The public have responded positively to the proposed reinstatement of the Howth tram, the director of tram restoration at the Transport Museum Society of Ireland has said.
Jim Kilroy said while it would be unfeasible to fully reinstate the tram’s original loop around the Howth peninsula, a partial reinstatement, going from Howth station to the summit of the Hill of Howth, could work.
Mr Kilroy said he had walked the across the land in Howth with an engineer who had been sent over from Scotland to look into different routes.
His comments come in advance of a study which is expected to be ready by the end of this month that looks into reinstating the tram.
Fingal County Council this summer commissioned engineering consultants Atkins to carry out a feasibility study on reinstating the tram or “viable alternatives”.
The stakeholder engagement and research phases of the project, which involved consultations with local representatives, businesses, heritage groups and members of the public, are now finished, the council said.
“[The consultants] are currently completing their report which will identify the most practical routes, feasible modes of transport and costs associated. It is hoped to have a complete report by the end of October.
“The report will have to be reviewed and presented to elected representatives before being released.”
The Hill of Howth Tramway system looped about 8km (five miles) around Howth peninsula from 1901 until 1959. It consisted of eight Brush-built cars in blue and cream livery and two Milnes cars, running every 20 minutes.
Its terminals were located at Sutton railway station and Howth railway station and the route went along Greenfield Road and Carrickbrack Road to St Fintan’s Cemetery, past the Baily post office and Stella Maris convent to Howth Summit.
From the summit, the tram went down into Howth, terminating at the railway station. Most of the route was single track with passing points at the main stopping places.
Mr Kilroy said reinstating the tram would have the added benefit of creating a tourist hub at the summit of the Hill of Howth in addition to the one in the fishing village, he said.
Fingal County Council said Howth has experienced dramatic growth as a tourist destination in the past five years, welcoming in excess of a million visitors in 2016.
