Fact Friday: Episode 13, Whitehead Railway Museum
On this week's episode we visited the excellent Whitehead Railway Museum just outside Belfast.
We started with some tea and buns in their beautiful, Georgian tearoom, went on a great guided tour by Colin and because we're big kids we finished the day off on a ride of their Guinness steam train!
All aboard!!
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RPSI Whitehead Railway museum
A brief tour of the RPSI's Railway museum at Whitehead.
Whitehead Railway Museum
The official YouTube account for Whitehead Railway Museum.
Whitehead Railway Museum is a new attraction on the coast of county Antrim.
It is home to the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland and houses a unique collection of historic railway vehicles, many in working condition. Come and see how people lived and worked with these historic machines, or join us on a steam train trip for an extra special day out!
Shaped by Industry @ Whitehead
Shaped by Industry performance at the Whitehead Railway Museum performance on 25th May 2019.
By Matt Curry of Bluebird Media, courtesy of Mid and East Antrim Council.
Vicki Explores ... Whitehead Railway Museum
Whilst on our travels in Northern Ireland we discovered the delightful and brilliant Whitehead Railway Museum, and there was a short segment of it in our daily videos in Episode 16 on the 9th April.
Here's the longer bonus version video showing everything we got up to whilst there!
If you want to visit, their website is at:
Guinness brewery railway No. 3BG
Curator Edward Friel presents a look at the history of our faithful shunting engine, Guinness brewery No. 3.
You can see and travel behind 'Guinness' during special events at Whitehead Railway Museum.
To find out more about the RPSI, take a steam train trip with us or visit Whitehead Railway Museum, follow us online:
Whitehead | County Antrim | Blackhead Lighthouse | Belfast Lough | Discover Northern Ireland
Whitehead is a beautiful seaside town in County Antrim on Northern Ireland's east coast looking out on the opening to Belfast Lough. it is situated about 14 miles from Belfast City between Carrickfergus and Larne.
Before the Plantation of Ulster WHitehead was known as Kinbaine, from the Irish Cionn Bán, meaning 'the white head'. Whitehead in Northern Ireland has a population of around 3,800 as of the 2011 census.
County Antrim's east coast gem, Whitehead offers beautiful coastal scenery overlooking the mouth of Belfast Lough. Whitehead offers a lovely family day out at the seaside, where you can go sailing, fishing or walking. There is much to see and do in Whitehead.
Whitehead is near to Blackhead Lighthouse. There is a coastal path that brings you from Whitehead and up to the lighthouse around the rocky coastline. The path runs northeast from the seaside town of Whitehead to and around Blackhead lighthouse. The path is lined with grassland and interesting wildlife and their habitats on one side and Belfast Lough opening out to views of Scotland on a clear day on the other side.
With a colourful seafront, Whitehead is a welcoming and charming town on Northern Ireland's east coast. Accessible via train Whitehead is home to the Whitehead Railway Museum. Officially opened in 2017, the museum combines past and present modes of transport from today's locomotive to the steam engines made in the 1800s. The exhibition is inclusive and informative and fully accessible via wheelchair.
Whitehead also has plenty of restaurants and eateries for all the family, plenty of coastal views and walks to breathe in the fresh, sea air and enjoy with all the family.
If you are interested in finding out more about Whitehead and the things to see and do there, head over to our website:
connollycove.com
If you want to find out more about other attractions in Northern Ireland, Ireland and beyond click the links below:
The best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
Whitehead Railway Preservation Society, Open day
Sat 13 Sept. and we are down at Whitehead to visit the Railway Preservation Society based there.
I know very little about trains but I gathered together this information about the Whitehead Railway Preservation Society. (WRPS )
Whiteabbey Excursion station was built 1907.
The Society arrived at Whitehead in 1966. Steam trains were disappearing fast from rail networks. Many were being scapped.
As well as the station premises and platform the Society have some massive sheds for working on locomotives and carriages as well as new laid track and extra sidings.
The WRPS collection has 10 steam trains, and 3 diesel locomotives along with a diesel rail car, numerous carriages, including a dining car and goods wagons. There are also 2 cranes for lifting carriages. All these require exptensive expensive maintenance.
Special excursions are laid on throughout the year especially to attract families eg The popular Santa Special.
Riley's Whitehead Railway Museum, Steam Train Experience
Saint Patrick's day steam train experience at Whitehead Railway Museum.
8090 Leaves Whitehead 8th September 2011
With not long to go before final withdrawal, 80 Class DEMU 8090 leaves Whitehead with a morning service for Belfast
Whitehead Sailing
No Description
Butterley 18 08.13. Whitehead pulls D4 Great Gable
Butterley (Swanwick Station Site) 18th August 2013. Whitehead a small 0-4-0 ST shunts D4 Great Gable back towards the shed after being on display.
Steam Train 131 - Belfast - Whitehead ride
Whitehead Railway Museum - GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY (IRELAND) - Q CLASS 4-4-0 No.131
Local man Gustav Whitehead credited as first to fly
A Connecticut man is finally getting the credit he deserves 113 years after making history.
3BG Shunting No.85 Merlin & 461 at Whitehead 22/4/18
3BG Guinness is seen shunting K2 Class loco 461 & V Class loco No.85 Merlin at Whitehead on Sunday 22nd April 2018.
On this day No.85 Merlin had been shunted out of the workshop after having her boiler re tubed in the days that followed this shunt 85 was steam tested before re entering service on the 10th May.
Ex Donegal Railway Locomotive No.4 Meenglas Departing Whitehead 28/1/19
On Monday 28th January 2019 Ex Donegal Railway Loco No.4 Meenglas departed the RPSI Base at Whitehead bound for her home at the Foyle Valley Railway Museum in Derry/Londonderry after receiving a cosmetic restoration.
First we see 141 Class loco 142 shunting Meenglas into position under the gantry cranes for loading onto a low loader.
Next we see Meenglas being loaded onto the low loader lorry.
And finally we see Meenglas departing on her journey home.
During her days in service Meenglas would have ran on the 3 foot gauge County Donegal Railway between Derry/Londonderry , Strabane and Donegal.
Sadly the Donegal Railway closed in 1959
Today the only section of the County Donegal Railway still in use is at Fintown which is in use as a heritage railway and it is the only operational railway in County Donegal.
And also the site of the former station in Donegal town has been turned into Donegal Heritage Railway Centre.
And also there is the Foyle Valley Railway Museum in Derry/Londonderry
For years Meenglas was stored outside the site of the Foyle Valley Railway Museum were her condition sadly deteriorated but finally the decision was taken to send her to Whitehead to receive a cosmetic restoration by RPSI Volunteers & Workers of Heritage Engineering Ireland which is the RPSI's In House Engineering Group.
Meenglas departed Derry/Londonderry and arrived at Whitehead on the 30th November 2017.
During her time at Whitehead she received a full body and cab rebuild and refurbishment.
And finally after over a year long restoration Meenglas departing Whitehead on the 28th January 2019 and returned home to the Foyle Valley Railway Museum in Derry/Londonderry.
Meenglas is due to be put onto public display in the near future
The Foyle Valley Railway Museum has been closed for a few years however it is now under new ownership and it is due to fully reopen in the very near future.
As well as that the new owners hope to re open the heritage line that used to run from the museum site and along the banks of the River Foyle.
So with the Return of Meenglas and the re opening of the museum exciting times lie ahead for the Foyle Valley Railway Museum.
Note in the opening shot of this video you can see the boiler (located in the far siding) & underframe (located on the flat wagon being hauled by 142) of a 2nd County Donegal Locomotive No.5 Drumboe in the near future the plan is to restore this loco and return it home to the Donegal Railway Heritage Centre in Donegal Town.
Pecket Whitehead
Footage of it running at the NRM Locomotion Steam Gala and being loaded ready for transport after the event includes a few pics
whitehead and judy on the swanwick colliery branch at the midland railway centre
visiting loco judy of the port of par lowered saddletank twins and whitehead running a dmu coach at the steam gala
Steam train, Whitehead
The steam train goes back and forth between Belfast and Whitehead once a year over the Easter break.