On way back from airport last Friday 12th April, I returned to Linen Hall Library, Belfast, where I had made a brief visit on Thursday 11th for an quick enquiry. Young American member of staff, Kelsey... whom I believe my collegue, Steve Love had also found very helpful, gave me a tour of the Heritage Railway section of the 2nd Floor. On Friday however, I was introduced to Gerry,who is the railway expert in the library and he was able to sieve through the vast amount of literature Kelsey had directed me to. Gerry's information was greatly appreciated, although I have gathered most of it already. However, I did think it was interesting when he mentioned the fact, that on a social level, the tram was a symbol of escapism for the workers who resided in Bessbrook and involved in the mill industry, which had employed up on 3000 workers in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The village of Bessbrook was designated by the Richardsons family, founders of the model village, as a 'dry' village, without a public house. Therefore the tram was a means of 'having a night out of the village' with a safe, reliable means of transport home after a few drinks. To this day Bessbrook has still no public house.
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