Plans to bring one of Donegal’s most famous steam engines back to the county some 60 years after the Donegal Station and Railway lines closed in 1959 were given a major boost on Friday.
The campaign has just started but has already received a lot of interest and NWIRS Chairman Jim Mc Bride said it was time to bring ‘Drumboe’ home and to restore this historic locomotive.
Speaking on Friday, McBride said: “The North West of Ireland Railway Society (NWIRS) support the plans by the CDRRL to restore Drumboe and bring her back to Donegal.
“Over 35 years ago founder members of the NWIRS including George Haire and George Sweeney, saved Drumboe from the scrap man,” he added.
“The railway heritage of County Donegal and its tourist potential would be boosted significantly if Drumboe returns home, and then returned to steam again in the future.
“We would encourage the local community as well as those further afield to get behind this important campaign.”
The organisers aim to raise €60,000 through a GoFundMe Page in order to cover the cost of restoring the famous steam engine, transporting it back to Donegal Town, site preparation, building a canopy cover before finally mounting and lighting the machine.
A spokesperson for the group said: “There are no original Donegal steam engines left in the County, and this is even more tragic when you consider that County Donegal had the largest narrow-gauge network in the British Isles.
“Drumboe herself would have been well-known to the entire community in the North West, on both sides of the border; as well as operating in Donegal, she would have been seen in Strabane regularly.
“Drumboe will become the centrepiece to the railway museum, and will make it not only a more attractive draw for locals and visitors alike, thus making it more sustainable, but will also have a much wider positive impact on the local community and the county, for the economic regeneration of the region, tourism, heritage, and pride.”
Maintenance work was conducted several years ago on the steam engine but much of it remains is in poor condition.
Niall McCaughan, Manager of Donegal Railway Heritage, added: “We are delighted that the NWIRS have got behind the campaign, particularly as it was this very organisation who rescued this engine and much of the other Donegal railway stock in the early 1970’s, before they were scrapped.”
Tags: