LONDONDERRY FOYLE ROAD

PHOTO GALLERY

1952 to 1958

[Source: Jim McBride & Paul Wright]
 
The goods facilities at Londonderry Foyle Road looking south-west from the Craigavon bridge on 26 June 1952. The 11.25am local passenger service from Strabane is about to pass under the bridge and enter the passenger station. Hauling the train is GNRI 4-4-0 PP class locomotive number 42.The photograph shows how extensive the goods facilities were. To the far left is the exchange siding which connected to the Craigavon Bridge. A short section of mixed gauge track can be seen in the foreground. A capstan can also be seen next to this siding. Capstains were used to winch wagons across the bridge.
Photo by Neil Sprinks from the Charles Friel negative archive


A view looking north-east along the platform at Foyle Road in April 1953. Waiting to depart on the 9.25am service to Belfast Great Victoria Street is GNRI 4-4-0 Q class locomotive number 133. The engine was built in 1899 and withdrawn in September 1957.
Photo by H C Casserley


A view of GNRI 4-4-0 U Class locomotive number 196 at the southern end of the Foyle Road goods yard on 24 May 1953. This was the location of the Londonderry & Enniskillen Railway locomotive works which closed in 1899. The U Class engines were one of the smaller type of 4-4-0s that saw service on this line. Number 196 was built in 1915 and was withdrawn by the UTA (as number 64) in October 1961. To the right of the photo the Londonderry Locomotive Shed can be seen.
Photo by Neil Sprinks from the Charles Friel negative archive


On 24 May 1953 an empty stock working is seen departing from Foyle Road en route to St Johnston. The train was travelling to St Johnston to work the return 'Hills of Donegal' special to Dublin Amiens Street. Departure from St Johnston was at 6.30pm. The train was formed of railcar 618 (leading), two former steam hauled coaches and railcar 619 (at the rear).
Photo by Neil Sprinks from the Charles Friel negative archive


The main entrance building at Londonderry Foyle Road seen in the 1950s. The building was built in for the INWR in 1870 and it fronted onto a train shed that had been built at the same time. The train shed in this view however dates from 1911 and was constructed by the GNRI.


On 7 June 1956 GNRI 0-6-0 SG class locomotive number 176 is seen at Londonderry locomotive shed. The engine was built in 1913 and was withdrawn by the UTA (as number 44) in May 1965.
Copyright photo from Ernies Railway Archive


The 5.20pm Omagh to Londonderry Foyle Road train is seen at Londonderry South Cabin on 7 June 1956. At the head of the train is GNRI 4-4-0 PP class locomotice number 106. The fireman is handing the St Johnston - Londonderry South Cabin single line token to the signalman. The engine was built in 1906 and was withdrawn by the CIE in May 1960.
Copyright photo from Ernies Railway Archive

Looking north-east along the island platform at Londonderry Foyle Road station on 7 June 1956. To the left the 2.10pm Belfast Great Victoria Street to Foyle Road service can be seen having recently arrived. The tail lamp is still in situ on railcar number 607. To the right the 5.30pm Foyle Road to Omagh train is waiting to depart. At the head of the train is GNRI 4-4-0 PP class locomotive number 42. Number 42 was built in 1911 and was withdrawn by the UTA in March 1960.
Copyright photo from Ernies Railway Archive


On 7 June 1956 AEC railcar number 607 leads the formation for the 6.45pm Londonderry Foyle Road to Belfast Great Victoria Street service. The formation seen in this view had travelled to Foyle Road as the 2.10pm departure from Belfast. The photo gives a good overview of Foyle Road station and demonstrates its close proximity to the River Foyle. A row of wagons is stabled on the LP&HC line. The embedded track between the wagons and the station is mixed gauge. Mixed gauge was required so that wagons of the Donegal Railway could access City Goods station and the quayside.
Copyright photo from Ernies Railway Archive


Shortly after departing from Foyle Road station on 7 June 1956 the 6.45pm service to Belfast Great Victoria Street is seen approaching Londonderry South Cabin where the single line token will be collected. The train is formed of AEC railcars (number 607 leading) and a brake coach. In the foreground are the lines that lead into the locomotive depot.
Copyright photo from Ernies Railway Archive


Looking towards Derry/Londonderry in 1956 as GNRI U class locomtive number 196 'Lough Gill' heads a southbound express service. The engine was built in 1915 and withdrawn in December 1961 (as UTA number 64). In the distance to the right the Londonderry Locomotive Shed can be seen. The original 1847 terminus had been at that location. The line at this point was single track by this time. It had been double between 1907 and 1933. In this view a section of the former down line can be seen. It had been retained to this point as a head shunt.
Photo by Neil Sprinks from the Charles Friel negative archiv
e


The aftermath of the IRA attack on Londonderry Foyle Road station which occured in the early hours of 3 March 1957. The overnight Enniskillen to Foyle Road goods train was deliberately crashed into the station making it unusable for two weeks. The locomotive was a GNRI 0-6-0 SG class with the number 13. The engine was built in 1920 and was withdrawn by the UTA (as number 32) in May 1965.
Photo from the Derry Journal


A mixed local goods train is seen at Londonderry Foyle Road on 6 June 1957 at the site where the original terminus (Gallows Strand) had been located. The GNRI carried large volumes of freight to and from the port city at this time. At the head of the train is GNRI 0-6-0 SG class locomotive number 175. The engine was built in 1913 and was withdrawn by the UTA (as number 43) in May 1965.
Copyright photo by T B Owen from Colour-Rail

In October 1958 locomotive number 3 of the Londonderry Port & Harbour Commision (LP&HC) is seen standing on the dock lines outside of Foyle Road station. The trainshed of 1911 can be seen behind the engine. To the left of the engine, out of view, was the connection between the dock system and the GNRI. In the early years of the 20th Century vast quantities of goods had passed over these lines.
Photo by J G Dewing

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[Source: Jim McBride & Paul Wright]




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