Howth Deer Park. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
Looking South once again, with the Deer Park on the right. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
And again, further South and looking South. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
This view looks Southeast alongside the line of the tramway which at this point has begun to curve to the East through the back gardens of properties built after its demise which are on the left of this image behind the trees. The footpath leaves the tramway at this point. A housing estate has been built over the line of the old tramway from this point. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
Looking back along the old tramway route as it begins to curve to the East. Behind the camera, the footpath heads South away from the tramway, which at this point is approximately under the hedging to the right of the photograph. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
The 25″ OSI mapping shows the tramway curving first to the East and then back to the Southwest. [10]
The satellite imagery from RialMapOnline.com becomes very useful from this point on as it maps the old tramway over the satellite image of the 1960s estate. The footpath, in grey, can be seen diverting away South from the line of the tramway as it turns East. [4]
Tram No. 6 heads North towards the Howth terminus. The deer park is behind the trees to the left. The tram is just about to enter the straight length of line which bordered the deer park. This image was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 6th October 2015. [21]
Tram No. 4 in the final livery version is heading North towards the camera and Howth Station. The passing loop seen here is not shown on the early OSi 25″ mapping that is available. The school in this image also postdates the mapping. This image was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 8th April 2020. [16]
Looking Northeast on Grace O’Malley Drive with the school on the right. The green line superimposed on the photograph illustrates the line of the tramway. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
This photo is taken looking down the line towards Howth. The low white wall prominent in this image can be seen beyond Tram No. 4 in the photograph of that tram in the last but one image. This image was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 22nd August 2020. [22]
The 25″ OSi mapping then shows another sharp curve which swept the old line back again towards the East. [10]
The same area in the 21st century. The Deer Park is to the left of the image. [4}
Looking Northeast on another length of Grace O’Malley Drive. The green line superimposed on the photograph illustrates the line of the tramway. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
Tram No. 6 in its earliest livery climbing through the curves on its way to the Summit. It is probably travelling along what became Balkill Park. This image was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 8th April 2020. [17]
Looking North on Balkill Park. The old tramway route seems to skirt the left side of the end of terrace above, continuing to bear right through its garden and the properties on Grace O’Malley Drive behind. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
Turning through 180° to look South, Balkill Park follows the line of the old tramway. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
This next extract from the 25″ OSi mapping shows the tramway crossing Balglass Road at a level crossing. [10]
The same area as shown on the map extract above as it appears on RailMapOnline.com. [4]
Looking East-southeast from Balkill Park across Balglass Road/Balkill Road. at the junction the route of the old tramway heads East-southeast. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
An unidentified tram crossing Basglass on 31st May 1959, (c) Barry Lacy. This image was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Kevin Rickard on 27th September 2020. [15]
Very approximately the same view as the monochrome image above but in the 21st century. The route of the old tramway is indicated by the green line. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
Looking ahead to the Southeast along the route of the old tramway from the junction of Balkill Park with Balglass Road/Balkill Road. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
Looking back towards Howth along the line of the old tramway with Balkill Park ahead. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
The 25″ OSi mapping shows that the next passing point on the line was Dungriffan Halt which was situated to the North of Dungriffin Road between Cliff House and Boggeen Lane. [10]
The same area in the 21st century shows a similar road layout and the footpath following the route of the old tramway. [4]
Looking Southwest towards what was the location of Dungriffan Road Halt. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
Trams passing each other at the next halt on the route, Dungriffan Road Halt. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Lorenzo Caira on 9th January 2022. [23]
Tram No. 7 seems to be leaving Dungriffan Road Halt heading South towards the Summit Inn. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 6th October 2015 by Liam McLoughlin. [43]
Looking Southeast into the site of what was Dungriffan Road Halt. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
The location of Dungriffan Road Halt as it appears in the 21st century. This view looks Southeast from the centre of the Halt towards Dungriffin Road. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
Looking South across Dungriffin Road. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
Looking back North across Dungriffin Road. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
The view South from Dungriffin Road in 2019. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
This image shows an unidentified tram heading South towards the Summit Inn from Howth. It was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Lorenzo Caira on 4th October 2015. [44]
This view looks back towards Howth. Another unidentified tram heads towards the Summit Inn. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Lorenzo Caira on 4th October 2015. [40]
This view looks North down this length of tramway and appears to show Tram No. 6 heading South towards the Summit of Howth Hill. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 6th October 2015. [41]
The view South along the line of the old tramway between Dungriffin Road and Grey’s Lane. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
Looking South across Grey’s Lane. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
The view Northwest along Grey’s Lane across the line of the old tramway. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
Looking North across Grey’s Lane. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
The next length of the tramway Southeast from Grey’s Lane as shown on the 25″ OSi mapping. [10]
The same area as shown by RailMapOnline.com. [4]
Looking South along the line of the old tramway a 100 metres or so from Grey’s Lane. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
Looking South along the line of the old tramway a 100 metres or so further from Grey’s Lane. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
In this extract from the OSi mapping the old tramway first crosses Kitestown Road and then turns to cross what was Lighthouse Road and in the 21st century is called Balkill Road. The Summit was reached after crossing Lighthouse Road. [10]
The same area as shown on the map extract above as it appears on RailMapOnline.com. The new road is the route of the R105, Carrickbrack Road, which from this point follows the line of the old tramway. [4]
Looking North along the line of the old tramway across Kitestown Road. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
Looking Southeast along Kitestown Road across the line of the old tramway. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
Looking Southeast from Kitestown Road along the line of the old tramway. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
Looking North along the line of the old tramway from the junction of Balkill Road and Carrickbrack Road. [My photograph, 7th May 2023]
The view Southwest along Carrickbrack Road (R105). The green line marks the route of the old tramway. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
The Summit Cafe. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 6th October 2015. [42]
The Summit Inn in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, July 2019]
Two trams pass at the Summit. Tram No. 3 is heading for Howth and Tram No. 4 for Sutton. This picture was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 7th September 2016 by Liam McLoughlin. [49]
In this image it is trams Nos. 6 and 7 passing at Summit Station with No. 6 heading for Howth and No. 7 for Sutton. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 4th October 2015 by Lorenzo Caira. [47]
Tram No. 10 at the Summit Station. This picture was shared by Dermot Kane on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 2nd June 2020. It looks Northeast along Carrickbrack Road. The Summit Inn is visible on the right of the picture. (R105). [50]
A similar view at the Summit in the 2020s. The Summit Inn is visible on the right of both this and the colour photograph above. The single storey building near the centre of this image can be seen behind the tram in the last image. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
What looks like Tram No. 6 at the Summit Station heading for Sutton with two unidentifiable trams behind. This image was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 4th October 2015 by Lorenzo Caira. [46]
Looking Northeast again at the Summit with Tram No. 1 in the foreground, heading for Howth and an unidentifiable sister tram beyond, heading for Sutton. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Lorenzo Caira on 4th October 2015. [45]
Looking Northeast at the Summit Station with Tram No. 10 waiting to set off for Howth. This photograph was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 6th October 2015 by Liam McLoughlin. [48]

The Summit was the usual tourist stop and was accessed either from Howth or from Sutton. Having reached the Summit from Howth, we now start the journey down to Sutton.

Trams left Summit Station in a Southerly direction. The road to the East of the line is Thormanby Road which was not suitable for the bus service which replaced the trams on the closure of the line. [10]
The same area as that covered on the map extract above. This time as it appears on the satellite imagery on RailMapOnline.com. This length of Carrickbrack Road was constructed after the closure of the line. [4]
This next extract from the 25″ OSi mapping shows the line continuing South. [10]
The same area in 21st century. Carrickbrack Road continues to follow the route of the old tramway. [4]
This next extract from the 25″ OSi mapping shows the next passing point on the line which was at the point the line met Thormanby Road. [10]
The same area as it appears on RailMapOnline.com’s satellite imagery. [4]
The confluence of the old tramway and Thormanby Road. The passing point on the OSi mapping is just off the image to the left. The picture was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Lorenzo Caira on 4th October 2015. [56]
Tram No. 3 at the same location. The passing loop is just visible beyond the tram. The building on the right appears on the postcard image above. This image was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 9th October 2019 by Padraig Druimeanach. [55]
The same location again, after the lifting of the tramway tracks and before the construction of Carrickbrack Road. This image was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 25th February 2020. [53]
The Tramroad continues in a westerly direction towards the Stella Maris Convent, as shown on the 25″ OSi mapping. [10]
The same area on RailMapOnline.com. [4]
The same location in the 21st century, Carrickbrack Road (R105) eventually replaced the old tramway. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
Stella Maris Convent (Glenavena) owned land on both sides of the old tramway. The tramway was carried over the driveway on a stone arch bridge with retaining walls extending upwards on each side. [10]
Approximately the same area as portrayed in the map extract above. [4]
The tramway leaving Thormanby Road/Carrickbrack Road and crossing the stone arch bridge over the driveway.
Tram No. 7 travelling to the Summit from Sutton is about to cross Thormanby Road/Old Carrickbrack Road. This image was shared by John Maguire on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 22nd January 2021. John tells me that the wall still has the hinges in place for the gate that can be seen in this image. [82]
Looking West on Carrickbrack Road, the high wall on the left behind the speed limit sign is the same wall as shown in the monochrome images above. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
About 100 metres West of the last photograph, this is the route the tramway was followed, alongside the high wall. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The full height wall and bridge carrying the tramway. The tram in this image is in almost exactly the same position as the one in the monochrome image above. This image was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Shay Larkin on 3rd March 2017. [51]
The next length of the tramway on the 25″ OSi mapping. [10]
And a further length of the tramway on the 25″ OSi mapping. [10]
RailMapOnline.com shows the area covered by the two map extracts above. [4]
Looking West along Carrickbrack Road towards the location of Baily’s Post Office Halt which was sited just beyond the location of the bend ahead. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The next passing loop at Baily Post Office Halt. [10]
The new Carrickbrack Road somewhat smooths out the tramway alignment through the site of Baily’s Post Office Halt. [4]
Tram No. 9 at the Baily Post Office Halt. This image was taken facing Southeast and was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 23rd October 2018. [52]
Tram No. 1 at Baily’s Post Office Halt. This picture is taken facing West through the location of the Halt and was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 3rd March 2017 by Shay Larkin. [54]
Looking West through the location of Baily’s Post Office Halt in 2023. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
Looking East through the location of Baily’s Post Office Halt in 2010. [Google Streetview, July 2010]
The tramway continued Northwest from Baily’s Post Office Halt. The 25″OSi map extract shows that from this point the old Carrickbrack Road ran alongside the old tramway, with the tramway on its South side. [10]
The tramway continues Northwest on its way towards Sutton. [10]
This RailMapOnline.com satellite image shows the length of the old Tramroad covered by the two map extracts above. [4]
Looking Northwest from the location of Baily’s Post Office Halt along Carrickbrack Road in 2010. [Google Streetview, July 2010]
And again, further to the Northwest. A passing loop can be seen to the Northwest of Rockfell. This was the Barren Hill Halt. [10]
This extract from RailMapOnline.com’s satellite imagery shows much the same area as that in the map extract above. [4]
Two trams pass at Barren Hill Halt. The nearest tram appears to be No. 6, the tram heading towards the camera is either No. 9 or No. 10 ( both of which retained the teak livery through to the closure of the line. The picture was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 15th October 2020 by Phil Hanlon. [57]
The view Northwest through the site of Barren Hill Halt in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The 25″ OSi mapping continues to show the tramway heading Northwest for Sutton, at this point, before curving round to a northerly trajectory. [10]
The next passing loop was just to the North of St. Fintan’s Well. [10]
This extract from RailMapOnline.com covers the combined length of the two map extracts above, from Barren Hill Halt to the location of St. Fintan’s Halt. [4]
Tram No. 3 at St. Fintan’s Halt, looking South. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 6th October 2015 by Liam McLoughlin. [58]
The tramway continued Northwest running alongside St. Fintan’s Graveyard. Another passing loop can be seen at the top of this extract from the 25″ OSi mapping. [10]
Tram No. 4 in the passing loop mentioned in the notes to the OSi map extract above, heading for Howth. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 9th October 2015 by Liam McLoughlin. [59]
The tramway continues heading Northwest. [10]
And again, the tramway runs on towards Sutton in a northwesterly direction. [10]
This extract from RailMapOnline.com covers the same length of the old line as the two map extracts above. [4]
This next extract from the 25″OSi mapping shows the passing loop adjacent to Strand Road. [10]
This RailMapOnline image shows the ame area as the 25″ OSi map extract above. The Strand Halt is in the bottomright corner of each image. [4]
Tram No. 10 sits at the Strand Road Halt on its way Southeast towards the Summit of the Hill of Howth. This image was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 22nd February 2023 by Hugh Walsh [61]
The tram in this picture is just to the Northwest of the Strand Road Halt. It is difficult to make out whether it is travelling towards Howth (ahead via the Summit of the Hill of Howth) or Sutton (behind the camera). The photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 6th October 2015 by Liam McLoughlin. [62]
This image is not clear enough to be able to give the tram number. The tram pictured has just left the Strand Halt heading for Sutton. The image was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 18th December 2015 by Liam McLoughlin. [60]
Bus No. 31 heading for Sutton at a similar location after the closure of the tramway. This image was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 9th April 2017 by Liam McLoughlin. [63]

The tramway ran Northwest along the South side of Carrickbrack Road with the water on its left. [10]
it continued alongside the road heading towards the Strand Hotel. Both these map extracts are from the 25″ OSi mapping. [10]
This extract from the satellite imagery on RailMapOnline.com shows the length of the tramway route covered in the two map extracts above. [4]
Sutton Cross as shown on the 15″ OSi mapping. Its tramway halt was immediately to the Northwest of the junction. It can be seen on the top-left of this extract. [10]
A similar area on RailMapOnline.com. As throughout this article the green line represents the Hill of Howth Tramway, the yellow line indicates the route of the Clontaff and Hill of Howth Tramroad. [4]
Looking through Sutton Cross junction from the Southeast. The halt can be seen ahead. This image was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 18th December 2015 by Liam McLoughlin. [64]
A tram crosses the main road at Sutton Cross. The road to Howth is ahead of the camera. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 12th October 2016. [67]
The view along the R105 towards Howth taken from a similar location to the photograph above. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
No photo description available.
Tram No. 3 just setting off from the Sutton Cross Halt. It appears to have just met and passed another tram heading towards Sutton Railway Station. That tram can be seen in the distance on its way to the terminus. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 28th August 2017. [65]
The site of Sutton Cross Halt in the 21st century. This view looks along Station Road from the junction at Sutton Cross. [Google Streetview, May 2021]
A tram has just crossed the main road at Sutton Cross and is entering the Halt on its way to Sutton Railway Station. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 3rd December 2018. [69]
Tram No. 1 is just leaving Suttion Cross Halt and will cross the main raod before heading for the Hill of Howth. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Lorenzo Caira on 4th October 2015 [70]
Tram No. 5 sits in the loop at Sutton Cross Halt. Given the height of the photographer it is likely that they are at the front of the top deck of another tram which has left Sutton Railway Station on its way to the Hill of Howth and eventually to the Howth terminus of the line. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 21st March 2018. [66]
Tram No. 3 at Sutton Cross Halt heading towards Howth via the Hill of Howth. This image looks to have been taken from the top deck of another tram waiting in the loop at Sutton Cross, looking toward the terminus at Sutton Railway Station. It was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Hugh Walsh on 22nd February 2023. [68]
This extract from the 25″ OSI mapping shows the final approach to the terminus at Sutton Railway Station. [10]
A similar length of Station Road Sutton as it is shown on Google Maps in 21st century. The tramway ran along the South side of the road. [Google Maps, May 2023]
The view Northwest on Station Road in 2023. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The end of the line, or the beginning of the line, depending on your perspective! This last extract from the 25″ OSi mapping shows the GNR(I) railway station at Sutton, the Tramway Depot and the Electricity Generating Station built for the Tramway. [10]
The same area in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, May 2023]
Thye approach to Sutton Station from the Southeast on Station Road (R106). The tramway lines are represented by the green line superimposed onto the photo. The station building is much as it was when trams were running. The road is probably a little wider. The signal box is still present (in dark green on the left of this image). [Google Streetview, March 2023]

The photograph above shows a tram running parallel to Station Road with Sutton Cross 200 yards to the right and Sutton Station 25 yards to the left on the opposite side of the road. This photo is embedded here from David Bradley’s webpages with his kind permission. [29]

Looking Southeast from close to the point where trams would swing to their right to cross Station Road and enter the tram terminus which sat directly alongside the GNR(I) Railway Station at Sutton. Sutton Cross is some distance ahead of the camera. The photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Phil Hanlon on 15th December 2020. [76]
Tram No. 6 or No.8 is just setting off from the Sutton terminus towards Sutton Cross. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 5th August 2019. [75]
Sutton Railway Station with a tram approaching on the Sutton and Howth Electric Tramway. This photograph looks East from what is now the R106. The photo was taken in 1902. [30]
The view of the station approach from adjacent to the level crossing gates in 2023. While the tram tracks are long gone, the station building is very similar in appearance to that shown on the 1902 image above. [My photograph, 8th May 2023]
Tram No. 6 waits at the Sutton Terminus before setting off towards Sutton Cross. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Lorenzo Caira on 4th October 2015. [79]
Sutton terminus once again, this time on the final day of the service. There is a suggestion in the notes under the photo that this is the final tram on that day. It may have been, although the numbers waiting toclimb aboard suggest that there may be other trams in the depot waiting to move forward to take a full load of passengers. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by by Hugh Walsh on 22nd February 2023. [71]
Tram No. 1 leaves the depot and prepares to cross Station Road as it heads for the terminus at the railway station. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Hugh Walsh on 22nd February 2023. [71]
The 21st century view alongside the signal box looking to where the Tram depot was sited. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
Tram No. 10 leaves the depot and is about to cross Station Road to enter service at the tram terminus at Sutton Railway Station. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Lorenzo Caira on 4th October 2015. [74]
Tram No 10 retained its teak livery until the end of the network’s life, as did Tram No. 9. Tram No. 10 is waiting for the tram to the right of the picture to clear the road from the terminus, before setting off from the depot to collect passengers. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Lorenzo Caira on 4th October 2015. [78]
The road crossing at the West end of Sutton Station. The tram depot was immediately West of the Station. This image was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 3rd July 2017. [32]
Tram No. 6 sits outside the shed in the tram depot waiting to go out on service. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 13th December 2020. [73]
Two other trams (no. 1 and No. 3) sit outside the shed in the tramway depot. GNR(I) main line carriages sit in the siding adjacent to the shed. This image was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on16th June 2019. [72]
Tram No 10 is being wheeled out of the shed by hand. This photo was taken after closure and after the removal of overhead power lines. It was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by by Hugh Walsh on 22nd February 2023. [71]
Tram No. 9 in its teak livery sits in front of sister trams inside the shed at the Tramway depot. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 10th January 2016. [81]
Another view of the interior of the shed at the tramway depot. The rather odd looking tram on what seems to be the central road is Tram No. 11 which was used for maintenance work on the network. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Padraig Druimeanach on 15th October 2019. [77]
Tram No. 11 out at work on the network at St. Fintan’s. This photo was shared on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group by Liam McLoughlin on 9th October 2015. [80]
The Tramway Depot seen from the East with the Electricity Generating Station behind. This image was probably taken after the closure of the network. It was shared by Liam McLoughlin on the Old Howth Photos Facebook Group on 7th March 2021. [31]

As we have noted already the Hill of Howth Tramway was GNR(I) owned but made little or no profit for the Company. When the nationalised compnay, Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) took over GNR(I)’s operations in the Republic of Ireland on 1st October 1958, it reviewed all of the lines (including this tramway) over which it took control and the Howth Tram was replaced by buses within 8 months!

References

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The Fintona Tram

5 Replies

The featured image above shows Fintona Railway Station from Main Street, Fintona in June 1957, (c) Wilson Adams. The image is used here under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license (CC BY-SA 2.0). [7]

The Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway [2] opened the railway station in Fintona on 5th June 1853. A short time after the Londonderry to Enniskillen Railway completed its mainline to Enniskillen (in 1854 [2]). mainline services were withdrawn from Fintona (in 1856 [1]), and the link to Fintona became a branch from the mainline at Fintona Junction railway station. [3] Most passenger services on this branch line were then provided by a horse-drawn tram car. [1] Since the line’s closure, the tram has been preserved at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra, County Down. [2]

Wikipedia notes that the branch line to Fintona was taken over by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) in 1883 when it took control of the Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway. [1]

The branch-line and the station at Fintona were closed on 1 October 1957. [1] The whole area comprising the Fintona Train station is now a car park and public toilet. [4]

As we have noted, “Passenger services on the half mile Fintona branch were worked by horse traction throughout the 104 years of its existence up to closure in 1957.” [4]

Timetables were worked out on what a horse could reasonably be expected to achieve. This meant that rail authorities “allowed 10 minutes for the slightly downhill trip to Fintona, and 15 minutes for the return working. Seven trips per day were scheduled in summer 1951.” [5]

The tramcar which was used for the majority of the life of the service, “entered service in 1883, had longitudinal seating, back to back on the upper deck and with seats facing each other on the lower deck. Originally the latter was divided into 1st and 2nd class, and the top deck was 3rd class. The car is estimated to have covered 125,000 miles in its ambulation’s on the branch.” [5]

“Goods wagons for Fintona were worked by a steam engine which, in later years at least, made a return trip in the morning before passenger services started.” [5]

The Line between Fintona and Fintona Junction

The first image below shows the route of the line on an extract from the GSGS maps of 1941-1943 produced by the British War Office at a scale of 1″ to 1 mile. [6] The second picture is a matching 21st century satellite image which shows how little of both the mainline and the branch remain in the 21st century.

The Fintona Branch: a map extract from the British War Office (G.S.G.S 4136) 1″ to the mile survey published 1941-1943. [6]
The location of the Fintona Branch on modern satellite imagery. [6]
A similar area on the Satellite imagery with the route of the mainline (The Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway) and the alignment of the Fintona Branch illustrated by redlines. [6])

Fintona Junction

The next image below shows the approach road to what was Fintona Junction Railway Station from the B46. Immediately to the right of this road was a level-crossing which took the mainline across the B46. The Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway ran under the location of the bungalow on the right, parallel to the station approach road.

The access road shown above now only provides access to a farm. At one time it was the public access to the junction station.

Fintona Junction Station site. The line of the railway to Enniskillin can be seen crossing the B46, Dromore Road in the bottom left of this satellite image. The line to Fintona is indicative rather then accurate. [Google Maps]
Fintona Junction: GNR 4-4-0 goods engine No.73 of Class ‘P’ stands in the bay, having shunted its train to await the passing of the two passenger trains of the evening of August Bank Holiday Saturday, 1954. [12]
A Still image from a 1950s cinefilm which shows the signal box, station sign and porters trolleys at Fintona Junction, (c) The Huntley Archives, Film No.96367. [13]

The line

AS we have already noted, the journey from Fintona Junction to Fintona Railway Station was timetabled as just a 10 minute journey. The tram was usually waiting for connections at Fintona Junction as in the first picture below.

0953-4 Horse Tram Fintona Ireland (JW Armstrong) 102
The view from the mainline of Fintona Junction Station. The tram is waiting to offer a connection for the train arriving from Londonderry, (c) J.W. Armstrong/ARPT – this link is to the image as held on Ernie’s Railway Archive on Flickr. [8]
The tram for Fintona with horse”Dick” (apparently all the horses used on the service were called ‘Dick’) waiting with the branch connection at Fintona Junction, while PPs class 4-4-0 No.44 arrives with 1.45pm Omagh – Enniskillen local train (c) L.King,5th July 1955. [4]
Fintona Junction Railway Station in April 1964 (c) Roger Joanes. The image is included here under a creative Commons Licence, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). [9]

In the picture above the line can be seen to be in a shallow cutting soon after leaving the railway station. As can be seen below, this was a very shallow and short cutting.

Lookin ahead down the line from Fintona Junction in the 1950s, (c) The Huntley Film Archive Film No. 96367. [13]
The tram transporting military personnel leaves Fintona Junction and runs along the section of track being inspected in the image above, (c) Mr Gallagher c1941-45. [4]
Now just beyond the cutting mentioned above. The line continues to curve towards Fintona, (c) The Huntley Film Archive Film No. 96367. [13]
Leaning out of the tram window, we can see the line continuing to curve westwards, just ahead, shrubs are beginning to encroach on the line, (c) The Huntley Film Archive Film No. 96367. [13]
This satellite image shows the current landscape around the next section of the old railway linejust south of the junction station. [Google Maps]
A hazy view from the top deck of the tram looking back along the line towards Fintona junction, (c) The Huntley Film Archive Film No. 96367. [13]
Postcard View circa 1930 which shows the tram rounding the curve after leaving Fintona Junction Station on the way to Fintona. It is in the midst of the shrubs mentioned above, (c) Public Domain. [1]
A little further ahead along the line is again in a shallow cutting, (c) The Huntley Film Archive Film No. 96367. [13]
The next length of the line sees the old railway leave the curve and straighten up heading for Fintona in a southeasterly direction. [Google Maps]
Over this next length of the old railway it is much more difficult to determine the precise alignment of the line. The redline cannot be taken as accurate in anyway. The vast majority of the buildings shown to the southwest of the line all postdate the removal of the old railway. [Google Maps]
The north end of Sherwood Close. The old railway probably ran approximately on the line of the green fence between the two properties shown here. [Google Streetview]
A view from the north on Ashfield Gardens. The farm access track referred to on the image appears in the bottom right of the satellite image above. It can also be seen at the top left of the satellite image below. [Google Streetview]
This final satellite image shows the approximate line of the railway as it enters the station throat and runs through to the terminus buffer stops. The station used to front onto Main Street. The area is now the premises of Lisdergan Butchery (https://lisderganbutchery.com), Eurospar and the town car park. The building which fronts onto Main Street being Fintona’s public toilets. [Google Maps]
A short distance further along the line, the land has dropped away once again and the station at Fintona is in sight, (c) The Huntley Film Archive Film No. 96367. [13]
GNRI 1952-06-26 Fintona station 049
The view Southeast towards Fintona Station from along the line. The permanent way between the two rails is filled with earth up to sleeper level or just above to create a suitable surface for the horse. Notice how, at the point ahead, hoof marks show that the horse has avoided crossing the switch rail until the last possible moment, (c) Ernie’s Railway Archive – this link is to the image as held on Ernie’s Railway Archive on Flickr. [8]
Arriving at Fintona. The tram is a few yards closer to the station than it was in the image above, (c) David Bradley, September 1957. [4]
Closer again to the station platform now. Do not be deceived by the platform visible close to the camera, this was a goods loading point which is described on the plan below as ‘The Beach’, (c) The Huntley Film Archive Film No. 96367. [13]
We are now close-in to the covered station platform at Fintona. This a picture of the Railway Station in April 1964 a good few years after the closure of the line, (c) Roger Joanes. The image is included here under a creative Commons Licence, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). [9]
A similar image to the Roger Joanes’ photograph above, this time in colour. As the vegetation encroachment is greater on this image it is probably a summer-time image. [Public Domain] [11]
A plan of Fintona Railway Station as shown on the Irish Railway Modellers Forum. It is taken from from Norman Johnston’s book on the Tram, “The Fintona Horse Tram.” [10]
Fintona Railway Station as shown at the head of this article, (c) Wlison Adams. The image is included here under The image is included here under a creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [14]
This is approximately the same view but taken in 2007. (c) Kenneth Allen. The image is included here under The image is included here under a creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [15]
Approximately the same location but this time in June 2021. The toilet block has been replaced with something which looks a little more as though it belongs in the heart of Fintona. [Google Streetview]

The Return Journey to Fintona Junction

Just a few photographs now which show the return journey to Fintona Junction.

The line’s horse stands in Fintona station ready to depat with a baggage truck and the tramcar in 1926. This consist does not appear in any other images but it is how the tram is displayed in the Museum at Cultra, (c )the Tramway and Light Railway Society. The image was seen on the Tramway Badges and Buttons website. [16]
“Dick” leaving Fintona with the 4.14pm to Fintona Junction, (c) N.W.Sprinks taken on 25th June 1952. [4]
GNRI 1952-06-26 Fintona CURC trip 052
The journey back from Fintona to Fintona Junction on 26th June 1952 (c) Ernie’s Railway Archive. This link is to the image as held on Ernie’s Railway Archive on Flickr. [8]

And finally. …

After closure of the line, Fintona’s tram was preserved and now sits in Ulster Transport Museum, Cultra.

Fintona’s tram on display in Ulster Transport Museum, Cultra. [11]

References

  1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fintona_railway_station, accessed on 24th May 2022.
  2. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Londonderry_and_Enniskillen_Railway, accessed on 24th May 2022.
  3. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fintona_Junction_railway_station, access on 24th May 2022.
  4. http://www.trolleybus.net/subhtml/picture9.htm
  5. Irish Railway Record Society; Irish Railways in Pictures No.1 – Great Northern; Irish Railway Record Society [London Area],1976.
  6. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=14.476527836102857&lat=54.50393&lon=-7.33038&layers=14&b=1, accessed on 26th May 2022.
  7. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Fintona_Station_-geograph.org.uk-_333213.jpg, accessed on 26th May 2022.
  8. https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie, accessed on 26th May 2022.
  9. https://www.flickr.com/photos/110691393@N07/12908937435/in/photolist-kEHFmP-kEKVcj, accessed on 26th May 2022.
  10. Norman Johnston; The Fintona Horse Tram; Omagh: West Tyrone Historical Society, 1992; https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/10057-minimally-interesting-track-layouts, accessed on 26th May 2022.
  11. https://stringfixer.com/tags/fintona, accessed on 26th May 2022.
  12. https://chasewaterstuff.wordpress.com/2014/04/22/some-early-lines-six-counties-scenes, accessed on 26th May 2022.
  13. The Huntley Archives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcv_XjOpcBE, accessed on 27th May 2022.
  14. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Fintona_railway_station#/media/File:Fintona_Station_-geograph.org.uk-_333213.jpg, accessed on 24th May 2022.
  15. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Public_Toilets%2C_Fintona_-geograph.org.uk-_552343.jpg, accessed on 27th May 2022.
  16. http://www.tramwaybadgesandbuttons.com/page148/page149/styled-241/page664.html, accessed on 27th May 2022.