Irish North Western Railway

54.347°N 7.640°W / 54.347; -7.640

Irish North Western Railway
Industryrailway
PredecessorDundalk and Enniskillen Railway
Founded1862
Defunct1876
Fatemerged
SuccessorGreat Northern Railway (Ireland)
Headquarters
Dundalk
,
Ireland
Area served
County Cavan, Fermanagh, County Londonderry, County Donegal, County Louth, County Monaghan, County Tyrone

Irish North Western Railway (INW) was an Irish gauge (5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)) railway company in Ireland.

The stub of the line toward Enniskillen veering right with a train straight from Bray heading for Dundalk Clarke

Development

The company was founded as the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway (D&ER) and opened the first section of its line, from Dundalk Quay Street to Castleblayney, in 1849.[1][2] In Dundalk the D&ER line crossed the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway main line, which was completed between Drogheda and its own separate Dundalk station in the same year.

The D&ER extended westwards, reaching Ballybay in 1854,[2] Newbliss in 1855[2] and Lisbellaw in 1858.[3] In 1859 the D&ER reached Enniskillen where it connected with the Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway (L&ER).[3] The L&ER had been completed in 1854[3] but had been unprofitable, so in 1860 it leased its line in perpetuity to the D&ER.[4] This gave the D&ER a direct route between Dundalk and Londonderry Foyle Road.

In 1862 the INW opened a branch from Clones southwards to Cavan.[5] In the same year the company renamed itself the Irish North Western Railway.[6] In 1863 the Ulster Railway reached Clones where it made a junction with the INW.[7] In 1868 the Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway opened between Bundoran Junction and Bundoran,[3][8] and contracted the INW to operate its line.[6]

In 1876 the INW merged with the Northern Railway of Ireland and the Ulster Railway to form the Great Northern Railway.[6]

After merger

The GNR operated the line between Dundalk and Enniskillen until 1957, when the Government of Northern Ireland made the GNR Board close all cross-border lines except the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway mainline.[9][10] Córas Iompair Éireann continued a freight service between Dundalk and Clones for a few years, but withdrew this and closed the line in 1960.[10]

References
  1. Hajducki 1974, 15.
  2. Hajducki 1974, map 16
  3. Hajducki 1974, map 7
  4. FitzGerald 1995, p. 1
  5. Hajducki 1974, map 14
  6. Hajducki 1974, p. xiii
  7. Hajducki 1974, map 15
  8. Hajducki 1974, map 6
  9. Baker 1972, pp. 153, 207.
  10. Hajducki 1974, map 39

Sources
  • Baker, Michael H.C. (1972). Irish Railways since 1916. London: Ian Allan. pp. 153, 207. ISBN 0-7110-0282-7.
  • Dewick, Tony (2002). Complete Atlas of Railway Station Names. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. maps 57, 58, 60. ISBN 0-7110-2798-6.
  • FitzGerald, J.D. (1995). The Derry Road. Colourpoint Transport. Vol. 2. Gortrush: Colourpoint Press. ISBN 1-898392-09-9.
  • Hajducki, S. Maxwell (1974). A Railway Atlas of Ireland. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-5167-2.
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