The Railway

The Royal Canal Company was not profitable and was soon overtaken by rail transport. The turnpike roads also lost passenger traffic to the railways.

The Midland Great Western Railway Company was set up in 1845 to build a mainline railway from Dublin to Galway.

The new railway followed the course of the canal closely.

Steam Train

This steam train “The Emerald Isle” worked the Leixlip rail

Picture courtesy of John Colgan: Leixlip, County Kildare, 2005

Steam Train
Picture courtesy of John Colgan: Leixlip, County Kildare, 2005

Steam Train

This steam train “The Emerald Isle” worked the Leixlip rail

Picture courtesy of John Colgan: Leixlip, County Kildare, 2005

Enlarge image

The first steam-engine train passed through Leixlip in 1851.
Mass public transport had arrived in Leixlip and travel was no longer just for the rich. This spelled the end of the stagecoaches on Irish roads and the passenger fly boats on Irish canals.

Try the image quiz to see some images of trains.

Can you tell which one is the oldest and which one is the newest.