Waterford Suir Valley Railway (WSVR) has announced that its General Manager, Maria Kyte, will step down from her role after 25 years of dedicated service to the railway.
Maria has managed the development of this award-winning heritage railway since its inception through to operating a very successful social enterprise as it preserves and promotes Ireland’s rich railway heritage and has become an integral part of the tourism offering in Ireland’s Ancient East, contributing to the local economy.
Maria feels the time is right to move on and pass the management of operations to someone else. Maria started her railway journey 25 years ago as business development manager for the Waterford Chamber-initiated, Waterford Suir Valley Railway Project, which was established to develop and operate a narrow-gauge railway as a tourist attraction on the 10km section of the abandoned Waterford – Cork Railway, between Kilmeadan and Bilberry.
In 2000, the project was established as a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. In 2003, the railway opened to the public inviting visitors to experience a scenic journey through the magnificent Suir Valley on Ireland’s longest narrow-gauge railway. Attractions along the route include the ruins of Kilmeadan Castle, the internationally renowned Mount Congreve Estate and Gardens, excellent examples of lime kilns and children’s favourite, the Magic Woods.
Over the years the attraction grew as it included special events to extend the season. The Easter Bunny Express, Summer Choo Choo Fun Days with characters, Spooky Express at Halloween and the Santa Express at Christmas fast became established as firm, family favourites with visitors coming from all over Ireland to enjoy the experiences. Visitor numbers are averaging at 28,000 annually.
The opening of Waterford Greenway in 2017 was a game changer for the railway. It brought greater visibility to the project as visitors flocked to experience the award-winning Greenway in this beautiful part of Waterford, rich in history, flora and fauna. As they stopped off at Kilmeadan Station for a welcome break, the company had a new source of revenue.This made the business more sustainable and justified WSVR employing more people on a full time and seasonal basis. The Whistlestop Café was built to provide a service for railway and Waterford Greenway customers.
In 2020, Waterford Suir Valley Railway rebranded to reflect how it has developed from an idea into an anchor attraction for County Waterford and to carry it in to the future. The Story of Rail Storyboards were erected at Kilmeadan Station. These stories celebrate and commemorate Ireland’s rich railway heritage, recognising how the establishment of railways contributed to the development of tourism and sport, industry, education, engineering and to our social history. Visitors can read all about it at Kilmeadan Station and on the Waterford Suir Valley Railway website.
Maria pointed out, “None of this could have been achieved without the amazing people who have volunteered at the railway over the past 25 years. Volunteerism is at the heart of Waterford Suir Valley Railway. From the board of directors to the train drivers, it has been humbling to see people give their time and expertise so willingly in order to achieve the companies mission. This is also true of the staff, most of whom joined initially on FAS, TUS, CE or RSS schemes. It has been a pleasure and privilege to work with them.”
The success is also due to the support and encouragement received from Waterford Leader Partnership, Waterford City and County Council, Fáilte Ireland, Clann Credo, Waterford Chamber, Dungarvan Chamber, Iarnród Eireann, The Heritage Council, Pobal, Waterford Local Enterprise Board, Bord na Mona, Visit Waterford, and from the people of Waterford.
The Waterford Suir Valley Railway story is still evolving. While a lot has been achieved there are ambitious plans for the future. The lucky person to take over from at the helm is joining at a very exciting time. While the brief will be to carry on the legacy of an already successful business they will also be involved in the future development. Waterford Suir Valley Railway has plans to return Steam to Waterford. Kettering Furnaces No. 3, a 3ft narrow gauge steam locomotive, gifted to WSVR by the National Trust, UK is currently being restored in Darlington by Northern Heritage Engineering, specialists in restoring and building railway rolling stock. The restoration project is dependent on funds raised through donations. It is hoped to have work completed by 2027.
Other projects include the building of a Preservation Facilities Building which will eventually be home to a new tourist attraction celebrating railway heritage. There is also huge potential to develop the Viking site, discovered in 2004 at Woodstown as a tourist attraction as it is just beside the railway line.
There is no doubt there are exciting times ahead for the new General Manager of Waterford Suir Valley Railway, as Maria assures them, “They will be assisted by a very supportive board of directors, committed staff, volunteer crew and the local community.”
She continued, “I look forward to reading all about their achievements and new developments long into the future.”
The WSVR Board of Directors has commenced the recruitment process for a General Manager. Interested applicants are invited to send their CV to info@wsvrailway.ie by 12noon on Thursday 5th March 2026.
Meanwhile, the railway is open for the February mid-term break from 19th to 22nd February, and plans are already in place to open for the Easter holidays as it will be business as usual for Maria Kyte and the Waterford Suir Valley Railway crew.
You can discover more on their website www.wsvrailway.ie and donate to the fundraiser for the restoration of the steam locomotive Waterford & Suir Valley Railway Company CLG | Online Fundraising
