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Welcome to the Web Site of The Belfast & County Down Railway Company Limited In association with The Belfast & County Down Railway Museum Trust
'Down' Memory Line The Trust is 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
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Welcome to the Web Site of The Belfast & County Down Railway Museum Trust In association with The Belfast & County Down Railway Company Limited
'Down' Memory Line Where the Past is always Present Index History of the B.& C.D.R. Locomotives of the B.& C.D.R. Trust's Plans Ballynahinch Branch Rolling Stock
Membership
The Railway at War Trust
Publications ==================================================================================================== Last updated - 27th May, 2013. Check your local weather forecast here: http://www.frixo.com/ A number of celebrities have offered us their support. Please page down for further information. ===================================================================================================== In recent weeks someone placed a virus on our computer, having gained access through our web site. As a result of this intrusion much of the information on our web programme was removed, as were many of the links between pages, and all information relating to the Trust's plans.
With the co-operation of McAfee, and our server 'Fasthosts', we have managed to have much of the programme restored. If however you should have problems with any of the links, we would appreciate it if you could possibly let us know so that we can have any remaining errors corrected.
We would also appreciate it very much if anyone who knows the identity of the person, or persons, responsible for this intrusion would be good enough to contact us. The matter has been reported to our server, and to the P.S.N.I. as this intrusion was clearly targeted at specific information.
Apologies for the double heading at the top of some pages - This is one of the problems we are still trying to resolve. ==========================================================
BRITISH ARMED FORCES DAY - 29th JUNE, 2013
A Special Tribute to British and Allied Armed Services
The B.& C.D.R. Museum Trust has agreed to purchase two steam engines to be named 'HERO' and 'REMEMBRANCE'
in recognition of those who have fought and died in the various conflicts from the First World War through to the present day, including those currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We had identified two suitable engines, but unfortunately the owner got another buyer before we could put the funds in place.
Spitfires from 315 Squadron (Polish) based at Ballyhalbert during World War II. To secure two suitable engines therefore we need to raise about £60 - £70,000 to cover the cost of their purchase and transportation to Northern Ireland. We will need also to raise at least a further £50 - £60,000 to cover the cost of overhaul, restoration, and long term maintenance, so we are appealing to all possible sources of funding to please help us to secure the amounts required. We would like to have the funding in place by the time British Armed Forces Day comes around on 29th June, or very soon afterwards, so please give us your support today. Please visit our page 'The Railway at War' to learn more about the links between the Belfast & County Down Railway and the Armed Services.
If you are arranging a Special Event in conjunction with Armed Forces Day please ask for some of our brochures to distribute to participants!
We walked among the crosses ~By C W J (C W Johnson)- May 1975~
Please Click here to download a copy of the special Tribute Brochure or contact us at trust@bcdr.co.uk for further information.
The following celebrities have very kindly provided the Trust with Personally Autographed Photographs (Not pre-printed unless stated) to be sold to raise funds for this Special Tribute to the men and women of our Armed Services..
We would sincerely thank all of them for their valuable support.
And we look forward to having yours as well -- Please contact us today.
In each case, unless stated, only one copy is available, and you can order by contacting us at:-
or simply purchase by using PayPal to send payment to:-
Dame Vera Lynn - A4 Poster Nick Clegg 7" x 5¾" Phil Collins 8" x 10" At Least £50:00. At Least £100:00.
Dan Snow 6" x 4". Torvill & Dean 8" x 6". Linda Lusardi 8¼" x 6". At Least £50:00. At Least £50:00. At Least £50:00. Dan has very kindly provided us with 3 copies each individually signed.
Lewis Hamilton Two 8" x 6 " Katherine Jenkins 7" x 5" At Least £200:00 for the pair, or £125:00 each. At Least £100:00.
8½" x 6½" Letter from the Office of George W. Bush, former US President. The President appreciates the importance of supporting veterans, but was unable to support our request for an Autographed Photograph for this appeal. At Least £50:00.
Joanna Lumley 6" x 4". Paddy Ashdown 6½" x 4" with signed House of Lords Complements Slip At Least £50:00 for both.
Geri Halliwell 6" x 4". Barbara Windsor 6" x 4" (Pre-printed) Stephen Fry 7" x 5" (Possibly pre-printed) At Least £50:00. At Least £25:00. At Least £25:00. Barbara has kindly provided us with 4 copies
Dame Judi Dench 6" x 4". Hannah Gordon At Least £50:00. At Least £75:00 for the pair or £50:00 each. Signatures are slightly smudged, but come with accompanying card which is also personally signed by Ms. Gordon.
Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden has kindly given us a special double DVD set, the cover of which has been signed by all members of the band. We are not putting a price on this as we have agreed not to offer it for sale on the Internet, so alternative arrangements are being made. This is an exceptionally high value item, and the support of Bruce, and the other members of the band is very much appreciated indeed. Watch this site for details of how it is to be sold.
Chris Tarrant 6" x 8½" plus a personally signed 'WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE' Sweatshirt. The sweatshirt is one that is used during rehearsals for the programme. The two items come with a personally signed letter from Chris. At least £750 for all three items.
Sir Elton John Collection
Postcard Size Photograph Final Performance 8" x 10" Unsigned Caesars Palace T Shirt Pre-signed photograph
A4 size Poster 2008 2 x CD's still in cellophane wrappers Programme Tantrums and Tiaras Peachtree Road and The Captain & The Kid The Red Piano Tour
None of the Items Gifted by Sir Elton John are available Commercially £1,500 for the collection - or Nearest Offer. =======================================
Autographed copy of Michael Palin's book 'FULL CIRCLE' £75:00.
Remember - You are not only buying an originally autographed photograph or item You are supporting a tribute to British and Allied Armed Forces So don't be afraid to pay a little more than the asking price!
Click on this logo for other ways to support our Armed Forces ================================================================= It is also to provide information about the Trust's plans for the restoration of part of the former main line between Saintfield and Crossgar, as well as the line to Ballynahinch, as a Heritage Railway that will depict as closely as possible the image, the aura, and the character of the Belfast & County Down Railway during its hundred years of operation through the drumlin countryside of County Down.
What
is
the B.& C.D.R. Museum Trust?
The
Belfast & County Down Railway Museum Trust is a voluntary organisation that
was established by a small group of railway enthusiasts in 1972, the primary aim
being to preserve relics, artifacts, and photographic material relating to the
railways of Ireland in general, and of the former Belfast & County Down
Railway in particular.
The formation of the Trust was prompted by the loss in
the early 1970's of a number of extensive collections of Irish railway archive
materials which where not unfortunately protected in any way.
As a safeguard therefore, the Trust was registered through the Northern
Ireland Legal system at the time of its formation, thereby giving a guarantee of
security to the materials and artifacts within its collection.
The collection is overseen by a Board of Trustees who are charged with
the responsibility of ensuring its continued preservation.
The day to day running of the Trust, is in the hands of
a committee that is made up of members of the Trust who are elected at an A.G.M.
each year. This Committee
also has a representative from the Board of Trustees, who acts as the 'Go
Between', being the link between the Trustees and the membership.
Soon after its formation the Trust proposed the
development of a Working Railway Museum using a portion of the track bed of the
former Belfast & County Down Railway, and indeed was the first railway
preservation organisation in Ireland to promote the idea of an operational
railway museum. The
section of line chosen was that between Saintfield and Ballynahinch, which
incorporated two miles of the former main line between Rowallane Gardens at
Saintfield (The headquarters of the National Trust), and Ballynahinch Junction,
and also the 3½ mile branch line from Ballynahinch Junction to Ballynahinch
Town. It is still the Trust’s intention, to relay the track between Saintfield and Ballynahinch, only we will be using track to the British and International gauge of 4' 8½", rather than the Irish gauge of 5' 3". Full details of the Trust's proposed developments, how you can help, ant the present state of play can be found on other pages of the web site. ====================================================================================================================== WANTED ALL
KINDS OF OLD
RAILWAY PHOTOGRAPHS, BOOKS
and MAGAZINES Particularly
anything relating to the Belfast
& County Down Railway FOR
PERMANENT PRESERVATION PLEASE
CONTACT THE
B.& C.D.R. MUSEUM TRUST 9 Kilbright Road Carrowdore NEWTOWNARDS Co. DOWN, BT22 2HQ Freephone: 0800 980 1242 E-mail: trust@bcdr.co.uk All items in our collection are protected for posterity under the terms of our Deed of Trust =========================================================================================== THE LAST TICKETS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, NEWCASTLE HAS SEEN THE LAST TRAIN OFF, AND THE SHARP WHISTLE BLASTS THAT DAILY RENT THE MORNING STILLNESS HAVE BEEN SILENCED
AFTER EIGHTY YEARS. A
shade of sadness cast its sentimental gloom over sweet County Down when the last
train passed over the many miles of the serpentine iron ribbon between Newcastle
and Comber. Yes,
that train rocked and shook and passed by the hills and dales and vanished like
a phantom on its journey into the past, and reminded one of the funeral cortege
of a gallant warrior who had served his country well.
Though there was no muffled drum, a death-knell did sound, not from a
louvered belfry but from the occasional short blasts from the locomotive
whistle, the signal of a duty being performed for the last time. As
those sonorous blasts died away in the evening air, so passed into the limbo of
history a major portion of a railway whose embankments and cuttings will
perpetuate it in the archaeological future when much of its story will have been
long forgotten. To
those of us who remember its heyday, its decline and fall in this age of
automotive transport on the highways and byways, the old 'County Down Railway
will remain one of our most cherished memories.
Reprinted
from the
BELFAST
TELEGRAPH at
the closure of the main line of the Belfast
& County Down Railway on
16th January, 1950. =========================================================================================================== The following are links to a few other Irish railway sites that our visitors may find of interest.
IRISH RAILWAY RECORD SOCIETY http://www.irrs.ie/ COUNTY DONEGAL RAILWAY RESTORATION LIMITED http://www.donegalrailway.com/ CAVAN & LEITRIM RAILWAY http://www.cavanandleitrim.com/ MODEL RAILWAY SOCIETY OF IRELAND http://www.modelrailways.ie/ SOUTH DUBLIN MODEL RAILWAY CLUB http://www.sdmrc.hobbysites.net/news.php IRISH STEAM PRESERVATION SOCIETY http://www.irishsteam.ie/ ULSTER MODEL RAILWAY CLUB http://www.ulstermodelrailwayclub.co.uk/ NORTH DOWN MODEL RAILWAY SOCIETY http://www.ndmrs.co.uk/ STUDIO SCALE MODELS http://homepage.eircom.net/~studioscale/index.html FINTOWN RAILWAY www.antraen.com ===========================================================================. All photographs on this site are copyright, and are not to be copied for re-sale.
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