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TheBallymena and Larne Railway was a3 ft (914 mm)narrow gauge railway inCounty Antrim,Northern Ireland. The first part opened in July 1877 and regular passenger services began in August 1878, the first on the Irish3 ft (914 mm) gauge railways.[1][page needed] Passenger services ended in 1933 and the last part of the railway closed in 1950.
From east to west, the railway ran for 32 miles (51 km) betweenLarne andBallymenaviaKilwaughter,Headwood,Ballyboley,Ballynashee,Collin,Moorfields,Kells andHarryville.[2] A branch line operated from Ballyboley toDoagh viaBallynure andBallyclare.[1][page needed] From Larne, the line rose for 12 miles (19 km) to a summit of 660 feet (200 m) at Ballynashee. The gradient was, in places, as steep as 1 in 36. The line operated both passenger and goods traffic; transport of locally mined iron ore was the main reason for the construction of the line.[3][page needed]
The line between Larne and Ballyclare opened in 1877. The line between Ballyboley and Ballymena opened in August 1878. The railway originally terminated at Harryville on the outskirts of Ballymena; in 1880 it was extended to Ballymena's main line (Belfast & Northern Counties Railway (B&NCR)) station, where it also made a connection with theBallymena, Cushendall and Red Bay Railway. The extension from Ballyclare to Doagh opened in 1884. The line's original steam locomotives were built byBeyer, Peacock & Company ofManchester to a design similar to those built for theIsle of Man Railway. By the late 1880s the County Antrim iron ore industry was in decline. The railway experienced financial difficulties and was taken over by the B&NCR in July 1889.[3][page needed]
The B&NCR was itself taken over by theMidland Railway (of England) in 1903, which in turn became part of theLondon, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923. The Midland and the LMS operated its lines in Northern Ireland through itsNorthern Counties Committee (NCC). Following the takeover, the parent companies were able to invest in new locomotives and equipment. FollowingWorld War I, the line experienced a further decline in mineral traffic and increasing road competition. Nevertheless, the LMS invested in new carriages for the line in 1928. These carriages were arguably the most comfortable and modern ever built for an Irish narrow gauge line, including steam heating, electric lighting, lavatories and corridor connections between the coaches.[3][page needed] The steamer expresses took 60 minutes from Ballymena to Larne with one stop and 64 minutes eastbound with three stops.[4]
In early 1933 the railway system inNorthern Ireland was severely disrupted by a strike. The management announced that passenger services would not resume. The strike also saw the closure of theCastlederg and Victoria Bridge Tramway. Passenger services between Ballyclare and Doagh had already ended in October 1930. Goods trains between Ballymena and Ballyboley Junction ended in 1940. The 12 mile long Larne to Ballyclare railway remained open until 3 July 1950, when theUlster Transport Authority (which took over theLMS/NCC in 1949) closed the remaining part of the line. This followed the closure of a paper mill at Ballyclare, which had supplied much of the line's remaining freight traffic. The UTA also closed theBallycastle Railway on the same day.[3][page needed]
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