Who owns the railway land

sesswhat

The proposed Sligo to Derry rail link has been in the news again and I know the pros and cons have been discussed at length here before.

What I often wondered is who actually owns the land the railway ran on. I remember being able to walk/cycle along a good part of the Stranorlar to Barnesmore stretch in the early 80s. Since then it a lot of it has been absorbed into farms and back gardens and it has even been built on in places.

The land would mostly have been acquired in the good old days of the Landlords but who actually owns it now.

muffler

Around the Lifford/Raphoe/Letterknenny I do know that at one time the lines and associated verges etc were owned by the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway company - now Im not 100% if that is the actual title but they are or were based in Derry.

A few people I know have actually legally bought the strip of railway line that would have passed through their property/farm

sesswhat

The new developments at The Beeches and Lawnsdale in Ballybofey are built right on top of the old line so I imagine they would have had to do buy up these stretches?

muffler

sesswhat wrote:

The new developments at The Beeches and Lawnsdale in Ballybofey are built right on top of the old line so I imagine they would have had to do buy up these stretches?

Not sure about Lawnesdale but the old railway line (or whats left of it) is retained at the Beeches - it was conditioned on the planning granted for that development.

But could you see the residents in that estate allowing a train to run past their front or back door

sesswhat

muffler wrote:

Not sure about Lawnesdale but the old railway line (or whats left of it) is retained at the Beeches - it was conditioned on the planning granted for that development.

But could you see the residents in that estate allowing a train to run past their front or back door

I can't see a train running past anyone's door in this part of the world to be honest.:)

It is interesting that there is some planning resistance to wiping out the old lines though. They've often been turned into attractive cycle lanes and walkways in Britain and elsewhere and this might be one option here.

In any case the section from Lough Mourne to the outskirts of Ballybofey might be obliterated by the new dual carriageway.

guinnessdrinker

Ive attached a map of the Irish rail network from 1906. It looks quite extensive. But Derry to Sligo was via Enniskillen. Its a pity the rail network was allowed to decline as much as it has though.

Paddy20

guinnessdrinker wrote:

Ive attached a map of the Irish rail network from 1906. It looks quite extensive. But Derry to Sligo was via Enniskillen. Its a pity the rail network was allowed to decline as much as it has though.

The whole history and destruction of Co'Donegal Railways makes me want to vomit, as it was part of my childhood, but to be fair the same happened in the UK on a much larger scale.

I would love to grab those responsible by the throat, but they have passed on, what a pity :mad:

P. :cool:

bettlebrox

I heard from a friend that most of the railway land ended up being owned by the county council, who sold most if not all of it for shillings to farmers who owned adjoining lands. Lack of hindsight as usual, kill of the railways cause the roads were taking over and it taken 50 years for decent roads to start to be build.

Paddy20

bettlebrox wrote:

I heard from a friend that most of the railway land ended up being owned by the county council, who sold most if not all of it for shillings to farmers who owned adjoining lands. Lack of hindsight as usual, kill of the railways cause the roads were taking over and it taken 50 years for decent roads to start to be build.

Yep, and what about 'the brown envelope's ?.;) .

P.:cool: