13-167 The Finntown Railway's Simplex locomotive
Taken 18/08/13: Whereas once the 'Wee Donegal' and the 'Swilly' made up a network of over 200 rail miles with in Donegal, nowadays the Finntown Railway is the only rail journey possible in the county (and we think Beeching went too far here in the UK). A brief timeline of how this came about starting with a sixth century legend follows:
6th Century: St. Colmcille's prophesises that there would never be peace in Ireland until the return of the wild pig to the shores of Loch Finn!
1889 Permission was given to construct the light railway between Glenties and Stranorlar. 1890: Work began.
1892: The Donegal Railway Company was formed by a merger of the Finn Valley Railway and the West Donegal Railway.
1895: The first steam engine was heralded into Glenties by a bell ringing, this bell can still be seen, along with other railway artefcacts, in St. Connells Museum in Glenties. Locals dubbed the first steam train as An Mhuc Dhubh, which translates as the Black Pig, evoking St. Colmcille's prophesy.
1906: The County Donegal Railways Joint Committee formed, incorporating the Donegal Railway Company.
Circa 1920: The use of diesel engines for both passengers and goods services was pioneered, proving a great success with the cutting of costs both in rolling stock and running costs.
1939-45: The Railway boomed again during World War II with freight having to be quickly and easily moved, but after the war the lines went into decline.
1947: The Glenties Branch closed to passenger traffic the line remained open to freight with approximately two trains per day.
1952: Final closure for the Glenties Branch came in 1952. A family link is that my father-in-law found employment as part of the track lifting gang!
1959: The Co. Donegal Railway Company bowed to the inevitable and finally ceased its operations on the 31st December 1959.
1995: The Finntown Railway reopens a short stretch of the line alongside Lough Finn.
Orignal From: 13-167 The Finntown Railway's Simplex locomotive
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