Downpatrick and County Down Railway






Coordinates: 54°19′34″N 5°43′19″W / 54.326°N 5.722°W / 54.326; -5.722





































































Downpatrick & County Down Railway

DCDRcolourcrestsmall.jpg
The DCDR coat of arms, based on a monogram design used by the BCDR

Locale Northern Ireland
Commercial operations
Name Belfast & County Down Railway
Built by Belfast & County Down Railway
Original gauge
5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) Irish Gauge
Preserved operations
Operated by Downpatrick & Co. Down Railway
Stations 4
Length 4 miles (6.4 km)
Preserved gauge
5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) Irish Gauge
Commercial history
Opened 1859
Closed 1950
Preservation history
1985 Work Starts On Preserved Railway
1987 First Public Trains Run
1995 South Line extended To Magnus' Grave
2005 North Line extended to Inch Abbey
2014 Carriage Gallery officially opened






Downpatrick and
County Down Railway


Legend




































































Belfast & County Down Railway
to Belfast















Inch Abbey














Quoile Bridge (River Quoile)



































Downpatrick
















Downpatrick Loop Platform













King Magnus' Halt

















Ardglass Line












Ballydugan
(proposed)
















Belfast & County Down Railway
to Newcastle




The Downpatrick and County Down Railway is an Irish standard gauge heritage railway in County Down, Northern Ireland. It operates passenger trains with Irish steam and diesel locomotives and carriages on part of the former Belfast and County Down Railway mainline. Its four miles of track connect the town of Downpatrick with the local tourist attractions of Inch Abbey and King Magnus' Grave, as well as Downpatrick Loop platform.


The railway's Downpatrick terminus, located at the foot of Down Cathedral, contains an award-winning museum which houses a variety of railway artefacts. These range from restored locomotives and coaches to historic railway relics and buildings from across the whole island.


It is the only operational Irish standard gauge (5' 3") heritage railway in the whole of Ireland.




Contents






  • 1 History


    • 1.1 Belfast & County Down Railway


    • 1.2 Closure


    • 1.3 Heritage Railway




  • 2 Operations


  • 3 Stations & Buildings


    • 3.1 Stations


    • 3.2 Buildings & Structures


    • 3.3 Carriage Gallery




  • 4 Rolling Stock


    • 4.1 Overview


    • 4.2 Stock Lists




  • 5 Awards


  • 6 Television & Film Appearances


  • 7 See also


  • 8 External links


  • 9 References





History



Belfast & County Down Railway


The railway first arrived in Downpatrick on 23 March 1859, with the completion of the Belfast and County Down Railway's mainline from Belfast Queen's Quay railway station. The line originally terminated at Downpatrick, but in 1869 a separate company- the Downpatrick, Dundrum & Newcastle Railway- built an extension to the seaside town of Newcastle. The BCDR took over the DDNR in 1881, though this unforeseen extension had created an inconvenience wherein trains running between Belfast and Newcastle had to run around at Downpatrick to continue their journey in a fashion similar to Kilkenny railway station on the Great Southern and Western Railway. The opportunity arose in 1892 to end this cumbersome practice with the opening of the Downpatrick, Killough and Ardglass Railway and, with it, Downpatrick Loop Platform. The DKAR was built and operated by the BCDR, and branched off from their mainline about half a kilometre from the new Loop Platform. In conjunction with this, a 'Loop Line' was constructed which enabled trains to bypass the main Downpatrick Station, calling instead at the Loop Platform where passengers intending for Downpatrick could switch to a local train and carrying on without having to run around.



Closure


Following the 1945 Ballymacarrett rail crash and the resultant £80,000 (The equivalent to £3,376,000 in 2018) it had to pay in compensation, the Belfast and County Down Railway was financially ruined. This was a deciding factor in the nationalisation of the company as part of the Ulster Transport Authority in 1948. The UTA closed all BCDR lines except the Bangor branch a mere two years after taking them over, and so on Sunday 15 January 1950, all the railways around Downpatrick were closed. The tracks were lifted in 1953 and Downpatrick station was handed over to the UTA's bus division, becoming Ulsterbus in 1968. Ulsterbus moved out of the station in 1975 and it was demolished shortly after, erasing the last trace of the railway in Downpatrick town.



Heritage Railway


Local architect Gerry Cochrane M.B.E. was inspired to start the scheme after taking a walk along the route of the line, and by 1982 had gained support to rebuild part of the line as a heritage steam railway from the local council.[1]Lord Dunleath, whose father had purchased the railway trackbed adjacent to his estate after the closure of the BCDR in Downpatrick, gave the newly formed society a package of land on which to build the line and station for a peppercorn rent. This was on the approaches to the old Downpatrick station, which had been demolished in the 1970s. Work started on rebuilding the railway in 1985, with public trains finally running in the town again in Friday 4 December 1987,[1] making it the first Irish gauge heritage railway in Ireland to carry passengers over its own track. Track has been relaid on nearly 6 km (4 mi) of Belfast and County Down Railway trackbed, and a 1.6 km (1 mi) extension south to the hamlet of Ballydugan is planned.


The railway began life as the Downpatrick & Ardglass Railway, as the original intention was to extend the railway to this fishing port on the south coast of County Down. This name was dropped in 1996 following the abandonment of this proposal and the railway was renamed the Downpatrick Railway Museum until 2005 when the new name, Downpatrick & County Down Railway was adopted following the opening of the Inch Abbey extension.[1]





O&K No. 1 at Downpatrick




O&K No. 3 Pulls a train out of Downpatrick in 2006




The Loop Platform





Downpatrick station building




The BCDR Railmotor undergoing restoration in 2014.





Operations


Approximately 5 km (3 mi) of 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Irish standard gauge track are open as of 2019[update], along which a steam locomotive, currently either O&K No. 1 or 3, and 1950s-60s era diesel locomotives are run, drawing preserved rolling stock. Passenger trains are usually operated with brake/generator standard class coach 3223, which was built in 1954 by Córas Iompair Éierann, brake/standard class coach 728, which was built in 1951 by the Ulster Transport Authority, and Park Royal brake/standard class coach 1944, also built in 1954 by Córas Iompair Éierann. Stock is added to or withdrawn from the 'running set' as maintenance allows. Older carriages built by the Great Southern and Western Railway and Belfast and County Down Railway were operated on the line, but as 1950s/1960s stock became available the DCDR moved these vintage carriages inside for overhaul and display. These vintage coaches are now used on a select few special running days, such as European Heritage Open Days and for private contracts, as they are too historically important for everyday wear and tear.


The railway also aims to have an at least partially operational mechanical signalling system, using the preserved King's Bog and Bundoran Junction signal cabins along with multiple semaphores that are on the site. Related to this is the Double Track Project, which will allow simultaneous operation on the North and South lines.


Every year, the DCDR operates the following trains:



  • Saint Patrick's Day Specials, which are held on Saint Patrick's Day and operate to Inch Abbey.

  • Easter Specials, which take place over a couple of days around the Easter Period, and operate to Inch Abbey.

  • May Day Specials, which take place on May Day and operate to Inch Abbey.

  • Summer Specials, which take place every weekend during summer and operate to Inch Abbey. One of these days is typically reserved for diesel haulage.


  • EHOD Days, which run in conjunction with the last Summer Specials weekend. These offer visitors free cab rides in a diesel as well as behind-the-scenes tours.

  • Halloween Specials, which take place on the weekend prior to, and on, Halloween night, and operate to Magnus' Grave.

  • Santa Specials, which take place on the weekend prior to Christmas, and operate to the Loop Platform.

  • Mince Pie Specials, which take place on either the last or last weekend of the year, and operate to Magnus' Grave or Inch Abbey - these are usually diesel-hauled.


Bank Holidays, shunts, private charters and film contracts make for extra trains throughout the year too.


On operating days, visitors have access to the BCDR Museum which is housed upstairs in Downpatrick railway station, the Downpatrick East signal cabin, a model railway room, the workshop viewing area (Where carriages can be seen undergoing restoration) and the Carriage Gallery.


A gift shop and buffet carriage, the latter of which will be parked at Inch Abbey or Downpatrick Loop Platform railway station, are open on operating days.



Stations & Buildings



Stations




  • Downpatrick Station is the principal station on the DCDR network, where all passenger trains originate from. It has two platforms, though one of these is currently out of use. The original BCDR station was sited on Market Street, but was demolished and replaced by a supermarket before the DCDR was established.


  • Downpatrick Loop Platform has no road access, which helped it to escape demolition in the 1950s. It serves as the interchange point between the DCDR's South and Back lines. Downpatrick Loop has two platforms.


  • King Magnus' Halt is the current terminus of the South Line. It has one platform and serves the grave of Viking King Magnus Barefoot, a site previously inaccessible before the arrival of the railway. Magnus Halt was not an original BCDR station, though it is located at the site of the BCDR's Ardglass Junction.


  • Inch Abbey Halt is the current terminus of the North Line. It has two platforms and serves the ruins of Inch Abbey. The station was not part of the BCDR, as it is located on a short deviation away from the original trackbed.



Buildings & Structures




  • Downpatrick Station Building was originally the town's Gas Manager's House, sited across the road from the DCDR and moved over brick-by-brick.


  • Downpatrick Signal Cabin, a BNCR structure, was moved brick-by-brick from Kingsbog Junction on the Belfast–Derry line.


  • Downpatrick East Signal Cabin, a GNR structure, was originally Bundoran Junction's North Cabin. It was moved to DCDR in 2011 and opened to the public in 2017.


  • Downpatrick Locomotive Shed, a BNCR structure, was moved stone-by-stone from Maghera where it was originally the goods shed.


  • Downpatrick Station Canopy was originally attached to the Maghera Shed.


  • Downpatrick Water Tower was moved from Antrim station.


  • The Arch, which spans the main gate, bears the name of the railway and is based on an original design at Cookstown.


  • Bridges 163 & 164 are original BCDR bridges, and carry the Back and South lines respectively across a narrow stream.


  • Downpatrick Loop Platform and Canopy are the only BCDR buildings left in Downpatrick.


  • The Cutting is just beyond the limit of passenger operations on the South Line. It carries trains up a slight gradient, with vertical retaining walls on either side.


  • The Quoile Bridge is the longest bridge on the DCDR. It carries the North Line over the River Quoile, and though the spans are newly fabricated, the concrete centre pier is original.



Carriage Gallery


Completed in 2012, the Carriage Gallery is the DCDR's award-winning museum where visitors can enjoy and interact with rolling stock that is not being used to run public trains during their visit. Like the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, the Carriage Gallery houses vehicles in an indoors environment where the public can get up close and learn about both the vehicles in question, and Irish railways in general. Despite its name, the Carriage Gallery also contains locomotives, both steam and diesel, and even a road-going tar boiler. Designed in homage to the Victorian railway termini with their grand overall roofs, the Gallery collection is arranged across 3 roads with 4 platform faces, allowing visitors the chance to enter the vehicles. The condition of the exhibits ranges from fully restored to as-discovered so that visitors can appreciate the huge work required, with some carriages still in the hen-house state they were found in on farms across the country.


The Carriage Gallery was officially opened by the Earl Of Wessex in 2014.



Rolling Stock



Overview


The railway hosts three steam locomotives, eight diesel locomotives, seven diesel railcar sets, twenty-three carriages, thirty-four wagons and three permanent way vehicles, making for a total of seventy-eight railway vehicles. If the railcar constituent coaches are considered as individual carriages, the total is eighty-two vehicles.


At present O&Ks No.'s 1 and 3 are the operational steam locomotives.1875-built 0-6-0 tank engine, GSWR No.90, which was delivered to Downpatrick on Sunday 30 September 2007 after overhaul at the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's workshops in Whitehead, Co Antrim, is Ireland's oldest operational steam engine. Two E Class diesels, No.'s E421 and E432, were acquired in 1986, with E421 working the Society's first passenger trains. However, the E Class could not start from cold and to this end, three G Class diesels arrived at the railway to facilitate shunting and works trains- One of which was donated to the society after a member purchased it from Westrail, and two of which are on long-term loan from the Irish Traction Group (ITG). The ITG also loans three mainline diesels to the railway- These are CIÉ A class No.A39R (Moved to the railway on Sunday 22 November 2009), 141 class No. 146 (Arrived on 27 November 2010) and 201 Class No. C231. (Which arrived on 7 June 2014).
[2]


There are three main rakes of carriages. The passenger set is used on most running days, and consists of CIÉ 3223, UTA 728, and CIÉ 1944. On special days, the 'vintage set' is used, consisting of BCDR No.'s 72 and 148, and GSWR 836.The buffet set is parked in a platform on running days but publicly accessible, and before it was replaced by a converted 450 class railcar, consisted of CIÉ carriages 3189, 2419, 1918 and 2978. The carriage fleet is considerably varied, with a mix of six-wheeled and bogie carriages, and representatives from virtually every time period and Irish gauge railway company- Including the BCDR (The DCDR owns 5 of the 6 extant BCDR carriages), GNR, GSWR, GSR, UTA, NIR, CIÉ, and most significantly, the Ulster Railway, which is represented by No. 33, the sole surviving UR vehicle and Ulster's oldest carriage. Other notable carriages are BCDR Railmotor No. 72 and Royal Saloon No. 153, both of Ireland's extant Travelling Post Offices and the last AEC railcar. Two carriages, GSWR No.'s 1097 and 1287, are on loan to the railway from RPSI.


The DCDR also has a large selection of wagons, goods vans and underframes. Ex-NCC brake van No. 33 was the railway's first passenger-carrying vehicle. Included in the railway's wagon fleet is the most powerful steam crane in Ireland, NCC No. 3084.


The railway has also been donated several items of stock by Iarnród Éireann, such as Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway Railcar B, built in 1947. This railcar arrived in poor condition and it will be some time before the DCDR can return it to operational condition. Prototype BR-Leyland Railbuses, RB3, which was modified in the early 1980s to run on Irish metals and was used for a period by Northern Ireland Railways, was acquired by DCDR in 2001, with the hope of using it to run midweek trains as it did not require as large a crew as locomotive-hauled trains. However, due to several faults inherent with the prototype Railbus' design, this did not come to fruition. Three more ex-NIR railcars are owned by DCDR, encompassing the last 450 Class, 458 ''Antrim Castle'', which arrived in 2014 and has been converted to a buffet train enabling the current buffet carriages to come out of service for overhaul, and two 80 class railcars which arrived in 2018. A small fleet of permanent way vehicles, all acquired from NIR, and some road/rail on-track plant, are used by the railway's Permanent Way department.



Stock Lists














































Steam Locomotives
Number

Wheel Arrangement
Build Date
Original Operator
Arrived At DCDR
Current Status
Photo
Notes
1
0-4-0T+WT
1934
Irish Sugar Company
1987 In Service
Downpatrick.jpg Overhauled at Whitehead between 2004 and 2012.
3
0-4-0T+WT
1935
Irish Sugar Company
1987 In service
Downpatrick Nummer 3 (1).jpg Steam tested 19 May 2018. Final boiler test passed 12 November 2018. Released for traffic 24/11/2018.
90 0-6-0T 1875 Castleisland Railway/GSWR
2007 On display in Carriage Gallery - Awaiting Overhaul
No. 90, Downpatrick.JPG Originally built as a railmotor.






























































































































































































Diesel Locomotives & Multiple Units/Railcars
Number
Class
Build Date
Original Operator
Arrived At DCDR
Current Status
Photo
Notes
E421 E421 Class 1962 CIÉ
1986
Inside Carriage Gallery, awaiting Overhaul
E421 At Downpatrick.JPG Named W.F. Gillispie OBE
E432 E421 Class 1963 CIÉ
1986
Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 1.jpg Out of traffic
G611 G611 Class 1961 CIÉ
1996
Stopped Awaiting Attention
Downpatrick 2.jpg Owned by the Irish Traction Group
G613 G611 Class 1961 CIÉ
1986
Undergoing Overhaul
G613 (Deutz).jpg Privately Owned
G617 G611 Class 1962 CIÉ
1996
Operational
Downpatrick 3.jpg Owned by the Irish Traction Group
A39R
A (001) Class 1955 CIÉ
2009 Operational
A39r, Downpatrick.JPG Owned by the Irish Traction Group
146 B (141) Class 1962 CIÉ
2010 Operational
146, Downpatrick.JPG Owned by the Irish Traction Group
C231 C (201) Class 1956 CIÉ
2014 Operational
C231 At DCDR.JPG Owned by the Irish Traction Group
Railcar B - 1947
SLNCR
2006
Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 4.jpg Last passenger-carrying SLNCR vehicle
RB3 - 1980
BR
2001 Stopped

NIR RB3 Ballymena Geograph-2091774.jpg
Experimental Railbus - built by BREL/Leyland for use on British Rail, came to NIR 1981
458
458 450 Class 1987
NIR
2014 In use as buffet train.
Downpatrick 5.jpg 3-Car set. Named Antrim Castle.

Power car
798

798 Downpatrick.jpg
Intermediate
788

788 Downpatrick.jpg

Driving trailer
69

80 Class
1978
NIR
2018
Operational, undergoing interior refurbishment and driver training.

69, DCDR.jpg
2-Car set.
Power Car
749

749, DCDR.jpg
Driving Trailer
90

80 Class
1978
NIR
2018
Mechanically operational, but stored as strategic reserve.

8090 At DCDR.jpg
2-Car set.
Power Car
752
1979

752, DCDR.jpg
Driving Trailer
712 - 1962 CIÉ
1998
Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 6.jpg ITG-Owned Wickham Railcar.
713 - 1962 CIÉ
1999
Undergoing Overhaul
Downpatrick 7.jpg Wickham Railcar, Nicknamed Rosie





























































































































































































































Carriages
Number
Type
Original Operator
Arrived At DCDR
Current Status
Photo
Notes
39 Six-Wheeler
BCDR
1987 In Carriage Gallery, awaiting overhaul
Downpatrick 8.jpg Third Brake - on temporary underframe
72 Bogie BCDR
1985 On display in Carriage Gallery.

Part of 'vintage set', used for special events.


Downpatrick 9.jpg Originally railmotor; later converted to autocoach
148 Bogie BCDR
1987 On display in Carriage Gallery.

Part of 'vintage set', used for special events.


Downpatrick 10.jpg Includes half of carriage BCDR No. 152
153 Bogie BCDR
1987 In Carriage Gallery, Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 11.jpg Royal Saloon: carried at least 3 British Monarchs; on temporary underframe.

Acquired 1984 before DCDR had its own land- Stored at RAF Bishopscourt until 1987.


154 Six-Wheeler BCDR
1984 In Carriage Gallery, Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 8.jpg Second - on temporary underframe
1918 Bogie
CIÉ
1988 Part of old buffet set, now withdrawn for maintenance.
Laminate Coach No. 1918, Downpatrick.jpg Laminate Brake
1944 Bogie
CIÉ
1995 Operational
Park Royal, Downpatrick.JPG Park Royal. Returned to traffic 24/11/2018 after a 20-year overhaul.

Part of running set.


2419 Bogie
CIÉ
1988 Part of old buffet set, now withdrawn for maintenance.
Downpatrick 12.jpg Buffet Carriage
2977
Bogie

CIÉ
2017
Undergoing restoration inside the Carriage Gallery

2977 At Downpatrick.jpg

Travelling Post Office, owned by An Post.
2978 Bogie
CIÉ
1995 Used as Grotto Carriage at Halloween & Christmas
Downpatrick 13.jpg Travelling Post Office owned by An Post
3223 Bogie
CIÉ
1988 Operational
Downpatrick 14.jpg Laminate - Brake Generator Second.

Part of running set.


6111 Bogie
CIÉ
2015 Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 15.jpg Former AEC railcar 2624, converted to push-pull driving trailer in 1974.
Unknown Six-Wheeler
GNR
1993 Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 16.jpg Third - on temporary underframe
33 Unknown
Ulster Railway
1986 In Carriage Gallery, undergoing remedial work.
Downpatrick 17.jpg Only surviving stock from UR; on temporary underframe. Third oldest carriage in Ireland (built 1862).
25 Six-Wheeler
MGWR
2006 In Carriage Gallery, Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 18.jpg -
53 Six-Wheeler
MGWR
2006 In Workshops, awaiting overhaul
Downpatrick 19.jpg -
69 Six-Wheeler
GSWR
1992 Undergoing Overhaul
Downpatrick 20.jpg Converted from Full Brake to Brake First Saloon; Privately Owned
836 Bogie
GSWR
1986 On display in Carriage Gallery.

Part of 'vintage set', used for special events.


Downpatrick 21.jpg -
1097 Bogie
GSWR
2005 Stored
Downpatrick 22.jpg On loan from RPSI
1287 Bogie
GSWR
2004 In use as a 'Tarry' (mess van)
Downpatrick 23.jpg On loan from RPSI
728 Bogie
UTA
1991 Operational
Downpatrick 24.jpg Ex-MPD driving trailer; later 70 Class Intermediate.

Part of running set.


8918 Bogie
BR
2014 In service
DBSO, Downpatrick.JPG Ex-BR DBSO 9712, later came to NIR but was never used in service.

Used as translator wagon between 458 and 146 for buffet train.


3189 Bogie
BR
2007 Part of old buffet set, now withdrawn for maintenance.
Downpatrick 25.jpg Ex-BR MK I Brake Third - Converted by CIÉ to Generator Coach














































































































































































































































































































Wagons & Underframes
Number
Type
Original Operator
Arrived At DCDR
Current Status
Photo
Notes
1536 Tanker Private Owner
1999
Not In Use
Downpatrick 29.jpg -
18885 Goods Van
CIÉ
Used for storage
Downpatrick 30.jpg Contains Generator - known as Roaring Meg
27756
Container Flat
CIÉ
2017
In use

27756 Downpatrick.jpg
Carries a spare English Electric 4SRKT engine
8452 Plough/Brake Van GSWR
1990
Used for storage
Downpatrick 31.jpg -
8314 Ballast Hopper GSWR
1986
Used for Ballast Trains
Downpatrick 34.jpg -
8411 Ballast Hopper GSWR
1986
Used for Ballast Trains
Downpatrick 33.jpg -
C496 Ballast Hopper NIR
Used for Ballast Trains
Downpatrick 35.jpg -
Unknown Goods Van BCDR
2013 Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 36.jpg Body Only
Unknown Cement Van GNR
1998
Stored
-
Disassembled, in 'kit' form
C505 Flat
NCC
In Use
Downpatrick 38.jpg -
713 Flat NCC


  • 1991 (As Carriage)

  • 2002 (Conversion)


In Use
Downpatrick 39.jpg Former 70 Class Driving Trailer; body destroyed by arson in 2002
C604 Container Flat NCC
In Use
Downpatrick 40.jpg Brown Van underframe; Carries BCDR Van
Unknown Bridge Wagon BCDR
Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 41.jpg 1 of 3 Bridge Wagons
Unknown Bridge Wagon BCDR
Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 41.jpg 1 of 3 Bridge Wagons
Unknown Bridge Wagon BCDR
Awaiting Overhaul
Downpatrick 41.jpg 1 of 3 Bridge Wagons
C378 Open Wagon
Courtaulds
1987
Not In Use
Downpatrick 42.jpg -
33 Brake Van NCC
1987
Not In Use
Downpatrick 43.jpg Used in the lifting of the Portadown - Derry/Londonderry line
619 Underframe
GNR
1987
In Use
Downpatrick 44.jpg Carries BCDR Royal Saloon No. 153.
Unknown Underframe GSWR
In Use
Downpatrick 45.jpg Carries UR No. 33. Former horsebox.
C??? Container Flat NCC
Not In Use
Downpatrick 46.jpg Brown Van underframe one of 599-608 series
3084 Steam Crane NCC
1994
Not In Use
Downpatrick 47.jpg Consists of Crane, Water Wagon & Jib Wagon; built 1931. Originally self-propelled; now the largest in Ireland (capable of lifting 36t).
667 Goods Van NCC
1987
Not In Use
Downpatrick 48.jpg Brown Van
674 Goods Van NCC
1987
Not In Use
Downpatrick 49.jpg Brown Van
687 Goods Van NCC
1987
Not In Use
Downpatrick 50.jpg Brown Van
688 Goods Van NCC
1987
Not In Use
Downpatrick 51.jpg Brown Van
Unknown Underframe
BNM
1999
PW Use
Downpatrick 52.jpg Regauged 4w underframe. Named ''Pink Panther''
Unknown
Underframe
BNM
1999
In use

Downpatrick 52.jpg
Carries the detached conveyor belt from NIR Ballast Regulator No. 315 (See below)
C32 Open Wagon UTA
1985
Not In Use
Downpatrick 53.jpg Pyramid ends
935 Underframe
WLWR
In Use
Downpatrick 54.jpg Carries BCDR No. 154
Unknown Underframe GSWR
In Use
Downpatrick 55.jpg Carries BCDR No. 39
1110 Underframe GSWR
2000 In Use
Downpatrick 10.jpg Carries BCDR No. 148
13M Underframe MGWR
In Use
Downpatrick 56.jpg Carries GNR 6w (unknown number)





































PW Vehicles
Number
Original Operator
Arrived At DCDR
Current Status
Photo
Notes
HC1 NIR
Not In Use
Downpatrick 26.jpg Former Tamper, Converted By NIR Into a Hedgecutter
7 (7007) NIR
2008 Operational
Downpatrick 27.jpg Type 7 Tamper
315 NIR
Operational
Downpatrick 28.jpg USP3000C Ballast Regulator











































Road Vehicles
Type
Arrived At DCDR
Current Status
Notes
Atlas Excavator
2010
In Use; Permanent Way
Road-Rail Equipped
Komatsu Excavator
2015
Dumper
2011
Nicknamed Daisy. Road-Rail Equipped.
Dumper Trailer
2008
Road-Rail Equipped
Bruff Recovery Vehicle
2015
Stored
From NIR November 2015. Road-Rail Equipped.
Tar Boiler
2017
On Display In Carriage Gallery
Built for McCreath Taylor in 1926.

















































































































Former DCDR Vehicles
Number
Type
Arrived At DCDR
Left DCDR
Fate
Reason
Notes
3BG
Steam Locomotive
1989
2001
Returned to Whitehead
Loan expired
Loaned to DCDR from RPSI
3
Steam Locomotive
2005
2012
Returned to Whitehead
Loan expired
Loaned to DCDR from RPSI
Daewoo
Road-Rail Excavator
2008
2013
Sold to Pakistan
Surplus to requirements
-
JCB
Backhoe Excavator
1990
2009
Sold
Life-Expired
-

47M
Six-Wheeled Carriage
Unknown
2007
Scrapped
Roof collapse
-
713

70 Class Driving Trailer
1991
2002
Destroyed
Arson
Underframe survives as a flat wagon- See above table
448

GNR Carriage
Unknown
2006
Scrapped
Beyond repair
Only half of the coach body
2053
GNR Brake Van
Unknown
2002
Destroyed
Arson
-
Unknown
Tank Wagon
Unknown
Unknown
Scrapped
Unknown
-
Unknown
GNR Goods Van
Unknown
2015
Destroyed
Destroyed by a storm
Grounded body
Unknown
Flat Wagon
Unknown
N/a
Cut into sections
Re-use of materials
Sections stored in Downpatrick yard


Awards




  • Ian Allan Railway Heritage Award (First Class): Received in 1992 in recognition of Downpatrick Station Building.


  • Northern Ireland Tourist Board Award: Received in 1999.


  • Heritage Railway Association Carriage and Wagon Award (runners-up): Received in 1999 in recognition of GSWR carriage No. 836.


  • Down District Council Tourism Heroes Award: Received in 2008.


  • Co-operation Ireland Pride Of Place Award: Received in 2012.


  • Heritage Railway Association Small Groups Award: Received in 2015 in recognition of the Carriage Gallery.


  • TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence: Received in 2016.


  • Heritage Railway Association Carriage and Wagon Award: Received in 2019 in recognition of the restoration of BCDR railmotor No. 72.



Television & Film Appearances




  • Children in Need Quiet Man Spoof (BBC One NI, 2001)


  • Puckoon (2002)


  • Flight to Freedom (BBC One NI, 2005)


  • Rain (2005)


  • A Potted History of Armagh (BBC One NI, 2006)


  • Raising Steam, a 40-minute documentary of which the DCDR was the subject (BBC One NI, 2008)


  • Our Wee World (BBC One NI/Barking Films, 2010)


  • Christopher and His Kind, starring Matt Smith (BBC2/Mammoth Screen, 2011)


  • Walk the Line (Barra Best, BBC NI, 2014)


  • The Lost City of Z, starring Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland (2015)


  • The Woman in White (BBC, 2017)


  • The Last Letter (BBC NI, 2018)


  • Mrs Wilson (BBC, 2018)


  • Agatha and the Truth of Murder (Channel 5, 2018)



See also







  • History of rail transport in Ireland

  • Sir John Macneil



External links



  • Downpatrick & County Down Railway


  • "Raising Steam". BBC Northern Ireland. 2008..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}



References





  1. ^ abc Cochrane, Gerry (2009). Back in Steam: the Downpatrick and County Down Railway from 1982. Newtownards: Colourpoint. ISBN 978-1-906578-29-9.


  2. ^ "American Baby Boomer adopted by Downpatrick Railway". Latest News. Downpatrick & County Down Railway. 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2012-07-23.












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