Irish Steam Preservation Society

BNM No 2/LM44, currently in Service on the Stradbally Woodland Railway

The Irish Steam Preservation Society was formed in 1965 in Stradbally, in Ireland.[1] Under the auspices of Colonel Kidd, it held the first steam fair in Ireland on St Stephen's Day that year.

The society is responsible for the Irish National Steam Rally, which held its 50th event in August 2014.[2] Additionally, it curates the Stradbally Steam Museum and runs the 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge Stradbally Woodland Railway. 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) which had been built by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. (2264 of 1949). Several diesel locomotives also work on the line, Notably the oldest working diesel locomotive in Ireland(Planet WN 2014 of 1936) "Nippy" and Ruston and Hornsby ESB No 4 "Rusty".

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Notes

  1. ↑ "Ask About Ireland - Towns and Villages of Laois". Retrieved 2008-11-03. Their main object was "to establish and maintain for the benefit of the nation an operating museum and to promote the permanent preservation of all types of machines using steam as their motive power, and their equipment and items of general interest of actual or potential historic or scientific importance and educative value."
  2. ↑ "National Steam Rally Back on Track". Retrieved 2008-11-03.