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Last Chance to Catch the Lapland Express
Sunday, 14th December 2008

Catch Santa before he has to wave goodbye

There's one more weekend to catch Santa on the Lapland Express at the Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway, before he has to return to the North Pole to get ready for Christmas Eve.

Railway Chairman Michael Collins said, "If you haven't been down yet, you're really missing a Christmas treat as Santa really gets everyone into the festive mood on board the train, singing Christmas songs such as Jingle Bells and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer until the train reaches his Grotto."

It's been 21 years since the very first train ran in Downpatrick back in 1987 and Mr Collins says the railway is still getting repeat visitors, "We've met people over the last three weekends who were children themselves who travelled on the very first train - and who are now bringing their own children down to the train."

He continues, "Of course, the exception now is that our line is considerably longer than it was back then!"

The steam train will be leaving the railway station on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st at 2pm and then approximately every 40 minutes till 5pm, but if you want to beat the queues Mr Collins advises people to come at 3 o'clock or 4 o'clock. Santa will also be providing his guests refreshments on the buffet coach. Fares are £5 for adults, £7.50 for children over three, and a reduce fare of £5 for children under three and £4 senior citizens. Tickets cannot be booked in advance.

Mr. Collins adds, "Unfortunately, while we've asked Santa to climb down a chimney so the children can see how he does it, he thinks using the steam engine's chimney just isn't on!"

Michael also chatted to Anne Marie McAleese on BBC Radio Ulster's Your Place and Mine programme yesterday morning to highlight the event.

Click on the buttons below to listen to Saturday's broadcast:

New Information Line Trial
Tuesday, 25th November 2008

Our new Information Line causes quite a stir...

As Christmas approaches many of you may have tried to get in touch with us by phone, but with no joy.

Hopefully that is set to change as the DCDR, in conjunction with MessagePad, is trying out a new information line for our customers.

You can ring this number from 7.30 in the morning to 7.30 in the evening seven days and you'll speak to a real person!

We have been trying to improve our telephone contactibility over the years, however as a volunteer organisation it has been difficult to provide phone coverage all week long. We hope that you will find this service useful and an improvement. You can still ring our yard number, 028 4461 5779, but if there is no answer instead of going to voicemail, it will now divert to this information line.

The line will be on trial over the Christmas period, so why not give it a ring? And importantly, let us know what you think of it - did you find it good or bad? Did the person you speak to deal with your query promptly, professionally and politely? If so we'll consider keeping this permanently. Email us your thoughts at downtrains@yahoo.co.uk

Santa Now Arriving at Platform 1
Tuesday, 25th November 2008

Denise, Nathan, Shea Drake and Nicole McStravick from Downpatrick with Santa last year

The Lapland Express is arriving this Christmas at the Downpatrick and County Down Railway for four weekends only with a very special passenger - Santa Claus!

Railway chairman, Michael Collins said, "We've a very special guest who'll be arriving in style in Downpatrick onboard his own steam train - the Lapland Express - to greet scores of children on the platform."

Mr Collins also says that, although the details of his trip are tightly guarded secrets looked after by Elfin Safety Services, it is his understanding that kids eager to meet the jolly big man in the red outfit will be invited everyone to join Santa Claus for some festive fun on the Christmas train.

Travelling behind an eighty-year old steam engine onboard vintage coaches, Santa is expected to merrily lead the way in getting everyone into the seasonal mood by singing Christmas favourites, such as Jingle Bells and Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.

Mr Collins adds, "Once the Steamer has gotten to the Loop Platform, Santa will invite everyone to join him over in his travelling workshop -the carriage where he makes all the toys for all the little boys and girls. Here, they will get to speak one-to-one with Santa and tell him what they wanted for Christmas."

The steam train will be leaving the railway station for the following weekends, Saturday 29th &Sunday 30th November;Saturday 6th &Sunday 7th December;Saturday 13th &Sunday 14th December;Saturday 20th &Sunday 21st December. Santa will also be providing his guests refreshments on the buffet coach, and doors open from 2pm till 5pm.

And as a special Christmas treat from Santa, he has ensured a discount on the children's fare for the first weekend. Fares are £5.00 for adults, with a special first weekend rate of £6.50 for children over three years old, and while it is just £4.00 for children aged three and senior citizens to help beat the credit crunch for those early birds. For all other weekends the child's fare will be £7.50 over-threes, and £5 under-threes. This includes a present from Santa, as well as the train fare.

Admission to see Santa in his workshop is also dependant on children having been good throughout the year.

Mr Collins also advises that it will not be possible to board the train at Inch Abbey Station, due to the route the train will be taking. He also says, "Don't forget, this is an outdoor event so please wear appropriate clothing."

And after Christmas Day is over, you can steam into the New Year with the railway's popular Mince Pie Specials on New Year's Day.

"The Downpatrick &County Down Railway is your guaranteed sanctuary from turkey sandwiches,"jokes Mr. Collins, adding that there is a treat in store for all visitors.

"All guests will receive a free mince or apple pie on New Year's Day while relaxing on board a heritage train coasting through the County Down countryside,"he says, "as a well as a wee tipple of mulled wine or punch for those not driving."

The Ghost Train Takes More Souls...
Sunday, 2nd November 2008

The haunted Vikings Grave, illuminated on Halloween Night, with ghosts and spirits rising out of graves

The Halloween Ghost Train returned to haunt the DCDR over the weekend, with a very "Spook-tacular"appearance on Halloween night, Friday 31st October, and again yesterday and today.

This was the first time we had run on Halloween night, rather than just during the day, and the difference in atmosphere was really bubbling on the platform and in Merlin's Grottos. Children were transported out to the grave of the Viking King Magnus Barefoot where, before their very eyes bodies were seen to rise out of the ground, and executions been carried out!

The train then backed up to the Loop Platform where the children visited Merlin the Magician in his creepy railway carriage.

Saturday and Sunday's trains were also very popular with visitors, despite Halloween been over...

Our very own George Legge (aka George the Ghost) appeared on Rick Nugent's U105 show on Saturday morning to promote the Ghost Trains. Click on the links below to listen.

Irish Rail Boss Launches Vintage Steam Engine
Saturday, 18th October 2008

Dick Fearn (left), CEO Iarnród Éireann, with John Beaumont (centre), Train Operations Manager DCDR and Mal McGreevy, Rail Services Manager, Translink

A veteran of the steam age returned triumphantly to service at the Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway on Saturday 18th October after a £23,000 overhaul.

Steam engine No. 90 was officially launched at a ceremony at Downpatrick by Dick Fearn, the chief executive of Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail), the national rail operator of the Republic of Ireland and joint operators of the cross-border 'Enterprise' service.

Mr Fearn cut the commemorative tape to formally mark the successful completion of a two-year restoration project.

Built in 1875, No. 90 is the oldest steam locomotive in Ireland still working, and is reckoned to be either the seventh or eighth oldest operational locomotive in the world. No. 90, which has been out of traffic since 1992, will now be used on our rebuilt section of the old Belfast-Newcastle railway line in County Down.

Mr. Fearn said, "In an era where railways, North and South, are experiencing a great renaissance it is always heartening to see the immense work undertaken by volunteers which allows us to reflect on, and savour our past."

He continued, "Organisations like the Downpatrick &County Down Railway keep us in touch with our roots as an industry and indeed as a community. The railway networks of Ireland, the United Kingdom and of the rest of the world brought communities closer together commercially, educationally and socially. It was in these islands the world was given the lead in railway invention and technology. Today we value the opportunity you present us to learn from our past;our yesteryears inform our future.

"As Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann, successor to the original Great Southern &Western Railway who built Locomotive No. 90, I am especially pleased to be invited to inaugurate a new era for this engine."

Mr. Fearn added, "This illustrates the continuity which is such a feature of the railway industry, and in this little engine we see the results of three determined volunteer groups in saving and returning to operation a unique locomotive able to haul vintage rolling stock on a full-scale railway here in the beautiful setting of County Down for future generations to enjoy -a task which is beyond the remit of a modern professional operating railway company. We wish the Downpatrick &County Down Railway and its volunteer staff every success in the future."

He also described how locomotive No. 90's story is testament to the inventive genius and the durability of Victorian engineering. She was one of four identical engines built at Inchicore Works in Dublin between 1875 and 1915 for the Castleisland branch of the vast Great Southern &Western Railway, which operated an extensive network from Dublin to Cork and Galway.

She was withdrawn in 1961, and after a distinguished career, No. 90 was seen as a fit candidate for early preservation and stood on display on the platform at Fermoy from 1963, and then Mallow from 1967 to 1985. She was then rescued and restored to operational condition by a Southern-based preservation group, but lay unused for nearly two decades from 1992 when that scheme folded.

John Beaumont (left), Train Operations Manager DCDR and David Briggs (right), Carriage &Wagon Manager give the green flag for No. 90

Michael Collins, DCDR chairman, said, "We've been in negotiations with Irish Rail for some time to give No. 90 a new home, and all our members are delighted that she can now be seen in action on our line."

He continues, "Once agreement had been reached between Irish Rail and the DCDR, No. 90 was taken in 2006 to the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's workshops in Whitehead to conduct a thorough overhaul after having been out of use for fourteen years."

Still owned by Irish Rail, the work on the engine was funded by the cross-border Interreg scheme, which has brought together four heritage railway schemes from both sides of the border.

Mr Collins adds, "We know No. 90 will be a major draw not just with railway enthusiasts from near and far but with local people and families looking for a day out with a difference."

At today's ceremony, the 50 guests, which included Mal McGreevy, Translink's General Manager for Northern Ireland Railways, as well as representatives from the local council, had a chance to sample the Society's vintage carriages, which date from the early 1900s, one of which from the same company as No. 90.

Visitors will have a chance to travel behind No. 90 on either the railway's Halloween Ghost Trains this Halloween night or weekend, or on Santa's Lapland Express in December.

More Archive Radio Reports Unearthed
Wednesday, 1st October 2008

It is with delight that we have unearthed another classic radio clip of the DCDR (then Downpatrick Railway Museum) on the airwaves, found on a cassette in the bottom drawer of one of our member's desks!

In this 2003 edition of Your Place and Mine Michael McNamee journeys down to Downpatrick to see the restoration work going on, and talks with Walter Burke, John Reilly and Gerry Cochrane, as well as jumping on the train.

Click on the buttons below to listen in your preferred format:

Railway Takes Delivery of New Track Maintenance Machine
Sunday, 14th September 2008

The newly arrived Daewoo Road/Rail excavator sitting in the station yard. The damaged cab can be seen undercover.

The Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway has taken delivery of a specialised excavator. Not only can this machine work, like a normal digger, on the road, but this beast can mount the track and run along it too!

This is a Daewoo 170 rail/road excavator, and is a very modern track machine. Although 5 years old it has only done 2850 hrs, and is in excellent condition.

It was involved in an (non-fatal or serious!) accident while working part of the "proper"rail network, sustaining damage to the drivers cab. However, as the cab is a standard design this can be easily repaired, and the machine itself is in excellent order.

As a specialised machine, they don't come on the market too often and we were keen to secure it to improve the speed and safety of our track maintenance - and indeed in the future track extension programme - all of which is done by volunteers in-house. It came with 2 buckets, and a matching trailer will follow this coming Wednesday.

The real advantage for us is that we now have a machine which can cover all of our terrain, without running the JCB up accommodation crossings at 5am in the morning!

Additionally the Daewoo can lift rail and sleepers easily, making it a very versatile addition to the DCDR.

Last Chance to Catch the Steam Train
Saturday, 13th September 2008

There's still time to catch the steam train this weekend at the Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway before the last summer train pulls out of the station.

The Railway is running its last trips to Inch Abbey as part of the European Heritage Open Days, and in the spirit of Province-wide scheme there will be guided tours on request of the lesser seen parts of the museum not normally accessible to the public, as well as the chance to sample the atmosphere of rail travel at its most traditional.

Railway Chairman, Michael Collins, said "After this weekend the next time the steam train will be out will be for our Hallowe'en Ghost Trains at the end of the October, so this will be the last opportunity people will have to travel on the steam train before it is infested with ghouls and ghosts at that spooky time of the year!"

Mr. Collins continues, "As part of the European Heritage Open Days, you can come down to the see the historic station building, workshops and engine sheds.

"If you want a tour of the yard, please ask a member of staff as you will need to be escorted beyond the platform and may have to wear a high visibility jacket,"he says.

Mr. Collins adds, "Don't forget that this is the last week that the Living History Monk at Inch Abbey, provided by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, will be explaining the history of the site to visitors."

The steam train will be running from 2pm till 5pm and tickets cost £5.00 adults, £4.00 children or senior citizens, and children aged three years old or below go free. There's no need to book and a ticket lasts all day. And to keep the children entertained the "Thomas the Tank Engine"model railway will be back as usual.

Apology: Down District Council's Ultimate Guide booklet listed that a World War 2 re-enactment event was to be held this weekend. This was planned to be the case, however around two months ago (due to circumstances beyond our control) it became apparent that we would be unable to host this event this year (hence no listing of dates on this website, on any other promotion). However, the Ultimate Guide had already gone to print and we could not remove this event from that listing. We apologise to anyone who saw the listing - we hope to host it in early 2009. As always you'll hear about our events here on our website.

Back on the Rails after Sixty Years
Sunday, 31st August 2008

Jimmy Majury (left) with DCDR driver Jeff Spencer on the footplate of No. 90, sixty years after he last pulled out of Downpatrick Station.

The Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway welcomed a special visitor at the weekend, as a former railwayman took to the rails again after a 60 year break.

Eighty-year old Jimmy Majury, originally from Belfast but now living in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, was a fireman on the old line back in the days of the Belfast &County Down Railway.

But back over in Northern Ireland for a short holiday he and his family decided to drop in on his old stomping grounds, long after he thought they were closed for good.

"Oh, they've done miracles here,"he says, "and it's great to see trains running again on part of the old County Down Railway!"

Jimmy started his career on the BCDR in 1944, after initially working on Co-op milk vans. He says, however, that he was always interested in steam railways and describes the day he went to join the BCDR, "I was only 16 years old, and one day I went down to see the shed foreman at the Belfast loco depot at Queen's Quay, and they took me on to work as an engine cleaner in the sheds."

He continues, "The very first engine I had to clean was No. 20, but it wasn't long before I got on the engine's footplate if a fireman didn't turn up for work. I always remember the first engine I fired on -it was a goods engine from the Great Southern Railways from the South which the 'County Down'had hired during the War."

"Your chances of promotion during the War were very good,"Jimmy states, "and once you had a year's firing experience, you had to go in front of the Locomotive Superintendent to be passed out -and I was only 17 and a half years old!"

BCDR No. 20 in Newcastle Station yard in the 1930s, the first locomotive Jimmy Majury worked on in 1944.

As a fireman, Jimmy's job was to keep the fire up in the engine so there was always enough steam for it, which required a lot of physical strength shovelling coal nearly non-stop, but it allowed him to travel the entire BCDR system -which included destinations like Bangor, Donaghadee, Downpatrick, Newcastle and Ardglass.

Jimmy said that being back in Downpatrick brought back many memories of his time on the rails.

He recalls, "There was one time I was working on a big goods train, which left Belfast at three in the morning to go to Newcastle, and I remember sitting in Crossgar station, waiting for the signal to Downpatrick. I was having my piece and a can of tea, and threw the crust from my piece into the firebox. But my driver, big Joe Douglas -a gentle giant and born engine driver -got rather angry and said "Never let me see you do that again -give it to the birds!'Well, nobody ever argued with Joe, so from then on I always made sure the birds got their breakfast after I did!

Jimmy left the railway in 1949, a year after the BCDR was nationalised and turned into part of the Ulster Transport Authority - as the spectre of closure hung over the line. But he still looks fondly on his time on the footplate before the line was axed.

"They were lovely and happy days on the railway, memories of which will last with me forever, even after nearly 60 years. I still talk about the old BCDR as if it were yesterday;my wife and sons think of it as a friend, they've heard so much about it over the years!"

Downpatrick railway chairman Michael Collins said that the railway was "delighted"to have one of the "old hands"back on the line.

"It's always great when one of the veterans comes down -it's their memory of the line that we're trying to preserve and it's always fantastic to re-establish that link between the old BCDR and ourselves,"he says.

"We're also glad when they give us the thumbs up -Jimmy travelled on our restored BCDR carriage, No. 148, today and says it's just as he remembered it when he hauled it the length and breadth of the County -that's what we want to hear!"jokes Mr. Collins.

He adds, "We hope Jimmy will be able to travel on our other Belfast &County Down Railway carriage that's currently undergoing restoration in the not to distant future when he's next over from England."

Did you work for or have a connection with the old BCDR? If so the Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway would like to hear for you -contact us here.

Trains to Return this Weekend - Flooding Update
Tuesday, 26th August 2008

Apart from a fresh coat of rust, the track suffered little damage

The DCDR is pleased to announce that we will be running trains AS NORMAL from this weekend onward - barring another torrential downpour.

We appreciate that some people would not have been able to see the cancellation notices that we tried to put out to the local press, and we apologise to those people who visited us last weekend and were obviously disappointed we could not run, and hope you'll be able to make it down this weekend.

The update on the floods is that the flood water level dropped below rail height on Saturday and was completely clear of the track yesterday (Monday).

The Permanent Way team, led by Andrew Cook, have been out the line over the weekend assessing its condition. We are glad to say that the ballast foundation appears to be sound, and other than regreasing a few things like point blades, and levers (at junctions), tightening some track bolts, there was no lasting damage to the track.

The water also flooded a couple of our sheds, but did not reach a height where it caused any damage. Indeed, Cyril Leathers our painter, carried on working on repainting one of our carriages in his wellies! That's dedication...!

The track, because of repeated flooding over the years (mainly at winter) has sunk to the point where flood water can cover the rails quite quickly. So what can we do? We hope that in the near future we can lift the track to its original height, removing the "dip"that has formed in the track - what we call the "Home Junction"and reducing the risk of further cancellations by floods, as this is not the first instance flooding has affected our operations - we had to cancel our first summer trains last year as well. However, to raise the track in this section by an estimate of 4ft requires a lot of ballast (large stones) and a lot of manpower. We may need to see if there are available outside capital funds for this, and plan this work in minute detail to avoid it affecting future train operations.

Severe Flooding Forces Cancellation of Weekend Steam Trains
Wednesday, 20th August 2008

The car park in front of the station was flooded as well as the tracks

We regret to announce that we have been forced to close our doors this Bank Holiday weekend, due to exceptional flooding along the line.

We were due to run vintage steam trains between Downpatrick town centre and the 12th Century monastery of Inch Abbey this Saturday through to Monday, but discovered early this week that the railway tracks had disappeared under at least four feet of water!

Railway Chairman Michael Collins said that the Bank Holiday weekend was usually one of the busiest weekends during the summer season, but the decision had to be taken for the safety of passengers and volunteers alike.

"We were completely taken by surprise,"he says, "We were able to run our trains last weekend, and while the rain was heavy there was no sign of any flooding when we put the train to bed on Sunday night. The only problem we had that day was that the coal was getting too wet from the heavy rain - so we just changed from a steam engine to a diesel engine!"

The tracks disappear under water just outside the station gates

He continues, "Because of this we went ahead with promoting and advertising our Bank Holiday runs as normal, but on Tuesday morning we noticed that the water was starting to rise along the line".

"By Wednesday this had almost completely submerged two river bridges on our line -and when a bridge is flooded you know the water's deep!"

Mr Collins added, "We suspect that as the rest of the area has drained all that water has flowed into the River Quoile basin, flooding the area around the railway."

Vice-chair John Wilson added that they had hoped to run on Bank Holiday Monday at least, but that this looks increasingly impossible.

"We have been monitoring the flooding everyday, and it is not in any hurry to disappear -we doubt it will be away in time for the Bank Holiday,"he says.

"Even if it did, we would still have to conduct a full survey of the track to ensure the floods had not adversely affected it and that it was safe for trains to run over it."

Mr. Wilson continues, "Last year the Severn Valley Railway suffered similar flooding that completely washed away the foundations of their track -so it's better to be safe than sorry -and until the water clears we won't be able to assess the state of our track."

The view from the Cathedral Hill shows the full extent of the flooding

Mr. Collins adds, "Fortunately the station building and the workshops appear to have escaped, but with the track flooded and the front car park flooded it's formed its own little island!"

"We know this will be disappointing to our passengers, and frustrating for our own staff, but we have been left with no other option,"he says.

The railway hopes to reopen the following weekend, but passengers are advised to call the Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway on 028 4461 5779 or 077 9080 2049 before travelling.

Archive Lambasting of the Old Railway
Sunday, 27th July 2008

The name of Knock Station, seen here in RC Ludgate's 1949 view, incurred the wrath of playwright St. John Greer Ervine in 1948

Today's edition of BBC Radio Ulster's Radio Years with John Bennett looked at the year 1948, and included a short snippet of noted playwright St. John Greer Ervine, who looks back at his birth-place.

In this recording he attacks the Belfast &Co. Down Railway for calling their station "Knock", instead of "The Knock", which he describes as being the correct terminology.

The BCDR did not heed his plea, and were not "so shamed" to change the station nameboards as they were rather more concerned about impending nationalisation and the prospect of closure, Knock Station amongst the closures.

Click on the icons below to listen to the Radio Years segment, including a short portion on the nationalisation of the Big Four railways across in Great Britain.

Steam Feature on BBC News Website
Friday, 18th July 2008

The BBC Northern Ireland News website is currently featuring us on their homepage!

The story highlight our current summer trains to Inch Abbey and the Living History Monk.

As well as this, it also features the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's resurrection of the old Great Northern Railway Portadown to Bangor excursions.

Check out the story here

Painting the Town (or Telephone Box) Red
Tuesday, 15th July 2008

The newly repainted postbox and telephone box

What do you do when the trains aren't running because of the Twelfth holidays? Catch up on all those little jobs needing done!

As well as a skeleton crew shunting the sheds, one such job was painting the telephone box (K6 design for those interested) and the King George VI period post box, which had faded to a sort-of pink colour since they were last painted, probably over ten years ago!

Both had been cleaned down and prepared in advance, and during the weekend repainted in the correct post-office shade. Which, incidentally, was carefully researched as tins of paint purporting to be "post office red"look nothing like it! The correct specification was obtained from Royal Mail and English Heritage (it's BS381C 538 for anyone interested, though quite hard to get as not many paint shops still mix the old BS381C range).

Thanks to the heat, it was possible to pick out the crown and royal cypher on the post box in gold. While these tended not to be picked out except in historical locations or places of importance, we thought our railway surely fitted into either or both camps! The crowns on the phone box will also be done.

As yet we do not have an interior for the phone box, though we have some parts. We are currently trying to source the remainder to make this particular artefact, once so common on our streets, complete again.

Discussions have also been going out about relocating the post-box to the station platform (a more prominent position) and using this as a donation box. We're keen to hear your views, so drop us a line via the contacts section.

Railway Closed for Twelfth
Friday, 4th July 2008

The Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway is reminding passengers that we are closed for the 12th July weekend (Sat 12th and Sun 13th July), but will be open as usual the following week.

However, if anyone wants a tour of the station workshops, there will still be a volunteer presence on Saturday.

The railway has not run on the 12th July weekend for the past ten years, but is currently considering the viability of doing so in the future, and is keen to hear opinions from the general public. You can contact us via the contacts section.

Opera Fans Opt for the Train!
Saturday, 21st June 2008

A full train arrives back at the station

A good crowd turned out for our Opera Fringe trains on Friday night.

Our diesel service, with vintage carriages, proved popular as many people had hampers to carry. The buffet train also provided light refreshments at Inch Station.

The train arrived back at 10pm with a full complement and many happy faces having enjoyed the warm summer's night and music at Inch Abbey.

We estimate that the train took at least half, if not more, of the total number of visitors, and hope that our "Park N'Ride"capabilities will become an integral part of the Opera Fringe and any other future events happening at the Abbey.

Calling all Opera Fans!
Sunday, 15th June 2008

Inch Abbey is the location for an evening recital

Inch Abbey is the location this Friday night (20th June) for Down District's Opera Fringe Midsummer Night recital.

The DCDR will be providing a Park n'Ride service with a heritage diesel train - so there's plenty of room for big parties, or picnic baskets.

There's a special reduced fare that evening only - for just £2 per adult or £1 child you can relax on board vintage carriages as you cross the River Quoile on your way to the Opera.

The first train leaves Downpatrick Station at 1830, 1900 and 1930, with the return due to leave after the concert at 2100.

For more information on the event, or to book tickets, contact the Down Arts Centre on 028 4461 0747, or email info@operafringe.com

Fingers crossed for good weather...!

Summer Fun at the Railway
Sunday, 15th June 2008

Passengers preparing to board the train at Inch Abbey last year

With County Down basking in the summer sun, the steam train is once again about to head out along the old Belfast railway line to Inch Abbey at the Downpatrick &County Down Railway.

This weekend sees the start of the Downpatrick &County Down Railway's summer schedule. From June 21st till September 14th, visitors will be able to travel back in time to the age of steam every weekend.

Railway Chairman Michael Collins said that Inch Abbey is proving a popular destination with train passengers.

"People who have lived in Downpatrick all their lives have travelled on our trains and told us that they'd never been to the Abbey before and didn't realise how beautiful it and this area of the Quoile River was,"he says, "So with the weather being as it is, why not hop on board and bring a picnic with you and catch one of the later trains back and enjoy the summer sun - fingers crossed!"

Mr. Collins added, "Our new single tickets are also quite popular, with 20 people travelling one-way on one day last season and meeting friends at the other end -something, if we're honest, we didn't really expect."

Doors open to the public on both Saturdays and Sundays, with the first train leaving at 2 o'clock with the last train returning from Inch Abbey at 5 o'clock. Passengers will be able to taste the elegance of by-gone railway travel behind a seventy year old steam engine and fifty to one-hundred year old carriages through the picturesque County Down countryside along nearly three miles of restored track.

Refreshments are served at Inch Abbey station. For those a little more adventurous, and perhaps live out a childhood dream, you can still book one of the railway's footplate experiences course and get to drive a steam train, though places are already filling up.

Fares are £5 adults and £4 children and senior citizens, while children under the age of three go free!

Signal Cabin in New Photography Exhibition
Sunday, 15th June 2008

The Signal Cabin photo from the new exhibition

Our ex-Northern Counties Railway signal cabin, which orignally stood on the Belfast-Antrim line, is to feature in a new photographic exhibition by Ballygowan photographer Julie Gibson.

The exhibition, called "Architecture of Down"features well renowned historic buildings throughout the County, and is being held in the Downpatrick Library's Gallery from the 1st to 11th July.

Julie tells us that there are 25 images framed and mounted with the main wall basically with images of the Cathedral and the rest within the Downpatrick area (e.g. Saul Church, Castleward and Inch Abbey). The surrounding walls will have images from Donaghadee, Saintfield and Portaferry to name a few. The images are for sale and there are smaller versions available as well.

Julie took this photograph while travelling on our Lapland Express last December from the carriage window - we think it looks quite atmospheric!

2008 Annual General Meeting of DCDR Society Held
Saturday, 7th June 2008

The 4th AGM of Downpatrick &County Down Railway Society was held at 2pm at the Saint Patrick's Centre today. The Chairman, John Wilson, presented his report praising the developments that had taken place at the railway since the last AGM, including the completion of the new bay platform at Inch Abbey, which allows us to offer refreshments and waiting facilities at our northern terminus.

Also noteworthy during the year was the awarding of full museum accreditation to the railway, and the BBC1 documentary "Raising Steam"shown in January.

However, a note of caution was raised with the recent rapid increases in the cost of both diesel and coal - essentially to the running of a heritage railway - and that while these increases could be absorbed without having to pass the cost on to our passengers, fare rises may have to be considered if the high fuel costs increase further.

Following the report from the Finance Officer, the election of members to the management team for 2008/2009 took place. John indicated that he wished to concentrate on the development of a 20-30 year plan for the railway, including some exciting possibilities, and moved sideways to the role of Company Secretary and Vice Chairman, with former Chairman Michael Collins returning to the role once more. John replaces Raymond Dougan as Secretary, who is standing down due to increasing work commitments, and George Legge as Vice-Chairman. George remains Commercial Manager. For the full make-up of the new board see the About Us page.

After the election, the floor was open to an informal Q&A session, with Engineering Manager Philip McKinstry outlining some exciting and ambitious 5-year plan to completely overhaul the track in Downpatrick Station and begin to install authentic semaphore signalling. Other questions included volunteer recruitment, and the availability of railway civil engineering equipment.

Members will receive the minutes and reports of the AGM in due course. If you're not yet a member but want to receive this information - join now!

Or if you have some spare leisure time why not pop up this Wednesday or Saturday to Downpatrick and lend a hand? Whatever your skills - or not - your local heritage railway needs you!

Railway Volunteering is on the Right Track!
Tuesday, 2nd June 2008

Mark Walsh of the RPSI on the footplate of No. 4, is keen to see more young volunteers like himself

This week is Volunteers' Week, and without the sterling efforts of committed volunteers here at Downpatrick and with our friends at Whitehead in the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, Northern Ireland's heritage railway and preservation movement simply would not exist, and to mark this week two volunteers from each society have issued a joint appeal for new members.

Compared to the wealth of heritage railways in Great Britain, Northern Ireland -and indeed Ireland as a whole -only has two full-size heritage railway schemes. Both organisations developed from a handful of enthusiasts clubbing together to protect our fast disappearing railway heritage -the RPSI was formed 40 years ago to keep steam trains running on the national network, while our slightly younger selves at 20 years old have gradually rebuilt a line closed in the 1950s to save more antique equipment such as track and signalling.

Mark Walsh, a trainee manager with Moypark Meats, is one of a number of growing band of under-25s at the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, and has been a keen volunteer for seven years. Mark says, "I saw a request for people to volunteers as Coach Stewards on our Santa Trains, and once I got started I stayed on helping with the track team.""Now I'm working towards being a trainee driver, but in the meantime they also have me "pulling pints"in the Dining Car on our steam tours until I can get up into the engine!"he adds.

David Briggs of the DCDR says there's plenty of opportunities for people no matter your age or background

David Briggs, who's the Carriage &Wagon Officer at the Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway, says it's not just the youngsters who help keep the heritage railway movement going. "I'm 52 and recently took early retirement,"he says, "I'd never volunteered before but I found that volunteering really helps you maintain your skills and helps you learn new ones as well as bringing experience to the railway."

Whilst volunteering has grown in younger age groups, it has decreased amongst older people, and studies have shown that the voluntary sector is missing out on a wealth of experience from people who have retired, with skills ready to be tapped. David adds, "I've seen that here, we've been joined by a number of people in the last year or so who've just retired and have a background in civil and mechanical engineering, and took on projects that had more-or-less stalled and have made them come alive and they're really going forward."

And volunteering at a young age also has its benefits, as Mark explains, "I've acquired new skills, not only in the engineering side, but also in Customer Care which I probably wouldn't have gotten elsewhere,"he says, adding "I also didn't know one end of a spanner from another!""It's a great opportunity to work out in the open air, and of course there is the chance to travel in a train all over the country hauled by a steam locomotive. It's really good fun being part of a team, and I have made a lot of good friends, both young and old."Mark adds, "We find that our young volunteers value their experiences and that many more young people would volunteer if they were given the opportunity and support to do so."

But you don't have to be a total railway buff to enjoy working at Whitehead or Downpatrick, as David explains, "Many of the people at Downpatrick couldn't tell you the history of the carriage or loco that they're working on -they come down to use their painting skills or woodworking or metalwork skills, there's more to a heritage railway than just trains.""The opportunities are wide and varied at both societies,"he explains, "you don't need to have any railway experience -just keenness and enthusiasm will get you started -you can help out on running days, or work behind the scenes -here at Downpatrick we have a wealth of locomotives that anyone with an interest in diesels or steamers could get started on right away."

David prepares to tackle another job

As well as the technical side of railway volunteering, both are keen to stress there is a wealth of other unspecialised jobs that need doing, such as looking after the general and museum admin, trackwork, amongst others.David adds that it is very important for people to continue to enjoy steam for as long as possible, and that it is very important that younger and older people acquire and share the skills and dedication to keep the trains running, a view shared by Mark. "Can we gain enough knowledge and new blood to keep the heritage railways in Northern Ireland running? I hope so!"he says.

There is great joy to be had in volunteering, so this Volunteers Week, if you have some spare leisure time why not pop up this Saturday to Downpatrick and give it a try? Whatever your skills - or not - your local heritage railway needs you!

And to coincide with this week, our volunteers page has been updated - click HERE for more.

Well Done Ian!
Friday, 16th May 2008

Ian Davis (second from left) receives his award with fellow winner Liz McMorris, from Down District Chairman Eddie Rea (right) and BBC Northern Ireland's Noel Thompson

One of the Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway's own has been chosen as Down District's Tourism Hero for 2008.

Ian Davis, 82, has been a stalwart of the volunteer-run tourist attraction for over 20 years, and received the accolade from Down District Chairman Eddie Rea and the BBC's Noel Thompson at this year's award ceremony, held at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle last Thursday night.

The society was formed in 1985, and it wasn't long before Ian's good friend and railway enthusiast, the late John McCutcheon, convinced him that he should spend his retirement from the Civil Service rebuilding old carriages at the fledgling society.

The lack of facilities at Downpatrick yard back in the late 1980s didn't put Ian off, and he would often be found with other members of the team working on vintage carriages out in the open with no cover against the elements or electricity for power tools - only hand tools to get the job done.

Railway Chairman John Wilson described Ian as an absolute credit to the Railway.

"Few of us have been volunteering as long as Ian, certainly not myself, nor the rest of the management team!"he says.

"He's had a hand in nearly all our carriage restoration projects, and has served on the committee on several occasions as well as recently editing our newsletter."

Ian's nomination came from his fellow society members who felt that his determination to return to the railway after a serious car accident two years ago deserved to be recognised.

Ian accepts his award, watched by Noel Thompson and Cllr. Eddie Rea

"Ian had to wear a neck brace for nearly a year, and everyone would have understood at his age if he chose to take it a bit easier,"Mr. Wilson says, "But Ian was having none of it, and as soon as it was off he was straight back down to help on the restoration work of a carriage that he used to travel in as a schoolboy."

"That shows you the sort of character Ian is, and the dedication of the man."

The carriage in question is a former Belfast &County Down Railway carriage that used to run between Belfast and Holywood, and that Ian would always choose when boarding at Sydenham because of its distinctive shape, allowing the person who was picking him up in Belfast to know exactly where to find him.

Mr. Wilson says, "We are all delighted for Ian, he thoroughly deserves this award, and it shows you that you're never too old to volunteer or to make a contribution to the community."

Ian always thanks his wife for allowing him to come down on Wednesday and Saturdays to work on his projects.

Railway Hopes Tamper Will Mean Goodbye to Picks and Shovels!
Saturday, 10th May 2008

The Tamper being craned on to the track

The Downpatrick and County Down Railway gave a "lift"to an unusual train today.

The machine, known as a 'tamper' was acquired from Northern Ireland Railways and was delivered to Downpatrick after being craned onto a lorry at NIR's Adelaide Depot in South Belfast.

Andy Cook, Infrastructure Manager with the DCDR, explains that this is an essential piece of maintenance equipment designed to pack stones nderneath railway track.

"Over time trains moving over railway track cause gaps, known as 'voids', to form in the ballast that holds the line in position. On any railway where this has happened you can clearly see sleepers bouncing up and down as the wheels pass over them. When this happens passengers notice a distinct bounce."

"From a technical viewpoint this movement wears out the track quicker, which may mean having to relay sections. So voids need to be filled in to give a firm base for each sleeper."

He adds, "This machine will help prevent any such voids developing on our line, and stop the track from going out of alignment, as well as meaning a smoother ride for our passengers."

Mr. Cook explained that the Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway is Ireland's only full-size heritage line, and has laid and maintains nearly three miles of track by hand.

"It's back-breaking work, as we're using picks and shovels to do this work at the moment,"he says, "We've done an amazing job but if we're to keep the line in shape or extend it at some stage our handful of volunteers would face a daunting task. While we're a heritage railway committed to preserving our Victorian and Edwardian railway past, I don't think we should rely on 19th Century track laying and maintenance techniques!"jokes Mr. Cook.

So the DCDR jumped at the chance when a mechanical tamping machine became available. An older type of machine had been withdrawn from service by NIR, and was lying in storage at their depot at Adelaide.

The Tamper is prepared for lifting at Adelaide Yard. One of the newly refurbished NIR 80 Class railcars can be seen on the right hand side.

Eugene O'Brien, Infrastructure Engineer with Translink said, "This piece of equipment which was used to maintain the track is now obsolete. As we no longer have any requirement for it we are pleased to be able to let the Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway have it."

He explained that this machine packs ballast under an old type of old jointed track known as bull-head rail, which NIR no longer uses on any of its lines, but that the DCDR's line is made entirely from this type of track.

It is expected to take around a year to refurbish and overhaul the tamper, and any diesel engine buffs or anyone with an interest in getting it going or helping out with the track at the DCDR should get in touch with Andy Cook at Downpatrick Station any Wednesday or Saturday.

Saving Your Old Snaps of the Railway
Sunday, 27th April 2008

The Marshallstown Road level crossing on the Ardglass line, just outside Downpatrick in 1949 - with the Curran family operating the ground frame to let No. 27 pass.

With the 150th Anniversary of the railway opening to Downpatrick fast approaching next March, the Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway wants anyone with any photos of the old Belfast &County Down Railway to get in touch. It is important that photographs are recorded and preserved to show what life on the railway was like before the line was closed in 1950, and used to run from Belfast to between towns like Comber, Newtownards, Downpatrick, Newcastle and Ardglass.

Photos were meant to last, but all too often we find that they don't - the people who took them pass away and families throw them out because they're thought to have no historical value or importance. Indeed, everyone in the DCDR and in the wider railway fraternity knows of at least one story where something has been lost, forgotten or binned.

Although we would very much welcome original prints and negatives, we do know that photos often show loved ones and that people often don't want to part with them, which we perfectly understand, which is why we can offer anyone who has railway photographs the chance to have them digitally reproduced by us.

Porter Bob Seales standing on the bridge that carried the main line and Newtownards line over Comber's Glen Road in 1941.

Another area we're keen to see if anyone has recorded is the Harland &Wolff diesel engine that used to run between Downpatrick and Ardglass during the Forties. There's plenty of it in its later life at Great Victoria Street after the lines closed, but few of it on its native turf.

Distance isn't an issue, we can come round to where you are, whether you're in Bangor, Ardglass, Newcastle or further afield! We're also keen to hear from anyone who has a connection to the BCDR - maybe even a member of staff that we haven't met before, we'd like to record their stories and experiences to provide an oral history of the BCDR.

The Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway is currently planning to create a permanent exhibition about the BCDR in its station building in time for the 150th Anniversary, and is currently working on digitising its entire photograph collection with a view to making it more accessible to the public for research purposes and nostalgia.

Anyone with any photographs, or any other BCDR items or artefacts, or knows someone who might be able to help is urged to email us downtrains@yahoo.co.uk, or write c/o Downpatrick &Co. Down Railway, Market Street, Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 6LZ.

As part of this appeal our Vice President, Michael Collins, spoke to Linda McAuley on BBC Radio Ulster and George Jones of U105, click on the buttons below to listen to the broadcasts:

Local Fire Brigade's Gift to the Railway
Monday, 31st March 2008

John Beaumont receives the donation from David Dryden, Downpatrick Station Commander

The DCDR has been given a given a very generous donation of £500 by the local Downpatrick station of the Northern Ireland Fire &Rescue Service.

The local Fire Brigade have an annual collection every year for their favourite charities, and this year the DCDR was selected.

Finance Officer John Beaumont and Hon. Vice President Michael Collins, representing Chairman John Wilson, attended a reception at Downpatrick Fire Station last Wednesday night to receive the donation.

Downpatrick Fire Brigade had previously, of course, been instrumental in saving our station building from total destruction after an arson attack in the early hours of Boxing Day in 2002.

Our sincere thanks go to the crews at the Fire Station.

Joe Lindsay Catches the Eggspress
Thursday, 27th March 2008

Joe Lindsay, sitting in the hotseat on BBC Radio Ulster's afternoon show, talked to Michael Collins on Easter Monday about how the Easter Eggspress has done, and why men need a shed. Click on the buttons below to listen to Monday's broadcast:

Paddy's Day and Easter Prove Massive Success!
Tuesday, 25th March 2007

The 2008 running season at the DCDR kicked off with the Shamrock Specials and the Easter Eggspress trains running on the 17th March and the following weekend.

Just under 1,000 people travelled on St. Patrick's day - 933 to be precise - with just over half travelling in from Inch Abbey - a first for the DCDR, having more people travelling INTO town than travelling out. Below are a selection of photos from St. Patrick's Day, and the town's carnival that terminates outside the main station.

And you thought Leprechauns were meant to be small 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

With Easter being abnormally close to St. Patrick's Day this year, it was afraid that Easter would be quieter following Patrick's Day. Fortunately this was not the case, and despite the cold all trains were very well filled throughout the three days, with Easter Monday being the busiest.

However we are aware that the ever-increasing popularity of these services means that every seat is being squeezed into use, with sometimes not enough room for everyone wanting to travel. This will be addressed by the restoration and return to service of higher capacity carriages, and we hope you can bear with us until this work is completed - indeed why not come down and give us a hand? The Carriage Team is always keen to get new members! Just come down on a Wednesday or Saturday and introduce yourself to the team.

U105's Rick Nugent Climbs Onboard the Shamrock Express
Saturday, 15th March 2008

Rick Nugent from U105 talked to Michael Collins today about the up-coming Shamrock Specials, and how to beat the traffic on St. Patrick's Day. Click on the buttons below to listen to today's broadcast:

Tree-mendous Developments on the South Line
Tuesday, 11th March 2008

Philip McKinstry and one of Conservation Volunteers planting the new trees

Just over week before St Patrick's Day the DCDR joined forces with Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland to plant 100 trees.

With the supermarket extension now complete and the railways site on our southern boundary restored and re-fenced it seemed an opportune time to turn the site into something attractive for passengers to view and to build on DCDR's "green'credentials.

The DCDR's officer for environmental issues, Bob Osborne, commented "With recycling of waste initiated last September, the planting of indigenous deciduous oak, birch, hazel, spindle, hawthorn and rowan marks a significant step in the railway's commitment to enhancing the environmental profile of the railway in the local community'.

St. Patrick's Day and Easter Fares Now Available
Friday, 7th March 2008

The Downpatrick &County Down Railway kicks off this year's train services with the St. Patrick's Day "Shamrock Specials'and 'Easter Eggspress', and fares are now available on our fares section.

With the new car park at the railway's Inch Abbey terminus, the St Patrick's Days trains are a sure way of beating the traffic and letting you steam into the town for the festival celebrations. The train now acts as a by-pass for the town. We know that many people end up parking as far out as the Abbey Lodge Hotel and the Down Business Park on the Belfast Road and end up having to walk a fair distance into the town centre. Well, if you find yourself having to park out on the Belfast Road -you can save yourself a long walk and follow the brown signs for Inch Abbey and walk onto a steam train that will take you into the heart of the carnival!

Tickets will be available at Inch Abbey Station, and there are a small number of car parking spaces at the Abbey as well as the station.

Then the following weekend there'll be eggs-travagant fun with free eggs galore on this year's Easter Eggspress, running on Saturday 22nd, Sunday 23rd and Monday 24th March.

Cameo Appearance on ATL Rock School
Tuesday, 19th February 2008

The railway made a small, but unexpected cameo appearance on last Saturday's ATL Rock School 2008 finals on BBC2 NI.

The reason? Local band The Station recorded their introductory film in front of the railway station (see photo on the right - a familiar sign to our visitors behind one of the band's members). And no, we don't know if we were the inspiration for their name!

Unfortunately The Station didn't win the final, but you can still watch their performance here, and they're often to be found in Mullan's Bar in the town, so if you like what you see from the clip, check them out.

Railway Featured in BBC Online Gallery
Tuesday, 12th February 2008

A photograph (right) by railway volunteer Robert Gardiner is being featured on the BBC NI's website.

The shot (No. 6 in the selection) shows the sun setting just behind the signal gantry and water tower, as well as the roofs of carriages, last Saturday evening.

See the BBC's readers' selection

In a bizarre coincidence, the selection of photos also includes one of the sunset at Nendrum, taken by Vice-President Michael Collins. We just have too many good photographers, that's what it is...!

Raising Steam - Your FAQ
Tuesday, 28th January 2008

Raising Steam as well as generating a lot of interest in the Society has also raised a lot of questions that you've been emailing us! Hopefully this Q&A section will address most of these.

Will there be a DVD released?
That's not up to us, but very unlikely. Not because the programme wasn't popular - anything but - merely because BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, doesn't release DVDs or videos of regional programming.

Is the Royal Saloon restored?
No, we're afraid not. The main reason is that it needs a specially constructed or adapted metal chassis (or underframe). When these carriages were scrapped the wooden body was removed from their wheels. Until this problem is addressed we cannot move its restoration on any further, and to adapt or construct an underframe will cost £££s, and will most likely require grant aid. But we have it and it's safe and sound. If we'd left it where it was it would not have survived.

When do you hope to get to Ballydugan?
We can't put a timescale on that. We don't own the trackbed between the end of our line to Ballydugan, and that depends on the goodwill of those landowners, as well as the availability of grant aid in order to reverse nearly 60 years of dereliction along the route. But we are committed to acheiving it.

I've an artefact from the BCDR, how can I donate it?
We're a fully accredited museum, recognised by the Museums and Library Archives Council, and we can make sure your BCDR artefacts are carefully looked after. Indeed we are developing proper display facilities for these artefacts in the station. If you have photographs and don't want to part with them as they show family, we can scan these at high resolution and return the originals to you, or come to your house and scan them there. We're also on the look-out for things like BCDR uniforms, etc. For more information, visit our how to make a donations page.

I, or my father/grandfather, was a former BCDR employee - can I tell my story?
Of course, we're very interested to speak to anyone with a connection to the old BCDR. If you are or know of a veteran of the line we're very keen to record their stories for posterity and ultimately upload them here on our history section for future generations to learn about the BCDR.

How can I volunteer?
Simple! Just print off a membership form from the Join Us page, and come down any Wednesday or Saturday and make yourself known.

So just what is the maximum curve?
We don't know, Andy and Billy are still debating this...

Raising up a Steam in the Ratings
Tuesday, 15th January 2008

Raising Steam scored very well in the overnight ratings from BARB - with an average 114,000 viewers tuning in (final figures will be out in the next week or so), and an average 26% audience share, growing from 22% (which was the same as the news) to 29% at the end of the programme, which meant that people were coming to the programme from other channels.

None of the other TV channels came anywhere close to this figure - and was substantially higher than the audience share for GB (which was 17%). Audience share is the percentage of the available audience - those that were actually watching TV in Northern Ireland at that time - split between BBC1NI, BBC2NI, ITV, C4, C5 and digital cable, satellite and Freeview.

To put this into perspective - this is a rating comparable with other highly rated local programming, such as Nolan Live, etc. - so congratulations to all from the DCDR to all at BBC Northern Ireland.

If you weren't lucky enough to catch "Raising Steam"last night on BBC1 Northern Ireland - the fantastic folks at the BBC have streamed the programme for seven days on their iPlayer website - click on the images below to watch it again (SORRY - no longer available)

Alan Simpson Talks 'Raising Steam'
Monday, 14th January 2008

Alan Simpson talked to Michael Collins today on BBC Radio Ulster about the BBC1 Northern Ireland documentary "Raising Steam", tonight at 10.35pm - on why steam trains hold a fascination to people of all ages, why he volunteers and about the programme in general.

Click HERE to listen to Alan Simpson in Windows Media
Click HERE to listen Alan Simpson in Real Media

Don't forget that Raising Steam is on Sky Channel 973 for those outside Northern Ireland.

Raising Steam on the BBC
Monday, 7th January 2008

Michael Collins is interviewed for Raising Steam

On Monday 14th January at 10.35pm on BBC1 Northern Ireland a 40 minute documentary on the DCDR called Raising Steam will be broadcast! For those of you not in Northern Ireland - if you've got Sky you can watch it on Channel 973.

The documentary commemorates 20 years since the DCDR first ran a passenger train, and 60 years since the nationalisation of the majority of the railways in Northern Ireland.

Narrated by John Toal, a voice familiar to anyone who listens to Radio Ulster, Raising Steam interviews the key players who set up the DCDR all those years ago, and those who keep the place evolving and growing to this day. It also looks back at the original railway, the Belfast &County Down Railway, and talks with some of the few surviving veterans of that railway, their memories and experiences working for it, and how they felt about the closure of the line.

Tommy McMullan remembers his time as a signaller

Raising Steam takes former fireman Adam Hamilton back to his old engine, No. 30, at Cultra, and former signaller Tommy McMullan to the signal cabin at Saintfield -much the same as his old haunt at Crossgar, now long gone. And old friends James Magill and Willie Watterson go back to their old station at Tullymurry.

Rare archive footage of the BCDR filmed in 1950, recently rediscovered, shows Tommy as a young man at Crossgar as a train arrives. Other footage shows American troops travelling on the BCDR during World War 2, giving people who may only have seen the BCDR in still photographs, or had never seen it at all, a unique chance to see the railway in its heyday, and the reasons why it closed.

Raising Steam then, again through the use of home video shot by the railway's founder Gerry Cochrane, illustrates the scene 30 years later, and the struggle to get the railway off the ground. Many DCDR stalwarts are interviewed during the 40 minutes, including Gerry Cochrane, Michael Collins, Raymond Dougan, George Legge and Ian Davis -even getting into their houses!

Although the bulk of the programme was filmed over Easter 2007, it was shot over several months, starting with our Santa Trains in December 2006, St. Patrick's Day and May Day.

Adam Hamilton is reunited with his old locomotive

If you have digital, the BBC will also be screening the 1956 documentary "The End of the Line" about the crisis facing NI's railways at that time - via the red button service after Raising Steam is over. Find out more.

But we hope you can all tune in and enjoy both programmes - if you can! And let your friends and families know too.

It will provide a fascinating insight into the DCDR, and those who keep it running. And you never know, if you're not already a member or volunteer maybe it will give you that little bit of encouragement...?

Raising Steam - Monday 14th January - 10.35pm - BBC 1 Northern Ireland

Read the Press Release here

Click here for News from 2007