Dro mod group launches appeal to restorelocoand carriage
THE preserved Cavan& Leitrim Railway(C&LRa) t Dromodis embarkingon an ambitious projectto not only overhaulits first steam locomotive, but also restorea formerTralee& Dingle Railway carriage for use on the newly relaid 3ft-gaugeline. Kerr,Stuart0-4-2TDromad left the railwayin Marchlast yearon the samelorry that delivered Avon side 0-6-0 T Nancy, following its restorationby Alan KeefLtd.
Cumbria
The 1993-builtlocostarted life as Kerr, Stuart' Brazil '0-4-2 ST No.3024of 1916,and is currentlyin storein Cumbria. Howevert,he C&LRhasfunding in placeto assessthe condition of the loco'sboiler.
Nancyis morethan capableof handling the railway' s passenger needs,with Dromadholding a specialplacein the historyof the revivedC&LRh, avingreturned steamto the route backin 1994 after a gap of 50 years.
It laststeamedin 2001,and could potentially require a new boilerin orderto returnit to traffic once more.
Thesecondpart of the project involvesthe restorationof formerTralee& DingleLight Railway(TDLRT) hird Class carriage No .7 T, built in 1890 by the BristolWagon& Carriage Works.
Whenit is restoredNo.7T will be the only formerTralee& Dinglecarriageto operateon any preservedIrish railway,and will allow the C&LRto provide a genuine Irish narrow-gauge steam experience in future.
Workon No.7Tisat the preliminary stage, with the chassis currently being assessed andthe originalTralee& Dingle bogiesexpectedto be sentaway for overhaul.
Thebodywill require significant rebuilding if it is to carry passengers once again.
Incentives
A dedicated Vintage Train Projectfund hasbeenset up to helpfinancethe work,which hasa numberof incentives, including:
■ Donate€50 and receive a year' s complimentary membershipof the Cavan& Lei trim Railway Association
■Donate €100, receive the membership offer, plus a donation certificateof either Dromador No.7T
■Donate €150, receive the membership offer, plus a limited-edition print featuring
Dromadand No.7T
■Donate €300, receive the membership offer, plus life membershipof the Cavan& Leitrim Railway Association
■Donate €500, receive the membership offer, plus an invite to the launchof the complete vintagetrain
■Donate €1,000, receive the membership offer, plus your nameaddedto a list of donors within the footplate of Dromad or the interior of No.7T
■Donate €1,500, receive the membership offer, plus exclusive useof Dromadand No.7Ton a charterwith dinner on a day of your choice
Anyonewishingto support the project should visit https :// tinyurl.com/y3nr9e8sor write to Cavan& LeitrimRailway, Dromod,C lo on colryC,oun ty Leitrim.