The County Donegal Railways Joint Committee operated an extensive narrow gauge railway system serving County Donegal, Ireland, from 1906 until 1960. The committee was incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1906, which authorised the joint purchase of the then Donegal Railway Company by the Great Northern Railway of Ireland and the Midland Railway Northern Counties Committee. History of the Donegal Railways On 1 May 1906, the Joint Committee was set up. The lines inherited by the Joint Committee totalled and were: Finn Valley Railway (FVR) from Strabane to Stranorlar West Donegal Railway line from Stranorlar to Donegal The Donegal Railway Company lines between Stranorlar and Glenties, Donegal Town to Killybegs, Strabane to Derry, and Donegal Town to Ballyshannon The Joint Committee opened the Strabane and Letterkenny Railway on 1 January 1909, bringing the total mileage to . By 1912 the company owned the following assets: Locomotives and rolling stock: 21 locomotives; 56 passenger vehicles; 304 goods vehicles Head offices and locomotive works at Stranorlar The Strabane to Derry line was completely owned by the Midland Railway Northern Counties Committee, although it was operated by the CDJRC. At its greatest extent, the County Donegal Railways Committee operated the largest narrow gauge railway system in the British Isles. The railway was affectionately known as the "Wee Donegal". Dieselisation Under the management of Henry Forbes, traffic superintendent from 1910 to 1943, the County Donegal Railways became pioneers in the use of diesel traction. The first diesel railcar was built in 1930 (the first diesel railcar anywhere in the British Isles), although a petrol-engined railcar had been built in 1926 before standardisation on diesel traction in 1934. Eight articulated diesel railcars were constructed by Walker Brothers of Wigan between 1934 and 1951, by which time virtually all passenger services were operated by diesel railcar, being much cheaper to operate than conventional steam trains. The railcars could only be driven from one end and had to be turned on a turntable to make a return journey. As well, they could not be worked in multiple, so if two railcars were working back to back, both required a driver. The railcars were incapable of hauling most freight wagons, so steam traction continued to be used on freight and excursion trains. The railcars could haul specially constructed trailers, and some lightweight freight wagons, which were painted red to distinguish them from the heavier wagons, which were