The sleepy village of Dromod in County Leitrim has retained a mainline railway station (the trains from Dublin to Sligo actually stop here - Irish rail travel is not dead yet)), but the main visitor attraction is just beside it - where once the coal trains from the Arigna mines
met the mainline, a section of the original Cavan and Leitrim Railway
narrow gauge track has been restored. Complete with a typical rural
station ensemble. And a collection of vehicles and paraphernalia that is
nothing short of stunning.
A Voluntary Effort by Enthusiasts
Like
most museum railways, the Cavan and Leitrim Railway is very much
dependant on volunteers and many hours of toil and trouble that can
never be remunerated. And on the entrance fee charged to visitors, who
mainly come to ride the trains. Which is, truth be told, a short
experience.
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The old station house, the water tower and the engine
shed have been lovingly restored, you almost feel like you are on the
set of an Agatha-Christie-movie when you exit the booking hall and find
yourself on the platform.
Where carriages and locomotives usually await the
visitor. For a ride on the re-laid track bed of the original Cavan and
Leitrim Railway. Never mind that most of the running stock has been
assembled from diverse, non-local sources ... the feeling is there and
the feeling is good.
Though you might be feeling your back once
the train trundles off, past the workshop ... the trackbed is rough,
rail joints are not the smoothest and the carriages are certainly not
Pullman. But by then visitors are mostly absorbed by the running
commentary provided, on the history of the line, the museum, the rolling
stock. And the line curves. And quite suddenly ends. Redevelopment has
meant that somebody's garden is now a bit in the way, so after a photo
opportunity you already head back.
But then the tour through the workshops and the yard starts.
A Technological Treasure Trove
Hidden
away in a pre-fab building are a few industrial locomotives that
actually run - another part of the fun, you ride the loco yourself (it
is pushed by another loco crewed by somebody who knows what he is doing,
so it is a safe experience). A locomotive from the Guinness stable
awaits restoration, a rail bicycle (that should be quadcycle, I suppose)
stands in another corner, the complete crew section of a mainline
locomotive can be explored. Further on, in the original engine shed, a
stem locomotive stands ... idle at the time of writing as the boiler
inspection is due. A costly endeavour. And yet to be financed ...
Between
the two sheds, you can get lost in tech-nostalgia. The enthusiastic and
very knowledgeable guides will point out the highlights (which might
vary dramatically, reflecting the guide's personal interests) and more
than happy to answer questions. So keep your eyes open ond don't be
afraid to open your mouth as well.
More than half a dozen fire
engines, two ambulances and some military hardware caught my eye first.
All are Irish, some have an interesting history, a few are quite unique.
The state of repair (or in a few cases disrepair) varies. There
definitely is work to do here, a dramatically crumbling pump appliance
breaks the heart of any fire buff.
Aviation enthusiasts will be
delighted to find a few planes from the Irish Air Corps (one shot up
courtesy of the Ranger Wing), gliders from pre-war Germany and Poland,
cockpit sections of commercial airliners (the history of one alone is
worth the visit), a jet fighter in sections, waiting to be completed.
Other people simply buy the Airfix kit ...
And then there is the
submarine, yellow, on top of a container. Not much detail was available
during our visit, it could be a cramped one-man effort or even a ROV,
but certainly it is unusual to find it here. Though the inland waterways
are not too far off and it might have come in useful in the hunt for
the Lough Ree monster.
Just a Junk yard ... or an Aladdin's Cave?
Now
this depends - if you come just for a train ride and expect a museum
setting, the workshops and yards may leave yo a bit cold. But you'll
still get your money's worth. If you are a sucker for all things
technical, you'll be likely to waste hour upon pleasurable hour here.
What's a bit of rust between friends?
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For a family outing a small
café section would be nice, but this might be just too much of a
logistical problem for a volunteer-run effort.
If the Cavan and Leitrim Railway tickles your fancy, you should also not miss the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum at Cultra (which has some relics of the original Cavan and Leitrim Railway) and make a point to visit the National Transport Museum in Howth - another voluntary effort.
