Many thanks
to everyone who entered our raffle for the Thomas the Tank Engine
Complete Story Library, worth £120, that we raffled over the
Christmas period.
After the trains
were finished on Sunday night, Santa himself performed the honours
and the winner was Louise Stevenson of Lisburn.
Our congratulations
to her, and commiserations for those whose names weren't pulled
out of the hat.
U105's Rick
Nugent Books his Ticket for Santa Saturday,
22nd December 2007
Rick Nugent
from U105 talked
to Michael Collins today about the last weekend of Santa's Lapland
Express, and the 20th Anniversary of his first visit to Downpatrick
back in 1987.
Travelling
on the Lapland Express Wednesday, 19th December 2007
A visitor to
the DCDR, Ken Morris, has very kindly sent us this video of his
time on the Lapland Express last Saturday, 15th December, which
he has uploaded to Youtube.
Last Outing
for the Lapland Express Monday, 17th December 2006
This weekend
is the last one that Santa will be travelling to his "rail"
workshop onboard the Lapland Express at the Downpatrick & Co.
Down Railway, before having to return to the North Pole for Christmas
Eve. 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 20
years since the very first train ran in Downpatrick back in 1987
and 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. If you're one of them - make yourself known to
the railway staff - we'd love to feature you here online.
The steam train
will be leaving the railway station with an "early bird train"
at 1pm and then approximately every 40 minutes till 5pm. Santa
will also be providing his guests refreshments on the buffet coach.
Fares are £5 for adults, £6 for children who receive
a present from Santa, while it is just £3 for children under
three and £4 senior citizens.
However, the
bad news is that 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!
Photos of
visitors last weekend (15th and 16th December)
Shirley
& Robbie Maquire and Edna McClung from Annacloy
Denise,
Nathan, Shea Drake and Nicole McStravick from Downpatrick
with Santa
Harry,
Rosie & George Johnston from Downpatrick
Conrad,
Roma and Milo from Dungannon
A
Packed Platform
The
Elves in Santa's Workshop
All
photos by Robert Gardiner & Michael Collins
Want
to share your photos of your trip with us?
Send us your pics and see them here or in our magazine!
Busy Second
Weekend Visit by Santa! Sunday, 9th December 2006
Santa returned
to the DCDR this weekend as part of his four week visit to Downpatrick,
which ends in two weeks time- so if you haven't given the Big Man
your Christmas wish-list, then you better hurry! Below is a selection
of photos of those people who visited Santa today.
Caoimhe
McMullan(4) and Ethan McMullan (2) from Newcastle
Santa
proves a crowd puller with the visitors!
The
Henry, Boyle and O'Connell family from Crossgar
Sara
Jane & Danielle Trainor and Amy Harper
Singing
a merry song!
Daniel,
Anthony, Katrina and Michael McNeill from Dromara
All
photos by Robert Gardiner
Want
to share your photos of your trip with us?
Send us your pics and see them here or in our magazine!
Driving the
Train at Your Place or Mine Saturday, 8th December 2007
BBC
Radio Ulster's Saturday morning Your
Place and Mine programme took up our Vice President, Michael
Collins' offer to presenter Anne-Marie McAleese about learning to
drive a steam train (see here). Driver
Andy Cook and Fireman John Henry showed her the ropes, or regulator,
to be precise...
Don't forget
that you too can learn to drive a steam engine with our Footplate
Experience Courses or get that someone special the Christmas
Gift with a difference this year. Santa's Lapland Express will also
be running over this and the following two weekends.
Railway Gets
Official Seal of Approval Friday, 7th December 2007
Neil Hamilton,
the DCDR’s Collection Manager, with the certificate of
accreditation. Photo courtesy of the Down
Recorder
The Downpatrick
& County Down Railway has just been awarded "Accredited
Museum" status by the national museum governing body, the Museums,
Libraries and Archives Council.
The railway,
run entirely by volunteers, is also a recognised museum and achieving
this goal was 'no easy task' for an organisation that operates without
a paid workforce. We are all delighted and very proud that the railway
has achieved this prestigious award. The award demonstrates that
the railway has achieved very specific national standards on all
aspects of its museum operation - collection management, documentation,
visitor facilities and services, as well as its own governance and
management.
This award comes
just after our neighbours Down County Museum were also awarded Accredited
Status - meaning that Downpatrick is now home to two top-flight
museums - rare enough in the Big Cities. Our congratulations to
them as well.
Accreditation
is a ‘national quality standard’ and this means that the
Downpatrick & County Down Railway, in gaining the award, proves
that it measures up to those high national standards. Achieving
it involved
a full years work for many volunteers on aspects such as audit,
documentation planning and development as well as collection care
protocols but we all feel now that it was well worth the effort.
It means that
anyone donating artefacts to the railway knows that it is a properly
recognised institution and that any items, particularly any relating
to the old Belfast & County Down Railway, will know that they
will be properly looked after and secure, as it is part of our endeavour
to protect valuable items of our heritage and to create a suitable
home for these items to be admired by future generations.
Alan Simpson
Talks Trains Friday, 30th November 2007
Alan
Simpson talked to Michael Collins today on BBC
Radio Ulster about Santa's 20th Anniversary trip to Downpatrick
on board the Lapland Express that will be running over the next
coming weeks.
Successful
Restoration of Carriage for Christmas Wednesday, 28th November
2007
The
DCDR has just completed a two-year restoration of one of it's carriage
fleet.
Carriage No.
3223 was built in 1953 by CIE, the then state transport company
in the Republic of Ireland, originally as an all-passenger side
corridor.
Heavily rebuilt
in the 1980s by CIE, it now has a generator in it that provides
light and heat, as well as a reduced passenger area.
Although restored
in 1997 by ourselves, the roof began to leak two years ago causing
damage. The decision was taken to take the vehicle out of service
and give it a full body and mechanical overhaul, and to increase
the passenger seating from 20 to 26 - by replacing the 2+2 seats
with 3+2 seating reclaimed from a Northern Ireland Railways 80 Class
Railcar that had been withdrawn from service - our thanks to NIR.
It has been
repainted in CIE's old 1950s dark green livery as applied to their
railcars.
Looking Back
20 Years at the First Train Saturday, 24th November 2007
To commemorate
our very first train on the 4th December 1987, here's a short video
showing the arrival in Downpatrick of Santa Claus 20 years ago.
We'd no carriages, no steam engine - and no station! All that was
to come later...
Lapland
Express Makes Anniversary Stop Saturday, 17th November 2007
Santa
poses with some visitors before boarding the Lapland Express
The
Preston family from Belfast last year
The Lapland
Express is arriving this December at the Downpatrick and County
Down Railway for four weekends only with a very special passenger
- Santa Claus!
This year it's
20 years since we ran our first ever public trains - a first since
the original line closed in 1950! Back in 1987 our very first passenger
was Santa, who came into the town by train. It wasn't really much
of a train, just a diesel locomotive and a brakevan, running up
and down on 200 yards of track. But the children loved it.
The anniversary
was covered by BBC Radio Ulster's Your
Place and Mine programme this morning, with Michael Collins
speaking to Anne-Marie McAleese. You
can listen to Michael here:
20 years later
we're much bigger, with 3 miles of track relayed, with a line to
Inch Abbey and another being built to Ballydugan. And of course
- steam! To mark this 20th Anniversary (we were formed in 1985 but
didn't have anything workable on the ground till 1987) we'd like
to put on a bit of a bash and something different for our visitors.
We'd love to
invite any local choirs (schools' choirs etc) which would like the
opportunity to perform for our visitors on the Loop platform while
they are waiting to see Santa, or Scouts or Boys/Girls Brigade to
help act as Elves.
The steam train
will be leaving the railway station for four weekends in December,
the 1st & 2nd; 8th & 9th; 15th & 16th; 22nd & 23rd
December. Santa will also be providing his guests refreshments on
the buffet coach, and doors open from 2pm till 5pm.
Although the
details of his trip are tightly guarded secrets, looked after by
Elfin Security Services, it understood that 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.
Fares are £5.00 for adults, £6.00 for children who receive
a present from Santa, while it is just £3.00 for children
aged two or below to see Santa and £4.00 for senior citizens
as well. Admission to see Santa in his grotto is also dependant
on children having been good throughout the year.
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.
You
can also check out what Santa got up to last year, as his arrival
in Northern Ireland is obviously a big deal, so the Jolly Man in
the Red Suit welcomed some special visitors in the shape of a crew
from BBC Northern Ireland's regional news programme Newsline.
Click
the links below to watch the video
Thanks
to iSpyni.com
you can now take a virtual tour of Downpatrick Station!
Take a look
around the booking office foyer, the station platform, and the Signal
Cabin before coming down. Click on the image on the right to take
the tour.
I Ain't Afraid
of No Ghost! Monday, 29th October 2007
Nearly 1,000
people travelled on our Halloween Ghost Trains this weekend. The
three-carriage train was packed with scary looking children and
some scarier parents, and downright frightening DCDR train crew
(who weren't in fancy dress!).
The weekend
also saw the public debut of two new items of stock - our new steam
engine, No. 90 (see below), adding a Victorian touch to precedings,
and Irish Rail generator van No. 3189 which cured the deafening
generator noise and flickering lights of Grotto trains in previous
years - no doubt to the relief of many passengers and railway volunteers!
It was great
to see so many people once again in fancy dress, and below is a
selection of photographs from the weekend.
Merlin
greets some brave visitors
Who's
more scared of who?
No.
90 makes her public debut
Always
dress in top hat and tails to impress
All
photos by Michael Collins
Want
to share your photos of your trip with us?
Send us your pics and see them here or in our magazine!
Spooky Events
At the Railway! Friday, 19th October 2007
There’s
something strange happening at the Downpatrick & County Down
Railway this Halloween. There’s ghosts on the platforms and
ghouls on the train, it can only be the return of Merlin the Magician
on the Halloween Ghost Trains!
Anyone who visits
on Saturday 27th or Sunday 28th October is in for a double treat.
As well as experiencing rail travel at its most traditional, for
children who dare to alight at the Forbidden Platform (as well as
any brave grown- ups) will be granted an audience with the Great
Wizard in his own haunted Grotto train.
If those who
dare to enter Merlin’s domain pass his tests, then the children
will receive a mystical gift. Doors
open from 2pm till 5pm and admission is £5.00 for adults and
teenagers, £7.50 for children over three and just £3.00
for the under-threes - including a present from Merlin. A concession
ticket costs £3.00.
Trains run from
2pm till 5pm and for further information on this event and forthcoming
events, please contact the Downpatrick & County Down Railway
on 077 9080 2049 Monday, Wednesdays or Fridays between 10am and
2pm.
Want
to see what happens on our Ghost Trains? Check out these TV reports!
Graham Norton
Drops In To Discover his Roots Sunday, 7th October 2007
This Thursday's
Who Do You Think You Are stars Graham Norton, and as part
of his journey he discovers that his grandfather was a Guard with
the Great Northern Railway of Ireland.
As a result, part of the programme was filmed at the Downpatrick
& Co. Down Railway last October, with Graham donning overalls
and getting to grips with what it was like being a Guard on a typical
Irish goods train.
Graham
Norton and Michael Collins
Graham
on the footplate of 'Harvey'
Graham
flies the flag!
Photos by
Robert Gardiner & Wilson Adams
Graham was very
keen to know everything, and was happy to muck in, travelling with
Michael Collins, still Chairman at the time before his retirement
earlier this year, onboard our vintage steam goods train (probably
a first in Ireland since the late 1960s) between Downpatrick and
Inch Abbey, hopefully recreating the experiences of his grandfather.
The railway
is becoming more popular with film crews as the railway is not restricted
by running on the national network, as directors and producers are
looking for somewhere where they can set up in their own time and
the train movements can be instructed by them and not the railway
operators, who have public timetables to look after. This means
they get the shots they want and film as many takes as they need.
In between time
shooting Graham rang up one of our volunteer's daughter to say "hello"
and wish her the best with her exams - probably the most unexpected
phone-call she'll ever get!
The railway is no stranger to famous names, with Griff Rhys Jones,
Harry Secombe and James Galway, amongst others, all having filmed
here. Graham was also presented with a full-size reproduction Great
Northern Railway poster as a momento of his time at Downpatrick.
Restored
Steam Engine Now in Downpatrick Sunday, 30th September 2007
Engine
No. 90 of the former Great Southern & Western Railway, which
operated largely in Munster from Dublin, arrived at Downpatrick
this afternoon after an extensive overhaul at the Railway
Preservation Society of Ireland's workshops at Whitehead.
No. 90, as reported
earlier, is on loan to the DCDR from Irish
Rail, the state railway operator of the Republic of Ireland,
who still own her.
Although small
looking, the wee engine can fair shift her weight, and during recent
trials at Whitehead proved her pulling power by hauling several
RPSI carriages and former NIR hunslet engine 102! No mean feat for
an 1875-built engine - and one of the oldest operating steam engines
in the world.
The engine has
been repainted in authentic GSWR olive-green, and will be given
full GSWR lining and lettering at Downpatrick before being hauling
her first passenger train.
You can watch
the moment No. 90 touched down on DCDR metals below:
Veterans
Mark 50th Anniversary of Fermanagh Railway Closures Saturday, 29th September 2007
Former
Great Northern Railway and Sligo, Leitrim & Northern Counties
Railway employees showed that they really could make steam again,
50 years after the closure of rail services in Fermanagh and the
Border Counties. Several former employees came to the DCDR to get
the opportunity to drive the steam locomotive. It was a memorable
occassion for Arthur Darragh who had the honour of driving the last
train out of Enniskillen railway station on the 30th September 1957.
Others like
Kevin Love (Fireman, pictured right) and Ernie Louden (Fireman),
who often acted up as drivers, showed that they had not lost any
of the skills required and joked if there were any jobs available!
For other employees from the Sligo Leitrim & Northern Counties
Railway such as Michael Kearins, Pauric McKeown and Cecil Irvine
it was an opportunity to inspect SL&NCR Railcar B, which they
were all familar with and travelled on. They were delighted to know
that Railcar B is currently awaiting restoration and look forward
to the day that it can be returned into full working order.
Dessie Gorrell,
former Clerk in Enniskillen Station travelled from England that
morning to participate in the event. Sitting in the booking office
he recalled his memories of working in Enniskillen including the
exact fares which were charged to passengers travelling to various
stations. Calling out to his GNR colleagues that their wages were
ready for collection it brought a tear to his eye. Others employees
who enjoyed the visit were Peter McCann, Jimmy Donnelly and Norman
Browne who all worked at Enniskillen. It was a day for meeting old
work colleagues, exchanging stories and taking photographs and all
the former employees outlined their sincere appreciation to the
team at the Downpatrick and County Down Railway for the warm welcome
they received and for making the day so memorable for them.
Update
8th October
The event was
filmed by BBC
Newsline and you can watch the article here either in Windows
Media Player or Real
Player. An
article also appears on their website. The commemorative events
will conclude on Monday 1st October with an open day at the Railway
Museum at Headhunters, Enniskillen from 10.00am - 5.00pm and a slide
show at the Ardhowen Theatre presented by Fr Brian D'Arcy and Charles
Friel at 8.00pm.
Take a Look
at the Viking Camp Friday, 28th September 2007
For anyone who
wasn't able to take a trip out to the Viking Camp provided by the
Magnus Viking Association for two weekends this summer, we've compiled
this short video of the goings-on!
Troop Train
a Massive Success! Sunday, 23rd September 2007
Northern Ireland's
and indeed Ireland's very first World War Two weekend at a heritage
railway was a massive success, with nearly 1,000 people travelling
to see the re-enactors displays and the climatic battles each day.
The event had
re-enactors from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and England
as is thought to be the biggest single re-enactment event ever held
in the whole of Ireland.
Funded through
the Northern Ireland Museums Council and the Big Lottery Fund as
part of the "Their Past, Your Future" programme, the event
aimed to highlight the role the railways of Northern Ireland and
in particular the Belfast & County Down Railway played during
this period when thousands of troops and POWs were carried by rail.
Railway veteran
George Legge also shared with the passengers his personal experiences
of being evacuated by rail, and some humorous stories that happened
on the BCDR during this era. Actors
also portrayed Winston Churchill and a spy to give passengers a
first hand glimpse of what our parents and grandparents must have
experienced.
Here is a montage
of photos taken on the day, dubbed with interviews with the re-enactors,
conducted by Robert Gardiner.
Below
is a short video of a re-enactment at the "occupied" King
Magnus Halt (and an interesting "what if" had the Germans'
Plan Kathleen ever been implemented), and a selection of photographs
from the event. It is hoped that this will become an annual highlight
in the railway's calendar.
'Churchill'
Inspects the American Forces
The
Moonlight Serenaders
Standing
guard at the platform gates - beware any would-be fare dodgers
today!
Churchill,
an RAF and US Army Officer on board the train. Churchill appears
to be taking a more pro-active approach to the war
Churchill
sees a familiar face
David
Marshall and Hugh Logan portraying an Ulster Home Guard officer
and an ARP warden
The
climatic battle at the end of the day
The
Americans don't want to be left behind!
The
'police' keeping an eye on things
The
railway's George Legge wearing the gas mask he was issued
with as a child
All
photos by Keith
Campbell and more available at his site
Want
to share your photos of your trip with us?
Send us your pics and see them here or in our magazine!
Troop Train
to Arrive at Station Thursday, 16th August 2007
The
Downpatrick & County Down Railway, in conjunction with the Wartime
Living History Association is please to announce that the railway
will be host to "Engines At War".
The event, funded
by the Big Lottery Fund and the Northern Ireland Museums Council,
seeks to bring awareness of the role of Northern Ireland's railways
during World War 2, and how soldiers from different armies, Allied
and Axis lived and fought during the War.
There will be
1940s dancing, authentic kits and weaponry, on September 15th
& 16th. Both days will have a re-enacted battle at King
Magnus's Halt.
Camps will be
at Downpatrick, Inch Abbey and King Magnus's Halt and an authentic
1940s train, recreating the troop trains of the 40s, will carry
passengers with "soldiers" between the three sites. Keep
checking this site, or the Wartime
Living History Association (more photos at this site) pages
for more details as they're posted!
Inch Abbey
Monk on BBC Radio Ulster Sunday, 12th August 2007
Caroline
Nolan visited the railway recently to record a piece for yesterday's
BBC Radio Ulster's Your
Place & Mine programme (Saturday 11th August) about the
Inch Abbey Monk (see here), who is greeting
our passengers who choose to visit the Abbey every Saturday and
Sunday until 8th September.
Vikings Cancelled
Saturday Sunday, 12th August 2007
The visit to
the Downpatrick & County Down Railway by the Magnus Vikings
yesterday had to be regrettably cancelled due to bad weather. Heavy
rain forecast for Saturday meant that it would be unwise for the
outside event to take place.
We hope none of our visitors were disappointed last Saturday, but
as there is no shelter out at the Viking Kings Grave, and in all
likelihood visitors and reenactors would have been caught out for
half an hour or forty-five minutes in heavy rain until a scheduled
train would arrive to relieve them - we weren't prepared to take
that risk.
But as the weather improved and the ground started to dry up we
were pleased to have the Vikings back with us last Sunday as promised.
New
Mural Unveiled Wednesday,
8th August 2007
A
group of volunteers from the Down District Volunteer Centre have
created this fantastic double-sided mural for the railway, which
is mounted on an old trailer to be used as a mobile display.
The artists,
led by Laureen Magill, pose with DCDR volunteers Barney Graham (left
in orange jacket) and Andy Cook (right, in orange jacket).
Viking Village
Returns this Weekend Thursday, 26th July 2007
The
Magnus Viking Association are giving visitors a hands on experience
of Viking life - with all the fun of a steam train ride - this weekend.
Situated close
to the railway's line is the reputed grave of the Norse King, Magnus
Barelegs, killed in the area on a raid in 1103.
Four wooden
houses have been built by the Viking group to show how Viking life
would have been like nearly a thousand years ago. Visitors get to
see how a Viking lived, the clothes that they wore, and the foods
that they ate. Children can also see the toys that would have been
played with back then.
With no road
access to the site, which lay with little attention for centuries,
the railway society have built a platform the grave site to allow
visitors to reach it without having to walk across muddy fields!
Please note
that a two-train service between King Magnus's Halt and Inch Abbey
(see map)
from Downpatrick Station will be in operation this weekend.
To find out
more, check out these BBC
Radio Ulster features from last year's event:
New Carriage
to Help Santa and Merlin Tuesday, 24th July 2007
The
railway has taken delivery of a carriage from Irish
Rail that has just been withdrawn from service.
However, visitors
won't be able to travel on it as it is a generator van, designed
to heat and light a train, and it will be used for this purpose
to power the static buffet and grotto train at Christmas and Halloween,
meaning no more deafening generators or flickering lights! You will,
of course, still be able to look at it or have a general nosey.
The carriage
left Inchicore, Dublin, late on Monday night and travelled overnight
to arrive at Downpatrick before access to the Downpatick yard was
blocked by the usual crowds of commuters' cars filling up the car
park in front of the station.
The vehicle
was one of what could be described as the "old traditional"
type of coaching stock still in use by Irish Rail, all of which
have now been withdrawn. It was converted from a British Rail Mk
1 Brake Corridor Second or Brake Corridor Composite in 1972 at BREL
Derby for CIE, and is commonly known as a "BR Van", usually
operating with a type of carriage known as "Cravens",
a number of which have been preserved by our sister organisation,
the RPSI.
Monk
Joins Summer Weekend Goings-on Sunday, 22nd July 2007
Some shots of
our visitors during our summer months, including a special visitor
- a living-history "Monk" who has been greeting passengers
who travel from Downpatrick to Inch Abbey, and providing them with
a talk about the ruins of the 12th Century Cistercian Abbey.
The DCDR and
the Environment and Heritage Service have teamed up to provide visitors
something special for train visitors - after a chance discovery
when train passengers returned to the station last year and reported
seeing a Monk and John de Courcey at the Abbey!
While at first
surprised by these sightings, the Railway got in contact with the
EHS and the two decided to join forces. The
monk will be greeting passengers every weekend until 9th September.
Read more about the original sighting here.
The
Monk talks to visitors
The
Monk Signing Autographs
More
chat at Inch Abbey,
former Chairman Michael Collins listens intently!
A
family group board the train to Inch Abbey
Heading
back to Inch Abbey Station
"Harvey"
pulls his train back to Downpatrick Station
All
photos by Robert Gardiner
Want
to share your photos of your trip with us?
Send us your pics and see them here or in our magazine!
Review of
Our Trains by Visitor
Wednesday, 11th July 2007
Gerard McGarry,
who writes for the Northern
Ireland Guide, paid us a visit last Sunday and wrote about his
visit online.
The Northern Ireland Guide describes itself as a journal of interesting
stuff found around the province, cool things to do and little tidbits
of history discovered along the way.
Ex-BCDR Cultra
Station Listed After Going Under the Hammer
Monday, 2nd July 2007
The
former Belfast & County Down Railway station at Cultra went
under the hammer last Wednesday. The station was then awarded Grade
2 listed status by the DoE two days later. In a press release Environment
Minister Arlene Foster said that she endorsed the ‘spot listing’
of the old railway station at Cultra and that she was “delighted
that this historic building has been afforded statutory protection.
Historic buildings such as Cultra Railway Station are a great asset,
and their protection and conservation is essential for present and
future generations.”
The
station also featured on BBC
Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme, interviewing the
estate agent and Mark Kennedy of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.
The
original railway station at Cultra was designed by Charles Lanyon
but the present
station building at Cultra (very similar to one of the BCDR's other
stations at Tullymurray) dates from 1897, the original having been
burnt down the previous spring. Cultra station, featured in the
WW2 film Letter From Ulster was reduced to halt status in
1934, at the same time as the station house became a private dwelling.
The halt/station was closed in 1957 but re-opened as an un-manned
halt in the late 1970s, when the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
opened. However, the station building became derelict after the
owners passed away. The station part of the building is believed
to be relatively unaltered from its railway days.
More Archive
News Reports Unearthed Wednesday, 27th June 2007
We are very
grateful that a large number of archive TV news stories have been
discovered, going right back to before the railway even opened to
the public. It's like buses, you hope patiently that one will come
along and then you're inundated with them! They are available to
view below in Windows Media and Real Media formats.
Pamela
Gardner reports on the new railway scheme for UTV's Good Evening
Ulster on 22 January 1987
UTV's
Ronan Kelly takes a trip out to the newly reopened Loop Platfom
on 13th September 1988
Happy
watching and listening! We hope you enjoy these clips.
More Youtube
Goodies Tuesday, 19th June 2007
Never
been taken a trip on one of our trains before? Railway visitor Ken
Morris has uploaded this short clip of our train reversing out of
the station on a recent open day. If you've video of our trains,
why not upload them to Youtube?
Weekend Trains
Cancelled - Rain Stops Play Friday, 16th June 2007
Flooding
turned the station into an island
The
tracks disappeared under 2ft of water
It
is with regret that we have to announce that this weekend's trains,
what was meant to be the start of our summer running season, have
had to be cancelled. This is due to severe flooding outside the
station making access impossible, as well as flooding the tracks
making it impossible to run the train to Inch Abbey.
We
hope that the summer train service can commence, as normal, next
weekend.
Goods Train
at Downpatrick Sunday, 10th June 2007
A
video has been uploaded to Youtube showing the steam goods train
we provided a filming contract last October (see here
for further details). Why not upload your own videos of our trains
at Youtube?
Downrail
No. 11 Now Out! Saturday, 9th June 2007
The
11th edition of the railway's in-house magazine, Downrail, is now
out!
As
2007 marks the 20th Anniversary of the first passenger train to
be run by ourselves since the original line from Belfast was closed
in 1950, there are special features looking back at our history,
including a timeline of important events, as well as the memories
of volunteers past and present (inc some who now live beyond these
shores), as well as the thoughts of those people without whom there
would be no railway, the passengers.
There's
also a charming story about how the old station call at the Loop
Platform reunited two friends in Malta during World War 2, a look
back at the final train out of Newcastle when the GNR(I) line (which
shared the station at Newcastle with the BCDR) closed in 1955, and
some interesting observations about what engines get up to in their
spare time when no-one's looking from "Very Tawdry". Popular
cartoon series "Railheads" also returns.
Downrail
is free to all members, and will be dropping through your letterbox
soon. Or if you're not a member, email
us to order your copy today, or alternative join
us!
2006 AGM
of DCDR Society Held Saturday, 9th June 2007
Michael
Collins with the painting of BCDR No. 22 leaving Queens Quay
Station by David Briggs, presented to him by the members of
the DCDR Society, to mark his retirement as Chairman
The
3rd AGM of Downpatrick & County Down Railway Society was held
at 1pm at Down County Museum. The Chairman, Michael Collins, presented
his final report as Chairman before retiring after nearly 20 years
in a management position at the railway, the last five of those
as Chairman.
Following
the report from the Finance Officer and the election of members
to the management team for 2007/2008 Management Committee (for makeup
see the About Us page), Vice-Chairman George
Legge surprised out-going Chairman Michael Collins by presenting
him with a painting of BCDR locomotive pulling her train out of
the erstwhile terminus at Queen's Quay Belfst, painted by new Carriage
& Wagon Officer David Briggs. John Wilson replaces Michael as
Chairman. John started volunteering at the railway just over a year
ago.
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!
First BCDR
Carriage to Run in 50 Years Return to the Rails Tuessday, 17th March 2007
BCDR
No. 148 after restoration
BCDR
148 as it was found
Last
Easter weekend was a significant event for the DCDR more than usual,
as it marked the first public service of a Belfast & County
Down Railway carriage for more than 50 years.
BCDR
148 was discovered being used as a hen-house at a Castlewellan farm
in the mid-1980s and was offered to the DCDR by the owners. Moved
to the yard, it lay as a grounded body for many more years until
a suitable underframe (from a scrapped Great Southern & Western
Railway carriage) was acquired in 1998. Since then it has been undergoing
restoration, which was largely completed this year (bar a few minor
internal fittings).
One
of the first passengers in it was BCDR historian and regular commuter
on the line Desmond Coakham, who had traced the lettering used on
the carriages, allowing faithful reproductions to be made.
BCDR
148 will be in service again this coming May Day, and more on its
restoration will be in our next news letter.
Lough Lao
Musicians Return for Paddy's Day Thursday, 15th March 2007
After entertaining
passengers on the train last St. Patrick's Day, we are pleased to
announce that the Lough Lao Musicians will be back on the tracks
this Saturday to provide a "Rail Session" on board our
trains.
And as well
as operating our normal afternoon steam train service between Inch
Abbey (where you can park and ride to the town carnival) and Downpatrick
town centre, the Railbus will be out providing an early morning
service from 11am.
You
can hear what the group got up to last year, as webmaster Robert
Gardiner took his microphone and minidisc player with him!
The
Lough Lao Musicians at last year's St. Patrick's Day performing
in the Dunleath Memorial Room
Former
NIR Railbus RB3 will provide a morning service from 11am till
2pm.
Lending a
Hand from Japan Sunday, 4th March 2007
In the early
years of the railway a fundraising scheme was launched in Japan
offering business people to buy a "yard of track" for
the fledging railway. The scheme was a great success and the donors
had their names placed upon the rails on little brass plaques -
at their request! It attracted so much attention that a Japanese
TV documentary series, "Around the World With Love" filmed
an episode in Northern Ireland with a very strong focus on the DCDR.
It's interesting to watch due to the fact that little in the way
of interviews are done, since none of the volunteers speak Japanese!
It also focuses on one of our former Chairmen, Bob Edwards, with
other appearances of the other volunteers. But can you tell where
the railway track ends?
Gerry
Cochrane and the presenter check out one of the name plaques
on the rails (which are still there!) while Bob Edwards looks
on
BBC Newsline
Snippet from 1996 Found! Thursday, 1st March 2007
A short snippet
from BBC Newsline reporting the awarding of a Heritage Lottery grant
to the railway for the O&K steam engines has been unearthed.
Only 13 seconds long, it shows much younger incarnations of our
current Chairman and Infrastructure Manager, and a carriage in a
rather pale green livery...
The Belfast
& Co. Down Railway Revisited Sunday, 11th February 2007
As
part of the RPSI's
winter meetings, BCDR historian and author Desmond Coakham, is giving
a talk this coming Wednesday 14th February in St. Jude's Hall, on
the Ravenhill Road, Belfast.
Don't miss this
personal and detailed review of a once-great system that deserved
a much better fate. See again the engines, carriages, stations,
signalling, services, and much else besides.
Illustrated
with slides, and doors open 7pm, with the talk beginning at 7.30pm.
You don't need to be an RPSI member, so if you've wanted to know
more about the BCDR, feel free to come along!
Picture:
Desmond holding a copy of his book "The Belfast & Co. Down
Railway: An Irish Railway Pictorial", published by Midland
Publishing.
A Valentine's
Day Present - With a Difference! Monday, 5th February 2007
With
Valentine's Day coming up, it's always difficult to try and find
that special gift to tell that special someone how much you care
for them.
It's always the same - cards, chocolates, roses, but nothing that
really marks the day out as different or special.
But the Downpatrick & County Down Railway may have something
that could make that Valentine's Day present a little different.
The local heritage railway's Chairman, Michael Collins, says that
they are offering a 10% discount its exclusive "Footplate Experience"
days, where the lucky person gets to learn to drive a steam train.
"Footplate courses are very popular gifts for Christmas and
birthdays," he says, "so what better way can you express
your feelings to your better half than getting a day to remember."
He continues, "If you book a course between now and the 14th
February, you will get a voucher confirming your booking, and after
getting over the surprise you can choose which of our running days
you want to have your course on - we'll be able to help you choose
which date suits you best".
Mr Collins adds, "And for this period only, you can book the
courses with a ten percent discount, instead of the usual £135."
"Of course, it's not just fellas that these are for,"
says Mr. Collins, "We've had quite a few ladies take up the
challenge of driving the steam train - so maybe that's your wife's
or girlfriend's secret wish...?"
The courses are open to anyone aged 18 or over, for more information
check out our Train Hire page,
or to book ring 077 9080 2049 on Mondays, Wednesdays and
Fridays between 10am and 2pm or email us via the Contacts
Page.
Mince Pies
Go Down a Treat Tuesday, 2nd January 2007
The third Mince
Pie Specials to Inch Abbey were held on New Year's Day, and many
people decided to partake of the complementary mince pie and glass
of mulled wine! The buffet staff reliably tell us that there were
only 3 mince pies left at the end of day - which were, of course,
not allowed to go to waste! Well, when you've been serving them
all day you might as well see what they're like at the end of the
day...!
Click on
the images below to enlarge.
Harvey
prepares to leave Inch Abbey,
with onlooking passengers.
The
Mince Pies flew like hot-cakes!
Well, they were hot, I suppose..
Abigail
McSherry enjoys her footplate experience course.
Check out the Train Hire page for more
info on our Footplate Courses
Raffle
Winner
The
DCDR has just completed a two-year restoration of one of it's carriage
fleet.
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.
There’s
something strange happening at the Downpatrick & County Down
Railway this Halloween. There’s ghosts on the platforms and
ghouls on the train, it can only be the return of Merlin the Magician
on the Halloween Ghost Trains!
Engine
No. 90 of the former Great Southern & Western Railway, which
operated largely in Munster from Dublin, arrived at Downpatrick
this afternoon after an extensive overhaul at the 
Former
Great Northern Railway and Sligo, Leitrim & Northern Counties
Railway employees showed that they really could make steam again,
50 years after the closure of rail services in Fermanagh and the
Border Counties. Several former employees came to the DCDR to get
the opportunity to drive the steam locomotive. It was a memorable
occassion for Arthur Darragh who had the honour of driving the last
train out of Enniskillen railway station on the 30th September 1957.
The
Downpatrick & County Down Railway, in conjunction with the 
New
Mural Unveiled
The
Magnus Viking Association are giving visitors a hands on experience
of Viking life - with all the fun of a steam train ride - this weekend.
The
railway has taken delivery of a carriage from 
The
former Belfast & County Down Railway station at Cultra went
under the hammer last Wednesday. The station was then awarded Grade
2 listed status by the DoE two days later. In a press release Environment
Minister Arlene Foster said that she endorsed the ‘spot listing’
of the old railway station at Cultra and that she was “delighted
that this historic building has been afforded statutory protection.
Historic buildings such as Cultra Railway Station are a great asset,
and their protection and conservation is essential for present and
future generations.”
As
part of the 
With
Valentine's Day coming up, it's always difficult to try and find
that special gift to tell that special someone how much you care
for them.
Click
here for News from 2006