Fintown back on track for 2022 season

THE 3ft gauge Fintown Railway reopened on a five-day-a-week basis on June 15. Trains run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays until mid-September, with County Donegal Railways railcar No. 18 in charge.

Gardner-engined No. 18, built by Walkers of Wigan and the Great Northern Railway of Ireland for the CDR in 1940, has been on loan to the railway by its owners, the North West of Ireland Railway Society, since Easter 2003 and will mark 20 years at Fintown in 2023.

The railway had been closed since last September due to staff being identified as close contacts during the pandemic.

Seamus McElwee, of Comlacht Traenach na Gaeltacht Lair, said: “We are delighted to be open again this year and are hoping for a good season as we were badly hit by the Covid lockdowns.

“Our local Credit Union has been very kind to us and that’s allowed us to run again this summer, but we need as many people as possible to visit and ride in a genuine Donegal railcar over our three-mile section of the Glenties line, amid superb scenery, to bring in muchneeded revenue to ensure our future survival.”

Fares are eight Euros for adults and five for children, with family fares on offer. Full details are at www. facebook.com/fintownrailway

ANDREW PM WRIGHT Narrow and standard gauge trains stand side by side at Norden during the Swanage Railway’s Roads to Rail event on June 26. To the left is the Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum’s 2ft gauge line with its two Ruston and Hornsby 48DL diesels. In front is newly-restored 1949-built No. 283871 and behind it is No. 392117 from 1955, which operated at Norden from 1961 to 1971 when the Purbeck narrow gauge system was demolished. Below on the right, rebuilt Bulleid West Country Pacific No. 34028 Eddystone runs into Norden station with a train from Swanage.

HUGH DOUGHERTY Back on track for 2022: Railcar 18 arrives at Fintown with Lough Finn behind.