Castlerea Railway Museum
Small private railway museum in Castlerea with a large collection of Irish rail memorabilia and a diesel locomotive from 1955, visited by appointment.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Castlerea Railway Museum, earlier called the Hells Kitchen Railway Museum, is a private museum on Main Street in Castlerea, County Roscommon. It grew out of the collection of Sean Browne, a railway enthusiast who began gathering railway memorabilia in the 1950s and who also runs the Hell’s Kitchen pub on the same premises.
The centrepiece is locomotive A55, a diesel-electric engine built by Metropolitan-Vickers of Manchester and introduced in 1955 by Córas Iompair Éireann as part of the move away from steam. After it was withdrawn, Sean Browne bought it from Iarnród Éireann without its machinery, and in July 1998 it made its last journey from Dublin to Castlerea. It then had to be taken apart and rebuilt to fit into the building, and the museum was built around it.
The collection is described by the tourism authorities as one of the largest and most varied of railway heritage in Ireland outside the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. It includes signals, lamps, bells, tokens, posters, timetables and station boards, and a rail bike once used to inspect track. Visits are by appointment only and include a private tour with the owner.
Highlights
- Diesel-electric locomotive A55 of 1955, installed in the building in 1998
- Signals, lamps, bells, tokens, posters, timetables and station boards
- Rail bike once used for track inspection
- Private tour with the collector, by appointment
Permanent exhibition
- Irish railway memorabilia and locomotive A55 – A private collection of railway signals, lamps, bells, tokens, posters, timetables and station boards, built around the 1955 diesel locomotive A55.
- Operated by
- Private collection of Sean Browne
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €3 |
| Groups | –Other rates are available on request by phone. |
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|
Discover Ireland lists the museum as family friendly. A reduced child price applies.
Getting there & parking
The museum is on Main Street in the centre of Castlerea.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum is attached to the Hell’s Kitchen pub.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Visits are by appointment and are guided privately by the owner. Discover Ireland suggests planning up to 1 hour. |
