RAILSCOT | Belfast and County Down Railway

Belfast and County Down Railway

Introduction

This original route of this railway ran north east from Belfast to Holywood and south east from Belfast to Comber and then north east to Newtonards.

The Belfast to Holywood section was to be transferred to the Belfast, Holywood and Bangor Railway, which later merged with the Belfast and County Down Railway.

It was extended on to Donaghadee, Ballynahinch, Downpatrick, Newcastle and Ardglass and Bangor by other lines.

The line to Bangor remains open.

Dates

/ /1846	Belfast and County Down Railway Incorporated.
/ /1848	Belfast and County Down Railway Opened from Belfast [Queen's Quay] [North] to Holywood.
06/05/1850	Belfast and County Down Railway Opened from Belfast [Queen's Quay] [South] to Comber and Newtownards [1st] . (Two sets of platforms at Queens Quay were maintained - the originals for the Holywood line and new platforms, to the south, for the Newtownards [1st] line.)
/ /1854	Belfast and County Down Railway Belfast [Queen's Quay] [North] renamed Belfast Queen's Quay [North] . Belfast [Queen's Quay] [South] renamed Belfast Queen's Quay [South] .
/ /1855	Ballynahinch Branch (Belfast and County Down Railway) Act re-authorises Ballynahinch branch.
/ /1858	Ballynahinch Branch (Belfast and County Down Railway) Opened from Comber to Ballynahinch.
/ /1859	Downpatrick Extension (Belfast and County Down Railway) Opened from Ballynahinch Junction to Downpatrick.
/ /1861	Donaghadee Branch (Belfast and County Down Railway) Opened through Newtownards [2nd] to Donaghadee. (Newtownards [1st] closed.) Company takes a loan to reach the Admiralty recommended port.
/ /1863	Donaghadee Branch (Belfast and County Down Railway) Treasury financed harbour built at Donaghadee.
/ /1864	Belfast Central Railway Incorporated. Plans included a railway linking the Ulster Railway, Belfast and Northern Counties Railway and Belfast and County Down Railway lines and a central station on Victoria Street.
/ /1865	Belfast, Holywood and Bangor Railway Opened from Holywood to Bangor. The Belfast Queen's Quay to Holywood portion of the Belfast and County Down Railway is transferred to the Belfast, Holywood and Bangor Railway.
/ /1870	Donaghadee Branch (Belfast and County Down Railway) Line extended from Donaghadee into the harbour.
/ /1873	Belfast, Holywood and Bangor Railway Leased by the Belfast and County Down Railway.
/ /1874	Belfast Central Railway Opened to goods and minerals from Central Junction [Belfast] (also known as Ulster Junction with the Ulster Railway) to East Bridge Junction (branch to Queen's Bridge on the west bank of the River Laggan) and Ballymacarrett Junction (Belfast and County Down Railway) and Abercorn Basin.
/ /1876	Belfast and County Down Railway Lease of the Belfast, Holywood and Bangor Railway ends.
/ /1881	Downpatrick, Dundrum and Newcastle Railway Absorbed by Belfast and County Down Railway.
/ /1884	Belfast, Holywood and Bangor Railway Absorbed by Belfast and County Down Railway.
/ /1884	Belfast and County Down Railway The two sets of platforms, Belfast Queen's Quay [North] and Belfast Queen's Quay [South] , are merged into a single station, Belfast Queen's Quay.
/ /1889	Belfast and County Down Railway Doubled from Belfast Queen's Quay to Knock and Belmont.
/ /1890	Downpatrick, Killough and Ardglass Light Railway Incorporated. Recommended by Allport commission and built for the Belfast and County Down Railway.
/ /1893	Downpatrick, Killough and Ardglass Light Railway Absorbed by Belfast and County Down Railway.
/ /1893	Belfast and County Down Railway Doubled from Knock to Comber.
/ /1893	Belfast and County Down Railway Begins steamer operation with vessels operating from Belfast to Bangor. Excursions operated to locations such as Ardglass and Portrush.
/ /1894	Belfast and County Down Railway A horse drawn tramway from the station to the Belfast Street Tramway Co network in Newtownards Road is opened by the railway.
/ /1898	Belfast and County Down Railway Opens the Slieve Donard Hotel at Newcastle [Down].
/ /1900	Castlewellan Branch (Great Northern Railway [Ireland]) Great Northern Railway [Ireland] Act allows extension from Ballyroney (Banbridge Extension Railway) to beyond Castlewellan where the Belfast and County Down Railway will be met. GNR had powers to reach Newcastle [Down] and the B&CDR to reach Ballyroney.
/ /1903	Belfast and County Down Railway Operates a traction engine from Ars peninsula by road to Newtonards [2nd].
/ /1906	Castlewellan Branch (Great Northern Railway [Ireland]) Banbridge Extension Railway extended from Ballyroney to Newcastle [Down] (Belfast and County Down Railway).
/ /1910	Belfast and County Down Railway Reconstruction of Belfast Queen's Quay begins.
/ /1914	Belfast and County Down Railway Rebuilding of Belfast Queen's Quay completed.
/ /1915	Belfast and County Down Railway Final steamer requisitioned for war effort.
/ /1916	Belfast and County Down Railway Operates a bus from Newcastle [Down] to Kilkeel.
/ /1927	Belfast and County Down Railway Bus from Newcastle [Down] to Kilkeel withdrawn due to competing bus services.
/ /1928	Belfast and County Down Railway Glassmoss Crossing opened at Glass Moss for the annual Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy Race.
/ /1935	Belfast and County Down Railway Road services taken over by the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board.
/ /1946	Belfast and County Down Railway Glassmoss Crossing closed.
/ /1948	Belfast and County Down Railway To Ulster Transport Authority.
16/01/1950	Downpatrick, Dundrum and Newcastle Railway Downpatrick, Killough and Ardglass Light Railway Belfast and County Down Railway Closed from Newcastle [Down], Ardglass and Ballynahinch via Downpatrick to Comber.
24/04/1950	Belfast and County Down Railway Donaghadee Branch (Belfast and County Down Railway) Closed from Donaghadee to Newtonards [2nd] and Belfast Queen's Quay.
/ /1984	Belfast and County Down Railway Downpatrick and Ardglass Railway preserved railway formed, based at Downpatrick.
07/05/1990	Belfast and County Down Railway Downpatrick and Ardglass Railway preserved railway opened.