NEWS - JUNE 2010

"The Bustitution Railtour": Saturday, July 10th, 2010 [Posted 11.06.10]

The Irish Heritage Railway Group is proud to present "The Bustitution Railtour" - an opportunity to visit two special sites of railway interest. Join us as we travel by coach to Dunsandle, Co. Galway for a rare chance to inspect the locomotive and rolling stock installed at the old station building on the former Loughrea Branch, before moving on to Moyasta, Co. Clare for a journey behind steam locomotive No. 5, ‘Slieve Callan’, on a restored section of the West Clare Railway.

TIMETABLE
09.00 - Assemble at corner of Nassau St. & Kildare St.
09.15 - Depart Dublin via M4/N4
11.15 - Arrive Dunsandle Station
11.45 - Depart Dunsandle Station
12.45 - Arrive Ennis (lunch may be taken here)
13.30 - Depart Ennis
14.00 - Arrive Moyasta
17.00 - Depart Moyasta (refreshment stop en route)
21.20 - Arrive Dublin

Prices:
Adult - €35 (ST£30)
Concessions - €30 (ST£25)

Click here to download application form (MS Word Document / 59KB)

IHRG Progress Update [Posted 11.06.10]

Some readers will be aware that for some time a group of enthusiasts (rather than a formal group) have been investigating the possibility of identifying a suitable site for a preserved 5ft 3in gauge railway within roughly an hour's drive from central Dublin. "Identifying a site" should be emphaised here: NOT "trying to set up a railway". The group has given itself no remit other than research.

Almost twenty theoretically possible sites were investigated in detail over the last year and a half. A good third of them were found to be worthy of immediate dismissal for a variety of reasons, while many more failed even basic tests. In more recent times a small number of potentially suitable sites have been found to warrant further investigation, down to the issue of discussing with landowners any possible outcomes.

It must be stressed that this group has existed only to establish what may theoretically be possible, and does not seek to establish any railway itself. It would, however, provide research background for any group that might in future be inclined to set out serious proposals for a scheme of this nature.

It has been decided to form the group into a formal organisation, in order primarily to give an "official" face to members who will now be visiting landowners in several places to ask their views. The exact location of these places need not be an issue now, because it would be still a very long time before anything concrete might result from approaches to the landowners, but more importantly any discussions which might arise would obviously have to be kept extremely confidential until and unless (a) landowners were happy, and (b) some sort of coherent plans were drawn up for the scheme proposed, and (c) there was a clear view of what funding and practical help may be available - or not, given the economy.

It must be emphasised that all in the group are very well aware that there is every possibility that nothing may come of this - or in other words, the results of the research may indicate that overall, the thought of a DCDR style operation near Dublin is just not realistic. But then again, if it is, given the various circumstances of the day, and issues to be dealt with in setting up such a line, this is probably "last chance saloon" time, so the research at least is worth doing.

The new organisation, the Irish Heritage Railway Group, has now been formalised with an appointed committee whose members include RPSI, IRRS, ITG and DCDR members, as well as professional railwaymen. Membership is currently not yet generally open, but will be made so IF and WHEN any conclusions reached clearly point the way towards feasibility, rather than impossibility, of establishing another preserved railway in Ireland.

Representations will shortly be made to the main Societies in existence already, plus Irish Rail, for the purposes of introducing the group and its aims.

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