Ulster Transport and Folk Museum

Sunday we hopped a train with Steve and headed off to Cultra site of the Ulster Museum.  Steve had visited the museum before and was looking forward to me and the kids seeing it.  Wow, it was simply amazing.  The transport part was a lot like we can see in Canada and the USA but the folk area made books come to life.

So I will describe the Transport side and make you wait for the Folk area, it will be worth it I promise.

We visited the rail gallery first.  They have a beautiful display of restored steam and coal engines.  Almost all the trains and cars were open for climbing in and looking through.  The kids were amazed to discover 1st class is better seating than 3rd class in the train cars.

third class car

kids in second class looking into third class seating

first class seating

my favorite Engine the Dunluce Castle

rail inspection cycle

 "The riders of the rail cycle had to make a decision prior to taking off about which side of the rail to take the cycle off of in case they met a train." Radios have greatly improved safety.

rail bus

rail bus

oops

 "On 14 February 1890 a heavy cattle train entering Harcourt Street, Dublin, failed to stop.  the train ploughed through the buffers and a three foot thick wall and came to rest overhanging Hatch Street.  Miraculously no one was killed thought the driver was seriously injured."

monorail

 "This Co. Kerry railway is unique in the British Isles.  Built to the designs of a French engineer, Francouis Lartigue, it was an early form of monorail.  Although the railway operated form February 1888 until October 1924 the Lartigue principle was never very practical.  Because the carriages were balanced on either side of the monorail there was the constant problem of having to balance the weight of both passengers and goods before each journey."

Giants Causeway tram with Dunluce Castle in the back

An electric train that opened in 1883 it was closed in 1949.  It linked Portrush to Bushmills and the Giants Causeway.