Workmen's carriage and 4wDM no.LM18 in Oweninny Works Yard. 1993.
Having seen the success of the Clonmacnoise & West Offaly Railway in the Irish Midlands operated by Bord na Móna on the Blackwater system in the early 90's, the management of the TAE system in Co.Mayo tried a similar tourist train operation called the Bellacorick Bog Train. This venture used a restored West Clare Railway carriage hauled by dedicated locomotive no.LM123 in the same livery. The railways unique selling point was a tour of the Bellacorick Windfarm, Ireland's first. The tourist service was short lived though probably because of the remote nature of the location and I think it only ran for 3 summers 1994-96. (I would welcome confirmation of that fact by anybody with first hand knowledge).
Before the experiment with tourist operations the TAE system was no stranger to running a passenger service for its workers out onto the remote bogs where there was no road access. Ruston & Hornsby type 48DL no. LM18 (RH 242902/1946) was the oldest working Ruston on the BnM 3ft gauge networks when this shot was taken in 1993 having racked up 47 years service. It is seen in the works yard at Oweninny with a converted bus body as a bogie workmen's carriage.
Workmen's carriage and 4wDM no.LM18 in Oweninny Works Yard. 1993.
Having seen the success of the Clonmacnoise & West Offaly Railway in the Irish Midlands operated by Bord na Móna on the Blackwater system in the early 90's, the management of the TAE system in Co.Mayo tried a similar tourist train operation called the Bellacorick Bog Train. This venture used a restored West Clare Railway carriage hauled by dedicated locomotive no.LM123 in the same livery. The railways unique selling point was a tour of the Bellacorick Windfarm, Ireland's first. The tourist service was short lived though probably because of the remote nature of the location and I think it only ran for 3 summers 1994-96. (I would welcome confirmation of that fact by anybody with first hand knowledge).
Before the experiment with tourist operations the TAE system was no stranger to running a passenger service for its workers out onto the remote bogs where there was no road access. Ruston & Hornsby type 48DL no. LM18 (RH 242902/1946) was the oldest working Ruston on the BnM 3ft gauge networks when this shot was taken in 1993 having racked up 47 years service. It is seen in the works yard at Oweninny with a converted bus body as a bogie workmen's carriage.