Tralee and Dingle Railway Carriage Project

Micheal Kennedy gives an outline of our project to restore our original Tralee and Dingle Light Railway 3rd class carriage 7T of 1890. 7T was built by the Bristol Wagon and Carriage Company and used during the construction of the Tralee and Dingle Railway from 1889 to 1891. The Tralee and Dingle Railway ran a 31 mile "main line" with a 6 mile branch to Castlegregory. The section between Camp and Annascaul was among the most spectacular in Ireland climbing 600 feet above sea level through Gleann na nGealt (Glen of the mad). The carriages were used for services between 1890 and 1939 when passenger services ceased. They then moved to the West Clare section of the Great Southern Railway (Later CIE).

During their time they brought communication to far flung places such as Dingle, many of the Blasket Island writers travelled by train to Dingle, its interesting to think whether they started their scriptures and works while on the train to Tralee! They also witnesses many one way tickets to the UK or America, never to return to West Kerry.

We at the Cavan and Leitrim Railway have several Tralee and Dingle carriages, we have started the project to restore 7T to traffic, subject to the relevant inspections and work required. This is the first narrow gauge vintage carriage project in Ireland, and when complete will offer a unique immersive experience for members of the public to experience what it was like to travel on an Irish narrow gauge train.

We aim to send the chassis and bogies away for restoration and work, with a rebuilt body also being constructed. We have the original benches, if only they could talk!

To support us in our goal donate here: https://cavanandleitrim.wixsite.com/home/vintage-train

Thanks to Dessie Black for the music. Images are provided by the Cavan and Leitrim Railway Collection, Irish Railway Record Society, W. A. Camwell and Roy M.B. Crombie (SRPS Collection).

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