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Plans have been lodged for what has been described as 'Ireland’s
largest road and rail museum' at Moyasta, west Clare.
The museum is to form part of the restored West
Clare Railway attraction, where visitors have trebled
since the return of the 117-year-old Slieve Callan steam engine
last August.
Announcing the plans, Jackie Whelan of the West Clare Railway
said - “The museum will be the largest road and rail museum
in the country.” Already, he said, he had taken delivery of
five rail engines to be placed in the museum.
With the plans lodged with Clare County Council, Mr Whelan
said he hoped construction of the museum will begin early
in 2010.
Mr Whelan also announced plans to extend the restored West
Clare Railway a further 2.5 miles next year. He confirmed
he is in negotiations with the National Roads Authority (NRA)
on the rail line crossing the national secondary route between
Kilrush and Kilkee.
The west Clare businessman said he plans to extend the rail
line to Kilrush. He said - “There are a few objections to
it, but we’re very hopeful.” Mr Whelan said that it was very
important for west Clare’s tourism sector that the museum
project would proceed.
Already, Mr Whelan has spent over €500,000 on the Slieve
Callan engine in a 10-year restoration project.
The Slieve Callan powered the West Clare Railway between
1892 and 1952, before being exhibited on a plinth at Ennis
railway station until 1996, when Mr Whelan in a daring raid
took possession of it and brought it back to Moyasta to commence
its restoration.
The government had closed the loss-making West Clare Railway
in 1961. After the Slieve Callan’s first trip since restoration
on the restored two miles of track last August, Mr Whelan
told a crowd - “It is my intention, while I am this side of
the ground, to extend the railway to the towns of Kilkee and
Kilrush in west Clare.”
Source - The Irish Times
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