Oysterperch Bay Narrow Gauge Obscurer

This gazetteer gives a brief summary of the railways owned at one time or another by Bord na Mona, the Irish Turf Board. More information can be had by contacting kgpmk63nh@yahoo.co.uk ; news of these railways is always sought, so please keep in touch.

Directions should allow the headquarters of each network to be found using the OS of Ireland 1:210 000 road atlas.

All are 3ft gauge unless stated.

Almhain

About 10km west of Naas on the road to Kilmeage. A relatively small operation bringing out peat to a tiphead on the northern side of the road. Typically about three locos present. About 5km  of railway heading out to the bogs.

Attymon

About 1km south of the railway station at Attymon on backroad to Kiltullagh. Railway bringing out machine-cut turf to a very traditional tiphead. This line is now worked by a co-operative of former BnM workers, and is served by four very venerable and characterful Ruston locos, which also serve Clonkeen, see below.

Ballivor

About half way between Ballivor and Raharney on R156, a level crossing over the road makes it easy to spot. A medium sized operation serving a peat packing factory. About 10km of railway link bogs north and south of the factory. About six locomotives.

Bangor Erris (Closed)

About 2km west of the village, on the road to Gweelia. Formerly loaded peat to lorries for transport to Bellacorrick Power Station (see under Oweninny). The railways extended over bogs north and south, and there were about six locomotives in use over a network of about 15km.

Barna (Closed)

Close to the the meeting of Counties Kerry, Limerick and Cork. formerly a very small operation bringing out machine-cut turf. About 3km of railway employing one or two locos.

Bellair

On a backroad linking Moate with Ballycumber, about 3km north of the latter. No longer a separate railway, now linked to the Blackwater and Boora systems near Ferbane.

 

Tracks on the tiphead at Bellair, showing the tumbledown shelter that used to protect turf trains from the weather.

  

Blackwater

Main traffic centre is at West Offaly Power Station, and the railway can easily be seen where it crosses under the R357 about 1.5km east of Shannonbridge. A public passenger service operates under the name Clonmacnoise and West Offaly Railway, or Blackwater Railway, through the summer, every day. The passenger trains run from near the main workshops, and are well signposted from the R357. The network extends over a wide area, extending almost to Athlone on both sides of the Shannon, and almost as far as Banagher and Ballinasloe. there are about twenty locos in main haulage use, and many more on service train. This network is linked to the Boora network by a line that crosses under the N62 about 3km north of Ferbane.

Boora

Main works are near to the Lough Boora Sculpture park, which is signposted off the R357 about halfway between blue Ball and Crogan. The busiest traffic centre is Derrinlough briquette Factory, which is about 4km south of Cloghan on the N62. The network used to serve Ferbane Power Station, which has now been demolished. The network joins with the Blackwater system (see above), the route crossing the Grand Canal by an interesting swing bridge, which is about 1.5km west of Pollagh village. There are usually about six main haul locomotives and four service train locos in use, but it is often possible to see much more at the works, including the ex-West Clare railcar coach.

Carrigcannon (Closed)

Near to Lyracrumpane in the Stacks Mountains east of Tralee. Only the tiphead wall remains at this site, which once had a railway about 5km long, bringing in machine-cut turf. There were only ever one or two locomotives at any time.

Clonkeen

About 1km west of Attymon station, on the backroad to Athenry (through the fields thereof). Operated by the Attymon peat co-op, about 5km of railway serving a tiphead. Shares locomotives with Attymon.

Cuil na gCon

This railway has been greatly reconfigured in recent years and now serves a tippler about half way between Coole and Lismacaff on the R395, with peat being taken by road to Lanesborough. It is expected to use about three locomotives.

Out with the old. Lifting the old railway at Guil na gCon, in preparation for laying a new network.

Cuil na Mona

Serves a large packing factory on the outskirts of Portlaoise, being on the western side of the N8, about 1km south of the junction with the M7. The railways extend northwest and southeast, but are very difficult to observe, except from a sideroad, under which one route crosses as it heads NW under the main railway and the M7/N7. The railways employ about six locomotives.

Derryfadda

About 2km south of Ballyforan on a backroad to Kiladerry and Kilglass. This network has about 30km of lines bringing out peat that is taken away by road to be burnt at power stations. There are usually about six locomotives in use.

Derrygreenagh

This is an enormous network covering the area bounded roughly by, going clockwise, Edenderry, Allenwood, Rathangan, Clonbulloge, Portarlington, Geashill, Daingean, Tyrellspass, Rochfordbridge, and Ballinabrackey. The main traffic centres are at Edenderry Power Station (on the R401 about 6km SW of Edenderry) and an outloading station at the old Crogan Briquette Factory, which is about 1km west of the R400/R402 crossroads. About twelve locomotives operate main haul for the generating station, and another six or so for the outloading point, but the total fleet is nearer forty. This network includes many previously separate systems, including Clonsast, BnM's first large operation and former wheezing ground of the only steam locos ever used by BnM. The various, now connected, networks have previously served generating stations at Portarlington, Rhode and Allenwood, and a pioneering briquette factory at Lullymore. Main works are at Derrygreenagh, about 3km south of Rochfortbridge on the R400.

Gilltown

On the backroad between Donadea and Timahoe. A relatively small operation, having about 6km of track, and bringing milled peat out to a tippler for onward transport by road. This line has been notable for its small fleet of much rebuilt Ruston locomotives, of which there are typically three or four in traffic, but acquired a Wagonmaster in 2006.

Glenties (Closed) 2ft Gauge

About 2km southwest of Glenties on the N56. This was the last 2ft gauge line operated by BnM and hauled out machine-cut turf in four-wheeled cars right to the end. The line was about 6km long and was served by a fleet of Ruston locomotives, usually about six machines.

Kilberry

Just south of Kilberry village on the R417, the road into the works crossing over the mainline railway. A peat packing facility served by a railway about 10km in extent. This line was 2ft gauge until about 1988, when a new 3ft gauge system was laid out. Has a mixed fleet of locomotives, usually about five, being rebuilt Rustons, Wagonmasters and Hunslet Hydraulics.

Kinnegad

On a tiny backroad (not the R417, although the railway can be seen from that road) less than 1km south of the N4/M4 at Kinnegad. A small operation with about 5km of railway served by two or three rebuilt Ruston locomotives.

Track repair wagon and old Ruston at Kinnegad.

Littleton

Serving a briquette factory about half way between Littleton and Ballinunty. This railway extends almost 25km end to end, and also serves a tiphead and works called Templetouhy, which is on the R502, about half way between its namesake village and Johnstown. Milled peat is hauled to the factory, and machine-cut turf is loaded to road vehicles at Templetouhy. The locomotives are a mix of Wagonmasters, Hunslet Hydraulics and modern BnM built machines, the active fleet is about ten machines. 

Lyracrumpane (Closed)

Difficult to find, but worth a look! Lyracrumpane is about half way between Tralee and Castleisland on the backroad over the Stacks Mountains. Look for the signpost to the post Office, then ask there, the postmaster knows where the line used to be. This was BnM's first mountain area bog, and the railway opened c1938. It was about 5km long and only ever had one or two locos. The only remnant is the tiphead wall, but this has been decorated with a mural showing the life of this isolated area, including illustration of the railway.

Mountdillon

A major network serving a generating station at Lanesborough. The generating station is near the village centre, and is so big as to be unmissable. Main workshops are 4.5km outside Lanesborough, on the N63 to Longford. There are good train watching sites on the minor roads north of the N63 between these two locations. Railways radiate about 10km north, east and south of the village. All main haul is now by Hunslet of BnM diesel-hydraulics, but there are plenty og Wagonmasters working fuel and track trains. About thirty locos in service.

Monettia

A small site just west of Killiegh (the village is on the N80, about 10km south of Tullamore). At the top of Killiegh village green, take the minor road heading west towards Gorteen Bridge, the works is on the left after about 2km. Usually one or two locomotive in use, plus a further two having an interminable rest.

Prosperous

Catch it while you can! Opened in 2005, and due to be out of use by late-2007, this is a small railway serving a tiphead north of Prosperous village, which is on the R403. At the village traffic lights, take the minor road north, then take the righthand road at the (easy to miss) fork after about 700m. The tiphead is about 2km further, on the right. Three locomotives in use, a mix of Ruston and Wagonmaster.

Oweninny (Closed)

This medium-sized railway served Bellacorrick Power Station, about 15km west of Crossmolina on the N59, and had a workshop and headquarters about 3km closer to Crossmolina on the same road. Tracks sprawled over the Oweninny River basin north of the N59, and totalled some 30km in length. There were about ten locomotives allocated here.

Ummeras

A small operation serving a tiphead on the Bracknagh to Monasterevin backroad; the bog is in the area between the Slate River and The Grand Canal. Usually only two or three locomotives present, latterly Rustons.