The Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills Railway has had its busiest Easter since the railway opened its doors in 2002.
In spite of the economic downturn, record numbers of passengers travelled on the railway over the Easter weekend this year with some passengers having to be turned away due to already busy trains.
Both the railway’s steam locomotives were in operation over the weekend and trains were hauled by both “Shane” (ex-Bord na Mona, built 1949) and “Tyrone” (ex-British Aluminium, built 1904 and the oldest operational Peckett locomotive in the world). Both locomotives performed faultlessly, hauling full trains all weekend and for the first time the railway “top and tailed” a number of the afternoon trains and passengers were treated to the sight and sound of both locos climbing the hill to the Giant’s Causeway station.
As well as preserving and operating heritage steam locomotives the railway provides an important ‘park and ride’ transport link between the town of Bushmills and the World Heritage site that is the Giant’s Causeway. The railway has recently seen a dramatic rise in the number of passengers due to increasing parking charges and traffic disruption at the Giant’s Causeway itself.
The railway is looking forward to a successful summer season and will be running every weekend from Easter and daily throughout July and August.