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Welcome to the Web Site of The Belfast & County Down Railway Museum Trust
An Associate Member of the Northern Ireland Museums Council Index History of the B.& C.D.R. Locomotives of the B.& C.D.R. Trust's Plans Ballynahinch Branch An
Irish Railway Challenge Membership
The Railway at War
Trust
Publications All photographs on this web site are copyright, and are not to be copied for re-sale.
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The Ballynahinch Branch An Irish Railway Challenge
Help us to put it back on track! The Ballynahinch Branch, all 3½ miles of it, was a typical Irish branch line, running from Ballynahinch Junction to Ballynahinch Town, with a small intermediate station at Creevyargon Halt. Creevyargon Halt was a short wooden platform, just long enough to take the two or three 6-wheeled carriages of the branch train. It is the Trust's intention to restore this short branch line, and about two miles of the former main line to something as close to its original state as possible, and we would invite all enthusiasts of Irish railways to join with us in order to achieve this objective.
Ballynahinch Junction in the condition to which the Trust proposes to restore it. Bearing in mind that railways around the world were being built by Irish Navvies at the time the Ballynahinch line was opened, we are throwing out ‘An Irish Railway Challenge’ to Irish railway enthusiasts and to people around the world who have Irish connections, as well as to local volunteers and local companies, to join with us and to help us create a working heritage railway that will truly reflect the character of the old B.& C.D.R. We
appreciate that this is a very tall order, but if everyone ‘mucks
in’ as they say, and does what they can, it is certainly achievable.
It is our intention to recreate the image, the character, and the aura of
the old Belfast & County Down Railway as closely as possible to what it was
before it was closed in 1950 (Indeed it changed very little over its 92 years of
operation, and still used vintage 6-wheeled carriages when it closed), so please
join with us in this tremendous challenge to prove that Irish people of today
are as resilient as their ancestors of 150 years ago, and that we can still
build a railway as well as they did! To be able to complete this challenge we need to raise £100,000 as quickly as possible, and to do this we are looking for 1,000 people to donate £100 each. Full details are given in our 'One in a Thousand' appeal, details of which are given on our Membership page, along with other ways in which you can help. Ideally
we
would like to achieve this this year as we commemorate the 60th anniversary of
its closure so we need your support urgently! Please take up the challenge, and join with us for this special event! E-mail
us at:- countydownrailway@yahoo.co.uk
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The Trust's model of Ballynahinch Junction on display at the Bangor Exhibition in April 2008. ============================================================================================================================================================= B.& C.D.R. Carriage No. 18. From
this.... B Back to
this…..
Can you help?
B.&
C.D.R. 6
Compartment Third Class Carriage No. 18. Carriage
No. 18 was constructed in the Queen’s Quay workshops of the Belfast &
County Down Railway in 1914 as a six compartment all Third Class, and having a
seating capacity of 60. It
was one of a class of eight, running numbers being 17 to 20, and 44 to 47. It
is uncertain at the present time if any of the other members of the class have
survived, but this particular vehicle body was sold by the U.T.A. in 1953 to a
Mr. Harry Jackson of Donaghmore, near Newry, where it rested for many years
until acquired by the Trust. This is certainly one of the best examples of former Belfast & County Down Railway carriage stock to be still in existence, and its excellent condition is due very much to the steps taken by Mr. Jackson to protect it. The
original roof has been protected by a corrugated iron roof placed over the top
of the vents, and attached only at the ends by two bolts.
One side was completely protected by a lean-to garage that served to
protect the
panelling for many years. The
carriage still has its original gas light fittings and globes, all of which are
intact, and indeed one compartment still has the original seating and
upholstery. All of the doors,
including handles and locks, are also in perfect working order. We
would very much like to have this vehicle restored as quickly as possible, and would appeal to you for
your help to get it back on the rails. Ideally, we would like to have this carriage restored to running order for Easter 2009, but this is going to take a concerted effort by Trust Members and volunteers if this is to be achieved. To make this happen we need to put Quite a number of things in place.
One of
our members, Mr. John Russell, who operates a Railway Carriage and Wagon
Workshop in Essex has now agreed to overhaul this carriage for us free of charge,
and to have it ready for us before the end of this year – if we can arrange to get it
transported to him quickly. We are now urgently looking for a friendly haulier, someone who may possibly have an empty vehicle going to England, to provide transportation for us, either free of charge or at a reasonable rate. A similar favour will be required for the return journey later in the year. If you are such a person, or if you know of anyone who may be able to help, please give us a call as soon as possible, as time is of the essence. Alternatively if you would be willing to contribute towards the cost of transportation to Essex, your assistance would be very much appreciated. Please
ring us on:-
07828
109228 or
e-mail us at: countydownrailway@yahoo.co.uk
or click here to download a Sponsorship Form The Carriage body is 32’ 5” long, and 8’ 6” wide, so will easily fit onto a 40’ flat trailer. It is presently in store at Newtownards, and has to travel to Essex. Arrangements can be made for crane loading at this end, and Mr. Russell will arrange for removal from the trailer at the workshop. ================================================================================================== Are
‘YOU One in a Thousand’? As we remember the 60th anniversary of the closing of the 'County Down Railway, and work towards the restoration of part of it, we need to raise at least £100,000 very quickly. To achieve this objective we are looking for 1000 people to donate £100 each to help put the restoration of the line firmly on the ground. Each contributor will receive a special numbered certificate, and will be kept up to date with progress reports on the project for the next TWENTY years. Each contributor will have all the privileges of regular membership, will receive invitations to special events organised by the Trust during that period, and will have privileged access to the Trust’s museum at any convenient time once this has been established. The funding raised from this promotion will allow us to purchase the remainder of the track bed, and will enable us to get the project firmly on the ground very quickly. Simply e-mail us at countydownrailway@yahoo.co.uk for more information, or click here for an Application Form
The Next 50 people to take out 'One in a Thousand' membership will, as well as receiving their certificate, also receive an original Banbridge Extension Railway Share Certificate. ========================================================================================================= For further information please contact us:- Freephone:-
0800 980 1242 or e-mail us at:- or write to us at:- The B.& C.D.R. Museum Trust 9 Kilbright Road Carrowdore NEWTWONARDS Co. Down, BT22 2HQ Northern Ireland
======================================================================================================== All photographs on this web site are copyright, and are not to be copied for re-sale.
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