Downpatrick and county down museum site, with a subpage on bcdr history, or the dundonald site. Located just outside belfast and with rail access too, this sprawling complex has two parts. The railway first arrived in downpatrick on 23 march 1859, with the completion of the belfast and county down railways mainline from belfast queens quay railway station. These pictures are published for pleasureinformationresearch purposes only and are not for sale or copy under any circumstances. There was also a supporters association known as the downpatrick railway society drs. Oct 05, 2017 the belfast and county down railway s belfast terminus opened in 1848 and was near queens bridge on the ballymacarrett side of the river lagan. Belfast to downpatrick and county down railway 3 ways to. Belfast county down railway museum trust book depository. Additional adjustments to services from monday 11th may. Rome2rio is a doortodoor travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Northern counties commitee railway is coloured green and the great northern ireland is blue.
The bcdr remained independent until 1948 when it was taken. The railway first arrived in downpatrick on 23 march 1859, with the completion of the belfast and county down railway s mainline from belfast queens quay railway station. Down miniature railway society operates a 7 14 gauge railway called drumawhey junction, located at four road ends on the upper gransha road, midway between bangor, donaghadee and newtownards in northern ireland. Find all the transport options for your trip from belfast to.
Its four miles of track connect the town of downpatrick with the local tourist attractions of inch abbey and king magnus grave, as well. Belfast and county down railway how is belfast and. The belfast and county down railway archives history hub. The end of the line was the end of an era but memories live on in aid. There stands, at what was the ford of the sandbank, the city and port of belfast. Fatal accident to milesman thomas walker near dundonald. This book records the triumphs, travails and tragedies associated. The belfast and county down railway bcdr was an irish gauge 1,600 mm 5 ft 3 in railway in ireland later northern ireland linking belfast with county down. Built on the trackbed of the belfast and county down railway, which ran to newcastle and was closed in the 1950s, volunteers have laid nearly three miles of. Find all the transport options for your trip from belfast to downpatrick and county down railway right here. Photographs search latest on this day notes and queries news in pictures share facebook twitter.
The railway captures the atmosphere of a full sized railway. Your support will go a long way in helping tour operators worldwide get back on their feet down the road. Find all the transport options for your trip from portadown to belfast and county down railway right here. Jun 09, 2010 the belfast and county down railway ran from queens quay station in belfast to castlewellan via comber, downpatrick and newcastle. This was the belfast and co down railway which also went to bangor via the belfast lough shore route through holywood, and also to newcastle via comber. The belfast and county down railway was founded in 1848. The line is the longest miniature railway in ireland. The belfast and county down railways belfast terminus opened in 1848 and was near queens bridge on the ballymacarrett side of the river lagan. The above photograph shows the original station building as it was before 1914 when two wings were added. The belfast and county down railway ran from queens quay station in belfast to castlewellan via comber, downpatrick and newcastle. The royal county down golf club was founded in 1889 by a group of influential business and professional men from belfast.
Coakham, bcdr coaches of 80 years jirrs 1086 and 287, d. Desmond coakham is a retired architect who has been a lifelong railway enthusiast. Mccormick, main line railways of northern ireland, r. A miniature railway operating steam, petrol hydraulic, diesel hydraulic and electric locomotives. A local history book which captured the publics imagination back in the. Jan 19, 2005 the belfast and county down railway by desmond coakham, 9781857800760, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The railway ran its own paddlesteamer service the bangor boat until 1915 and ran bus services to towns not connected by rail. Times are tough for the travel community right now. Every participant in these events will be allocated an evacuee number, and will receive a ration book, an identification card, and a booklet entitled your map for the route.
Thomas walker 25, hunters lane, donaghadee, was killed when he was hit by a passing train at dundonald railway station this morning about halfpast nine. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. It branched off from the ulster railway later the great northern railway ireland gnri at ulster junction. County down railway thrust along the shore of a sealough. Bcdr will find nostalgia on every page, whilst those encountering the railway for the first time in the pages of this book, will not fail to be impressed by it and will ponder the folly of its premature destruction. The 80 route miles of the bcdr stem were located entirely in the north eastern county front which the company took its name. Belfast and county down railway and the great northern railway. His professional career led to him becoming a regular commuter on the belfast and county down railway in the 1940s, and he is now one of the few remaining people with an intimate knowledge of the bcdr before 1950. The bcdr, familiarly known as the county down, was no exception and had several rivals within the county, including the great county down railway and the holywood atmospheric railway. Railway travel began from belfast to newtownards way back in 1850, and by 1861 had extended to donaghadee. Official tourist guide to county down and the mourne mountains. The belfast and county down railway archives history hub ulster.
It was built in the 19th century and absorbed into the ulster transport authority in 1948. Railfans will head for the transport section that includes almost everything from bicycles to the largest steam trains ever run in ireland. Scenic lines west highland railway mallaig extension railway callander and oban railway dingwall and. The bcdr bought off the holywood atmospheric railway and a degree of compromise was reached with the great county down, so in june 1846 the bcdr obtained the act of parliament necessary to build the railway. It absorbed the belfast, hollywood and bangor railway in 1884 and continued operating until it was nationalised in its centenary year into the ulster transport authority as a result of the ireland act 1949.
Portadown to belfast and county down railway 5 ways to. Its main line ran from belfast to the seaside town of newcastle and branch lines served bangor, donaghadee, ballynahinch and ardglass. There is some evidence to suggest that even before then a rudimentary form of golf was being played by the townsfolk on the rabbit warren at newcastle. The book also covers road services, air services, the effects of the war and much else. They are from a pamphlet put out by the trust in 1972 to raise money to buy saintfield station, which was closed in 1950. This was the belfast and co down railway which also went to bangor via the. Walker, who was in the employment of the belfast and county down railway company, was working at a fence at the belfast end of the platform. Railscot, a history of railways with an emphasis on scottish railways. It operates passenger trains with irish steam and diesel locomotives and carriages on part of the former belfast and county down railway mainline. Rome2rio makes travelling from belfast to downpatrick and county down railway easy.
Coakham is a prolific author of many books on the subject of trains and coaches. Information in captions has been researched as thoroughly as possible but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Aiden campbells book cherryvally, east belfast an illustrated history. The belfast and county down railway bcdr was an irish gauge railway in ireland later northern ireland linking belfast with county down. Search for library items search for lists search for. There were also lines from comber to donaghadee via newtownards, belfast to bangor and branches from ballynahinch jct to ballynahinch and downpatrick to ardglass. The red coloured lines are those of the belfast harbour. The belfast and county down railway 226 photos geograph. David in addition to being a partner in the lagan and princes dock foundries, was a director and stockholder of the belfast and county down railway incorporated 1846 which had its terminus at queens quay. Rome2rio makes travelling from portadown to belfast and county down railway easy. Railway travel began from belfast to newtownards way back in 1850, and by. The downpatrick and county down railway is an 5 ft 3 in gauge heritage railway in county down, northern ireland.
Belfast and county down railway how is belfast and county down railway abbreviated. With a mix of steam and diesel trains, and vintage carriages, theres plenty for train fans of all ages from wee kids to big kids. The belfast central railway was built in 1875 to connect the three railway lines in belfast the ulster railway, the belfast and county down railway bcdr and the belfast and northern counties railway bncr. He served as a magistrate and deputy lieutenant for the borough of belfast. An interesting journey of approx 12 minutes is provided.
The downpatrick and county down railway runs through the drumlin countryside of county down, st. The most easterly county in ireland has at its northwest corner the estuary of the river lagan. The belfast telegraph reported the story on 8 th july 1938 as follows. Belfast and county down railway the belfast and county down railway was founded in 1848. Discover book depositorys huge selection of belfast county down railway museum trust books online.
1214 1062 1478 1540 1272 775 1467 682 309 538 391 886 48 762 306 425 681 1431 644 1270 1127 1105 1321 590 593 468 1316 1424 857 628 1026 1210 1397 1217 1453