The County Donegal Railways Joint Committee operated in north-west Ireland during the 20th century. It was incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1906 which authorized the joint purchase of the then Donegal Railway Company by the Great Northern Railway of Ireland and the Midland Railway Northern Counties Committee. In Westminster System parliaments, an Act of Parliament is a part of the law passed by the Parliament. ... The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom which existed from 1844 to 1922. ...

History of the Donegal Railways

The lines controlled by the Joint Committee were:

• The Finn Valley Railway (FVR). This was the first railway in County Donegal, running 14 miles (22 km) from Strabane – on the Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway (L&ER) (later part of the Great Northern Railway of Ireland) – to Stranorlar. Built to the Irish standard gauge of 5 ft 3 in (1600 mm), it opened on 7 September 1863, with the L&ER supplying the rolling stock. (Original station stops: Strabane, Clady, Castlefin, Liscooly, Killygordon, Cavan, Town Bridge and Stranorlar)
• The West Donegal Railway: a narrow-gauge (3 ft; 914 mm) extension to the FVR 18 miles (29 km) in length from Stranorlar to Donegal (station stops: Stranorlar, Derg Bridge, Barnesmore, Lough Eske, Clar Bridge and Donegal Town)

In 1892 the two railways were combined to form the Donegal Railway Company, and the standard-gauge section was converted to narrow gauge. Further extensions followed, when a Government grant allowed the Company to build lines between: County Donegal (Irish: Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county in the northwest of Ireland. ... Strabane (Irish, an Srath Bán, the White Strand) is a town in the west of County Tyrone in Ireland. ... Stranorlar is a small town which forms part of the Twin Towns together with Ballybofey. ... September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ... 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar). ... Donegal (Dún na nGall in Irish) is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. ...

• Stranorlar and Glenties 24 miles (38 km), opened 1895 (station stops: Stranorlar, Ballybofey, Glenmore, Cloghan, Ballinamore, Fintown, Shallogans and Glenties)
• Donegal Town to Killibegs 19 miles (30 km), opened 1893 (station stops: Donegal Town, Killymard, Mountcharles, Doorin Road, Inver, Port, Dunkineely, Bruckless, Ardara Road and Killybegs)

and the following extensions were built subsequently: Glenties (Irish: Na Gleanntaí meaning The Glens) is a small town in the northwest of Ireland in central County Donegal. ...

• Strabane to Londonderry 14 miles (22 km), opened 1901 (station stops: Strabane, Ballymagorry, Ballyheather, Donemana, Cullion, New Buildings and Londonderry Victora Road)
• Donegal Town to Ballyshannon 16 miles (26 km), opened 1903 (Station stops: Donegal Town, Drumbar, Laghey, Bridgetown, Ballintra, Rossnowlagh, Creevy and Ballyshannon)

The total mileage was now 105 miles (168 km); on 1 May 1906, the Joint Committee was set up. With the addition of a new line from Strabane to Letterkenny, 19 miles (30 km), (station stops: Strabane, Lifford, Ballindrait, Coolaghy, Raphoe, Convoy, Corngillagh, Glanmaquin and Letterkenny) opened on 1 January 1909, the final total mileage was 111 miles (178 km). Derry or Londonderry (in Irish , Doire Cholm Chille or Doire), often called the Maiden City, is a city in Northern Ireland. ... Ballyshannon (Béal Atha Seanaidh in Irish) is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Letterkenny (Leitir Ceanainn in Irish) is the largest town in County Donegal, in the Republic of Ireland, located 35 miles north of Donegal Town and 20 miles west of Derry in Northern Ireland. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Statistics

Details on this, and those above, taken from Railway Year Book 1912 (Railway Publishing Company)

• Locomotives and rolling stock: 21 locomotives; 56 passenger vehicles; 304 goods vehicles
• Head offices, locomotive works etc at Stranorlar

Closure

Much of the railway was closed completely on 16 February 1960. The Donegal Railway Centre is being set up to contain historic details and artefacts of the CDRJC. The Donegal Railway Heritage Centre commemorates the operations of the County Donegal Railways Committee which operated two narrow gauge railways in County Donegal from 1863 until 1959. ...

External links

• website containing comprehensive details, photographs etc