Calls for reopening of Limavady railway on 75th anniversary of its closure

This week marks 75 years since Limavady had their last rail service.

The County Derry town lost its railway on July 3 1950. 

The rail campaign group ‘Into the West’ will be at the Stendhal Festival this weekend to help spread the message that 'Limavady Needs Rail'.

The group has called for anyone going to the festival to come along to a presentation in the ‘Stage the Change’ teepee this Sunday July 6 from 3pm to 3.45pm. The presentation will focus on bringing rail back to Limavady and other towns throughout the North West.

ABOVE: Idea for plans for re-opening of Limavady rail. Photo: Into the West

The Limavady line originally opened in 1852 as a short c.3 mile branch off the Derry-Belfast mainline to connect Limavady town to the Irish rail network. It was connected to the mainline route, and a station called Limavady Junction was opened in 1855.

In 1883, a seven mile extension of this branch line was opened between Limavady and Dungiven with stops at Ardmore, Drumsurn and Derryork.

The Limavady-Dungiven section of the line was closed to passengers in 1933, but remained open for freight until July 3 1950. That date in 1950 also saw the closure of Limavady Station itself, with the town losing its passenger services.

The short spur line between Limavady Junction and Limavady town was eventually closed entirely in 1955.

Limavady Junction stayed open as a passenger station until 1976, with the building remaining in-situ until 2013.

Into the West rail campaign has said referred to Limavady railway is the easiest rail reopening in Ireland

The group has made a detailed submission to the All-Island Rail Review making the case for rail to return to Limavady and have been delighted to find that they agreed on this matter. The group stated “Limavady would be the quickest, cheapest and easiest rail reopening anywhere on the island.

“The old trackbed for the line is completely intact, and is barely 3 miles long. It runs right up to the A2 directly opposite the bus station, which sits off the bottom of the town's Main Street. So a new transport hub could be built for both rail and bus services in Limavady - on the edge of the town centre, straddling either side of the A2 (connected by an over-bridge with lifts, or an underpass).”

If you'd like to help make the case for restoring rail to Limavady, then visit: intothewest.org/join-us.

DONATE here intothewest.org/donate.