Motorcars and Vans

From the early 1900s cars and vans appeared.
They put an end to the train service to Leixlip in the 1950s.

Cars and Vans

This photograph was taken in Tipperary town in the mid-1900s. It shows a variety of different cars and vans and also some men travelling on bicycles.

Cars and Vans

Cars and Vans

This photograph was taken in Tipperary town in the mid-1900s. It shows a variety of different cars and vans and also some men travelling on bicycles.

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By 1977 an average of 7,651 vehicles passed through Main Street every day. Traffic congestion in Leixlip became a serious problem.

The train was reintroduced about 1980. Plans were drawn up to divert traffic away from the town centre by building a bypass.

Leixlip is now bypassed and the Main Street is no longer the only gateway to the west of Ireland.

Look at the images of cars from different periods.

Can you tell which picture shows the oldest cars and which picture shows the newest cars?

Car on Leixlip Main Street 1920s - 1930s

Photograph showing a car on Leixlip Main Street 1920s - 1930s

Picture courtesy of John Colgan: Leixlip, County Kildare, 2005

Car on Leixlip Main Street 1920s - 1930s
Picture courtesy of John Colgan: Leixlip, County Kildare, 2005

Car on Leixlip Main Street 1920s - 1930s

Photograph showing a car on Leixlip Main Street 1920s - 1930s

Picture courtesy of John Colgan: Leixlip, County Kildare, 2005

Enlarge image

This was one of the first cars seen in Leixlip Main Street. What speed could it go do you think?

Tip: Perhaps an Internet search might tell you more about the type of car. (Remember, always ask a parent, guardian or teacher, before connecting to a search engine.)