Chuffers in County Claire

December 6, 2012

Blog reader John sent in this railroading memory to share:

Back in 1949 we had a holiday in Southern Ireland at a guest House in Kilkee County Claire. Having arrived in Dublin we then had three train journeys across country. Firstly we traveled by conventional steam to Limerick, then we transferred to another steamer for Ennis. At Ennis we boarded an unforgettable and wonderful steam train. It had open carriages, i.e. no windows, but there was a roof. There were few stations on route to Kilkee, (if any) but if the driver spotted someone waving from across the fields and clearly dashing towards the train, he would stop so that the person could board the train. How they paid their fare I have no idea. This happened several times as the train chuffed on through wonderful countryside on a track which was narrower than standard, but wider than typical narrow gauge.

Eventually arriving in Kilkee, the regulars and those of us visitors who were quick off the mark ran forward to operate the manual turn-table. Others helped to unhitch the loco. Then having turned it around, all hands helped with the manual points and the recoupling of the loco at the other end ready for its return to Ennis. We had a wonderful holiday in that beautiful remote part of Ireland, but I remember as a boy being almost impatient for the holiday to be over so that we could travel back on that fascinating do-it-yourself train.