Heritage Railways in Northern Ireland

There are a number of heritage railways in Northern Ireland, reflecting Ireland's long railway history. Some of the primary sites include:

  • The Downpatrick & Co Down Railway in County Down is located on part of the former Belfast & County Down Railway. Two and a half miles track has been relaid to Inch Abbey on the old route to Belfast, and a further one mile laid along the old route to Newcastle. It is hoped that this section will be extended to the hamlet of Ballydugan. It operates with preserved steam and diesel locomotives and vintage wooden carriages.
  • The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland headquarters, in Whitehead, County Antrim. A large selection of steam locomotives and preserved rolling stock can be seen. Although there is not an actual heritage railway in Whitehead, there are regular railtours with the preserved stock running to various destinations in Ireland.
  • The Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway on the north coast in County Antrim. Steam-powered services run from the Giant's Causeway to Bushmills. Laid on part of the course of the original Giant's Causeway Tramway which was electric-powered, with its own hydroelectric plant – the first such system in the world.
  • The Foyle Valley Railway, in County Londonderry. The project has faced some difficulties, but does hold a quantity of preserved railway stock, on part of one of Derry city's closed railway routes (the city once had four stations).

Famous quotes containing the words heritage, railways, northern and/or ireland:

    “It seems to me that upbringings have themes. The parents set the theme, either explicitly or implicitly, and the children pick it up, sometimes accurately and sometimes not so accurately.... The theme may be “Our family has a distinguished heritage that you must live up to” or “No matter what happens, we are fortunate to be together in this lovely corner of the earth” or “We have worked hard so that you can have the opportunities we didn’t have.””
    —Calvin Trillin (20th century)

    “There is nothing in machinery, there is nothing in embankments and railways and iron bridges and engineering devices to oblige them to be ugly. Ugliness is the measure of imperfection.”
    —H.G. (Herbert George)

    “[During the Renaissance] the Italians said, “We are one in the Father: we will go back.” The Northern races said, “We are one in Christ, we will go on.””
    —D.H. (David Herbert)

    “It is often said that in Ireland there is an excess of genius unsustained by talent; but there is talent in the tongues.”
    —V.S. (Victor Sawdon)