Limavady Railway

Limavady Railway. Welcome to the Backburn Path. , In the early 1900s, Northern Ireland Railways were at their peak. They allowed fast and efficient transport of goods, mail and promoted local seaside resorts. They also established standard time., From the early 1920s, road and air transport began to replace the railways so that by the end of the 1950s the majority of our local lines had been closed., Rapid growth of the flax industry in the area led to an increasing demand for fast and efficient export of flax and linen to the large spinning and weaving mills of Belfast, and so the line opened in July 1883., The steepest gradient and sharpest curve both occurred at Drumaduff Moss, where the train screeched and scraped along the line and often got completely stuck., Never making a profit, the railway was sold to the Northern Counties Committee in 1907., Passenger services were withdrawn in 1933 and only one goods train ran daily. The last train ran from Dungiven to Limavady on 8th July 1950. The Limavady Railway ran through here, mostly parallel to the Castle River, with stations at Ardmore, Drumsurn and Derryork. Although the line was removed, remnants of the line can be found around Limavady. You would have been able to see the Station from where you stand now, with trains arriving and leaving from the platforms.