The
Trust’s Plans
The Trust’s plans are for the reinstatement of the
main line of the former Belfast & County Down Railway between Rowallane Gardens, the headquarters of the National Trust just
outside Saintfield, and Crossgar, with an intermediate station at
Ballynahinch Junction. This portion of main line will be
approximately 6 miles long. From Ballynahinch Junction the line is
also to be restored to Ballynahinch town, a distance of 3˝ miles, with the replacement for the former Halt at Creevyargon, on the
branch, about 1˝ miles from the Junction.
Whilst there are only a few original ‘County Down carriage bodies still
available, and most of these are in various stages of decay, it is proposed to
restore what it is possible to restore, but, in the longer term, to build
replicas where necessary, or to secure similar style vehicles from the UK
mainland.
The main objective is to
try to recreate the image,
atmosphere, aura and character of the old ‘County Down Railway as closely as can
possibly be achieved. This
will be a museum that will aim to recreate the atmosphere of the original railway as
much as anything else, although it will be necessary to use 'foreign'
locomotives and rolling stock.
Ballynahinch Junction will be the focal point of the
museum, being easily accessible in three directions.
The original station is gone, so it is proposed to build a replica with
its single story building and high signal cabin, and to have banner signals
etc., just like the original. One
such banner signal has already been acquired, as has a B.& C.D.R. lever
frame for the signal cabin.
The
station building will have its waiting rooms with original coal fires, and its
ticket office, and it is hoped that preserved carriages, or replicas, placed
at the branch line platform, will house artifacts and photographs without
detracting from the overall atmosphere and character of the station.
Access to the original Ballynahinch station site is
now impossible because of a new housing development on the approach to the
station, that has only taken place within the last few years.
Such
has been the scale of the housing development that it will now be necessary to terminate just short
of Ballynahinch town, near Windmill Hill, but it is proposed to erect a
replica of the original Ballynahinch station building.
This will also be used to house a museum of artifacts relating to the
Belfast & County Down, and other Irish railways.
Photo:
H.C. Casserley.
Ballynahinch
Junction in the 1930s with the branch line Diesel locomotive
preparing
to leave with its train.
This
is the image that the Trust proposes to recreate.
Photo:
D.G. Coakham.
Ballynahinch
Junction on 21st April 1951, a year after closure.
Ballynahinch
Junction in the 1930s with Newcastle train to the right,
and branch train to
the left.
ONE MAJOR CONCESSION
Following
lengthy consideration, and debate, the Trust committee took the decision to
construct the line using track to the standard British and International gauge
of 4' 8˝" (1435mm) rather than use the Irish track gauge of 5' 3"
(1600mm).
This decision
was taken for a number of reasons.
1.
Because of the acute absence of vintage rolling stock in Ireland
following the developments that have taken place over the
last number of years.
It means that the Trust will not be competing with other Irish preservation
groups for any item that
may surface in the
future.
2.
There is also a
greater availability of suitable stock on the UK mainland that could be
acquired, and yet would allow the Trust
to maintain the
character of the 'County Down Railway.
3. From a tourism
point of view, the Trust will have the only preserved line in Ireland to
operate on 4' 8˝" gauge track, and will
therefore be the
only line in any part of Ireland to have the capability of hosting some of the
better known engines from the
UK mainland for
special events.
The Route
- Saintfield (Rowallane) to Ballynahinch
Our journey will begin at
Rowallane Gardens, the headquarters of the National Trust in Northern Ireland,
where the line will run along the perimeter of the estate.
The view from 'Trio Hill' at Rowallane
Gardens
with the Mourne Mountains visible in the
distance.
For the first 1˝ miles the line passes through the
typical drumlin countryside of County Down to Ballynahinch Junction, and
enters the station through a shallow rock cutting, after passing over what is
known locally as ‘The Moss’. Here,
at the ‘Junction Station, the layout is quite unique with the single track
main line having a platform on each side of the track.
Ballynahinch
Junction in the late 1940s.
To the left, on the main platform, is the high Signal
Cabin, built in this way to allow the signalman to see his signals beyond the
bridge at the down end of the platforms, and just beyond the cabin is the
small single storey station building.
The building here was originally located at Comber, but was moved to
the ‘Junction when a new stone building was erected at Comber about the time
the line to Ballynahinch was opened.
To the right is the narrow island platform, on the
other side of which sits the branch train for Ballynahinch.
This platform is provided with facilities to allow the engine of the
branch service to run round its train without fouling the main line.
On leaving the station, and passing under the road
bridge, the main line swings slightly to the left towards Crossgar, whilst our
journey will take us along the branch line to the right towards Ballynahinch
town. Almost immediately we
enter a short deep cutting and soon afterwards find ourselves on a high
embankment. From this
embankment, and to our left we get a magnificent view of the distant Mourne
Mountains across the drumlin countryside of County Down, which the late Dr.
E.M. Patterson likened to a basket of eggs.
This is probably one of the most picturesque views on the entire line,
offering superb views over the countryside.
For the next 2˝ miles we pass through a series of
cuttings and over embankments as we again traverse the drumlin countryside of
County Down. Half way to Ballynahinch we pass Creevyargon Halt, a
single timber platform.
We approach Ballynahinch under a road bridge that
carries the Ballynahinch – Crossgar road over the railway.
This is followed by another bridge at Windmill Hill, beyond which we
enter a deep cutting in which is the small engine shed to house the branch
line engine overnight. To
our left is the site of the famous Battle of Ballynahinch, a major action
during the 1798 Rebellion. We
immediately enter the station at Ballynahinch with the single platform to our
right, with its main station building.
To our left are the goods sheds and the cattle dock.
Unfortunately we will not be able to get into the
original station at Ballynahinch due to housing development, so it is proposed
to terminate the line between these last two bridges.
Photo:
B.& C.D.R. Museum Trust Collection
Ballynahinch
Station about 1900.
Photo:
B.& C.D.R. Museum Trust Collection
Ballynahinch
Station about 1900.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS
Ballynahinch Junction
Ballynahinch
Junction with Diesel locomotive No. 2 in 1949.
Ballynahinch
Junction in 1963.
The
building, which was the original 1848 building from Comber,
was destroyed in a
malicious fire in 1983.
Aerial photograph of Ballynahinch
Junction.
The main line to Crossgar is seen going
off to the top left.
The Ballynahinch branch line is going off
to the top right.
Ballynahinch Junction showing the line
towards Crossgar going off to bottom centre.
The Ballynahinch branch is going to
celtre left.
Track
Diagram of Ballynahinch when the line closed in 1950, and as it is to be
restored.
Crossgar
Crossgar, showing the line from
Ballynahinch Junction coming in at the bottom right.
The line beyond Crossgar, going off to
the top left is towards Downpatrick.
Crossgar Station about 1951 - The year after the
line closed.
Track Layout at Crossgar when the line closed in
1950.
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