Roadtrip

corktina

I'm off on a roadtrip at some stage in my newly acquired classic camper....I plan to visit places of interest railway-wise (and other transport) I'm thinking of going Downpatrick/ Cultra/Whitehead with maybe a look in at the Giants Causeway and then over to Donegal and down the west coast, via Moyasta...

Where else should I not miss?

gobnaitolunacy

Dundalk station have a little museum on the island platform

SS Nomadic in Belfast and maybe that new Titanic thing? Haven't seen either yet.

Headhunters, Enniskillen

Hells Kitchen Castlerea, ring beforehand though

Dunsandle? Don't know who owns it, must be a private site I guess.

Cross by ferry at Kilimer and take in the Listowel Lartigue on other side?

corktina

good ideas there, whats headhunters?

must include the wee donegal out towards Killibegs too

Listowel is nearly home, would be a good anchor man on the list.


gonna take a big session on google maps to get these in order!

Losty Dublin

corktina wrote: »

good ideas there, whats headhunters?

must include the wee donegal out towards Killibegs too

Listowel is nearly home, would be a good anchor man on the list.


gonna take a big session on google maps to get these in order!

Headhunters is a barber shop cum railway museum in Enniskillen. If you visit it then call into Belturbet and the CDR museum in Donegal town. The Fintown railway is a separate outfit and are beyond Ballybofey.

Westport has a wee museum in the station as well; it's worth a stop if you want to check out the Achill walkway as well.

corktina

ah yes, I must call to headhunters , i sold them something once....

Belturbet and Donegal I have been to, but will still call again.....

corktina

When is Whitehead open? their website is pretty useless...

corktina

SO FAR THEN:
downpatrick
cultra
whitehead
giants causeway
Fintown
Donegal
Enniskillen
Belturbet
Castlerea
Dunsandle
Moyasta
Listowel


with westport and Belfast as reserves..should fill up a week!

Grandeeod

corktina wrote: »

SO FAR THEN:
downpatrick
cultra
whitehead
giants causeway
Fintown
Donegal
Enniskillen
Belturbet
Castlerea
Dunsandle
Moyasta
Listowel


with westport and Belfast as reserves..should fill up a week!

Sounds like a fabulous trip. If you do it, then please take lots of photos and set up a gallery online. I would love to see it.

corktina

corktina wrote: »

Listowel is nearly home, would be a good anchor man on the list.

My parents live in Listowel so I've been on the monorail several times... not always in the coaches mind you. :pac: It's worth doing, there's also some nice bits of memorabilia in the old goods shed.

corktina

I ought to fit Dromod in as well.....what other places of interest will I be passing that I should loook in on? there just so much scenery that would be great to include

gobnaitolunacy

corktina wrote: »

When is Whitehead open? their website is pretty useless...

I called on spec, there just happened to be someone available to show me around. I don't think it will be a 'proper' tourist site for all visitors until their new development is up and running.

Losty Dublin

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

I called on spec, there just happened to be someone available to show me around. I don't think it will be a 'proper' tourist site for all visitors until their new development is up and running.

That's pretty much what you would do. If you have a membership card then have it handy just in case. Downpatrick is almost always manned as well, more so on a Saturday and Sunday. There are usually ITG guys on site so you could do worse than to connect with them ahead of the time. One word of warning; the road from Newry is extremely hilly so it will test your engine big time in places.

Just three more places of note that never gets a look in on this forum; Stradbally, Straffan's steam museum and the Howth museum.

CaptainFreedom

Losty Dublin wrote: »

One word of warning; the road from Newry is extremely hilly so it will test your engine big time in places.

Better to go the 'long way round' via Belfast, mostly flat too

corktina

Stradbally
Straffan
Howth
downpatrick
cultra
whitehead
giants causeway
Fintown
Donegal
Enniskillen
Belturbet
Dromod
Castlerea
Dunsandle
Moyasta
Listowel


with westport and Belfast as reserves.

Is Dromod in the right place? Where is Stradbally? Laois isn't it.that would be the first stop then!

jeez this will take a week! Anyone want to sponsor me...lol

camper is now re-egistered s 87C40012 and has been named Aureol

http://www.preserved-railways.co.uk/gallery/Midland%20Railway%20Butterley/Swanwick/Diesels%20at%20Swanwick/Diesels%20Page%202/24816_%20-%20New%20Green%20Livery%20D212%20(40012)%201Co-Co1%20Class%2040%20(Aureol)%20at%20Swanick%20Junction%20Midland%20Railway%20Centre%2008.07.2006.jpg

gobnaitolunacy

Dromod should be slotted between Belturbet and Sean Brown I reckon.

Stradbally is about 20k beyond the turnoff at Abbeyleix, I think they only run on certain days...they have a static display set up in the village but have never seen it. Google it for opening hours to avoid disappointment.

Losty Dublin

CaptainFreedom wrote: »

Better to go the 'long way round' via Belfast, mostly flat too

I'd actually suggest the coastal route via Rostrevor and Newcastle; it's level and scenic to boot.

corktina

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

Dromod should be slotted between Belturbet and Sean Brown I reckon.

Stradbally is about 20k beyond the turnoff at Abbeyleix, I think they only run on certain days...they have a static display set up in the village but have never seen it. Google it for opening hours to avoid disappointment.

which one is sean brown?

corktina

Losty Dublin wrote: »

I'd actually suggest the coastal route via Rostrevor and Newcastle; it's level and scenic to boot.

i'M DEAD CONFUSED NOW oops cap lock again... I thought Downpatrick was furthest south...this si what you are saying? Cultra is North East of Belfast and WHirehead is the other side of the estuary, north of Belfast...thts it isn't it?

gobnaitolunacy

corktina wrote: »

which one is sean brown?

The owner of Hells Kitchen.

http://www.hellskitchenmuseum.com/

Losty Dublin

corktina wrote: »

which one is sean brown?

Sean is in Castlerea.

corktina wrote: »

i'M DEAD CONFUSED NOW oops cap lock again... I thought Downpatrick was furthest south...this si what you are saying? Cultra is North East of Belfast and WHirehead is the other side of the estuary, north of Belfast...thts it isn't it?

It is most south, sorry. I head to Downpatrick from Newry on the B 2 which is a hilly and windy road. The killer hill en route is Castlewellan; it's nasty heading northwards and I don't think your camper fan deserves.

Now I'm mixed up!

corktina

it's not keen on hills so I'll go Rostrevor, which road I've used before and its v nice

foggy_lad

Have you included this on your trip? http://www.wsvrailway.ie/

corktina

i havn't mainly cos it's so far off the obvious routes...don't think i'm missing much

GBOA

Remember DCDR isn't running again until 15th June!

Losty Dublin

GBOA wrote: »

Remember DCDR isn't running again until 15th June!

It's not (Well it is this weekend) but it's manned most days with some sort of work going on. Weekends are busy enough with work parties as well and the odd time in the off season you will see a chartered train on duty. If you call in and somebody is there and free for a few minutes then they will say hello to you.

corktina

i won't be going before July

GBOA

Losty Dublin wrote: »

It's not (Well it is this weekend).

What an eejit (me that is). Of course it is. May bank holiday trains. I'll go slap myself.

Grandeeod

corktina wrote: »

i havn't mainly cos it's so far off the obvious routes...don't think i'm missing much

In preservation terms no, but in terms of getting a feel for a ride along the route that was onwards from Waterford south towards Dungarvan it can't be beat. I know preservationists criticise it, but you are running on one of the most recently closed lines in Ireland. Narrow guage or not, its great. You can also examine Grace Dieu junction and the site of Waterford south.

steamengine

The annual steam rally August 4/5 at Stradbally is well worth a visit. Traction engines galore plus the narrow gauge !

corktina

i can feel a date firming up !

Rocky Bay

Don't forget Ballyglunin known as "Castletown" station in the "Quiet Man".