Cavan and Leitrim Railway

The line had the support of Henry King-Tenison, 8th Earl of Kingston of Kilronan Castle, Ballyfarnon, who wanted to bring prosperity to this part of Ireland.

In September 1883, a public meeting in Ballinamore declared that a light railway and tramway would open up the coal and iron districts of Arigna and Lough Allen.

The Cavan, Leitrim & Roscommon Light Railway & Tramway Company was set up with a guaranteed capital of £202,000 in 40,400 shares of £5 each.

In 1933, after the closure of the Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway, the GSR transferred its four Neilson Reid 2-4-2T locomotives to the C&L line, renumbering them 10L to 13L.

[5] Four locomotives from the Tralee and Dingle Light Railway were transferred, after the end of passenger services in 1939 and freight in 1953, to the C&L between 1941 and 1958 numbered 3T to 6T.

The line's first steam locomotive since preservation is 'Dromod' a Kerr Stuart Brazil class 0-4-2T, which as of May 2021 was out of service[8] awaiting its ten-year overhaul.

[citation needed] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the heritage operation was unable to open for the 2020 season, and expects to remain shut also for 2021 to protect its volunteers.