Stradbally Woodland Railway
The Stradbally Woodland Railway is a 1km long single-track narrow-gauge railway line at Stradbally Hall in Stradbally, County Laois in Ireland. The railway is operated by the Irish Steam Preservation Society.
Location
The Stradbally Woodland Railway is located in the fenced-off grounds of Stradbally Hall near Stradbally fire station. The line is open to the public on bank holiday weekend Sundays and Mondays from March to August and on selected other spring and summer dates.History
This narrow gauge railway is the oldest established heritage railway in Ireland. It is operated and managed by the Irish Steam Preservation Society. It was constructed in stages between 1969 and 1982 entirely by voluntary labour, many of the volunteers being full-time permanent-way workers from Córas Iompair Éireann, now Iarnród Éireann.The Stradbally Woodland Railway was the first volunteer-run heritage railway in Ireland, having been established in 1969. We've been running regular steam services every Bank Holiday weekend and selected other running days during the year ever since. The railway operates from a station through the woods, returning via a balloon loop. This line is home to former Bord na Móna steam locomotive No. 2 "Roisín" which had been built by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co..
Irish Steam Preservation Society
The Irish Steam Preservation Society is a voluntary organisation based in Stradbally, County Laois whose aim is to preserve and maintain machinery connected to Ireland's industrial and social heritage. The society is responsible for the Irish National Steam Rally. It also curates the Stradbally Steam Museum and runs the Stradbally Woodland Railway.The society was formed by a group of Laois based enthusiasts who set out to preserve for the good of the country, a part of our national agricultural heritage, the steam traction engine and its many forms after a meeting of half a dozen members at Harold Condell’s farm in Whitefields Co. Laois in 1964. They visited the Lowton Park rally in Lancashire England to see how a rally was run in the summer of 1965. A small gathering of engines was held at the market house in Stradbally on St Stephen's day 1965 and thus with this being regarded as a success it was decided upon by the newly formed society to hold a larger rally in the grounds of Stradbally hall on the August Bank holiday weekend the following year.
National Steam Rally
The National Steam Rally began as a simple arena with engines taking part in various competitions such as a slow race, lining up to the threshing mill competitions and winching displays. Other attractions at the rally soon came about, including the addition of the steam railway in 1967 of a simple track laid out and a locomotive donated by the Guinness Brewery was run with its passenger carriage in tow. In 1969, tracks were laid to run the preserved Bórd na Móna locomotive No.2. With this addition the National Steam Rally at Stradbally remains as the only rally in Ireland to have a steam railway.The National Steam Rally has grown and for its 50th year gathered the most steam engines ever on the island of Ireland for that anniversary year. Other heritage-focused groups, such as the Celtic steamers, have used the National rally as a place to end their "road runs" which they use to raise money for various charities.