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Limavady Railway

Coordinates: 54°59′24″N 6°56′06″W / 54.990°N 6.935°W / 54.990; -6.935
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54°59′24″N 6°56′06″W / 54.990°N 6.935°W / 54.990; -6.935

Limavady Railway
Overview
StatusClosed
OwnerLondonderry and Coleraine Railway
LocaleNorthern Ireland
Termini
Stations7
Service
Operator(s)Londonderry and Coleraine Railway
History
Opened29 December 1852
Closed2 May 1955
Technical
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Route map

Londonderry Waterside
Culmore
Eglinton
Faughanvale
Carrichue
Ballykelly
Limavady Junction
Belfast–Derry line
to Belfast Central
Broighter
Limavady
↑ closed 1950
↓ closed 1933
Ardmore
Drumsurn
Derryork
Dungiven

The Limavady Railway was a railway line that branched off from the Belfast–Derry line at Limavady Junction near Ballykelly to Limavady. The line was later extended a further 7 miles to Dungiven. The Limavady to Dungiven section of the line was closed on 3 July 1950.

The initial branch was opened on 29 December 1852 by the Londonderry and Coleraine Railway and was extended to its final terminus, Dungiven, on 4 July 1883; the extension was closed for passenger traffic on 1 January 1933 and finally closed altogether on 3 July 1950, with the rest of the line losing its passenger service the same day.[1]

The Limavady section, having already lost its passenger service, was closed entirely on 2 May 1955. Although the line was removed, remnants of the line can be found around Limavady, usually in the form of bridges, including the old railway bridge outside Limavady on the Seacoast Road.

An All-Island Strategic Rail Review published jointly by the Irish and Northern Irish governments in 2023 recommended reopening the line to Limavady, although it has yet to be implemented as of 2024.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Dungiven station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
  2. ^ "All-Island Rail Review suggests new stations in Tyrone, Armagh, Down, Belfast, Derry and all NI airports". Belfast Live. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2024.