Pedal-powered rail cars planned for Offaly bog

UP to 15 pedal-powered rail cars will be available for Lough Boora Discovery Park visitors under a new project planned by Bord na Mona.

The 'velo rail' will run on a 5km loop along the existing Bord na Mona narrow gauge railway with a star point close to the existing visitor centre.

Velo rail networks are a common feature in France and Ireland's first was opened in Kiltimagh, Co Mayo this year.

Bord na Mona says that up to 12 part-time seasonal jobs could be created by the Lough Boora velo rail project.

The project has been developed under the Midlands Just Transition Fund programme and the company hopes it will further enhance the overall offering for visitors at Lough Boora Discovery Park, one of Offaly's most popular tourist attractions.

Each cart will seat up to four people with the front pair providing the pedal power which will operate the chain to turn the wheels.

The carts will be specially designed to fit the 91.4cm existing railway which was previously used for the transport of peat.

There will be viewing bays, passing bays, picnic areas and a rail terminus and nearly all of the 5km route will be on parts of the park formerly inaccessible to the public.

In a presentation about the project recorded for the Midlands Ireland YouTube channel, Bord na Mona estate manager, Joe Ryan, said that in the longer term the velo rail could be extended to a proposed industrial heritage museum at Boora workshop or out to one of the company's wind farms.

“But for now, I'm all for getting this [velo rail] delivered in Lough Boora and I'm sure it'll be a resounding success,” said Mr Ryan.

The idea for the velo rail was originally proposed by David McNulty, Tourism Development International, when he carried out a tourism study for Bord na Mona and Offaly County Council.

Mr McNulty recognised the potential of a velo rail service at Lough Boora.

Bord na Mona hope the velo rail will extend visitor stays at the park (pictured below) by introducing a new activity which will offer new views of the wetlands, the sculpture park, wildlife and biodiversity.

It will also result in the preservation of a portion of Bord na Mona's vast narrow gauge rail network.

According to a planning notice in last week's Tribune, Bord na Mona will apply to Offaly County Council for the recreational development where the rail line will be used for between 10 and 15 velo cars.

Bord na Mona previously ran a tourist attraction at Blackwater bog, the Clonmacnoise and West Offaly railway, where visitors took a 9km ride on a bog train and had the opportunity to see modern and traditional methods of turf cutting.