We’re excited that, after years of planning – and yes, frustration and impatience – work has officially begun on repairs to the Maghera Locomotive Shed
While the roof works are 80% funded by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, we now need to raise the remaining 20% of the project costs. If you’d like to help bring steam back into action after the 2023 floods, please consider donating. To do so, visit our donations page to find out how.
As you’ll see from the photos, this is no small task. Contractors are dismantling the existing roof ahead of replacement with a new cement fibre system. They have already made rapid progress, with most of it removed in just three days.
Getting the shed watertight again means more than just keeping the rain out. It means we can finally get our steam locomotives back under cover and work on them properly. This is an an important step move towards seeing them back in service for the first time since the 2023 floods.
In a few weeks’ time, if not sooner, we’ll have a dry, safe, fully weatherproof shed. But before the engines roll back in, we want the interior brought back to its best.
After 30 years of active use, the walls are ready for a refresh. We’re planning a full clean-down and repaint, and that means 440 square metres of white masonry paint.
Are you a painter willing to give up some time to support a major local heritage restoration? Or do you run a paint supply business or builders’ merchants? Could you sponsor some, or even all, of the paint required?
Even a partial contribution would make a real difference, and we would be proud to recognise your business as a supporter of this project.
If you can help with paint, or donate some time, please email info@downrail.co.uk.
This is a major milestone and brings us one step closer to seeing steam return to Downpatrick.
