Giant's Causeway and Bushmills line extension gets go ahead

[GM078]

From the Belfast Telegraph, 2/1/2012.

GIANT'S CAUSEWAY AND BUSHMILLS LINE EXTENSION GETS GO AHEAD

It's full steam ahead for a plan to extend a tourist railway line between two of Northern Ireland's most popular visitor attractions.

Planners have approved the changes to the Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway company's line in Co Antrim, despite a small number of objections.

Bushmills DUP councillor David McAllister has welcomed the plans, which will mean an extension of the railway line south from the existing Bushmills railway halt.

There were just five letters of objection lodged.

Planning officer Julie McMath said objections included concerns about air pollution and noise from the train.

Councillor McAllister said he is pleased permission has been given. He said: "I am delighted to see this coming through and it is an exciting project.

"It has been earmarked for many, many years and I look forward to it operating in the summer."

The Giant's Causeway is currently Northern Ireland's top visitor attraction and Bushmills, just two miles away, is home to the world famous whiskey distillery which is also a big tourist draw.

The tourist railway line has used both steam and diesel power and has had tens of thousands of visitors.

The Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway follows the breathtaking two-mile extension of the original Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Hydro Electric Tram track.

A new locomotive and passenger coaches arrived last year and were designed to recreate - as far as possible - the passenger experience of the original hydro-electric tram, providing a nostalgic journey linking the historic town of Bushmills to the World Heritage site at the Giant's Causeway.

 

[4SRKT]

Maybe they will lower the price so that it's possible to afford to take a family on this line.

 

[hussra]

Do we know where they are intending to extend it to - is it just to a more favourable station site within Bushmills?

 

[102 fan]

I must admit that this is one line I havn't been to. To be honest a Kubota diesel powering a sham electric tram dosn't cut the mustard for me. Now if they went down the road of a gen car with a Gardner and one of the original trailers from Cultra, then perhaps my interest would be aroused!

 

[hussra]

I must admit that this is one line I havn't been to. To be honest a Kubota diesel powering a sham electric tram dosn't cut the mustard for me. Now if they went down the road of a gen car with a Gardner and one of the original trailers from Cultra, then perhaps my interest would be aroused!

They had the Barclay 0-4-0WT "Shane" running in August when we visited - looked extremely tired and was only pulling 4 carriages (passenger capacity of entire train: 48), but there was no sign of the railcar set at all.

 

[4SRKT]

Three years ago when holidaying with the family in Carnlough I rang up the GC&BR with a view to parking at Bushmills and taking the train to the Giant's Causeway. The sum quoted to take the family on what is after all just a 4 mile round trip was so exorbitant that I just drove to the Causeway and paid the fiver to park there.

 

[GM078]

They had the Barclay 0-4-0WT "Shane" running in August when we visited - looked extremely tired and was only pulling 4 carriages (passenger capacity of entire train: 48), but there was no sign of the railcar set at all.

Haven't as yet visited the line itself. The impression I get from their website is that the diesel tram thing works most services, with the steam working on occasion.

Incidentally the Bord na Móna Barclay No.3 is actually a sister engine to the Talylln Railway's No.7, which was rebuilt from BnaM No.1 (No.2 is preserved in working order at the Irish Steam Preservation Society's line at Stradbally).

 

[PFX]

The sum quoted to take the family on what is after all just a 4 mile round trip was so exorbitant

What is exhorbitant? I only ask as I looked at their website and it doesn't seem to give much up to date info at all. The site I looked at was the one hosted on Freewebs so I'm not sure if there's another more current one as the last update was sometime in 2011.

 

[4SRKT]

What is exhorbitant? I only ask as I looked at their website and it doesn't seem to give much up to date info at all. The site I looked at was the one hosted on Freewebs so I'm not sure if there's another more current one as the last update was sometime in 2011.

I can't remember, but it was waaay more than I could possibly have justified to the wife (and to myself if I'm honest). A ticket for just one person I might have been able to justify, but once again it's the all-too-common short sightedness of 'heritage' railways in not having sensible deals for families (especially one located at such an obvious tourist attraction as the Giant's Causeway). This shows (i) a total lack of understanding of the costs associated with entertaining a family, (ii) a total lack of understanding of the concept of price elasticity of demand, thereby probably reducing their revenue by driving people away, and (iii) a lamentable lack of understanding that the future of our pastime requires children to be made interested at an early age.

I did notice that at the time their publicity did not include prices. I guess they must have been hoping that people, having driven quite a long way to Bushmills would not turn back and disappoint their kids. A cynical ploy that is all too common among 'visitor attractions' (not restricted to railways) that is unlikely to result in repeat business. A Chester Zoo leaflet my lad picked up yesterday at the swimming baths in Bradford did not mention that to take a family would cost in the region of £100. B*****ds.