Foyle Valley museum’s interpretation centre opening ‘a step forward’
THE development of Foyle Valley Railway Museum took a major step forward on September 21 when Destined, the charity working with people with disabilities which leases the museum from Derry and Strabane District Council, invited the Mayor, Coun Sandra Duffy, to officially open its new interpretation centre.
Backed by a £242,100 grant from the National Lottery Fund Northern Ireland, the centre includes computer access to information on the County Donegal, Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railways, Great Northern Railway of Ireland and the LMS (Northern Counties Committee) lines, all of which served the city.
The GNR(I)’s Foyle Road station, the site where the museum stands, is brought back to life with a virtual reality walk-through tour of the station as it was before closure in 1965, while Destined guides take visitors round the exhibits, which include County Donegal Railways 2-6-4T No. 6 Columbkille and railcar No. 12, and other artefacts.
Destined worked closely with the community and schools on the development of the project, which has also gathered memories and photographs of the railways.
Pupils from Long Tower, Fountain and Nazareth House Primary Schools, as well as from Irish Medium School Gaelscoil Eadain Mhoir, attended the launch, and the museum plans to continue to involve schools in its development.
‘Invaluable’ collections
Coun Duffy said: “I congratulate Destined and everyone that the organisation has worked with to make this exciting project a reality.
“It makes the Foyle Valley Railway Museum and its invaluable collections available to as wide an audience as possible and we are grateful to the National Lottery Fund Northern Ireland for making the development possible.
“It is vital that we do not forget Derry’s rich railway heritage, while at the same time calling for ongoing investment in the city’s railway infrastructure today.”
Railway manager Caroline O’Hara said: “Destined is very proud of what we have achieved with the opening of the interpretation centre, making the Foyle Valley Railway even more accessible and relevant to the entire community, tourists, and railway heritage fans alike.
“We have also made improvements to the building and have repaired and improved exhibits. Our ultimate aim is to reopen the Foyle Valley Railway itself to further enhance our visitor experience and to provide unique training and employment opportunities for Destined clients.”