Vintage Train Appeal
Help restore both "Dromad" and 7T!
With Nancy now back home and restored to working order, our next project will not be a single locomotive or carriage but an entire train! It will feature our own Kerr Stuart 1916 built 0-4-2T "Dromad" and former Tralee and Dingle Light Railway 3rd class carriage 7T built by the Bristol Wagon and Carriage Company in 1890 for the opening of the line.
The pairing of the Dromad and 7T, for restoration as one project, is very appropriate as it will allow us to provide visitors with an immersive experience of what it was like to travel on an original narrow gauge carriage and be hauled by steam. This will be unique in Ireland as the only original vintage narrow gauge carriage to operate. Dromad is very appropriate as she has a T&D style cab and windows based on the former double cab 0-4-2T number 4, along with authentic cow catchers. If heading bunker first it will look like a T&D passenger train to the untrained eye.
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Should we gain sufficient support we could have two narrow gauge steam locomotives in steam (Nancy and Dromad) together (on a former CIE NG line) for the first time since 1959, ironically when the Cavan and Leitrim closed, and since the County Donegal closed.
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We would like to thank the Heritage Council for funding phased restorations of the Tralee and Dingle Railway Carriage. This has included restoration of an original bogie in 2021 and the restoration of the original chassis with traditional methods as part of the Community Grant Scheme 2023.
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Updates on the project
Updates and progress will be posted in a dedicated Facebook group page here, why not join to find out more and see individual progress on each project.
Supported by:
Support Our Project
You can choose any amount you would like to donate, you can also make this amount a monthly contribution to the appeal, whether its €5 or €50 you can decide based on what you can afford.
Those that donate a total amount (for one year) of over €50 will receive complimentary membership.
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We estimate the full cost remaining to restore Dromad will be £30,000, with a similar figure to restore the body of the Tralee and Dingle Railway Carriage.
Progress on the Tralee and Dingle Light Railway carriage chassis and bogies as of 2023, the chassis is fully restored with two pairs of T&D bogies also fully restored. The next major phase for this project is the body.
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With Dromad, a new firebox has been built and awaits fitting to the outer firebox. Patches have also been added where there were areas of wastage. The next project with Dromad is to fit the inner firebox and start fitting stays.