Foyle Valley Railway Museum Explained

Foyle Valley Railway Museum is a museum in Derry, Northern Ireland. It is run by the charity Destined and is dedicated to the history of narrow gauge railways in the surrounding area. A heritage railway named Foyle Valley Railway previously ran from the museum.

History

Origin of the collection

After the last remaining line of the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee (CDRJC) closed in 1960, an American airline businessman named Dr Ralph Cox bought a large number of its assets, including many pieces of rolling stock. He had plans to use these for a heritage railway in New Jersey, but the high cost of shipping prevented anything from crossing the Atlantic. The rolling stock stayed in situ at Strabane, Letterkenny and Stranorlor where it was exposed to the effects of the weather and vandalism.[1] [2]

First museum and railway

In 1970, the North West of Ireland Railway Society (NWIRS) was set up to acquire and preserve what remained of Dr Cox's collection. It leased Victoria Road station in June 1972 and opened it as a museum in March of the following year. Between August and November of 1974, five pieces of rolling stock were moved to the museum (nos. 6, 12, 14, 18 and 19). A short section of track was relaid and the two railcars (nos. 12 and 18) began running in May 1975. This was given the name Foyle Valley Railway and there were plans to extend it along the CDRJC trackbed to as far as Prehen Park, however it only ever reached a length of 300m (1,000feet). In December 1978, a retailer bought the station site and the museum was forced to hastily close. The rolling stock found a new temporary home at Shane's Castle Railway.[3]

Second museum and railway

In 1986, Derry City Council constructed a new purpose-built building for the museum. This was on the site of a former goods yard of the Great Northern Railway (GNR) near what was previously Foyle Road station. The NWIRS rolling stock was returned to Derry and was joined by a few more items which had been at Strabane. Track for the Foyle Valley Railway was laid again, this time along the GNR trackbed towards Carrigans. The two railcars resumed running along the railway in 1993, which reached a final length of 2ch20ch.[4] [5] [6] [7]

In October 2000, the council made a decision to take over the running of the museum and railway from the NWIRS due to health and safety concerns. The running of trains was ceased and the two parties entered into a public dispute.[8] The museum was then council-run, albeit with some periods of closure, until the charity Destined took out a 50-year lease on the building in 2016. After being renovated, the museum reopened in 2023.[9] [10] [11]

Exhibits

The museum contains several preserved railway vehicles, most of which are from the former County Donegal Railways Joint Committee, arranged around a mock station platform. Costumed tour guides are available to show visitors around.[12]

Railway vehicles at the Foyle Valley Railway
NumberTypeBuild dateOriginal operatorNotes
2 4wDM diesel shunter 1956 Motor Rail
4 2-6-4T steam locomotive 1907 CDRJC Stored outside. Originally no. 16 Donegal but renamed and renumbered to no. 4 Meenglas in 1937. Superheated in 1926.[13]
6 2-6-4T steam locomotive 1907 CDRJC Originally no. 18 Killybegs but renamed and renumbered to no. 6 Columbkille in 1937. Superheated in 1925.
12 diesel railcar 1934 CDRJC Built by the GNR at Dundalk. Worked the last train from Killybegs on 31 December 1959.
14 composite carriage 1893 CDRJC Contains five compartments, of which two were originally first class. Converted to all third class in 1937.
18 diesel railcar 1885 CDRJC Built by the GNR at Dundalk. Burnt out in 1949 but was repaired.
19 goods van 1881 CDRJC Adapted with vacuum breaks for towing behind the diesel railcars.
30 third class carriage 1901 LLSR Only known surviving Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Carriage.
? hand-worked crane ? LLSR

Future

Destined plans to lease more land to the south of the current site to use as a community garden. There are tentative plans to rebuild some of the railway to link this with the museum.

See also

References

54.992°N -7.3215°W

Notes and References

  1. Langham . Rob . 8 December 2023 . Wee Donegal . . 552 . 72–79 . subscription . Press Reader.
  2. Book: Johnston, Norman . The Irish Narrow Gauge in Colour . 2003 . Colourpoint Books . 1904242138 . Newtownards . 100–103.
  3. Book: Lloyd, David J. . The Foyle Valley Railway and Museum . c. 1978 . North West of Ireland Railway Society.
  4. Book: Johnston, Norman . The Irish Narrow Gauge in Colour . 2003 . Colourpoint Books . 1904242138 . Newtownards . 100–103.
  5. Langham . Rob . 1 February 2024 . The Donegal Legacy . . 554 . 74–81 . subscription . Press Reader.
  6. News: 2001-11-27 . Derry railway row goes to Ombudsman . subscription . 2023-07-11 . . 13 . British Newspaper Archive.
  7. Book: Railway Track Diagrams: Ireland . 2004 . Quail Map Company . 1898319685 . 2nd . Exeter . 20.
  8. News: 2001-11-30 . Council fully committed to Railway Museum's future . subscription . 2024-07-11 . . 13 . British Newspaper Archive.
  9. Web site: Weir . Clare . 25 March 2005 . Railway museum site plans are stalled . 14 February 2024 . Belfast Telegraph.
  10. Web site: 31 March 2015 . Rail experts call for Foyle Valley Museum artefacts to be safeguarded . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150712061516/https://www.derryjournal.com/what-s-on/arts-culture/rail-experts-call-for-foyle-valley-museum-artefacts-to-be-safeguarded-1-6663183 . 12 July 2015 . 14 February 2024 . Derry Journal.
  11. Web site: McDaid . Brendan . 20 January 2023 . Derry's Destined members become tour guides as Foyle Valley Railway Museum reopens . 14 February 2024 . Derry Journal.
  12. Langham . Rob . 1 February 2024 . The Donegal Legacy . . 554 . 74–81 . subscription . Press Reader.
  13. Web site: Geograph:: Outside the Foyle Valley Railway Museum,... © Wilson Adams . 2024-02-14 . www.geograph.ie.
  14. Web site: Enthusiasts information . 2024-07-12 . www.antraen.com.