Water tower in Clehagh

Detached railway water tower associated with the former Clonmany Railway Station (see 40901025), built c. 1901, now disused. Steel storage tank set on brick-on-end corbel course on rock-faced squared and snecked limestone walls with limestone ashlar block-and-start quoins and brick-capped projecting plinth. Water spout to north elevation. Centrally-positioned round-headed window opening on east elevation, yellow brick round arch over, yellow brick block-and-start surrounds, sandstone sill, boarded. Centrally-positioned square-headed door opening on west elevation, yellow brick flat arch over and yellow brick block-and-start surrounds with remnant timber vertically-sheeted door. Foundry stamp to water tank north elevation reads ‘A Brown & Sons Ltd, Engineers, Londonderry’. Set adjacent to former railway station.

A good example and rare survivor of a railway water tower. With the adjacent former station (see 40901024), it forms part of a group of railway related structures at Clonmany. The high quality cut limestone and brick dressings demonstrate the significant investment in the design of railway structures, complementing the original station, and illustrates the attention to detail afforded even the most functional structures at the time. Water towers are an interesting relic of the heyday of railway steam engines. Its original function makes it an important element in the overall appreciation and interpretation of the railway and as such represents an interesting part of the area’s architectural heritage. Water was brought along aqueduct pipes from a reservoir at Ballyliffin. Remnant piping is said to remain in adjacent field. This feature was built as part of the Tooban Junction & Carndonagh section of the Londonderry to Lough Swilly Railway line, which opened on the 1st of July 1901 and closed in December 1935. It was originally built by the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway Company who had built the earlier section of the line between Derry and Buncrana in 1885. This line was originally a standard 5ft 3-inch gauge but was regauged to the 3ft narrow gauge in March 1885; the later line was also of this narrow gauge. This former railway water tower now acts as an interesting historical reminder of the formerly extensive railway network in County Donegal, and is an integral element of the built heritage of the local area and of the wider transport heritage of the county.