THE Donegal Railway Heritage Centre recently announced ambitious plans to bring Drumboe, the North West’s most famous steam engine back to Donegal Town through a major Crowd Funding initiative.
The campaign has just started, but has already received a lot of interest including support and a donation from the North West of Ireland Railway Society (NWIRS).
NWIRS Chairman Jim McBride said it was time to bring Drumboe home and to restore this historic locomotive.
“The North West of Ireland Railway Society supports the plans to restore Drumboe and bring her back to Donegal. Over 35 years ago founder members of the NWIRS including George Haire and George Sweeney saved Drumboe from the scrap man. The railway heritage of County Donegal and its tourist potential would be boosted significantly if Drumboe returns home and then returned to steam again in the future. We would encourage the local community as well as those further afield to get behind this important campaign.”
Niall McCaughan, Manager of Donegal Railway Heritage added, “We are delighted that the NWIRS have got behind the campaign, particularly as it was this very organisation who rescued this engine and much of the other Donegal railway stock in the early 1970s before they were scrapped.
“We aim through Crowd Funding to raise much-needed funding, €60,000 in tota,l to cover the cost of restoring the famous steam engine, transporting her back to Donegal Town, site preparation, building a canopy cover, mounting and lighting her. Although some work was done to the engine some time ago, much of it is in poor condition. There are no original Donegal steam engines left in the county and this is even more tragic when you consider that County Donegal had the largest narrow-gauge network in the British Isles. Drumboe herself would have been well-known to the entire community in the North West on both sides of the border because as well as operating in Donegal, she would have been seen in Strabane regularly.
“Drumboe will become the centrepiece to the railway museum, and will make it not only a more attractive draw for locals and visitors alike, thus making it more sustainable, but will also have a much wider positive impact on the local community and the county for the economic regeneration of the region, and for tourism, heritage and pride. Be part of Donegal’s story and help us bring Drumboe home,” Mr McCaughan added.
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