Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway
Encyclopedia
The Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway (L&ER) was an Irish gauge
railway in Ireland
.
and followed the west bank of the River Foyle
southwards 12 miles (19.3 km) to Strabane
, which was reached in 1847. The L&ER's terminus in Derry was station on the west bank of the River Foyle.
Income from the line was lower than projected and capital to extend the line further south was not raised until 1850. The line was continued up the Mourne
Valley via Newtownstewart
, where the river name changes to the Strule, then continued up river to Omagh
, both towns being reached in 1852. The line reached its summit at Fintona
, County Tyrone, in 1853. Its final extension was from , descending southwestwards to its terminus at , reached in 1854. Fintona Junction was just north of the town of Fintona
, leaving the short stretch from the Junction to the town as a small branch line.
In 1859 the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway (D&ER) reached Enniskillen, connecting the D&ER with Dundalk
on the Irish Sea
. Omagh became a junction in September 1861 when the Portadown, Dungannon and Omagh Junction Railway
reached it from the east. The Ulster Railway
worked the PD&O, giving Omagh a link with Belfast
.
In 1868 the Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway
opened, linking the Atlantic Coast towns of Bundoran
and Ballyshannon
with the L&ER at .
had been involved in the planning of the L&ER route but the railway was not run well and its locomotives were underpowered. Only five years after the line was completed, in 1859 the L&ER asked the D&ER to undertake its operation. As a result D&ER leased the line in perpetuity from 1 January 1860.
In 1862 the D&ER renamed itself the Irish North Western Railway
(INW). In 1876 the INW merged with the Northern Railway of Ireland
and the Ulster Railway to form the Great Northern Railway
(GNR). The L&ER's lease continued and the company remained separate until the GNR absorbed it in 1883.
In 1857 a cow strayed onto the line near and was hit and killed by the mail train to Omagh. Afterwards the Board of Trade
Inspector criticised the condition of the track, which had been laid only a decade earlier. In 1871 there were two accidents within seven months at , County Tyrone. Both were attributed to the poor condition of the permanent way. A level crossing across Ballyfatton Road between Strabane and was the scene of two accidents. In 1876 the crossing-keeper's wife was killed by a mail train and in 1883 a train hit a horse and cart, killing the horse. After the second accident the Board of Trade ordered the railway being ordered to replace the crossing with a bridge.
The Omagh – Enniskillen line via Fintona Junction became a secondary route, and in 1957 the Government of Northern Ireland
closed it. The short branch to Fintona became famous as the GNR worked it with a horse tram. Since the line's closure, the tram has been preserved at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
at Cultra
, County Down
.
In 1958 the governments of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
partitioned the GNR between them and the Derry Road became part of the Ulster Transport Authority
(UTA). The line was closed in February 1965.
Irish gauge
Irish gauge railways use a track gauge of . It is used in* Ireland * Australia where it is also known as Victorian Broad Gauge* Brazil where it is also known as Bitola larga no Brasil....
railway in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Construction and opening
The Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway was incorporated in 1845. Construction began at DerryDerry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and followed the west bank of the River Foyle
River Foyle
The River Foyle is a river in west Ulster in the northwest of Ireland, which flows from the confluence of the rivers Finn and Mourne at the towns of Lifford in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, and Strabane in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. From here it flows to the City of Derry, where it...
southwards 12 miles (19.3 km) to Strabane
Strabane
Strabane , historically spelt Straban,is a town in west County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It contains the headquarters of Strabane District Council....
, which was reached in 1847. The L&ER's terminus in Derry was station on the west bank of the River Foyle.
Income from the line was lower than projected and capital to extend the line further south was not raised until 1850. The line was continued up the Mourne
River Mourne
The River Mourne is a river in County Tyrone , Northern Ireland, and is a tributary of the River Foyle. At Strabane it joins with the River Finn to form the River Foyle. Fishing is largely for salmon, grilse and sea trout....
Valley via Newtownstewart
Newtownstewart
Newtownstewart is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is overlooked by hills called Bessy Bell and Mary Gray and is at the confluence of the rivers Strule and Owenkillew. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,479 people. It lies within the Strabane District Council...
, where the river name changes to the Strule, then continued up river to Omagh
Omagh
Omagh is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The town, which is the largest in the county, had a population of 19,910 at the 2001 Census. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and...
, both towns being reached in 1852. The line reached its summit at Fintona
Fintona
Fintona is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the second largest settlement in the Omagh District Council area, after Omagh itself. Its 2010 population was estimated to be 1,410.-History:...
, County Tyrone, in 1853. Its final extension was from , descending southwestwards to its terminus at , reached in 1854. Fintona Junction was just north of the town of Fintona
Fintona
Fintona is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the second largest settlement in the Omagh District Council area, after Omagh itself. Its 2010 population was estimated to be 1,410.-History:...
, leaving the short stretch from the Junction to the town as a small branch line.
In 1859 the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway (D&ER) reached Enniskillen, connecting the D&ER with Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
on the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
. Omagh became a junction in September 1861 when the Portadown, Dungannon and Omagh Junction Railway
Portadown, Dungannon and Omagh Junction Railway
The Portadown, Dungannon and Omagh Junction Railway was an Irish gauge railway in County Armagh and County Tyrone, Ulster, Ireland .-Early development:...
reached it from the east. The Ulster Railway
Ulster Railway
The Ulster Railway was a railway company operating in Ulster, Ireland. The company was incorporated in 1836 and merged with two other railway companies in 1876 to form the Great Northern Railway .-History:...
worked the PD&O, giving Omagh a link with Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
In 1868 the Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway
Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway
The Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in north-west Ireland. It linked Bundoran and Ballyshannon on the Atlantic coast of Donegal with the Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway at in Fermanagh...
opened, linking the Atlantic Coast towns of Bundoran
Bundoran
Bundoran is a town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland. The town is located on the N15 road near Ballyshannon, 3 hours drive from Dublin and around two and a quarter hours drive from Belfast...
and Ballyshannon
Ballyshannon
Ballyshannon is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is located where the N3 and N15 cross the River Erne, and claims to be the oldest town in Ireland.-Location:...
with the L&ER at .
Operation and takeover
Robert StephensonRobert Stephenson
Robert Stephenson FRS was an English civil engineer. He was the only son of George Stephenson, the famed locomotive builder and railway engineer; many of the achievements popularly credited to his father were actually the joint efforts of father and son.-Early life :He was born on the 16th of...
had been involved in the planning of the L&ER route but the railway was not run well and its locomotives were underpowered. Only five years after the line was completed, in 1859 the L&ER asked the D&ER to undertake its operation. As a result D&ER leased the line in perpetuity from 1 January 1860.
In 1862 the D&ER renamed itself the Irish North Western Railway
Irish North Western Railway
Irish North Western Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.-Development:The company was founded as the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway and opened the first section of its line, from to , in 1849...
(INW). In 1876 the INW merged with the Northern Railway of Ireland
Northern Railway of Ireland
Northern Railway of Ireland was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.It was formed by a merger of the Dublin and Drogheda Railway with the Dublin and the Belfast Junction Railway in 1875. In 1876 it merged with the Irish North Western Railway and Ulster Railway to form the Great Northern...
and the Ulster Railway to form the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
The Great Northern Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.The Great Northern was formed in 1876 by a merger of the Irish North Western Railway , Northern Railway of Ireland, and Ulster Railway. The Ulster Railway was the GNRI's oldest constituent, having opened between Belfast and...
(GNR). The L&ER's lease continued and the company remained separate until the GNR absorbed it in 1883.
In 1857 a cow strayed onto the line near and was hit and killed by the mail train to Omagh. Afterwards the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
Inspector criticised the condition of the track, which had been laid only a decade earlier. In 1871 there were two accidents within seven months at , County Tyrone. Both were attributed to the poor condition of the permanent way. A level crossing across Ballyfatton Road between Strabane and was the scene of two accidents. In 1876 the crossing-keeper's wife was killed by a mail train and in 1883 a train hit a horse and cart, killing the horse. After the second accident the Board of Trade ordered the railway being ordered to replace the crossing with a bridge.
After takeover
Under the Great Northern the former L&ER developed in three sections. The junction with the PD&O at Omagh made the Londonderry – Omagh line part of the GNR's "Derry Road" main line with services between and Londonderry Foyle Road via . The Belfast and Northern Counties Railway's competing route via was shorter, quicker and attracted more passenger traffic, but the Derry Road carried more freight. Traffic grew to the extent that by 1907 the GNR had installed double track between Foyle Road and St. Johnston's, but in 1932 it was singled again.The Omagh – Enniskillen line via Fintona Junction became a secondary route, and in 1957 the Government of Northern Ireland
Government of Northern Ireland
The Government of Northern Ireland is, generally speaking, whatever political body exercises political authority over Northern Ireland. A number of separate systems of government exist or have existed in Northern Ireland....
closed it. The short branch to Fintona became famous as the GNR worked it with a horse tram. Since the line's closure, the tram has been preserved at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum is situated in Cultra, Northern Ireland, about east of the city of Belfast. It comprises two separate museums, the Folk Museum and the Transport Museum...
at Cultra
Cultra
Cultra is a residential suburban area adjacent to Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland, part of Greater Belfast. It is also the name of an electoral ward of North Down Borough Council. It is comfortably one of Northern Ireland's most affluent areas...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
.
In 1958 the governments of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
partitioned the GNR between them and the Derry Road became part of the Ulster Transport Authority
Ulster Transport Authority
The Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.-Formation and consolidation:The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
(UTA). The line was closed in February 1965.