The Irish Steam Preservation Society is a voluntary organisation based in Stradbally, Co 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. Additionally, it curates the Stradbally Steam Museum and runs the traditional Irish 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge Stradbally Woodland Railway.
The Irish Steam Preservation 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.
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, notable was the addition of the steam railway in 1967 of a simple track laid out and a locomotive kindly 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 special anniversary year. With this prominence 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 around the country. The rally has grown again in recent years to establish itself as the premier event in the Irish Steam rally calendar and has gained international recognition with visitors travelling from as far as Germany to experience it.
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 (later No. LM44) "Roisín" which had been built by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. (2264 of 1949).
In June 1968 the “Steam Museum” was opened in Stradbally by P.J Lalor, parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Transport and Power. It has grown from its humble beginnings to the fine building it is today housing many fine exhibits and engines for the public to see. It is open by arrangement with the societies secretary.
Portlaoise, or Port Laoise, is the county town of County Laois, Ireland. It is located in the South Midlands in the province of Leinster. The 2016 census shows that the town's population increased by 9.5% to 22,050, which was well above the national average of 3.8%. It is the most populous and also the most densely populated town in the Midland Region, which has a total population of 292,301 at the 2016 census. This also makes it the fastest growing of the top 20 largest towns and cities in Ireland.
The Talyllyn Railway is a narrow gauge preserved railway in Wales running for 7+1⁄4 miles (12 km) from Tywyn on the Mid-Wales coast to Nant Gwernol near the village of Abergynolwyn. The line was opened in 1865 to carry slate from the quarries at Bryn Eglwys to Tywyn, and was the first narrow gauge railway in Britain authorised by Act of Parliament to carry passengers using steam haulage. Despite severe under-investment, the line remained open, and in 1951 it became the first railway in the world to be preserved as a heritage railway by volunteers.
Bord na Móna, is a semi-state company in Ireland, created in 1946 by the Turf Development Act 1946. The company began developing the peatlands of Ireland with the aim to provide economic benefit for Irish Midland communities and achieve security of energy supply for the recently formed Irish Republic. The development of peatlands involved the mechanised harvesting of peat, which took place primarily in the Midlands of Ireland.
The West Clare Railway (WCR) originally operated in County Clare, Ireland, between 1887 and 1961. This 3 ft narrow-gauge railway ran from the county town of Ennis, via numerous stopping-points along the West Clare coast to two termini, at Kilrush and Kilkee, with the routes diverging at Moyasta Junction. The system was the last operating narrow gauge passenger system in Ireland and connected with the mainline rail system at Ennis, where a station still stands today for bus and train services to Limerick and Galway. Intermediate stops included Ennistymon, Lahinch and Milltown Malbay.
Stradbally is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located in the midlands of Ireland along the N80 road, a National Secondary Route, about 12 km (7 mi) from Portlaoise. It is a townland, a civil parish and historic barony. It is known for its "Steam Rally" and the Electric Picnic.
The Bog of Allen is a large raised bog in the centre of Ireland between the rivers Liffey and Shannon.
The West Lancashire Light Railway (WLLR) is a 2 ft narrow gauge railway that operates at Hesketh Bank, situated between Preston and Southport in North West England. The distance between the stations on the railway is 430 yards (393 m), though track extends eastwards beyond Delph station on ledge above the old clay pit which is too narrow to contain a run round loop. An extension of up to 435 metres (1,427 ft), running along the north bank of the fishing lake has been proposed. The railway has seven steam locomotives, three of which are in operating condition; two are currently being rebuilt and another is on static display. There are also two electric locomotives and many IC locomotives.
Andrew Barclay Sons & Co., currently operating as Brodie Engineering, is a builder of steam and later fireless and diesel locomotives. The company's history dates to foundation of an engineering workshop in 1840 in Kilmarnock, Scotland.
London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Jubilee Class 5596Bahamas is a preserved British steam locomotive. It is named after The Bahamas.
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI) is an Irish railway preservation group operating throughout Ireland, founded in 1964. Mainline steam train railtours are operated from Dublin and Belfast, but occasionally from other locations as well. The society has bases in Dublin and Whitehead, County Antrim, with the latter hosting a museum and occasionally operating short steam rides within the confines of its site. The society owns heritage wagons, carriages, steam engines, diesel locomotives and metal-bodied carriages suitable for mainline use.
F. C. Hibberd & Co Ltd was a British locomotive-building company founded in 1927 to build industrial petrol and diesel locomotives.
The protection, preservation, conservation and restoration of industrial heritage, and related machinery is often overlooked in social histories. As the importance of the industrial heritage of Victoria and Australia has become more prominent, the Melbourne Steam Traction Engine Club was established by volunteers to enable like-minded volunteers to preserve this part of history. The club was established in Melbourne over 45 years ago and is located at 1200 Ferntree Gully Rd Scoresby, Victoria, Australia. On site there is an extensive collection of Mobile Steam, Stationary Steam Engines, Stationary IC Engines, Diesel engines, Diesel Generator sets, Tractors and other mobile machinery.
Córas Iompair Éireann No. CC1, generally known as the Turf Burner, was a prototype 0-6-6-0 articulated steam locomotive designed by Oliver Bulleid to burn turf and built at CIÉ's Inchicore Works in Dublin. CC1 shared some, but not all, of the characteristics of Bulleid's previous attempt to develop a modern steam locomotive, the Leader. Like the one completed Leader, CC1 had a relatively short career and was never used in front-line service. It was the last steam locomotive to be constructed for an Irish railway.
Tom Rolt is a narrow gauge steam locomotive constructed by the Talyllyn Railway, using parts from an Andrew Barclay locomotive built in 1949 for Bord na Móna.
The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation (ORHF) is a registered non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Composed of several all-volunteer groups dedicated to maintaining vintage railroad equipment, the ORHF is committed "to secure a permanent home for the City of Portland’s steam locomotives, preserve the Brooklyn Roundhouse, and establish a Rail and Industrial Heritage Museum.”
The Stradbally Woodland Railway is a 1 km long single-track 3 ft narrow gauge railway line at Stradbally Hall in Stradbally, County Laois in Ireland.
