Irish Bog Railways

IRISH BOG RAILWAYS

Bord na Mona (established in 1946, immediately following WW2)

works Ireland 's complicated system of bog railways.

There are three sectors of the peat industry,

viz. peat for energy, peat for horticulture, and peat for domestic fuel.

By far the largest sector is the peat for energy,

which produces milled peat for use in power stations

to produce electricity.

The power stations are located around the huge Bog of Allen,

and the bog railways are used for transporting the peat

from source to the power stations.

Permanent lines run from the bogs to power stations,

briquette factories, moss peat factories and road side tipplers.

Most of the bog railways run on 3 ft gauge tracks,

and permanently-laid track connects the works

to the power stations and factories.

Temporary tracks are connected to the area of bog, currently being worked,

and then removed when that particular area has been worked out.

Some of the systems mirror standard gauge railways

with double track main line, level crossings and bridges.

Bord na Mona have specialised track fabrication workshops,

track laying machines and a very varied stud of locomotives (around 250 locos).

There are over a thousand miles of bog railway in use

making the Bord na Mona rail system,

larger than Iarnrod Eireann and Northern Ireland Railways put together.

Around five million tons of peat is moved annually

with four major workshops, located at

Boora, Blackwater, Mountdillon and Derrygreenagh / Edenderry.

Green liveried Ruston and Hornsby 40dl loco, built in 1948, stands at Dromod

awaiting its next turn of duty.

Numbered LM 49 (makers no 259189), this loco spent much of its working life

operating out of Tionnsca Abhainn Einne depot (TAE) in Oweninny County Mayo.

Ruston and Hornsby 48dl loco built in 1956 stands in Drumod yard in a very poor state.

This loco, numbered LM 161 (makers no 402175) and built in 1956,

worked out of Boora depot in County Offaly .

A rusting yellow-liveried Gleismac LF45/Dundalk Engineering loco, built in 1984,

numbered LM 361, awaits attention.

This loco worked out of TAE depot Owenwinny in County Offaly.

Another Gleismac LF45/ Dundalk Engineering loco in better external condition,

built in 1984, numbered LM 362, sits in the yard at Drumod.

This loco worked out of Bangor Erris depot in County Mayo.

Two Deutz KSKS28B locos LM 258 (works no 57839) and LM 262 (works no 57843),

built in1965, look rather forlorn in the yard at Dromod.

Both locos worked out of Mountdillon depot in County Longford.

An unidentified loco in the familiar Bord na Mona livery

stands with engine-coverings removed.

Another unidentified loco stands idle

but shows signs of having been recently worked on.

Judging from their outward appearance, the future looks bleak

for these two Bord na Mona -liveried unidentified locomotives.

A C class railcar stands alongside two demic locos

in the yard at Dromod.

General line up of e- Bord na Mona Bog Locos

The future looks brighter for this loco as obvious signs of restoration can be seen.

Deutz KS28B (works no 57834), numbered LM 253, built in 1965,

worked out of Blackwater depot in County Offaly.

The future looks bright for this yellow-liveried unidentified loc

under restoration.

A couple of caravan like C class railcars

are visible in this view of the crowded yard at Dromod.

Unidentified Ruston and Hornsby loco with porthole type cab windows

under restoration in the yard at Dromod.

Ruston and Hornsby 40 dl loco (works number 371962).

Built in 1952, LM 91 worked out of Boora depot in County Offaly.

	XXXXXXXXXXXX
Clonmacnoise & West Offaly Railway 25 July 1996 Bolo Na Móna Tour		Converted Massey-Ferguson Tractor stands in shed yard LWO Railway on 25 July 1996

Bold Na Móna Locomotive LM 288 stands in the shed yard awaiting its next turn of duty on 25 July 1996		Clonmacnoise & West Offaly Railway Tour Train approaches the station with the second tour train in the background. The small unit at the rear banked the train into the station due to loco failure on 15th July 1996

Bord Na Móna Locos LM 342 & LM 294 stand in the shed yard. C.W.O. Railway 25 July 1996		Clonmacnoise & West Offaly Railway Lin-up of Bord Na Móna Locomotives in the shed yard on 25th July 1996

Disused Bog Railway between Coole and Float in 1995		The Goods Shed at Float

BOG RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT Since I last visited the Float area in 2009, the Kiltareher and Milternagh bogs, close to Float, have seen developments, with rails being laid and the track to Coolnagun returned to use, therefore allowing new rail sections to be brought onto site. At the time of my visit, only one locomotive was working on site on tracklaying duties, with a modified tractor arrangement working a ballast spreader.	XXXXXXXXXXXX	The rails are being laid into the bog to allow peat to be transported to a loading facility for onward road transport to the local peat burning power station. A small engine maintenance shed has also been constructed. Thanks to the lads, working on the track, who explained the workings and answered my questions. BH


Loading plant and maintenance shed and newly-laid track.		Front view of LM loco on tracklaying duties.

Loco plus tractor ballast wagon		Loco plus ballast wagon. Note point-panel in foreground

Loco plus ballast wagon		Track to right leads off across road with new crossing warning lights installed. The line with the loco on curves away to the left and into the bog area.

The very friendly track-gang hand spread ballast after enjoying the jokes with, in their view, a rather eccentric English rail enthusiast, who had kept them amused for half an hour asking all manner of questions.		The newly-laid track to the engine shed would perhaps not pass Network Rail's standards in the UK.

Long rake of peat MGR wagons await completion of trackwork prior to being returned into traffic.		General view of the works with typical “big sky” over the bog
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BOG LOCOS LAST RESTING PLACE Many of the older Bord na Mona narrow-gauge locos at the end of their Bord na Mona life seem to have made their way to the Cavan and Leitrim Railways base at Dromod in County Cavan . Some are being worked on others appear to be Donar engines, and for these engines, this will certainly be their last stabling point.


Green liveried Ruston and Hornsby 40dl loco, built in 1948, stands at Dromod awaiting its next turn of duty. Numbered LM 49 (makers no 259189), this loco spent much of its working life operating out of Tionnsca Abhainn Einne depot (TAE) in Oweninny County Mayo.		Ruston and Hornsby 48dl loco built in 1956 stands in Drumod yard in a very poor state. This loco, numbered LM 161 (makers no 402175) and built in 1956, worked out of Boora depot in County Offaly .

A rusting yellow-liveried Gleismac LF45/Dundalk Engineering loco, built in 1984, numbered LM 361, awaits attention. This loco worked out of TAE depot Owenwinny in County Offaly.		Another Gleismac LF45/ Dundalk Engineering loco in better external condition, built in 1984, numbered LM 362, sits in the yard at Drumod. This loco worked out of Bangor Erris depot in County Mayo.

Two Deutz KSKS28B locos LM 258 (works no 57839) and LM 262 (works no 57843), built in1965, look rather forlorn in the yard at Dromod. Both locos worked out of Mountdillon depot in County Longford.		An unidentified loco in the familiar Bord na Mona livery stands with engine-coverings removed.

Another unidentified loco stands idle but shows signs of having been recently worked on.		Judging from their outward appearance, the future looks bleak for these two Bord na Mona -liveried unidentified locomotives.

A C class railcar stands alongside two demic locos in the yard at Dromod.		General line up of e- Bord na Mona Bog Locos

The future looks brighter for this loco as obvious signs of restoration can be seen. Deutz KS28B (works no 57834), numbered LM 253, built in 1965, worked out of Blackwater depot in County Offaly.		The future looks bright for this yellow-liveried unidentified loc under restoration.

A couple of caravan like C class railcars are visible in this view of the crowded yard at Dromod.		Unidentified Ruston and Hornsby loco with porthole type cab windows under restoration in the yard at Dromod.

Ruston and Hornsby 40 dl loco (works number 371962). Built in 1952, LM 91 worked out of Boora depot in County Offaly.
Return to Top Return to World Railways Index Visit Irish Stations Gallery Railway Map of Ireland Bradshaw 1938 Irish Timetables Return to RVR Home Page