John Wilson (Chairman & Project Manager DCDR) helps John Devlin (bricklayer, Glasgiven) construct the new brickwork for the new Downpatrick Arch

A new landmark feature for Downpatrick town centre is rising above lower Market Street at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway. An impressive lattice arch, bearing the railway’s name is soaring above the car park, and accompanying brickwork promising to dramatically improve the appearance of this part of the town centre.

Railway chairman and Project Manager John Wilson explains, “We came under-budget for our prestigious Gallery Gallery and visitor centre, and thanks to the generosity of our funders Heritage Lottery Fund and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, rather than see that money unspent suggested funding a number of extra improvements.”

“We have been very keen to regenerate that area of the car park and try to improve the visual attractiveness of the station for some considerable years, something also outlined in the Downpatrick Masterplan, but our resources have always had to go on keeping our vintage fleet of steam and diesel locomotives and carriages running.”

He continues, “Our funders agreed this area needed regeneration and we all wanted something dramatic that had the wow factor, and it was our late chairman Michael Collins who came up with the idea of the arch – inspired by an original feature of the Great Northern Railway station still standing at Cookstown.

“Like all great ideas at the DCDR we thought it was almost too ambitious but we did some mock drawings, asked our consulting engineers Armstrong and Taylor to cost it and we were delighted that they felt it was very doable”

The arch prior to the stanchions being encased in red and blue brick

When it came to the brickwork no detail was left undone.

“Historical accuracy has always been the ethos with everything we do at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway,” Mr. Wilson says, “And the dwarf wall replicates the style of brickwork of a similar wall that used to stand at the old Belfast & County Down Railway’s station at Bangor, while the piers copy the brickwork styles of the BCDR’s stations at Cultra and Tullymurry”.

Also, as part of final touches to the Gallery project, a new interpretative display has been installed in the railway’s workshops.

“For some time now visitors have been prevented access to our carriage workshop because of safety issues, but we have now created a dedicated area safely away from machinery or tools where they can go in and watch restoration work go on, along with interpretative displays illustrating carriage construction which complements the new Carriage Gallery perfectly.”

The Downpatrick & County Down Railway will be running its “Shamrock Specials” on St. Patrick’s Day – which you can board at the main station, as well as at Inch Abbey which will be acting as one of the day’s Park and Ride services from the north of the town centre.

Project Manager David Crone inspects his track diagrams beside the recently installed BCDR crossing piece

The Downpatrick & County Down Railway is on the right lines to complete its massive track renewal project in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

The local volunteer-run heritage railway has been undertaking a major project that has seen several hundred yards of railway line lifted between Downpatrick station and the “Home Junction”, where the two lines to Inch Abbey and the Loop Platform and longer term Ballydugan split, leaving a large gap in the railway.

As part of this project, it has seen historic original railway track materials from the Belfast & County Down Railway reinstated on their old home, almost exactly 60 years since the rail link to Belfast was swept away.

Project Manager David Crone said, “The original railway line was closed in January 1950, and it was in 1953 – sixty years ago – that they started to remove the sleepers and rails and dismantle the old railway.”

He continues, “One of the new bits of track we’re installing is a 1936 built crossing piece from the original line, remarkably it’s still in excellent condition for reuse and so on this anniversary it’s quite befitting to put something back that could’ve been right here over sixty years ago.”

The project, described as “ambitious” is close to reconnecting the two parts and has seen volunteers working every weekend and a small team midweek assisting to get the hole in the track filled.

Mr Crone explained the reasons behind the project, “Long term it will give operational flexibility, allowing two trains to enter and out of the station from either the Inch Abbey line or the Ballydugan line, but more immediately it will fix the height of the trackbed which has subsided over the last twenty years since it was first relaid by our volunteers, which will help combat flooding as the railway was nearly closed twice over winter due to high water levels.”

He continues, “It will also allow us to connect up our signal cabin and erect proper heritage signals, vastly enhancing the authenticity of the railway, as well as making operating it simpler and safer.

“The reason we’re doing it now is because this is the largest window between our Christmas trains and St. Patrick’s Day ‘Shamrock Specials'”, says Mr. Crone, “It’s heavy hard work, and you always risk not getting it done in time for your next public running day but we’re making excellent progress. It’s also very satisfying when you see track going down and materials you’ve sourced from Northern Ireland Railways and Irish Rail – all over Ireland – being put to good use.”

The work involved so far has included lifting 300 yards of railway line, replacing life-expired timber sleepers with new or concrete ones, and renewing the ballast formation with new stone, battling the weather and snowfalls and dealing with the occasional digger breakdown!

A number of new people have joined in to the volunteer track team, and all are welcome, Mr Crone says, “We are still looking for volunteers who would like to help out, especially anyone with any experience in construction. Why not come down one Saturday and try it out? You could find yourself with a very different hobby!”

A large amount of work still needs to be done to replace the missing sections, but railway officials are confident they are on the “right track” to completing it in time for the Shamrock Specials on St. Patrick’s Day.

Replacing the old Bay Platform turnout with concrete sleepers

For many people the New Year heralds a chance to be ‘out with the old but for the volunteers at Downpatrick and County Down Railway time their spring clean is a different proposition. They have decided to replace a large section of the track.

After nearly 3,000 people travelled on Santa’s Lapland Express, the heritage railway is taking advantage of the post-New Year gap in the DCDR’s timetable until St. Patrick’s Day to undertake some vital track renewals.

They intend to lay track which will allow two trains trains to enter and out of the station from either the Inch Abbey line or the Ballydugan line giving greater operational flexibility.

The railway nearly closed twice over Christmas due to high water levels, and a diesel gala event in October had to be rescheduled due to floods, so it is planning to raise the height of the trackbed to combat this.

Part of the track being lifted is among some of the first laid at Downpatrick by the fledgling heritage line in the 1980s. Old worn-out timber sleepers will also be replaced with new or concrete ones.

Slewing over the runround turnout to allow the new south line to come in parallel

Project manager David Crone is overseeing the maintenance work, which commenced at the weekend, and he said there was still much work to be done. He has reiterated the DCDR’s appeal for volunteers especially anyone with any experience in construction.

The work undertaken last Saturday, according to project manager David Crone, included:

• Redundant former shed access turnout fully removed.
• South line broken and first panel of temporary track removed.
• Switch section of former shed access turnout relaid on South line as start of West Crossover South turnout
• Most of former Bay turnout removed and stored on now redundant bay line. Switch section and crossing removed but the closure timbers have still to be lifted.
• Loop turnout facing point lock cranks disconnected and removed.
• Both Daewoo and Atlas diggers were working.
• New fence for the back of the station platform following removal of old bay line.

The next jobs are in order of priority:

• Remove remainder of Bay turnout
• Disconnect remainder of fishplates on North line so it can be lifted.
• Excavate and grade trackbed with new stone ballast
• Continue lifting the North line.

“Why not come down one Saturday and try it out?” said David. “You could find yourself with a very different hobby.”

To see the extent of the new trackplan, click on the above picture

The DCDR’s long held ambition to complete its extension to Ballydugan could finally have received some welcome news.

Down District Council is considering vesting land so that the heritage railway line can be extended, linking the town with the hamlet of Ballydugan.

The extension of the Downpatrick and Co Down Railway (DCDR) has been in the pipeline for 20 years, first announced in 1992, following a recommendation from consultants working for Down District Council on proposals for regeneration projects for the town, but attempts by the DCDR to broker a deal with those who own part of the former trackbed have failed to reach any agreement.

In 2010 the council agreed to open discussions with two landowners in a bid to reach a deal to secure the land, but also decided that if it was unable to do a deal, it would exercise its vesting powers to acquire the land, subject to a suitable valuation and all necessary legal formalities being completed. One of the landowners has refused to sell, while the other has not responded to any council correspondence on the issue.

Ballydugan Lake at the end of the proposed extension

At the meeting, councillor Colin McGrath said Down Council supports the railway and has previously approved the plan to extend the railway lines.

“This particular request is about vesting the land they require and passing this issue to the Rates Working Party given the spend that’s involved,” he explained.“Down Council can vest land, but the railway cannot.“

Councillor Robert Burgess praised the work of railway officials and said he was in no doubt that the facility would continue to grow in popularity and produce an economic benefit for Downpatrick and the surrounding area.

Councillors John Doris, Garth Craig and Mickey Coogan also agreed to refer the request to vest the land to the Rates Working Party, with committee members informed the issue will be dealt with a Lands Tribunal hearing.

DCDR spokesman Robert Gardiner said: “Twenty years is a long time to try and bring a project to fruition, but the reason we haven’t given up on it is because our passengers keep telling us they want it and asking when it’s going to happen,” he said.

Some young Ballydugan residents enjoying the delights of the area

“We really hoped an amicable solution could’ve and indeed still hope it can be found to bring the railway back to Ballydugan”, he says.

The land was sold off in the 1950s by the Ulster Transport Authority after much of the railway system was dismantled. In recent years DCDR’s volunteers have started rebuilding the line on the land that the group access to.

“Railway trackbeds can’t be used for anything else other than cycleways and walkways,” Mr Gardiner said. In the meantime, DCDR has extended a spur to Inch Abbey but say it has reached the “end of the line” there, as it has veered off the original line to Crossgar.

“But at Ballydugan,” he says, “there’s a fantastic lake down there, coupled with Holymount Forest, plus the Lakeside Inn and Ballydugan Mill, and we are very keen to work with these local businesses and the local residents”

Ballydugan Mill owner Noel Killen said the extension would be to everybody’s benefit.

He said: “The land is totally derelict and is overgrown and steep and it’s absolutely of no value to anybody.”

O&K No. 1 in running in trials, passing over the Quoile River

It’s not everyday that Traffic reports tell drivers to watch out for the railway engine travelling down the M1 and M2 motorways, but that’s the sight that motorists saw last Sunday as a steam locomotive “travelled home” to the Downpatrick & County Down Railway, Northern Ireland’s volunteer run full-size heritage railway.

Steam locomotive No. 1, built by the German firm Orenstein & Koppel, was being taken from the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s workshops at Whitehead, after going up there in 2004.

It’s taken two decades of work and funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (for a new boiler, as the old one had corroded so badly it had to be scrapped) Interreg, as well a substantial amount from the DCDR’s own funds. Work on its restoration was undertaken in a joint effort by the DCDR and the RPSI over that twenty years, such a long period as the locomotive was in an incredibly poor condition after it was saved from lying in a County Down field in the 1980s.

O&K No.1 on the back of a Mar-Train low-loader on the M1

No. 1 is one two sister engines at the DCDR, and was built in the mid 1930s by Berlin-based Orenstein and Koppel for the Irish Sugar Company (Comlucht Suicre Eireann) for use in their factories at Mallow, Thurles and Tuam. There were a total of nine of these engines built (three for each factory) and they were used to transfer sugar beet wagons from the main line sidings in the factory complexes for processing.

Even though German built, they are also a legacy of early post-partition Ireland, as normally Irish firms would have ordered new locomotives from Great Britain, but de Valera’s Irish Free State was engaged in an “economic war” with the UK and so the order went to Germany instead, leading to these very continental looking locomotives appearing on the Emerald Isle.

It is believed that the last time No. 1 was steamed was in 1958.

After withdrawal from service, in 1960 the engines were sent to Dalkey Station, south of Dublin, for storage with a view to being moved to England for preservation. This project did not work out (due to the key players finding out that the width between the rails in Ireland is different to that in England!) and the locomotives were moved to Ballynahinch Junction for storage in 1978, as part of an attempt to resurrect this branch line as a heritage line. When this scheme failed to get off the ground the locomotives were purchased from their owner and moved to Downpatrick a decade later in the late 1980s.

The move also saw us say farewell to “RH Smyth”, aka Harvey, who was returned to the RPSI depot at Whitehead

After a period of storage in Downpatrick, work began on rebuilding No. 1 while No. 3 was restored at the RPSI’s workshop in Whitehead. No. 3 was returned to service on Saturday 2nd October 2000, and is currently dismantled for a full ten-year boiler inspection, and it is hoped to return No. 3 to traffic as well ASAP.

A new boiler was fabricated by Woolf Engineering, and No. 1 was moved to Whitehead in 2004 for completion of its restoration. While No. 1 will be “chuffed” to see Santa this December, running all four weekends of the DCDR’s Lapland Express services (subject to running in trails), it is hoped when the loco is fully painted that it will be given a “proper” homecoming celebration some time early next year.

It will also be the first time in No.1’s life that it will have hauled passengers, instead of wagons full of sugar beet.

Our thanks to everyone who donated money for the restoration of this locomotive for our “Steamed Up” appeal, and remember donations are still needed to get No. 3 back up and running – see our donations webpage.

A PAGE THREE GIRL?

No. 1 made her Page 3 debut in the News Letter.

Presentation of the award. From L to R Tom Dowling, Chairman Pride of Place Committee, Robert Gardiner, vice-chair DCDR, Ronan Foley, Chief Executive IPB Insurance, Neil Hamilton, Curator DCDR, Christopher Moran, Chairman Co-operation Ireland, Cllr Jerome Scanlon, Cathaoirleach Limerick County Council, Gerry McLoughlin, Mayor of Limerick

The Downpatrick and County Down Railway is celebrating after collecting a very prestigous trophy last weekend. It was praised for its community involvement and work in towards creating a tourism attraction unique in Ireland.

On Saturday 3 November, representatives from the DCDR and Down District Council traveled to Limerick to attend the 2012 AllIsland IPB Pride of Place Awards at a gala awards ceremony at Thomond Park. where the new sponsor IPB, joined Deputy Jan O’Sullivan, Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government to congratulate all the successful groups from across the island.

From the many entries, the DCDR won through to being runners-up in the Cultural Tourism section. Railway vice-chairman Robert Gardiner said: “This was the first time we have been entered in a competition like this and the competition was very tough. The winners in our category, Cavan Fleadh Cheoile, are along the lines of the West Belfast festival and deserved winners. It was a fantastic experience for our organisation.

“We are the only fully working heritage railway in Ireland and are quite unique in that respect. It was a real pleasure to be up there competing with the best across Ireland. With our new railway museum centre, our visitor numbers have increased well and there is a constant footfall from mid-week visits to families coming at the weekend.

“I would like to thank Damien Brannigan, Community Relations Officer with Down District Council, for all his help for his nomination and in making this happen for us.

“Our thoughts today are for our late Chairman, Michael Collins, who gave so much to the DCDR. It was much his efforts that brought the railway society forward to what it is today and all of our members wish to dedicate this award to his memory. Mike would have been so proud to have been able to collect this award. It is a tremendous accolade and the first of only a few that were won by Northern Ireland groups that night.”

The Category 6 Cultural Tourism winner was the Fleadh Cheoil, Cavan Town Comhaltas, with runners up Mulranney Tourism Group, Co Mayo and the Downpatrick and County Down Railway.

Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Mickey Coogan has expressed his delight at the recognition bestowed upon the Downpatrick and County Down Railway at the Pride of Place Awards 2012.

Councillor Coogan extended his congratulations to all the volunteers of the DCDR adding: “It is a fantastic achievement for the members and volunteers who have given up so much of their time for almost 30 years, not only to preserve our railway heritage, but also to promote one of Ireland’s only remaining operational railway attractions.

“The Pride of Place awards are a unique opportunity to recognise and reward the efforts of hardworking members of the community, and it is particularly important that the achievements of those who make a difference to Down district is celebrated.”

Down District Council Vice Chairperson who attended the ceremony, said: “This annual competition recognises and celebrates invaluable contributions that community partnerships make. Unlike other competitions, the Pride of Place Awards specifically acknowledge community involvement, the promotion of heritage and local people who shape their area.

John Wilson, Chairman DCDR, Cllr Maria McCarthy vice-chair Down District Council, Robert Gardiner, vice-chair DCDR, and Neil Hamilton, DCDR curator, show off the award

“The Downpatrick and Co Down Railway perfectly fulfill the criteria for this. They are a group of dedicated volunteers who have worked painstakingly to rebuild the railway and continue to work tirelessly to promote this wonderful tourist facility. I am so pleased the Railway has been acknowledged with this prestigious honour, particularly given some very stiff competition on the night.

“This recognition will allow for the further promotion of the tourist potential of the Railway and the resulting employment and business opportunities that this brings.

“It is also very fitting that the Railway should be acknowledged in such a way given the untimely and sudden death of their former Chairman Michael Collins. There is no doubt that this huge loss is felt by each of the volunteers. I am certain however, that Michael’s legacy will live on and his uncompleted works and goals will provide a pathway for the future of the railway in Down District,” added Councillor McCarthy.

More that 400 representatives from practically every county in Ireland were treated to music from Crystal Swing before the winners of the tenth consecutive annual competition were revealed. They were announced by Will Leahy, 2FM Presenter who acted as compere for the evening.
Minister O’Sullivan along with Co-operation Ireland Chairman Christopher Moran, Pride of Place Committee Chairman Tom Dowling and IPB Chief Executive Ronan Foley, presented the groups with their awards.

The All-Island Pride of Place Competition recognises and celebrates the vital contributions that community partnerships make to society. The focus is on people coming together to shape, change and enjoy all that is good about their local area. It differs from other similar projects in that they specifically recognise the involvement of the local community in all aspects of rural and urban regeneration including, promoting social cohesion, involvement in planning, the promotion of heritage and environmental awareness.

Christopher Moran, Chairman of Co-operation Ireland said, “I congratulate all the winners of this year’s Pride of Place Awards. The fact that we have reached this 10-year milestone is testament to the esteem in which the competition is held, celebrating as it does the achievements and contribution that community groups make to local society. It is important to highlight the wonderful, selfless work that is going on in your communities.”

Tom Dowling, Chairman of Pride of Place congratulated all the participants and he acknowledged that this year’s competition attracted the highest number of nominations since the competition commenced. He said: “The reason the communities are here tonight is because their local authority believes in them and recognises that they have huge pride in their place”.

Courtesy of Jim Masson, Down News
Original article can be found here

Herbie Bodel, Brian Simpson MEP and DRD Minister Danny Kennedy MLA, pictured in the new Carriage Gallery

Transport Minister Danny Kennedy has hosted Brian Simpson, Chair of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, on a visit to Northern Ireland – and took him on a trip on Northern Ireland’s only full-size heritage line!

Brian Simpson is also the Vice President of the Heritage Railway Association.

Danny Kennedy said: “European Transport policy needs to take account of regional variances in terms of transport needs and existing infrastructure. For example, unlike most parts of Europe, freight is transported entirely by road in Northern Ireland and it would not be economically viable to upgrade our rail network to transport freight.”

The European Parliament’s Transport Committee is currently considering a new Trans-European Transport Network Regulation (TEN-T) , and its funding instrument, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Regulation.

Danny Kennedy MLA (Minister for Regional Development), Brian Simpson MEP, Herbie Bodel (DCDR) and Robert Gardiner (DCDR).

The Minister added: “The TEN-T and CEF regulations will determine how people and goods move throughout the EU for many years to come. It is important that we continue to work to ensure our transport infrastructure meets our future needs and supports economic growth by facilitating investment from other member states and beyond.”

The visit was organised after the Minister made a recent visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where Danny Kennedy invited the EU Transport Chair to learn more about transport need and networks in Northern Ireland.

However heavy flooding nearly scuppered the day, as heavy rains had flooded our north line! Undaunted the Downpatrick Duck (nearly literally) paddled away and took the Minister and Mr Simpson out to Inch Abbey via the south line in the Railbus, hauled by the tamper. Not exactly as planned, but it did the trick!

Michael Collins, who passed away yesterday

It is with deep regret that we have to announce the death of Michael Collins, who served as our Chairman for the best part of the last decade. He was a true gentleman, whose friendship and contribution to the railway will never be forgotten.

Mike was taken ill on Monday and despite emergency heart surgery, he passed away in hospital on Wednesday, 3rd October.

Michael Collins was born in 1949 and came from a transport background. His grandfather joined Belfast Corporation as a tram conductor before World War I and retired as an inspector in 1947. In the same year his father joined the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board as a driver, became a conductor and later an inspector under the Ulster Transport Authority and Ulsterbus.

In 1967, whilst a student, Michael’s father arranged for him to join the newly formed Ulsterbus as a conductor attached to Smithfield depot in Belfast. Michael returned to this holiday job each summer until 1972.

He graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in that year with a BA in Geography and Political Science and a post-graduate Diploma in Business Administration, later upgraded to an MBA. On graduation he was offered the post of Personal Assistant to Werner Heubeck, Ulsterbus’s charismatic Managing Director.

After two years in this job, he moved to a management post in the Health Service before eventually taking up a lecturing position in business and management at the College of Business Studies in Belfast, finally retiring as a Principal Lecturer at the Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education.

Since his Ulsterbus days, he retained his interest in transport and was involved with the fledgling railway in Downpatrick from the late 1980s, serving on its board for many years before taking up the position of chairman in 2003, which he held until his death bar one year in 2007/2008. He was hoping to continue in the role for one more year to help see that the two extensions planned for the DCDR came about.

He was also the Company Secretary of Irish Transport Heritage, which is dedicated to bus preservation, and had recently become involved in the Charles Shiels Charity Houses in Killough.

On hearing of this sad news, the newly elected board (following last Saturday’s AGM) held a minute’s silence at the Wednesday night meeting, which Mike was hoping to chair, and then adjourned the meeting as a mark of respect.

To all who wish to pay their respects, his funeral will be held at 9.30am on Saturday 6th October in St. Gerard’s Church on the Antrim Road, this will be followed by the cremation at Roselawn Crematorium at 11.30am on the same day.

Our deepest sympathies to his daughter Aoife, sons Michael and Aodhan and all the family circle, Mike was a valued friend and his vast experience and wise council will be sadly missed by us all.

Desmond Coakham, who passed away earlier today

We regret to have to announce as well the death of Desmond Coakham, aged 91, who passed away today, Thursday 4th October.

Desmond was a well-known authority on the old Belfast & County Down Railway, completing his life’s ambition of a comprehensive history of the BCDR last year, amongst his other photographic books, but always incredibly modest about the fantastic wealth of photographic archive he took of the old railway.

Desmond was an honorary life member of the DCDR and was as regular a visitor as he could be given his age, and was always on hand to assist advise on historical details to help with the restoration of the two BCDR carriages, even up to very recently, with livery details for the BCDR Railmotor.

He was a retired architect who was also a life-long railway enthusiast. His professional career led him to becoming a regular commuter on the Belfast & County Down Railway in the 1940s, and developed an intimate knowledge of the BCDR as a living entity.

He was a respected and long-standing member of the Irish Railway Record Society, to whose Journal he contributed many articles.

For those who wish to pay their respects to Desmond Coakham, his funeral will take place at 2pm this Monday, 8th October, at St. Patrick’s Church in Ballymoney.

Our deepest sympathy to his circle of friends.

George Legge, Margaret Ritchie MP, Bob Brown, Michael Collins, Stephen Bil, John Wilson and Mickey Coogan at the launch of their new £700,000 ‘”Carriage Gallery” Picture by Bernie Brown

It’s Ireland’s only full-size heritage railway, and now the Downpatrick & County Down Railway has one thing it’s always been missing: a modern visitors’ centre.

Housed in a spectacular building, which harks back to the great Victorian termini, the “Carriage Gallery” is Ireland’s only dedicated carriage museum which tells the story of the development of railways in Northern Ireland from the 19th century to today, and was unveiled at a special “completion” ceremony on Friday 17th August.

The ‘Gallery’, costing £700,000, displays not artworks but vintage vehicles from all over Ireland, as well as carriages unique to the old railway which used to run between Belfast and Downpatrick, Newcastle, Ardglass and Bangor, as well as artefacts and an audio-visual exhibition.

The crowd at the completion launch. Picture by Bernie Brown

Railway Chairman, Michael Collins, said, “This is the only centre in Ireland that gives the limelight to carriages, not the engines, as it was the carriages which carried the people that used the railways and it is through them that we can tell the social history of the areas and the people the railways served.”

The ‘completion ceremony’ saw over a hundred people, including local MP Margaret Ritchie and representatives from Heritage Lottery Fund and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, as well as Down District Council, marking the end of a project that, Mr. Collins says, started “on the back of an envelope” in 2005 before the process of applying for £450,000 and £200,000 from the HLF and NITB respectively began.

George Legge a volunteer with Downpatrick & County Down Railway at the launch of their new £700,000 ‘”Carriage Gallery” Ireland’s only dedicated carriage museum now open to the public.

The gallery boasts six vintage passenger carriages, the second oldest surviving steam locomotive in Ireland, one 1980s prototype Railbus and four goods wagons, including the former Belfast & County Down Railway’s “Royal Saloon”, which carried the future Kings George V and VI, as well as King Edward VII and their consorts.

Already causing a stir are two ancient six-wheeled carriages from the Midland Great Western Railway, from the 1890s which operated from Dublin to Galway, and the same type that starred in the 1952 John Wayne classic ‘The Quiet Man’. Hidden from view under tarpaulins since they were donated by Irish Rail in 2007, their dilapidated condition creates a direct contrast to the three fully restored vintage carriages on display.

The Gallery is an expansion of the already popular Downpatrick and County Down Railway attraction which has been opened since 1987 – painstakingly rebuilt by volunteers from the remains of a line abandoned in the 1950s – and runs vintage trains through the Downpatrick marshes to Inch Abbey on its own railway tracks every weekend of the summer and during special annual events throughout the year such as Halloween, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Coralie, Florence and Ruby Noble talking to George Legge at the launch of the new £700,000 ‘”Carriage Gallery”

Mr. Collins says, “In this year we have seen the opening of the Giant’s Causeway visitor centre, and the Titanic Belfast centre, and the new Gallery represents a significant enhancement of the tourist offering in Co. Down”.

He adds, “And like the Causeway Centre is not aimed at ‘Geology Enthusiasts’ nor is Titanic Belfast aimed at ‘Boat Enthusiasts’, our Gallery, museum, and trains are not aimed at just ‘Railway Enthusiasts’ or ‘train buffs’, but the entire family from mums, dads, kiddies, to granny and granddad, and we know that the Gallery will prove incredibly popular with our visitors”.

Trains are running every weekend at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway and tickets cost £5.50 adults and £4.50 children/senior citizens, including entry to the new Gallery, and the DCDR is always looking for new volunteers to join.