Tag Archives: Donegal

The Burtonport Extension of the L&LSR (Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway) – Part 4 – Barnes Gap to Letterkenny. …

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The line ran from Derry to Burtonport. Initially constructed from Derry to Letterkenny it was later extended, via a circuitous route, to the fishing village of Burtonport. We have been following the route of the line from Burtonport to Letterkenny in a series of articles of which this is the fourth.

Earlier articles can be found on these links:

The Burtonport Extension of the ‘Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway’ – Part 1

The Burtonport Extension of the ‘Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway’ – Part 2

The Burtonport Extension of the L&LSR (Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway) – Part 3 – Cashelnagor Railway Station to Barnes Gap

This length of the line begins at Barnes Gap (not to be confused with Barnesmore Gap further South on the Co. Donegal Railways network) and travels first in a generally Southerly direction before approaching Letterkenny from the West.

The first length of this part of the route of the old railway begins at Barnes Gap and travels via Kilmacrenan Railway Station to Churchill Station as shown on this extract from the 1″ OSi mapping of the mid-20th century. [2]
Churchill Station is at the top-left of this next extract. The next Station was at Fox Hall at the point where the old railway entered the valley of the River Swilly. A little further to the East was Newmills Station which can be seen in the bottom-right of this image. [2]
The the East of Newmills Station the railway bridged the River Swilly and ran along its South side at far as Old Town in Letterkenny where the line bridged the river once again  and ran on into Letterkenny Station which sat at the right-hand edge of this map extract. [2]

We now look at this section of the Burtonport Extension Railway in more detail, starting at Barnes Gap.

The first image is an excellent view of the viaduct by which the old railway crossed the road at Barnes Gap. It seems as though rock falls may have been a problem at this location, evidenced by the large rocks which sit alongside the road and a large boulder sitting on the right hand edge of the unmetalled carriageway

A view looking North towards the viaduct at Barnes Gap. [3]
Approximately the same view in August 2021. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Barnes Gap, not to be confused with the Barnesmore Gap further South in Co. Donegal, sits at the top left of this first map extract from the 6″ OSi survey of 1901. Road and rail run close to each other with the road on the valley floor and the railway above. [2]
This extract from RailMapOnline.com’s satellite imagery covers the top half of the map extract above. [4]
A closer view as can be seen on Google Earth, the railway formation can be seen 50 metres or so to the Northeast of the N56. [Google Earth, June 2023]
Taken just to the Southeast of the location of the satellite image immediately above, this photograph looks Northwest along the N56 as the old railway formation, marked by the stone wall to the left of the road, closes in on the line of the road. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Turning through 180° to look Southeast along the N56, the old railway formation is now at the same level as the road. It runs between the road edge and the rock outcrop its left. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
This next satellite image emphasises how close the road and old railway ran as they headed South and it covers the bottom half of the map extract abovel. [4]
Further to the South and looking South-southeast along the N56. The old railway alignment runs parallel to the road on its Eastern (left) side. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The road and railway followed each other closely for another kilometre or so until, as this extract from the OSi mapping shows, the railway required a larger radius curve, shown at the bottom-right of the extract. [2]
The road and old railway formation are shown coinciding on this next RailMapOnline image. The reality on the ground is a little different as the next two images show. [4]
This extract from the Google Earth satellite imagery, sowing the road junction at the bottom of the RailMapOnline image above. It also shows that the two forms of transport, road and rail were generally separated by a few metres with them closer where ground features needed them to be. [Google Earth, June 2023]
The view South-southeast along the N56 and the road junction in the satellite image above. The tree line to the left of the road indicates the location of the old railway formation. [Google Streetview]
Here we see the two alignments, road and old railway, diverging as shown on the OSi map extract above. The modern N56 seems to follow the alignment of the old road. [4]
This extract from the 25″ OSi survey shows what was probably an ungated crossing over the lane that linked the crossroads close to Termon School to the main road, now the L5542. The crossing appears in the top-left of the 6″ OSi map extract above. [2]
[4]
The road and the old railway follow separate paths once the valley broadens out. The railway remained, at first, on the North side of the road. [2]
This extract from RailMapOnline shows the majority of the area covered by the 6″ OSi map extract above. [4]
Once it crossed to the South side of the road the line drifted away from the road in a Southeasterly direction and crossed to the South side of the river valley. The line headed Southeast, the road East-southeast. [2]
This satellite image shows approximately the same length of the line as the top half of the map extract above. [4]
This enlarged extract from the 25″ OSi survey from the early 20th century shows the precedence given at the time to rail traffic with the gated crossing requiring traffic to turn to cross the line. [2]
This enlarged image from Google Streetview shows the location of the level crossing in the 21st century. The larger building on the top-left, just North of the road is the crossing-keeper’s cottage. [Google Earth, June 2023]
The view Southeast along the N56 through the location of the level-crossing. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The view Northwest along the N56 through the location of the level-crossing. The crossing-keeper’s cottage is on the right of the road. The railway ran to the right of the cottage. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The crossing-keeper’s cottage, the old railway ran to the right of the cottage. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Looking Southeast along the N56. The old railway formation is the track on the right of this image. [Google Streetview, August 2021]

Barnes Halt was adjacent to the road at this location. This is how it is described on Wikipedia:

“Barnes Halt was not a ‘station’ in the ordinary sense. It was simply a stopping point at the level crossing across the Kilmacrennan-Creeslough road, a few miles north of Termon. There was no station building or platforms, only the embankment on which the rail track ran, and the house occupied by the railway employee responsible for manning the level crossing gates.” [5]

This next extract from the 25″ survey shows the bridge which carried the line across the river to the Southeast of the road crossing. The bridge appears at the bottom-right of the RailMapOnline image above. I do not have a photograph of this location in 21st century. However the image below shows that the bridge is still in place in 2023. [2]
This grainy image is an enlarged view of the bridge as it appears on Google Earth. The old railway formation is in use as a moorland access track. [Google Earth, June 2023]
This satellite image shows approximately the same length of the old railway as appears in the bottom half of the 6″ OSi map extract above. [4]
This next extract from the 6″ OSi survey of 1901 shows the line turning from a South-southeast trajectory to a Southerly direction. In this length the line crossed what became two metalled minor roads. The mapping also crossed onto a new map sheet just to the South of the first of those level-crossings. [2]
This image covers the top half of the map extract above. It again comes from the RailMapOnline.com website with the route of the old railway shown as a yellow line. [4]
Looking West along the L5542 through the location of the old level crossing. The track to the right of the image follows the formation of the old railway. The crossing was gated (Gates No. 7), although no crossing-keeper’s cottage was provided. This suggests that train crews would probably have been responsible for opening and closing the gates. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Looking Southeast at the same location. The Burtonport Extension Railway route is marked by the yellow line. There is a line of conifers at the left side of this image which run along the line of the old railway. [Google Streetview, August 2023]
The extract from the 25″ OSi survey shows two further level crossings. The more northerly of the two provided field access across the railway and would have been ungated. At the more southerly of the two the old railway crossed what eventually became a metalled road, the R255. This map extract ties in with the bottom half of the 6″ OSi map extract and the top left of the next RailMapOnline.com image below. [2]
The old railway continued in a generally southerly direction beginning to turn towards the South-southwest. [4]
A closer view of the location of the old railway crossing. Comparing this image with the map extract from the 25″ OSi survey shows that the carriageway is a little wider. Interestingly, looking back at the map extract from 1901, the road only seems at that time to have narrowed slightly at the crossing rather than turning to allow a crossing at right-angles to the railway. The crossing was gated (Gates No. 6) with train crews again needing to operate the gates. The location of the boundary fences which marked the extent of railway land can easily be seen North of the road. South of the road the railway land has become a woodland corridor. [4]
Looking North at the location of the level crossing. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Looking South from the R255 at the same locagtion. The old railwayroute runs through the undergrowth directly ahead. The edge of railway land is the edge of the field on the right. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
This and the next map extract are taken from the 25″ OSi survey of 1901 and show the railway heading South-southwest towards Kilmacrenan Station. There were two ungated crossings on this length of the line. [2]
This map extract shows the length of the line just to the North of Kilmacrenan Railway Station. [2]
This satellite image from RailMapOnline.com covers approximately the same length of line as shown on the two 25″ map extracts above. [4]
This map extract shows the layout of Kilmacrenan Railway Station. This was another station with no passing loop at the turn of the 20th century, and where trains would need to lay back into the goods sidings to allow another one to pass. The road crossing on the Northern boundary of the station site would have been gated. The gates probably would have been operated by station staff. [2]
The length of line South of Kilmacrenan Railway Station. [2]
This satellite image covers approximately the same length of line as the two 25″ map extracts above. The line runs on a South-southwest/North-northeast axis. [4]
The approach to Kilmacrenan Railway Station from the North as seen from the minor road at the North end of the station. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Kilmacrenan Railway Station site in 2021. The station is seen from the minor road at the North end of the Station platform. The goods shed/store is left of centre, the platform edge remains, as does the station house. [Google Streetview, August 2021]

“Kilmacrenan Station was to the west of the town, approximately two miles away by road in the townland of Doon. Nearby is Doon well, which was a pilgrimmage venue which generated passenger traffic to the station. The station building and platform were on the Up side with a goods store and two sidings behind this.” [6]

These two photographs show Kilmacrenan Railway Station as it appeared in 2007. The goods shed and the station house are seen above in a photograph taken from the Northeast, just to the South of the road serving the station. [7]
This photograph looks along the line of the sidings at Kilmacrenan Station from close to the location of the buffers. Both this image and that immediately  above were shared on the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway Facebook Group on 19th November 2020 by Chris Stewart. [7]
This photograph of 4-8-0 Locomotive No. 12 shows it on a goods train at Kilmacrenan Railway Station. Two trains appear to be passing each other. The picture was shared by the Donegal Railway Heritage Centre on Facebook on 25th March 2022. [8]
This image was shared on Facebook by Donegal County Museum on 17th August 2020. It shows the passenger station building on the left. It seems that, in this picture, two lines ran alongside the platform. The photograph was taken from a train in 1937 by H.C. Casserley. [9]
These two further pictures of the station were also taken by H.C. Casserley in 1937 from the train on which he was travelling. This image looks North, the train appears to be heading South. [1: p64]
This photograph also looks North but from a different train heading North towards Barnes Gap and Creeslough. The photograph was also taken by H.C. Casserley. [1: p63]
These two map extracts show the railway line further to the South of Kilmacrenan Station. The line ran for some distance on a straight course. [2]
This RailMapOnline.com satellite image shows approximately the same length of the line as shown on the two 25″ map extracts immediately above. [4]
The line continues, eventually curving further to the Southwest, through Mile Point 36 (from Londonderry). [2]
And on, passed Cannon’s Lough. [2]
Again, this satellite image covers the same length of the line as the two map extracts above. [4]
This and the next two extracts from the 25″ OSi survey of 1901 take the line as far as Level Crossing No. 5. [2]
These two images cover the same length of the line as the three map extracts above. [4]
Crossing-keeper’s cottage and gates No. 5 appear at the bottom-left of this satellit image.[4]

Crossing Cottage No. 5 has been significantly extended since the demise of the line.

Crossing No. 5, the Keeper’s Cottage sat on the East side of the line, North of the minor road which crossed the line.
Crossing Cottage No. 5 as it appeared in August 2021. The original cottage is much extended. The old railway ran across the image left to right (or vice- versa) in front of the cottage. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Looking North along the line of the Burtonport Extension Railway from the location of Crossing No. 5. The original cottage is the two storey section of the building closest to the camera. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The minor road curves sharply to the South on the East side of the crossing and runs roughly parallel to the old railway formation which can be seen running South behind the field gate. [Google Streetview, August 2022]

Being at one of the significant crossings along the line warrants us noting the comments about these crossings made by Bell and Flanders: “These Gates were a regular feature along the route of the line and were much more important than the accommodation crossings. … Whereas accommodation crossings were private accessways for local farmers the Gates were placed where the railway crossed public roads and were always staffed – opened and closed – by railway employees who lived in the adjoining houses.

Accommodation crossing gates [where they existed]were kept open for the railway and closed to the farm tracks until someone needed to cross. Crossing Gates, on the other hand were always kept open for the road and closed to the trains until it was time for a train to pass by.

Being a crossing keeper was a good job as it was a steady income, good living accommodation and, as there were few trains even in the railway’s golden days, the work wasn’t strenuous. But crossing keepers did have to know the railway regulations and any special instructions issued from time to time. Crossing keepers were often the wives of railway gangers who had their length of track to check and maintain each day. As the years went by the gated crossings sometimes became regular, though “unofficial” stopping places for passengers and goods.” [1: p61]

The old line continues in a South-southeast direction alongside the minor road which leads to Treantagh. [2]
Both these two images are map extracts from the 25″OSi 1801 survey. Close to Treantagh the old railway turned towards the South, crossing a road bridge in the process.
The next RailMapOnline extract shows roughly the same area as the two map extracts above. The route of the old railway continues to be shown by the yellow line. [4]
The building on the right of this image is built across the line of the old railway. This image is taken looking South adjacent to Bridgeburn House B&B flagged on the satellite image above. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
A short distance to the South, the old railway ran along the verge of the road for a short distance, approximately on the line of the boundary wall before heading through what is now a stand of trees which can be seen on the left of this image. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The line is rising as the road falls away and turns to the left. The trees mentioned above fill the right half of this image. [Google Streetview, August 2021]

A little further to the South the line crossed a different minor road by means of a stone arch bridge.

The bridge shown in the satellite images above. The photograph looks along the minor road from the Northeast. [My photograph, 29th April 2023]
The line continued to the South, curving round towards the Southwest. [2]
The line continues turning to the Southwest, beginning to run alongside another minor road. [2]
Road and rail ran in tight formation heading Southwest. [2]
This satellite image from RailMapOnline.com covers the length of the old line illustrated on the three extracts from the 25″ OSi mapping of 1901. [4]
The route of the old railway is shown on the satellite image above as running through woodland on the North side of the minor road. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The bungalow on the right of this image is approximately on the line of the old railway. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
This image shows the next bungalow along the minor road which again sits on what was the old railway formation. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The old railway, while travelling in a Southwesterly direction, was carried over a series of obstacles as this extract from the 25″ OSi 1901 survey shows: a road, a mill-race, the River Lennan, another mill race and then an access road. [2]
This and the next map extract show the length of the line North of Churchill (Church Hill) Railway Station. [2]
Churchill Railway Station appears at the bottom of this map extract. [2]
This satellite image covers the same ground as the map extracts immediately above. [4]
Another minor road leading to Milltown Carrick is spanned by a stone arch bridge, which appears at the top-right of the satellite image above. [My photograph, 29th April 2023]
Looking Southwest along the minor road crossing the River Lennan at Barrack Bridge. The route of the old railway was only a very short distance to the right of the road at this location. In the summer months, the arch bridge carrying the old railway over the River Lennan is shielded from the road bridge by modern vegetation. However, at the time of our visit in April/May 2023 the vegetation was not carrying its full summer weight. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The railway bridge across the River Lennan is shown in this photograph taken from the road carriageway. [My photograph, 29th April 2023]
A very short distance to the Southwest was a viaduct carrying the old railway across an access road and a mill stream. In the 21st century, the road provides access to Millbrook Salmon Hatchery which is noted on the satellite image above. Originally the road served flax mills downstream. [My photograph, 29th August 2023]

The next location that we have access to is the point at which the old railway crossed the next minor road. That location appears both at the bottom of the satellit image above and the top of the next section of the line, both on the OSi mapping and the satellite imagery below: the location of Churchill (Church Hill) Railway Station.

An enlarged map extract of Churchill (Church Hill) Railway Station as shown on the 25″ OSi survey of 1901. The goods shed/store can be seen on the West side of the line, the passenger facility is on the East side of the line. It appears that in 1901, there was no passing loop at the station. [2]
The location of Churchill (Church Hill) Railway Station as it appears on Google Earth in 2023. [Google Earth 3rd July 2023]
Church Hill Railway Station passenger facilities still stand in the 21st century and are now a private home. This photograph looks at the buildings from the Northwest. [My photograph, 29th April 2023]
This is how the buildings appeared at the turn of the 21st century or perhaps a little later. The photograph looks onto the site from the North-northwest. [10: p164]
This view from the South looks along Ng the old station platform. The Goods Shed is on the left and the station building on the right. [My photograph, 29th April 2023]
The Church Hill Station building as seen from the road which crossed the old line at the South end of the station site. [My photograph, 29th April 2023]
The Goods Shed seen from the North. The platform close to the camera was the location of the cattle pens. [10: p164]
This next extract from the 25″ OSi mapping shows the old railway heading almost due South as it left Church Hill Railway Station. At the bottom of this extract two roads flank the old railway for a short distance. [2]
South of the level crossing the roads diverged from the old railway. [2]
This satellite image provided by RailMapOnline illustrates the convergence and divergence mentioned above. It covers the same length of the old railway as the two map extracts above. [4]
Looking South along the route of the Burtonport Extension Railway from the road which crossed the old railway at the Southern end of Church Hill Railway Station. [My photograph, 29th April 2023]
Looking back North from the level crossing noted above. [My photograph, 29th April 2023]
Turning through 180° to look South along the old railway as it headed towards Letterkenny. In a rural context, the road arrangement at this location must be unusual! [My photograph, 29th April 2023]
The two map extracts above show the old line curving gently from a South-southeast direction to a South-southwest trajectory and following the Glashagh River. [2]
This extract from RailMapOnline.com shows much the same length of line as covered by the two 25″ map extracts above. [4]
The three extracts from the 25″ OSi survey of 1901 show the Burtonport Extension curving back towards the South and bridging the Glashagh River. [2]
This extract from RailMapOnline.com shows the same length of the old railway. [4]
This is the best image that I can provide of the railway bridge crossing the River Glashagh. It can be seen between a quarter and a third of the way up the last image from the bottom, just in from the left margin. [Google Streetview, 4th July 2023]
These three map extracts take the old railway through its crossing over the junction between what are now the R251 and the L63922 roads before taking a Southeasterly path. [2]
Another extract from the RailMapOnline.com satellite imagery which covers the same length of the old line as the three 25″ map extracts above. Note both the location of Crossing No. 3 and that of the accommodation bridge to the Southeast. [4]
The junction between the R251 and the L63922, looking Northwest back along the route of the old railway towards Church Hill Railway Station. The gatekeeper’s cottage is in a state of decay, parts of two of the gateposts remain adjacent to the road number sign for the more minor road. This location was Crossing No. 3 on the Burtonport Extension Railway. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The road that is now the R251 used to curve round to cross the old railway at right-angles. That curve is visible as th edge of the tarmac highway in the modern pictures of the junction. [2]
This is a wide angle image of the same crossing, also looking Northeast. This image allows the full location of the crossing to be seen. The railway passed to the right of the crossing keeper’s cottage, crossed what is now the R251 at an angle and ran along the line of the trees on the left of this image. Google Streetview, August 2021]
Walking a little to the Northwest, this image looks through the same crossing but is taken looking Southeast. The ruined crossing keeper’s cottage is on the left. The old railway formation passes behind the cottage and crosses the road, heading away along the line of trees/bushes to the right of the road, behind the first telegraph pole. [Google Streetview, August 2021]

Around 200 to 300 metres Southeast of the crossing the old line entered a cutting as the land around it rose. Shortly after it entered the cutting it was bridged by a lane. Both the bridge and the lane appear to remain today.

The cutting and the accommodation bridge mentioned above are shon on this enlarged map extract from the OSi survey of 1901. The road running from the centre-top tp close to the bottom right is now the R251. [2]
The accommodation bridge to the Southeast of Crossing No. 3, as it appears on Google Earth. [Google Earth, 5th July 2023]

A further 700 to 800 metres to the Southeast the old railway crossed a minor road at level. This can be seen in the images below. The R251 and the old railway route run parallel to each other for a distance before the road drifts closer to the old railway and finally runs on the formation of the Burtonport Extension Railway for

This next extract from the 25″ OSi survey shows the old road and the railway coming very close (bottom-right and then the road heads away again from the old railway line. [2]
Google Maps moderna satellite imagery which is used by RailMapOnline shows the  R251 leaving the old road alignment and then running Southeast along the old railway formation. [4]
Looking Southwest along the minor road referred to above. The old railway ran along the line of the fireld boundary and bushes which can be seen on the right of this image. It crossed the road and then ran on in front of the hadge/bushes seen on the left of the image. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The view Northeast across the old railway line formation, looking along the same road. The Burtonport Extension Railway ran behind the bush shown on the left of this image, crossed the road and continued on the same bearing. {Google Streetview, August 2021]
The road and the old railway formation become closely aligned at the tree line ahead. The old formation can still be picked out running into this photograph from the right. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Hopefully this enlarged extract from Google Earth shows clearly how the road has been moved to follow the old railway formation. The red line is the old road. The yeallow line is the old railway. The R251 is shown as the wide grey route. [Google Earth, 6th July 2023]
These two map extracts cover the length of the old railway as far as Crossing No. 2, which can be seen in the bottom-right quadrant of the lower image. [2]
This is the same length of line as shown on the two 25″ map extracts above. [4]
An enlarged extract from the 25″ OSi survey of 1901 shows the old road crossing the railway at Crossing No. 2. The crossing keeper’s cottage is at the centre of this image, to the Southeast of the level crossing. [2]
Looking back along the old railway towards Crossing No. 3. The line ran to the right of the tree in the foreground. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Turning through 180° this image shows the crossing keeper’s cottage. The line ran to the left of the cottage approximately through the shed at the left of the image. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The crossing keeper’s cottage as seen, in 2021, from the R251. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
These three map extracts show the line continuing towards Foxhall Railway Station in a Southeasterly direction. [2]
This single extract from RailMapOnline.com covers the same length of the old railway as the three map extracts above. [4]
A view North from the R251 towards the route of the old railway. The railway ran approximately on the line of the second hedge in the image. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Looking Northeast from the R251. The old railway crossed this side road immediately before it turned round to the right. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Three extracts from the 25″ OSi survey take the old railway to the northern approach to Foxhall Station. [2]
These two extracts show the Foxhall Station site. [2]
South of Foxhall Station the line curved gradually round to a Southeasterly direction. [2]
This RailMapOnline.com satellite image covers the same length of the old railway as do the six map extracts above. [4]
The Goods Shed at Foxhall Station served as a village community centre after the demise of the Burtonport Extension Railway. It is seen here from the R251. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
We are now in the valley of the River Swilly and heading for Letterkenny there are just two more stations before Letterkenny Railway Station, Mill ….. Station and Old Town Station. At this point the line was travelling in a Southeasterly direction to the North of the road which became the R250. The River Swilly is beyond the road to the South. [2]
This extract from the RailMapOnline.com satellite imagery shows the route of the old railway, the R250 and the River Swilly and covers nearly the same length of railway as the map extracts above. [4]
These two map extracts show the line continuing Southwest down the Swilly valley. [2]
This RailMapOnline.com satellite image covers much the same length of the old railway as the map extracts above. [4]
A further two map extracts has the River Swilly, the R250 and the Burtonport Extension Railway in close order still heading Southeast. [2]
This satellite image mage covers a similar length of line to the two map extracts above. [4]
Two more extracts take the line as far as Newmills Station and the cluster of buildings around Newmills Bridge – Flax Mill, Corn Mill and associated buildings. [2]
Newmills and the location of Newmills Station in the 21st century. [4]
A closer view of Newmills Station which was effectively no more than a halt. [2]
Newmills Bridge seen from the R250. The mills are hidden beyond the trees. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The mills at Newmills seen from the R250. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Two more map extracts show the old railway bridging both the R250 and the River Swilly. [2]
Again this satellite image covers much the same area as the two map extracts above. [4]
Looking Northeast on the R250 at the remaining bridge abutment on the North side of the road. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
A little further to the East, this view shows trees and undergrowth on the line of the old railway embankment on the South side of the R250. The bridge abutment on the South side of the road would have been off the image to the right but will have been removed when the road was improved. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
A single map extract shows the line travelling Northeast towards Letterkenny. [2]
This RailMapOnline.com satellite image takes the route of the old line to the same point as the map extract above. [4]
The old railway ran on the North side of the minor road between Newmills and Letterkenny, effectively just beyond the hedge line. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
These two map extracts show the line heading on Northeast towards Letterkenny. [2]
This satellite image covers the same ground as the two map extracts above. [4]
These two map extracts show the old railway and the adjacent road back immediately next to each again. [2]
[4]
In this image, taken 200 metres or so to the West of the side road shown in the above satellite image, the route of the old railway was immediately to the left of the hedge line. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
These three map extracts see the old railway running East through Mile Point 27. [2]
Crieve Road and the old railway route run West to East across this satellite image which covers a similar length of line as the three map extracts above. [4]
Further Northeast, the boundary of railway land can be discerned, the parallel hedges to the left of the road delineate the route of the old railway. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The old line and Crieve Road come close to each other again. [2]
Another satellite image which covers the same area as the map extract above. [4]
This is the view Northeast at the right quarter point of the satellite image above. The hedge which runs in from the left side of the image marks what was the boundary of railway land. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
[4]
[4]
These two further map extracts show the old railway heading Northeast towards Letterkenny. The bridge crossing the River Swilly at Letterkenny Old Town can be seen in the top-right of the lower of these two extracts.. [2]
This satellite image covers the same length of the old railway as the two map extracts above. There is a marked encroachment of the built up area of Letterkenny! [4]
The Burtonport Extension Railway crossed the River Swilly at Letterkenny Old Town on a substantial girder bridge which had stone abutments. This picture was probably taken in the late 1980s. By this time it had not been in use for around 40 years. [1: p60]
A similar view of the bridge in 2023. [My photograph, 29th April 2023]
Another view of the railway bridge, this is taken from the East, from the modern road bridge over the River Swilly. These two pictures show a bridge that is continuing to bear up to the effects of the environment in 2023, some 75 or so years after the closure of the Burtonport Extension Railway. [My photograph, 29th April 2023]
After crossing the River Swilly, trains crossed a level crossing which protected the Western approach to Old Town Station.  Old Town Station was a halt rather than a Station, it had a short single platform adjacent to the level crossing on the road South out of Letterkenny Old Town. [2]
These two map extracts show the old railway line heading Northeast outside the old limits of Letterkenny Town. The level crossing in the middle of the second extract was provided with a crossing keeper’s cottage. The location of the cottage is now a car park. [2]
Letterkenny has developed considerably since the 25″ OSi survey was undertaken at the beginning of the 20th century. The line heading Northeast from Old Town station was once in fields but is, in the 21st century, overwhelmed by modern development. The formation of the Burtonport Extension Railway appears now to be the route of the R250 which runs round the South side of the town centre. This extract from RailMapOnline.com’s satellite imagery covers roughly the same length of line as the three map extracts immediately above. [4]
This is an aerial view from the 1980s of the former Oldtown Railway Station House. In 2005 it was knocked down and rebuilt, opening first as the Ramada Encore Hotel in 2006 before officially being renamed in 2010 as the “Station House Hotel.” This image was shared on the Letterkenny History Facebook Page on 1st July 2023. [11]
This photograph of Old Town Station building also comes from the 1980s when it was a private dwelling. The photograph is taken from the road before the new R250 was built along the old railway formation. [1: p59]
Google Earth provides this satellite image of the old railway bridge over the River Swilly and the Station House Hotel which stands on the site of the old Station House which served Old Town. [Google Earth, 10th July 2023]
This view looks Northeast from the line of the Burtonport Extension Railway and shows the modern Station House Hotel which sits on the site of Old Town Station building which was demolished as noted above. The yellow line is an approximation to the route of the old railway which might have run a little closer to the modern hotel. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
The view Northeast from the R250 towards the location of the crossing-keeper’s cottage, which is shown at the bottom of the map extract below. I have been unable to find a picture of the old railway building. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
Three extracts from the 25″ OSi survey of 1901 show the length of the line from the final crossing-keeper’s cottage on the Burtonport Extension Railway to Letterkenny Railway Station. [2]
The final approach to the location of Letterkenny Railway Station as shown by RailMapOnline.com. The pink line entering from the right is the Co. Donegal Railways line to Strabane. [4]
Looking Northeast along the R250 in November 2022 at what would have been the station throat. The approximate line of the old railway is shown in yellow. The sky-blue building at the centre of the image is the old Co. Donegal Railways station building now in use as a bus station. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
Looking East-northeast into the site of what was the L&LS Railway Station in Letterkenny. The sky-blue building, as we have already noted, was once the Co. Donegal Railways Station building. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
Letterkenny Station in 1901, before the arrival of the Co. Donegal Railways line from Strabane. When the Co. Donegal Railways line from Strabane arrived at Letterkenny, the road running diagonally across the map extract had to be moved over to accommodate the new Station. [2]
At a smaller scale, this extract from the 25″ OSi Survey of 1901 shows the line to the East of Letterkenny as it heads away towards Derry. [2]
Letterkenny Railway Station area and the line to the East as shown by RailMapOnline.com. As noted above, the pink line is the route of the Co. Donegal line to Strabane. [4]

Ernie’s Railway Archive on Flickr has a range of photographs of the L&LS Letterkenny Railway Station site from the 1950s, the links are embedded here below, click on each link to see the image in Ernie’s Railway Archive on Flickr:

https://flic.kr/p/2nMqBvu – The L&LSR Station site from the East in 1952. The carriage shed is closest to the camera on the right of the image. The locomotive shed and turntable are hidden behind the carriage shed. At the centre-top of the image, the Goods Shed can be seen.

https://flic.kr/p/2nM8xYs – The Goods Yard of the L&LSR in 1952. Beyond wagons L&LSR No. 124 and L&BER No. 73 the Goods Shed and the passenger station building can be seen.

https://flic.kr/p/2nWyB5y – The L&LSR Goods Yard in 1952. The side elevation of the Goods Shed is visible beyond the wagons in the yard. Prominent in the picture is L&LSR Wagon No. 71.

https://flic.kr/p/2nCR8dg – L&LSR No. 12 is featured in this image from 1952. No. 15 is just poking its nose into the shot on the left.

https://flic.kr/p/2kHNdD9 – L&LSR No. 8 is being turned on Letterkenny’s turntable on 27th June 1952.

https://flic.kr/p/JoWHRY – L&LSR No.15 sits in front of Letterkenny WaterTower in 1953.

https://flic.kr/p/BWoyiF – L&LSR No3 at Letterkenny. On the left, the image is framed by the wall of the Goods Shed. The crossing gates at the West end of the station are visible beyond No. 3’s train. The passenger facilities are on the right. Note the coach acting as a brake van for the train. (c) JW Armstrong/ARPT

https://flic.kr/p/BvajsP – L&LSR No. 12 in the Engine Shed at Letterkenny, (c) JW Armstrong/ARPT

https://flic.kr/p/2ma5Lo3 – The L&LSR Station at Letterkenny on 1st July 1959 after the rails had been lifted. The Goods Shed door is closed (on the left) and the station buildings are on the right.

https://flic.kr/p/2k1hGvQ – The L&LSR operated a daily goods service by lorry after the closure of the line. A company rail lorry bearing the number plate IB7024 is shown standing where trains would once have passed, adjacent to the station building at Letterkenny. The photograph was taken on 23rd August 1954.

Other photographs of Letterkenny’s L&LSR railway station can be found on Flickr or elsewhere on line:

L&BER no.3

This image shows 4-6-0T No. 3, probably, in the Yard at Letterkenny station. No. 3 was built by Barclay in 1902. The image was shared by ‘Trainiac’ on Flickr and noted as being in the Public Domain. [12]

Plenty to see in this shot at Letterkenny. No. 12 is facing the photographer and a CDR engine is in the background. Shared by Kerry Docherty on the L&LSR Facebook Group on 1st February 2021. [13]
Another photograph of No. 3, this time at the head of a train, either for Burtonport or terminating at Letterkenny. The image was shared by Letterkenny History on their webpage. [14]
The lifting of the tracks after the closure of the Burtonport Extension Railway. The location is the level crossing at the West end of the station site, © Willie McGowan. This photograph was shared on the Letterkenny and Lough Swilly Railway Facebook Group by Connor Harkin on 12th June 2023. [15]
The last engines to be built for the Swilly were a pair of extraordinary 4-8-4Ts, weighing 58 tons each. No 6, with LSR diamond on the tanks, is outside Letterkenny shed on 15 June 1948. This image was shared on eBay [16]

References

  1. Dave Bell & Steve Flanders; The Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway: A Visitor’s Guide; County Donegal Railway Restoration Society, The Donegal Railway Heritage Centre, Donegal.
  2. https://osi.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=bc56a1cf08844a2aa2609aa92e89497e, accessed on 25th June 2023.
  3. https://www.mediastorehouse.co.uk/sq/164/gap-barnes-beg-north-west-donegal-14354902.jpg.webp, accessed on 21st June 2023.
  4. https://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php, accessed on 25th June 2023.
  5. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnes_Halt_railway_station, accessed on 28th June 2023.
  6. http://industrialheritageireland.info/Gazetteer/Locations/Railways/Stations/Donegal/Kilmacrenan.html, accessed on 30th June 2023.
  7. https://m.facebook.com/groups/788818974978955/permalink/963801157480735, accessed on 30th June 2023.
  8. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0RLpwpZQ1twFb7s58W7yk8UwVaTyVLT7r2HtevhDnQ33MYCHh2rzNjNteKYKkwHU9l&id=1223882780981294, accessed on 30th June 2023.
  9. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0FGE3fgJSLLmR48wHpqLpi5AWimZcYrZkZDiFK9xv14Li6j5TZBehRx73NBqx3Hezl&id=1223882780981294, accessed on 30th June 2023.
  10. Joe Begley, Steve Flanders, Dr E.M. Patterson; The Lough Swilly Railway; Colourpoint Books, Newtownards, 2017.
  11. https://www.facebook.com/profile/100071054418742/search/?q=railway & https://www.facebook.com/stationhousehotelletterkenny, accessed on 10th July 2023.
  12. https://flic.kr/p/2eroVcS, accessed on 13th July 2023.
  13. https://m.facebook.com/groups/788818974978955/permalink/1011585592702291, accessed on 13th July 2023.
  14. https://www.letterkennyhistory.com/the-railways, accessed on 13th July 2023.
  15. https://m.facebook.com/groups/788818974978955/permalink/1572230879971090, accessed on 13th July 2023.
  16. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293669517301?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=vFhrxofnRnO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=afQhrar7TGK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY, accessed on 13th July 2023.

The Donegal Railway Heritage Trail.

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On 28th February 2022 the Donegal Railway Heritage Centre announced that, with funding provided through the “Creative Ireland” programme administered by Donegal County Council, they completed the production of a map of County Donegal showing some of the main Donegal railway heritage still to be seen across the County and into Northern Ireland.

Niall McCaughan, Manager of the railway Museum stated: “In recent years there has been an increased interest in railway heritage, locally, nationally and internationally. Here in Donegal is no different, but the uniqueness of the railways that operated across Donegal has a special place in the hearts of the local population, not to mention too the international interest it rightly deserves. Although much of our great railway heritage has disappeared over the decades, there still is surprising a lot about, hidden in plain sight and some of Donegal’s railway heritage is still in operation for different purposes, including as the Bus Éireann bus station in Letterkenny and their depot in Donegal town, both previously part of the Donegal railway network. This includes Station buildings, halts, Gatehouses, bridges, etc. With this in mind, we have produced a simple easy to read folded “Heritage Trail” guide for the county, as well as some locations just across the border.” [1]

I picked up one of these leaflets at the Heritage Centre in Donegal Town. It is a really well-prepared fold-out map with a significant number of important locations on both the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway (which served the Northern half of County Donegal from its station in Derry) and the Co. Donegal Railways network.

If you are planning a holiday in Co. Donegal then writing off for one of the leaflets would be worthwhile. They are supplied free, provided the buyer covers postage and packing costs. Alternatively, the leaflet is also available to download as a .pdf file, here. [2]

This is a low resolution copy of the map which forms part of the heritage trail leaflet. Each of the numbered locations has its own short note and photograph on the reverse side of the leaflet. [2]
Just a few of the locations highlighted in the leaflet. [2]

This is an excellent leaflet providing a great way to plan a trip round Co. Donegal to find railway heritage and to enjoy Donegal’s wonderful scenery. Don’t get so focussed on the railway history that you miss the superb beaches and the rugged moorland scenery.

The leaflet’s suggested stop-off points can supplemented by some excellent railway walking.

The first 6 km of the line from Burtonport (on the L&LSR [3]) is an easily accessible, well-maintained walk. Full details of the walk and associated historic photographs can be found on this link:

The Burtonport Extension of the ‘Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway’ – Part 1

A further excellent walk, part metalled, runs between Falcarragh Railway Station and the Foot of Muckish Trailhead, also on the L&LSR, which can be found within this link:

The Burtonport Extension of the L&LSR (Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway) – Part 3 – Cashelnagor Railway Station to Barnes Gap

An easy stroll is also available adjacent to Lough Connell which can be found within this link:

The Burtonport Extension of the ‘Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway’ – Part 2

Lough Connell, Meenderrynasloe, Co. Donegal. The old railway ran along the North side of the lough. Parking is available at the West end of the lough. [Google Maps, 5th June 2023]

It is also possible to follow other lengths of the line which are part of other walking trails or which require a little more adventurous spirit. The full length of the Burtonport Extension of the L&LSR is covered by the series of of which the three above are a part.

References

  1. https://www.govisitdonegal.com/blog/february-2022/donegal-railway-heritage-trail-guide-launched, accessed on 28thbMay 2023.
  2. https://www.govisitdonegal.com/getmedia/840d4949-e1f3-4ea2-97b1-c2757fb3e3c2/Donegal-Railway-Heritage-Trail-FINAL.pdf.aspx
  3. The L&LSR served the northern area of Co. Donegal with a main terminus in Derry. The L&LSR was the ‘Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway’.

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.

Teelin Bay, Teelin Pier and Co. Donegal Railways

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Teelin Pier, Co. Donegal. … [My photograph, 26th April 2023]

What happened to the proposed extension to the Killybegs branch of the Co. Donegal Railways to Teelin Pier?

The short answer is that it did not really get beyond the imaginations of a few folk in the Glean Cholm Cille (Glencolumbkille) and Carrick area of Co. Donegal.

There was a government scheme which provided support to fishermen in the area, first in the Congested Districts Board establishing Teelin as the principal fish-curing station and then in supplying fisherman with large fishing smacks (and associated gear). [1]

Local parties could not countenance this investment going to waste for the want of a short railway extension from Killybegs. Revd C. Cunningham of Glencolumbkille expressed the feeling of a meeting of the Glencolumbkille and Kilcar Industrial Committee, held at Carrick, Co Donegal when he said that “with such efforts being made to make Teelin a fishing centre of unequalled importance with a fleet of first class fishing vessels, it was sad to reflect that the rich harvest which would naturally be expected from the broad Atlantic shall be in a great measure fruitless through the want of this short extension.” [1].

He went on to argue at that meeting that should the extension from Killybegs to Teelin be made “not only would existing industries be re-invigorated but others would be developed, and thus the people instead of having, in case of failure of crop, to appeal for relief to the Government, would become self-supporting, happy and independent.” [1]

It seems that the authorities turned a deaf ear to the appeals of local people. The reason given in histories of the line, for the failure to extend the line beyond Killybegs is that the topography would have required serious civil engineering features making it too expensive to construct. [1]

However, some maps of the Co. Donegal Railways show a dotted line between Killybegs and Teelin Pier, following the coastline. A typical example is shown below. …

The Railways of County Donegal. This map of the lines in Co. Donegal includes those which were considered as possible extensions and shows them as dotted lines. The line between Killybegs and Teelin Pier is shown bottom-left of this image. [2]

But … What if? … What if it had been built soon after the completion of the line to Killybegs? I am given some encouragement in following this flight-of-fancy by the publication in 2022 of the Donegal Railway Heritage Trail by the Donegal Railway Heritage Centre which seems to show a line from Killybegs to Teelin Pier, not as a possible or proposed line but as a line which seemingly got built. [4]

Is my flight-of-fancy possible?

I guess that I want to be able to imagine a parallel universe in which every proposed railway line not only was built, but remains in operation today.

Is there anything else that might encourage my flight-of-fancy? … I think there might be! Here are a few things to contemplate ….

1. Have another look at the photograph at the top  of this article which shows Teelin Pier as it was in April 2023 when we visited. What might the substantial stone structure be which sits just in from the right edge of the image, if not the base of a long disused water tower? Might it not be good to imagine one of the Co. Donegal locomotives idling alongside the water tank while it’s crew refill it’s tanks for the long run through to Killybegs and on to Donegal?

2. And, just peeping into the same image is another building. The photograph below shows that building close to the “water tower” base. What might it be if not an engine shed?

Teelin Pier buildings in April 2023. [My photograph, 26th April 2023]
The same building before it was re-roofed recently. [3]

Yep, it does look very much like a typical small engine shed. Might the plastic panels in the corrugated iron roof have marked locations where steam and smoke were allowed to vent as an engine was being prepared, early in the morning, for its next duty on the line?

3. Close to the road to Killybegs (R263), to the East of Carrick there is an old stone bridge which clearly carried an earlier incarnation of the R263 but could so easily have carried a 3ft-gauge railway as well! The two images below are taken from Google Streetview …

Please understand, this is just a ‘what-might-have-been’ and understand too that even if it had been true, these little indications of a possible old railway would probably be all that remained in the 21st century.

What I do need to do to complete this short fairytale is to look again at the three possible indications of the presence of an old railway and clarify their actual use, and then to allow Dr. E.M. Paterson a final word …

1. The stone base for a water tank. That might just be what it was, although with no railway connotations. It is more likely that it was an ice house, needed to allow fish catches to be preserved for onward transport. [3]

2. The engine shed. Sadly, the origins of this building are well documented and have nothing to do with any old railway. It is a detached gable-fronted single-bay single-storey former coastguard boathouse, built in 1871, originally associated with Teelin Coastguard Station. Now in use as a private boathouse. When surveyed it was described as having a “pitched corrugated metal roof. Roughcast rendered finish over rubble stone construction with rock-faced ashlar sandstone block-and-start quoins to the corners of the front elevation (north) with dressed margins. Single segmental-headed window opening to the centre of each side elevation (east and west) having rock-faced ashlar sandstone block-and-start surrounds with dressed margins, cut stone sills; openings now blocked. Segmental-headed carriage-arch to the front elevation (north) having rock-faced ashlar sandstone block-and-start surrounds with dressed margins, and with replacement timber double-doors.” [3]

Obvious, really, when you see the same building from a different angle ….

The view, from Teelin Pier, of the two structures discussed above. The use of the building on the right as a boathouse is emphasised by the ramp which would have permitted the launch of a coastguard vessel and which makes the building ideal for its private use today.

3. The stone bridge did indeed carry a previous incarnation of the R263 but never saw use as a railway structure!

Dr E.M.Paterson tells us that Barton’s 1896 map of the Co. Donegal railway network, “drawn on a scale of 4 miles to 1 inch and measuring 30 in by 22 in, shows four probable Government Railways, none of which was built as shown. … [The fourth of these] was a westerly extension of the Killybegs branch … out to the coastal villages of Kilcar and Teelin, where there was a ‘government’ pier. … Had the Killybegs-Teelin extension been constructed, it would have been a spectacular one, reaching into some of Donegal’s wildest scenery and ending near the mighty sea cliffs of Slieve League, which rise 2,000 ft above the Atlantic. It would justifiably have rivalled the Valentia branch and the Mallaig extension of the West Highland Railway.” [5: p31-32]

References

  1. https://carrickonline.net/history?view=article&id=295:the-story-behind-the-proposed-rail-line-to-teelin-pier&catid=11, accessed on 26th April 2023.
  2. https://twitter.com/PMacoscair/status/1049570854030454784?t=at2TWDk8-c3LbDi5IUSUGA&s=19, accessed on 26th April 2023.
  3. https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/40909615/staisiun-garda-costa-an-teileann-rinnakill-donegal, accessed on 26th April 2023.
  4. https://www.govisitdonegal.com/blog/february-2022/donegal-railway-heritage-trail-guide-launched, 26th April 2023.
  5. Joe Begley, Steve Flanders, E.M. Patterson; The County Donegal Railways Revised Edition; Colourpoint Books, Newtownards, 2014.