Obituaries – Arthur Muskett and Adam Hamilton
It is with deep sorry and regret that we have to announce the passing of two members. Arthur Muskett, who could always have been found in the carriage shed working on some new project, and Adam Hamilton, a former BCDR fireman who lately came to prominence in the BBC1 documentary ‘Raising Steam’. Both had been […]
Downpatrick Railway Welcomes Masterplan
The Downpatrick & Co. Down Railway has welcomed the publication of the final draft of the Masterplan for the regeneration of the town. Railway Chairman, Michael Collins, described the document as “extremely encouraging” and welcomed its endorsement of the heritage railway’s role in the town’s regeneration. Mr. Collins continues, “The Masterplan has fully endorsed our […]
Former Cork-Cobh Signals Now at Downpatrick
This week saw the culmination of a much anticipated project, with the DCDR taking delivery of some much-needed mechanical signalling material from the Cork-Cobh railway line. The material had been removed from the Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) network as part of the investment into the Cobh line, which has seen the virtual elimination of old […]
Who’s Filming at the Railway?
Doctor Who star Matt Smith exchanged the TARDIS for the trains of the Downpatrick & County Down Railway this week while filming a new TV drama. But it was time travel of a different kind as the local heritage railway was transformed into 1930s Berlin for several key scenes of the BBC2 drama ‘Christopher and […]
Board the Train Through Time
The Downpatrick & County Down Railway and Viking living history group the “Gall Gael Vikings” are calling on all would-be Hägar the Horribles to prepare their boarding parties and climb aboard the “Train Through Time” this Bank Holiday weekend, Sunday 30th May. The train will leave Downpatrick Station and ‘disappear’ through a timewarp to the […]
Signal Planting at Downpatrick
A little bit of history was made at the DCDR last Saturday when the first signal in nearly twenty years was erected on site. The ex-Great Northern Railway lattice signal was reclaimed in 2006 from the depot of Marsden Recovery Specialists Ltd at Graham Gardens in Lisburn, due to redevelopment works. It had originally been […]
Downpatrick Railway “Outraged” by Theft
Volunteers from the Downpatrick & Co. Down Railway have expressed anger and frustration after being targeted by criminals yet again. In the latest incident, all the lead flashing from the station canopy was stripped off. The damage was discovered on Thursday 9th May when various nails and plastic fixings were found on the platform. Station […]
Railway Hopeful over Masterplan
The Downpatrick & County Down Railway has described discussions with consultants writing the Downpatrick Masterplan as “extremely encouraging”. Whilst recently welcoming the publication of the Masterplan and supportive of many of its aims, the local heritage railway had voiced concerns over some aspects of the report. These included the proposals for either a “western bypass” […]
Sixty Years On…
DCDR chairman Michael Collins appeared on this week’s BBC Radio Ulster Your Place and Mine programme to highlight the 60th Anniversary of the BCDR’s closure, and to appeal for artefacts. You can listen to the interview here:
Sixty Years On… The Last Train From Downpatrick
aDownpatrick’s last Station Master James Taylor (left) and Walter Paton (Train Rosterer), greet fireman James Hill, and driver Barney Malone who are about to leave Downpatrick for Newcastle for the last time on 15th January 1950, before returning to BelfastSixty years ago today, the first part of Northern Ireland’s once-extensive railway service quite literally came […]