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Your membership directly helps in the restoration of CDR rolling stock, in maintaining and developing our unique Donegal Railway Heritage Centre, and in promoting the railways of Donegal through publications and public events.
Another of our objectives is to restore a section of the old County Donegal Railway in Barnesmore Gap, one of the most scenic areas of the County that was traversed by the railway.
The old trackbed runs along a shelf on the mountainside with spectacular views. It has been inspected recently and is in generally good condition to permit relaying of track. The main road artery through County Donegal also runs through the same Gap, thus providing the opportunity to generate a large clientele on the spot as well as those coming from a distance to enjoy the scene. There is much to do with regard to getting landowner permission and to obtaining financing, but the scheme to relay from the famous pub in the Gap, Biddy’s of Barnes, up to the summit at Derg Bridge is clearly possible.
By way of an initial demonstration to grant agencies that may potentially provide finance, we demonstrated our group’s ability to lay track and run trains on the 50th anniversary of closure of the line through the Gap on 31st December 2009. 100 metres of track was replaced on the original Donegal to Killybegs trackbed at the wayside crossing halt of Mullanboys, with kind permission of the owner. With the help of a team of our friends at the RPSI (Railway Preservation Society of Ireland) track was laid by early December that year, and on the 31st trains were run for the first time for 50 years using our motorised permanent way trolley, also restored with the help of the RPSI and a European Interreg grant.
The photos show one of the famous summer excursions climbing up the Gap, our tracklaying team and the 50th anniversary trains. Income from supporters who pay an annual subscription will help towards this, and indeed is essential if this ambitious but feasible project is to succeed in commemorating the great excursion trains run by the railway during the first half of the 20th Century.
Standard Membership costs just €20.00 per year, and junior member is €6.50. You will receive two issues of our magazine Phoenix and two newsletters as well as special mailings in time for christmas and whenever we have some really special news. You can also become a SUPPORTING member of the society for €40.00. We are always grateful of the additional contribution of our supporting members and it is invaluable to the society. Life membership is charged at €250.00 and SUPPORTING life member at €1000.00.
We have a special offer this month, new members and renewal of memberships is only 16.50 euro. Just select the special offer when making your choice below.
Below you can select the type of membership you want, and pay us via PayPal or credit card. Alternatively if you wish you can send us a cheque made payable to CDRRL and post it to our address given on the contact us page.
Once payment has been received we will be in contact with you via email or phone. If you have any further queries about membership feel free to contact us.