By Hugh Dougherty
FINTOWN station building has been gifted to Comhlacht Traenach na Gaeltachta Lair (CTGL), operators of the 3ft-gauge Fintown Railway, by owners Donegal County Council, to help boost the narrow gauge line.
The station was built in 1895 to a standard design for the Stranorlar to Glenties railway – later part of the extensive County Donegal Railways Joint Committee (CDRJC) system. It was in use until the last passenger trains ran in 1947, and was closed completely in 1952, when the last goods trains ran on the line.
Enjoy more Railway reading in the monthly magazine.
Click here to subscribe & save.
Since then, it has been used for various community purposes, but has now been declared surplus to council requirements.
CTGL has used the platform since it began running trains in 1995, but has not had access to the station building. It is now looking for funding to restore and return it to railway use as a ticket and administrative office, small museum and cafe.
■ CTGL has also spent €8,000 on a top-end overhaul of CDRJC railcar No. 18’s Gardner 6LW engine for the 2018 season. The work has been carried out by Clarke Engineering of Clonmany, which specialises in diesel engine restoration.
Read more News and Features in the June issue of The RM – on sale now!