The Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway

The Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway (GC&BR) is a RailGauge|36 gauge 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.

History

The original line

The Giant's Causeway Tramway, operated by the Giant's Causeway, Portrush and Bush Valley Railway & Tramway Company Ltd, was a pioneering RailGauge|36 gauge electric narrow gauge railway operating between Portrush and the Giant's Causeway. 9¼ miles (14.8 km) long, it was hailed at its opening as “the first long electric tramway in the world”. ["Railway Times" 22 September 1883] 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 did not reopen after the end of the 1949 season on 20 September, and was subsequently dismantled.

The new line

The new railway utilises equipment originally assembled by Lord O’Neill for a tourist line at Shanes 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. It is normally steam operated.

The 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

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

ee also

*List of narrow gauge railways in Ireland
*Rail transport in Ireland

External links

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References

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