THE CASTLEDERG & VICTORIA BRIDGE TRAMWAY
The Castlederg and Victoria Bridge Tramway was a 3 foot gauge railway operating in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It opened in 1883 and closed in 1933. This 7.25 mile long line was situated entirely within County Tyrone, linking the market town of Castlederg through Spamount, Crew and Fyfin to Victoria Bridge, a junction with the main line of the Great Northern Railway of Ireland. The line followed the course of the road for almost its entire length and there were passing loops at Spamount and Crew.
The Great Northern Railway had reached Victoria Bridge in 1852. Plans for a narrow gauge rail link to Castlederg were agreed at a public meeting held in the town in August 1881. The line was constructed shortly prior to the enactment of the Tramways Act 1883, and opened in April 1883, so the promoters lost out on any financial assistance from the government. Because of a sharp gradient on the approach to Victoria Bridge, all trains had to be equipped with a Westinghouse continuous braking system - the first trains in Ireland to be so equipped. The line's first two steam locomotives were fitted with enclosed bodywork as tram engines.
A 24-seat railcar was built with a Fordson paraffin engine in 1925 at Castlederg. Although basic in design, it was capable of being driven from either end and the driver also sold the tickets. From 1925 the Tramway became loss making, reaching virtual insolvency by 1932. A strike disrupted Northern Ireland's rail network between January and April 1933. This was taken as an opportunity to discontinue services. The last steam engine departed from Castlederg on July 27th, 1934, hauling redundant rolling stock to Victoria Bridge for auction. The need for transhipment of all freight at the break of gauge at Victoria Bridge was time-consuming, inefficient and expensive. By the 1930's the railway's Victorian-era infrastructure was also in need of substantial investment. The line became one of Northern Ireland's earliest casualties of road competition. At the end in 1933, there was a Hudswell Clarke 2-6-0T locomotive (sold to Clogher Valley Railway), a Hudswell Clarke 0-4-4T locomotive and a Beyer-Peacock Isle of Man type 2-4-0T locomotive which had come from the Ballymena and Larne Railway.
These pictures are published for pleasure/information/research purposes only and are not for sale or copy under any circumstances. Information in captions has been researched as thoroughly as possible but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
PLEASE NOTE : IMPORTANT MESSAGE : Please be aware that I do not sell copies of ANY of my pictures, DO NOT email copies to viewers or allow re-posting on other sites. Neither do I wish to enter into correspondence with any individual or group regarding my pictures or their captions. All comments reflect my personal opinions and I am not prepared to discuss these with anyone or to spend the rest of my life answering inane questions. I apologise for this disclaimer but I'm afraid it has been forced upon me. I have no wish to offend anyone and I hope you will continue to enjoy my pictures at your leisure.
Read MoreThe Great Northern Railway had reached Victoria Bridge in 1852. Plans for a narrow gauge rail link to Castlederg were agreed at a public meeting held in the town in August 1881. The line was constructed shortly prior to the enactment of the Tramways Act 1883, and opened in April 1883, so the promoters lost out on any financial assistance from the government. Because of a sharp gradient on the approach to Victoria Bridge, all trains had to be equipped with a Westinghouse continuous braking system - the first trains in Ireland to be so equipped. The line's first two steam locomotives were fitted with enclosed bodywork as tram engines.
A 24-seat railcar was built with a Fordson paraffin engine in 1925 at Castlederg. Although basic in design, it was capable of being driven from either end and the driver also sold the tickets. From 1925 the Tramway became loss making, reaching virtual insolvency by 1932. A strike disrupted Northern Ireland's rail network between January and April 1933. This was taken as an opportunity to discontinue services. The last steam engine departed from Castlederg on July 27th, 1934, hauling redundant rolling stock to Victoria Bridge for auction. The need for transhipment of all freight at the break of gauge at Victoria Bridge was time-consuming, inefficient and expensive. By the 1930's the railway's Victorian-era infrastructure was also in need of substantial investment. The line became one of Northern Ireland's earliest casualties of road competition. At the end in 1933, there was a Hudswell Clarke 2-6-0T locomotive (sold to Clogher Valley Railway), a Hudswell Clarke 0-4-4T locomotive and a Beyer-Peacock Isle of Man type 2-4-0T locomotive which had come from the Ballymena and Larne Railway.
These pictures are published for pleasure/information/research purposes only and are not for sale or copy under any circumstances. Information in captions has been researched as thoroughly as possible but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
PLEASE NOTE : IMPORTANT MESSAGE : Please be aware that I do not sell copies of ANY of my pictures, DO NOT email copies to viewers or allow re-posting on other sites. Neither do I wish to enter into correspondence with any individual or group regarding my pictures or their captions. All comments reflect my personal opinions and I am not prepared to discuss these with anyone or to spend the rest of my life answering inane questions. I apologise for this disclaimer but I'm afraid it has been forced upon me. I have no wish to offend anyone and I hope you will continue to enjoy my pictures at your leisure.
