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Foyle Valley Railway Museum
The Foyle Valley Railway Museum was opened in 1989 by Derry City Council in conjunction with the North West of Ireland Railway Society
to tell the story of Derry’s railways. Today Derry is serviced by one railway line which terminates at the Waterside Station, but in 1900
four separate rail networks operated in and out of the City. These networks connected Derry to Dublin, Belfast and north and south Donegal
with the latter trains running on a narrow-gauge system. The trains were linked across the River Foyle by the lower deck of the Craigavon bridge,
whilst traffic used the top deck. The museum is located half a mile from the bridge, on the Cityside at the Letterkenny Road.The fascinating stories
of the rise and fall of the railways in Derry are told in the museum through exhibitions of memorabilia, including some actual trains.
Visitors can even take the opportunity to take a ride on a real County Donegal Railway diesel train along a two-mile stretch of track alongside
the River Foyle. The grounds of the museum are also adjacent to a Riverside park and picnic area. The Foyle Railway Museum is dedicated to preserving
interest in the Northern Ireland railroad systems. With some exhibits dating back to 1900, the museum traces the "boom-and-bust" history of railways
in the north of Ireland; from a peak of four major systems in the first half of the 20th century to the current-day railroad. In the warmer months,
visitors are invited to enjoy a three-mile rail trip in an authentic diesel railcar through the Foyle Valley.
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