Development plans announced for Foyle Valley Railway Museum

DESTINED, the charity for children and adults with learning difficulties which took over the Foyle Valley Railway Museum from Derry & Strabane District Council in 2016, has published details of how it will develop the narrow gauge railway museum over the coming year.

The charity’s plan – backed by a £242,100 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund Northern Ireland, announced in March 2020 – states that Destined will reopen the museum as soon as lockdown restrictions are eased, and that it hopes to welcome 5000 visitors annually.

Preparation

Repairs will be carried out to the building and railway exhibits, which include former County Donegal Railways (CDR) 2-6-4T No. 6 Columbkille, CDR railcar No. 12, and the only surviving Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway (L&LSR) coach, No. 6, which was presented to the North West of Ireland Railway Society by the L&LSR company.

CDR 2-6-4T Meenglas, cosmetically restored by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland at Whitehead and returned to Londonderry in 2019, is on display outside the museum.

Museum guides are being trained by Destined, and memories, images and artefacts of the Great Northern Railway of Ireland’s Foyle Road station and goods yard, situated on the area now occupied by the museum, are being sought for display and use in a new railway heritage interpretative centre, due to open in summer 2022.

An initial local appeal has unearthed long-lost pictures of staff and trains at the station, which was closed in 1965 by the Ulster Transport Authority. Now, Destined – which is also committed to working with local railway groups and to reopening the mothballed 3ft gauge Foyle Valley Railway – would be pleased to hear from members of the public, former railway staff and enthusiasts with memories, photographs or relics of the station for inclusion in the interpretative centre.

Objective

Part of the aim of the project is to capture memories of older people who remember working or travelling on the railway, and to ensure that these are passed on to younger people and remain accessible to all.

Foyle Valley Railway manager Caroline O’Hara said: “We would like to hear from as wide a range of people as possible about their memories of Foyle Road station, and that includes enthusiasts.

“The opening of an interpretative centre will help make the museum and its collections available to as wide a section of the community as possible, and is a very exciting project.”

If you have anything of interest, conncet via www.facebook.com/ FoyleValleyRailway

The museum has recently received this picture of GNR(I) staff at Foyle Road station. FVRM

The Foyle Valley Railway Museum is to reopen as soon as Covid-19 restrictions allow. HUGH DOUGHERTY

Among the museum’s exhibits is County Donegal Railway Walker-Gardner railcar No. 12 of 1934. HUGH DOUGHERTY

County Donegal Railways 2-6-4T No. 6 Columbkille, built by Nasmyth Wilson in 1907, is one of the prize exhibits at the Foyle Velley Railway Museum. HUGH DOUGHERTY

This 1960s picture of the Foyle Road ground signal light having its oil topped up is one of many now being handed in to the museum, which is certain that many more exist and wants to see them. FVRM