Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway

The Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway (GC&BR) is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge heritage railway operating between the Giant's Causeway and Bushmills on the coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The line is two miles (3.2 km) long.

This article is about the current steam railway. For the early electric tramway over part of whose former course it operates, see Giant's Causeway Tramway.

Locomotives of the railway: Shane and Tyrone

History

Original line
Main article: Giant's Causeway Tramway

The Giant's Causeway Tramway, operated by the Giant's Causeway, Portrush and Bush Valley Railway & Tramway Company Ltd, was a pioneering 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge electric railway operating between Portrush and the Giant's Causeway. 9 1⁄4 miles (14.9 km) long, it was hailed at its opening as "the first long electric tramway in the world".[1] Promoted by W.A. Traill it was powered by hydroelectricity from an elevated third rail, although steam tram engines were also used in its earlier years, and the power supply was converted to overhead wire in 1899. It opened to Bushmills in 1883, the extension from there to the Causeway following on 1 July 1887. The line closed at the end of the 1949 season on Friday 30 September,[2] and was subsequently dismantled.

New line

The new railway uses equipment originally assembled by Lord O’Neill for a tourist line at Shane's Castle, Country Antrim, which closed in 1994. The idea of using this to revive part of the Tramway was largely conceived and promoted by David Laing. The Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway Company is a not-for-profit organisation with charitable status. Clearance of the trackbed commenced at the end of 1999 and the railway carried its first passengers at Easter 2002.

On 10 July 2010 the railway took delivery of a specially customised 4 coach diesel multiple unit capable of accommodating up to 90 passengers. Manufactured by Severn Lamb UK Ltd., it was designed to enhance the visitor experience to the North Antrim Coast and to recreate, in so far as was possible, the passenger experience of the original hydro electric tram. Commissioning of the new rolling stock by the manufacturers began on Monday 12 July with the inaugural journey three days later. The DMU is powered by a Kubota V3600-E3 engine and shares the line with the previous steam rolling stock. All vehicles run on bogies. The power vehicle is on the Causeway side and is shorter (4 windows) than the three trailers (5 windows).

Route

The upper station, just below the Causeway Hotel, has a single platform and passenger, locomotive and carriage facilities, all built in traditional style for the line, which departs towards Bushfoot Strand down a gradient which is sufficient to make the engines 'bark' on their return. It then follows the ancient sand dune system until it meets the River Bush where a newly installed bridge carries the line across. Just before the bridge is a passing loop, not normally used. Crossing Bushfoot Golf Course to meet Ballaghmore Road (which leads from Bushmills to Portballintrae) the line turns bringing it parallel to that road, which it follows to the lower terminus situated at the junction of the Portrush to Bushmills road. The GC&BR Bushmills station is a single platform with no buildings. Alongside the line there is both a cycle track (National Cycle Network 93) and a footpath.

Locomotives and coaches
No. Name Wheel Arr. Cylinders Builder Works No. Date Built Notes.
1Tyrone0-4-0T2, OCPeckett and Sons10261904Ex-British Aluminium Co. No. 1, Larne
2Rory4wDHSimplex (a)102T0161976Ex-Blue Circle Cement
3Shane0-4-0WT2, OCAndrew Barclay & Sons Co.22651949Ex-Bord na Móna No. 3 (later No. 45), Clonast, built as turf (peat)-burner
The two locomotives Rory and Shane at Giant's Causeway railway station in 2011

Notes:

  • (a) The Motor Rail & Tramcar Co.
  • OC Steam Locomotive with cylinders outside the frames.
  • WT "Well Tank", a steam locomotive with water capacity in a tank situated in the well between its frames.
  • DH Diesel Locomotive with Hydraulic Transmission.

The line has eight 4-wheel coaches

See also
  • "Giant's Causeway & Bushmills Railway official website".

References
  1. Railway Times 22 September 1883
  2. Journal of Transport Ticket Society- October 2017 page 347
  • Thomas, Cliff (2002). The Narrow Gauge in Britain & Ireland. Penryn: Atlantic. ISBN 1-902827-05-8.
  • Johnson, Stephen (1997). Johnson's Atlas & Gazetteer of the Railways of Ireland. Leicester: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-044-3.
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