Official welcome for Dromboe

County Donegal Railways 2-6-4T ‘Drumboe’, which returned in triumph to Donegal last October after restoration by Heritage Engineering Ireland at Whitehead, was officially welcomed home on 18th August (writes Hugh Doneghue).

Patsy McGonagle of the Donegal Local Development Company, the principal funder of the £100,000 project, cut a tape on the locomotive’s footplate to officially declare it open to visitors at the Donegal Heritage Centre.

Built by Naysmth Wilson in 1907, Drumboe hauled the last passenger train on the CDR on 31st December 1959.

The appeal to bring the engine home to Donegal was kicked off by a generous donation from Thailand-based businessman, Graham Forbes, grandson of Henry Forbes, the legendary CDR manager from 1910 to 1943. Graham was patched by video link into the ceremony, attended by Donegal Town Mayor Pauric Kennedy, councillors, funders, heritage centre staff and members.

Graham told a delighted audience: “My grandfather would be proud to see the locomotive so well restored at Donegal station today. I hope we will see her return to steaming condition in due course.”

Centre manager Niall McCaughan stressed that the completion of the Drumboe Project, which included restoration, transport to Donegal, the building of a platform and canopy, and provision of information material, was just one step in plans to return the loco to working order and to steam it over a stretch of CDR line.

“We are working hard to identify where that site will be, as it is our aim to run Donegal narrow gauge trains once again to ensure that this great railway is not forgotten,” Niall added.

Above: The Restored locomotive ‘Drumboe’ on display at Donegal Railway Heritage Centre. The next planned step is to restore the boiler to steaming condition.