Covid delay to plans for steam at Connemara
Organisers of a project to run a 3ft gauge steam train at Maam Cross station on the abandoned Galway-Clifden line (writes Hugh Dougherty), have vowed to ensure the plan goes ahead this year after Covid-19 forced cancellation of the trains in 2020.
Almost half a kilometre of track had been laid at the former Irish standard-gauge station in order to operate the trains and make a very visual statement about the Connemara Railway project’s determination to bring steam back to the line which closed in 1935.
Now project chairman Jim Deegan is determined to run the trains in 2021 to mark the 125th anniversary of the opening of Maam Cross station. “We are disappointed that we couldn’t go ahead with narrow gauge steam in 2020, although we did manage to carry out a considerable amount of work at Maam Cross,” Jim said.
“This included the laying of the track, which we sourced from Bord na Mona, confirming arrangements with an Irish narrow gauge railway, details of which we’ll confirm in due course, for the hire of a steam locomotive, erecting a station nameboard and level crossing gates, and generally improving the station site.
“We’ve had excellent support from volunteers, including, I’m delighted to say, several local people, but, like every railway project, we are in desperate need of funds if we are to take this exciting project forward.”
The eventual aim is to restore the standard gauge layout of the station and to run 5ft 3in gauge trains over a section of track beyond the station limits as a fully-working museum.
The project is fund raising online and can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/ connemara-railway-project