Learn our local history and have fun too!
The Children are brought on an historical tour around our museum/station house, travel on the old Steam Engine or Diesel engine, will view a film from the 1950’s in our newly converted railway carraige cinema. Lots of history & lots of fun!

Tour Includes:
• Audio Visual Display on the old railway system
• Rides along the track

Open Daily
May – September 10:00 a.m. – 18:00 p.m.
31st
September – end April 10:00 a.m.– 16:00 p.m.

Call us on 065 905 1284 or 087 0509920 or email today for details.

This coming Bank Holiday Weekend on Sunday 30th October we will be running our traditional Hallowe’en event, which is an annual autumnal occasion not to be missed.  With our super scary “Spooky Special”,  screams,  shocks and surprises are in store for all.   The ghastly ghoulish crew on our ghost train will bring you on a fright-filled journey of fear and fun! All are encouraged to wear costumes – and get in the “spirit”. Entry for this event is €5.00 and takes place between 5-8pm.  Its going to be SPOOKTACULAR!!!

Not long now until the season of goodwill, and as sure as night follows day, Moyasta will be looking forward to our annual visit from Mr. Santa Clause. Our magical Winter Wonderland experience will take place each weekend during the month of December, and you can book your place from November.

In other news, during the month of September we were delighted to welcome a film company who availed of the “Slieve Callan” for use in a documentary depicting the historic journey of some of the ill-fated Irish passengers on the “Titanic” voyage.

Our steam crew enthusiastically took to the stage, and acted like “old pro’s”.

As the winter approaches, we will look forward to seeing you all for our up-coming events.

Our “Slieve Callan” steam engine will operate on Sunday 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th and Monday 5th and 19th September from 1pm, with the last run by steam at 4pm. The diesel engine operates at all other times.

As we enter the autumn we are looking ahead and forward to Hallowe’en, and the return of our unique and ever popular Hallowe’en Special Event on Bank Holiday Monday 31st October 2011.

Frightening family fun for all is expected for all those who dare to board our “Spooky Special”.   All are welcome and passengers are encouraged to wear their costumes!

Looking forward to seeing you all soon!

In other news, we are delighted to have been considered, and in receipt of, an Industrial Heritage Award for 2010. The Sixth Annual IHAI Industrial Heritage Awards ceremony took place on the 9th March at ESB Headquarters in Dublin.

This event recognises individuals and organisations that have contributed to the preservation and promotion of Ireland’s industrial heritage. The award was presented by Brid Horan, Executive Director, ESB Energy Solutions & Services, for Restoration to Jackie Whelan (West Clare Railway Locomotive). We are delighted to have received this Award in recognition of our endeavors and ongoing efforts to preserve the local history here at the West Clare Railway.

A community organised Percy French family fun day is planned for Saturday 20th August 2011. A day of entertainment including horse and carriage rides, fun-run, music and craic is expected. All are welcome!

We look forward to meeting you all in the near future and wishing you an enjoyable and restful summer!

I wonder if our colleagues in other heritage organisations rue the fact that they have to borrow, steal or beg so much of the equipment that they want to use and display. Not for us the luxury of ordering stock “off the shelf” when the items wanted went out of production years ago. Such are some of the problems being overcome by the engineering staff of the WCR as they work to improve the track in the excellent weather that we are enjoying at the present time. Jackie and Stephen together with Mick MacMahon, his son, another Mick, and grandson are beavering away re-laying the track but finding that 2 types of rail and chairs were used when it was initially laid and which are not entirely compatable. Notwithstanding the time lost in having to overcome this difficulty, much of the running line has been much improved with new ballast, greased fishplates and tighter joints. Final alignment will be done when all rail has been re-laid and Jackie estimates that this could be completed this week if the weather stays kind.

Earlier this month, Jackie was awarded the National Heritage Award for his restoration of No5, “Slieve Callan“. This prestigious award was presented to him at a ceremony in Dublin. Jackie remains modest about the medal but the recognition at National level of the railway’s achievements is welcome indeed.

St Patrick’s Day was celebrated by showing the railway’s fire engine (The Nubian Major ex-Shannon Airport R4) in both the Kilkee and Kilrush parades. Indeed, the engine was the first vehicle leading the whole of the Kilrush Parade. We had much fun in the cab playing with the engine’s alarms, particularly in front of the organising Gardai.

On 3rd March, the engine was steamed for the first time this year for the benefit of the Clare Tourism providers a coach trip was organised to help give heritage operators in Clare an overview of all the other attractions in the county. Feedback from their visit has been very positive indeed and can only bode well for the number of visitors later in the year. What was equally pleasing was that the engine has wintered in its shed in first class condition with no broken pipes or any other fault despite the harshest winter conditions for at least 10 years. Furthermore, the track improvements that had been completed by this time were very noticeable from the footplate (especially over the points) and the smoother run made the trips much more enjoyable.

We may not be running the steam engine at regular intervals yet and Jackie has not made any decision as to the dates of timetabled running as yet but that does not mean that we will not run the engine if given notice of a dozen or so visitors by appointment, as it were. We are expecting visits of such soon and are only too happy to accommodate them. If you plan to visit sometime this summer (and we sincerely hope you are) then do not hesitate to contact us and find out either when we expect to be running or when you would like a group booking to run by steam

            On 31^st January 1961, CIE closed their West Clare Railway operation even cancelling their last train to avoid demonstrations. On 31^st January 2011, the newly constituted West Clare Railway Co Ltd began re-laying track along the old track bed between Moyasta and Kilkee – perhaps the best way to mark a fiftieth anniversary and demonstrating at long last a timely reminder that the poor and often wrong decisions of politicians can be reversed. Hope remains eternal!

            Using rolling stock once owned by Bord na Mona and itself put by for scrap but restored by the WCR, re-gauged track panels were laid on the re-graded track bed for 450 yards on the first day by the owner, Jackie Whelan, and his son Stephen, ably assisted by Mick MacMahon on the digger and his son, another Mick, voluntarily giving of his time. Russell Donovan later came to fine-tune the alignment. It is to be hoped that an extra train can be run this summer season along the new stretch of line into the scenic beauties of Poulnasherry Bay. When linked to the existing line by the road crossing, the running line available to the steam engine will have been doubled and the interest to passengers more than trebled simply by the wonderful views opened up.

            And then, just one week later, a footbridge removed from the Dublin/Belfast main line was delivered to Moyasta for re-erection at a yet to be decided location but certainly as a part of the new museum complex shortly to be built. Certain “wags” have asked why a bridge has been brought to a bogland location but there is no doubt that the sight of signals and a footbridge makes a site totally redolent of a railway and the bridge will prove to be a landmark drawing in the visitors as well as providing a superb location from which to take unusual photos.

            From the aspect of heritage in today’s society, the arrival of this bridge is important. The bridge was to be listed as an ancient monument by the local planners but CIE were able to show that it would be given to a heritage society for restoration and use so the planners permitted its replacement accordingly. May such enlightened decision-making continue.

Happy New Year 

WCR now stars of the screen!

            Those watching TG4 on Sundays at 8.15pm for the next 5 weeks will see the WCR playing the starring role in the “Bothair Iarnrod” TV series. Filmed at Moyasta over 3 days of superb “Indian Summer” weather, the WCR played host to TG4’s most professional team whilst operating “Slieve Callan” under their direction. The local amateur dramatic group, “The Crack’d Spoon Company,” played the extras as the IRA, Black & Tans and British Army were portrayed in various roles re-enacting incidents that had occurred on Irish railways in the past.

The re-appearance of Black & Tans in Moyasta caused a few heart flutters amongst some of the older inhabitants and some consternation but a photo of Jackie being shot by an IRA firing squad that was later pinned up in the pub brought many ribald comments – many to the unkind effect that it should have happened long ago!

In the first programme, a history of the Kingstown & Dublin Railway, “Slieve Callan” was shown many times but not in full profile as her workings and footplate procedures were being shown as additions to old footage of steam in days long gone and representing other railways. However, Driver Stephen Whelan, seemed to get plenty of exposure working as the fireman (!) and there is no doubt that it will be hard to fight off the crowds of eager girls who will be coming to the railway to meet their heartthrob for a while. The ticket office and ladies’ waiting room rightly received the attention they deserve since they are being kept in pristine original condition and we are all looking forward to seeing more of the railway being portrayed in the next 5 episodes.

P.S If you miss the programme on a Sunday evening it is repeated on a Friday night at 11 pm on TG4.

Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas

Santa times are still available please call 065 9051284 or Email us info@westclarerailway.ie for Bookings

Dates in December available are 4th,5th,11th,12th 18th & 19th.

Come and visit Santa,  travel on our Old Steam Engine and watch a movie in our newly converted carraige cinema.

Merry Christmas to all our friends from The West Clare Railway.

As far as the general public are concerned, October will have passed with nothing appearing from the railway for once. However, behind the scenes, a lot of very important work was being done. At last, extra toilet facilities have been built in the station house and the cinema coach is now open with a large screen and projector operating a DVD and Blu-ray reproduction system showing films of railway interest in the comfort of railway seats with blinds drawn and excellent sound.

Outside, the work was being done in neighbouring fields where the old WCR track bed was being grubbed out of its thorn and bush cover. It is now ready for the track itself. This will be laid as a priority once An Bord Pleannala have reached a decision but they have postponed their part of the proceedings by yet another month. However, the re-grading of the land has been generally welcomed by local farmers as a great improvement in the village’s aspect and the cinema coach’s orange roof can be seen from miles away advertising the railway’s presence from the Kilrush direction.

Hallowe’en was one the best evening entertainments organised so far. A surprisingly large attendance was entertained by the railway staff and the local “Crack”d Spoon Theatre Company” to rides on the ghost train interrupted by cackling witches, walking corpses, wailing banshees, sirens and screaming ghosts. The calm weather helped considerably by making the steam and smoke of the engine so atmospheric and one 18year old told the writer that she didn’t know what was happening to the children visiting but her 15 year old sister was scared out of her wits!

One result from the need to work the train at night was the experiment in push-pulling the train. The RFS diesel was attached to the rear of the train and the steam engine was required to give all the power. However, the diesel provided the light both for front and rear as well as the power to light the coach interiors. The diesel became an ideal guard’s van with the power to stop the train with its air brakes in any emergency whilst the steam engine just gloried in the increased weight of its train. Both driver and fireman were astonished by the positive reactions to the controls and the more predictable actions in the fire that the extra weight brought about. Whilst water consumption increased heavily, coal consumption seemed to be reduced and the “chuffs” emanating from the chimney at all times when steam was being used were a real joy – she was really “chipping them off the old block” for once!

Come and join our spooky team and ‘The Cracked Spoon Theatre Company’ for a good scare on the Sliabh Callan Steam Engine.