A good railway museum?

upncmnhistori

Any good railway museum's in Ireland. I have been to clonakilty model railway when I was a child. I thought it was great. Its only when I started doing research on the railway I got into it plus I have a passion for 19th century history.

Judgement Day

upncmnhistori wrote: »

Any good railway museum's in Ireland. I have been to clonakilty model railway when I was a child. I thought it was great. Its only when I started doing research on the railway I got into it plus I have a passion for 19th century history.

Funny how time plays tricks with your memory - at least I hope that's the reason that you remember Clonakilty Model Railway as being good.

Anyway, in answer to your question, there's is only one proper railway museum - that at Cultra, Co.Down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJDX7VxTfL8

The remains of a Railway Museum may also be seen at the so-called Foyle Valley Railway Museum in Derry but you'll be lucky to find it open.

upncmnhistori

Interesting stuff. I know there is a small few in south too.

gobnaitolunacy

Clonakilty is rubbish. British Railways style signage for the facilities and not even an attempt at building and running Irish outline models, more Bavaria than Bandon. A glorified day care centre to dump the kids off at. Plus they didn't even bother running them the day I was there.

Good museums are:
Cultra
Downpatrick & Co Down Railway
Sean Brown's Hell's Kitchen, Castlerea (phone in advance)/Headhunters Enniskillen for artifacts (or a short back and sides)
The Lartique recreation in Listowel is worth a visit, even though it's small they're a genuine bunch.

If it's research you're after the Irish Railway Record Society have a library and archive next to Heuston, they have odd opening hours so check with them beforehand.

I had regard for the Dromod Railway (steady on, JD) at one stage, but their 'collections policy' seems that have gotten a bit out of hand to put it mildly.

Don't bother with:
Tralee & Blennerville, not currently running but apart from one solitary loco when it hasn't broken down, not a lot to see.
West Clare Moyasta, comments as per Dromod, but even when I rang ahead to make sure they were open place was locked up tight without a soul to be seen when I arrived with an English visitor.
Waterford & Suir Valley, nothing much original remains. New build rolling stock and diesels. I don't know why they try to cod themselves into thinking they're a 'heritage' or 'preserved' railway as apart from the route there's little 'preservation'. Good for a day out with the kiddiwinks I suppose.

tac foley

Slightly OT, but over here in England a modeller named Neil Ramsay has built the most beautiful 15mm to the foot live steam narrow gauge Irish railway in his backyard - I'll be seeing his exhibition stand - a large portable layout about 10x4m, in April.

Here's his Youtube site - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-Mh9_QRPf4

My own site, tac's trains - has a load of other, mostly steam in the garden stuff.

tac

PS - BTW - Ireland has a burgeoning/re-awakening interest in its own unique NG lines, particularly in the South- west. The Dingle Peninsula railway has hds a wake-up call in the last few years and is well-worth a visit.

Judgement Day

tac - you're a man of many parts! However, it must be a while since you visited the Dingle peninsula - the revived portion of the T&D at Blennerville is seriously defunct and wouldn't vroom if you put a million volts through it!

http://blog.tralee.org/2008/03/16/the-current-state-of-the-tralee-dingle-railway/

corktina

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

Clonakilty is rubbish. British Railways style signage for the facilities and not even an attempt at building and running Irish outline models, more Bavaria than Bandon. A glorified day care centre to dump the kids off at. Plus they didn't even bother running them the day I was there.

Good museums are:
Cultra
Downpatrick & Co Down Railway
Sean Brown's Hell's Kitchen, Castlerea (phone in advance)/Headhunters Enniskillen for artifacts (or a short back and sides)
The Lartique recreation in Listowel is worth a visit, even though it's small they're a genuine bunch.

If it's research you're after the Irish Railway Record Society have a library and archive next to Heuston, they have odd opening hours so check with them beforehand.

I had regard for the Dromod Railway (steady on, JD) at one stage, but their 'collections policy' seems that have gotten a bit out of hand to put it mildly.

Don't bother with:
Tralee & Blennerville, not currently running but apart from one solitary loco when it hasn't broken down, not a lot to see.
West Clare Moyasta, comments as per Dromod, but even when I rang ahead to make sure they were open place was locked up tight without a soul to be seen when I arrived with an English visitor.
Waterford & Suir Valley, nothing much original remains. New build rolling stock and diesels. I don't know why they try to cod themselves into thinking they're a 'heritage' or 'preserved' railway as apart from the route there's little 'preservation'. Good for a day out with the kiddiwinks I suppose.

that's a pretty accurate overview of Irish Preservation... sadly