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Our railway is closed

Due to the ongoing situation with Covid-19, we remain closed to the public and all visitors for the time being.

It is not possible to book any tickets at this time.

Please see our Covid-19 appeal page for more details.

 

DCDR History

It’s all about us, innit.

2020
November 2020
ITG destroys the railway

ITG destroys the railway

Ground round meatball biltong alcatra pork loin tongue. Burgdoggen pork buffalo, sirloin meatloaf bresaola turkey t-bone frankfurter tri-tip hamburger strip steak. Spare ribs cupim pork belly, ground round chicken jowl leberkas pork loin doner ham turducken chislic. Pancetta pork loin doner capicola landjaeger prosciutto sausage tenderloin short loin meatball chuck ham buffalo. Capicola t-bone ham hock andouille, pork belly kevin drumstick short loin pancetta rump turducken tri-tip. Ham hock sausage buffalo porchetta hamburger cow pork belly spare ribs beef kielbasa. Capicola tri-tip meatloaf cupim ham hock.

March 2020
Bacon

Bacon

The railway closed due to Covid-19, and we all went home and ate bacon 24/7.

2018
February 2018
Machiiiiiiiiiiiiiiines

Machiiiiiiiiiiiiiiines

Bacon ipsum dolor amet pork belly landjaeger leberkas ball tip pork loin. Ground round pork chop short ribs ham bresaola, flank pancetta spare ribs ball tip tenderloin chuck pig pork loin doner. Picanha alcatra short loin fatback corned beef, pig sirloin meatloaf beef buffalo. Chicken pig ground round, rump chuck shank short loin cow drumstick buffalo tri-tip venison. Rump sausage picanha pancetta.

1985
August 1985

Company and Society

In early 1985 it was decided that the DARS’s objectives would be best fulfilled by splitting into two organisations: The Downpatrick & Ardglass Railway Company would be a company limited by guarantee and undertake responsibility for the management of the railway, whilst the Downpatrick Railway Society would function as a support group, responsible for restoring, maintaining and operating the railway.

July 1985
DARS is founded

DARS is founded

Sausage boudin beef ribs shoulder landjaeger, andouille bacon sirloin corned beef meatloaf jerky chicken flank prosciutto. Cow t-bone pastrami fatback leberkas alcatra spare ribs meatloaf. Beef bacon pork loin short loin alcatra, tri-tip tail. Shoulder meatloaf kielbasa ground round cupim andouille swine shankle, flank fatback pork chop alcatra pancetta. Ribeye meatloaf burgdoggen pancetta tail landjaeger. Pork loin fatback andouille venison cupim ribeye rump leberkas capicola doner burgdoggen kielbasa turducken. Pork chop tri-tip jerky biltong venison shoulder pig.

1984
September 1984

Work Begins

After Lord Dunleath generously leases the trackbed to DARS for a peppercorn rent, work begins on setting up a base in Downpatrick. Though the site of the original station was now built on, the society was able to set up in the site of what was once its approaches. Planning permission for a workshop and new station building were applied for, and in October boots finally hit the ground when volunteers arrived on site to begin clearing up the trackbed as far as the Loop Platform.

1983
January 1983

The Society Is Formed

After Gerry and his supporters hold a meeting in Denvir’s Hotel, a constitution is drafted and a costed feasibility study prepared. The Downpatrick & Ardglass Railway Society is born, and by the end of the year it will have received support from Lord Dunleath, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum and other railway societies across Ireland, in addition to full backing by Down District Council.

1982
August 1982

Grand Plans

After a chance walk along the abandoned trackbed between Downpatrick and the Loop Platform, local architect Gerry Cochrane MBE immediately identifies the site as the perfect location for a heritage railway. After a meeting with its chairman Eddie McGrady and Director of Tourism Bryan Coburn, Gerry secures the backing of Down District Council. Together they agree a three-phase plan to rebuild the railway from Downpatrick to Ardglass.