PUBLISHER Blackstaff Press 3 Galway Park, Dundonald, Belfast, BT16 0AN, NORTHERN IRELAND

AUTHOR/EDITOR * Author - Tom Ferris 

DETAILS

Published	1993
ISBN	1857800109
Published Price	Stg£15.99
Type	Book

This is the first of two books which look at the narrow gauge railways on the island of Ireland. The book looks at the lines in the southern part of Ireland, from Cork to Cavan, with Volume 2 looking at the lines north of this point. The opening introduction gives a reasonable synopsis of the development of the narrow gauge in Ireland. However, I take issue with the author's description of the Drummond Commission role as being to "establish a standard gauge for the railways of Ireland". This is a gross simplification of the work of the Drummond Commission, which had far greater responsibilities than just gauge. Volume 1 gives a concise history of 7 narrow gauge railway systems: * The Schull & Skibereen Tramway * The Cork, Blackrock & Passage Railway * The Cork & Muskerry Tramway * The Tralee & Dingle Railway * The Listowel & Ballybunion Railway * The West Clare Railway * The Cavan & Leitrim Railway Two appendices on industrial railways and modern day preservation complete the work. Each chapter contains a reproduction of the historic OS maps for the relevant line, which is invaluable in tracing the modern day location of these former lines. As ever, most photographs are of trains and not infrastructure. 

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