Notes: Farland Point was the northern terminus of the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway (L&LSR) company’s 8¼ mile line, when it opened on 31 December 1863. The L&LSR had been authorised to build the single track 5ft 3inch (Irish standard gauge) line between Farland Point and the city of Derry/Londonderry on 26 June 1853 but, due to financial difficulties, a further act of 1 August 1859 was required before it could be completed.

Farland Point is located at the southern end of Lough Swilly in an isolated part of County Donegal. The main purpose for locating the northern terminus there was to make a connection with steamship services that operated along the length of the lough.

There are no known photographs of the Farland Point station, nor any detailed plans or maps. It will have been a simple affair, probably of timber construction. Although not included in either the 1853 or 1859 acts a pier was necessary and one had certainly been provided by the L&LSR at, or shortly after, the time of opening. The station was linked to Derry/Londonderry by electric telegraph. Three members of staff were allocated to the station: a telegraph/booking clerk, a goods and steamboat attendant and a porter/pointsman.

At the time of opening there were only three trains in each direction that ran to and from Londonderry Graving Dock station, the company’s southern terminus. The steamer Swilly gave a connection across the lough to Letterkenny and Ramelton in the summer months.

Even before the line had opened for services thoughts had turned to an extension along the eastern side of Lough Swilly running north up to Buncrana. Authorisation for this line was given on 22 July 1861. The Buncrana branch (as it was originally described) diverged from the main line 2 miles to the east of Farland Point at what became Tooban Junction. The branch line had opened by October 1864 and it had an immediate impact on Farland Point.

From the very start traffic receipts at Farland Point had been disappointing and difficulties with the privately owned steamship companies didn’t help. The opening of the line to Buncrana gave passengers better journey opportunities and steamship connections could be made too. By the end of 1864 the L&LSR was referring to the section of the line between Tooban Junction (then called simply ‘Junction’) and Farland Point as the ‘branch’ (Londonderry Graving Dock – Buncrana now being considered to be the main line), which showed how things were going. On 17 April 1865 the company decided to work Farland Point branch by horses but this only persisted until 25 April 1865 when locomotive haulage resumed again.

In the later part of 1865 and into early 1866 Farland point turned a profit but it was to be short lived and the L&LSR withdrew train services in July 1866. Reopening was considered in 1867 but the plans came to nothing. In 1868 the pier was dismantled and removed to Fahn (on the 1864 Buncrana line). The rails remained in situ between Farland Point and Tooban Junction until 1877 when they were lifted.

CLICK HERE FOR A DETAILED HISTORY OF FARLAND POINT STATION

Tickets from Michael Stewart. Timetables from Jim McBride and route map by Alan Young

Sources:

• Bell D & Flanders S The Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway - A Visitors Guide(County Donegal Railways Restoration Society, xxxx)
• Flanders S, S Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway - An Irish Railway Pictorial(Midland Publishing, 1997)
• Johnson, S Johnson's Atlas & Gazetteer of The Railways of Ireland (Midland Publishing, 1997)
• Mahon, G Irish Railway Record Society Journals - 1954 to 1985 (Irish Railway Record Society)

To see the other disused stations between Londonderry Middle Quay and Farland Point click on the station name: Londonderry Middle Quay,
Londonderry Graving Dock, Pennyburn Halt, Gallagh, Harrity's Road,
Bridge End, Burnfoot, Tooban Junction and Trady.

See Also stations between Tooban Junction and Buncrana: Inch Road, Lamberton's Halt, Fahan, Beach Platform, Golf Platform and Buncrana.