Last ‘bubble wagon’ now at Downpatrick railway

Last ‘bubble wagon’ now at Downpatrick railway

8 October 2025

A REMARKABLE piece of Irish railway history has found a new home in Downpatrick after being hidden in a secret location.

What is believed to be an extinct type of Irish railway wagon — an iconic CIE “bubble wagon” — has been added to the local heritage railway’s museum collection.

The newly arrived wagon No 25199 was built in 1972 at the Inchicore Works in Dublin and is the very last of its class of 150 vehicles. 

For over three decades, the distinctive “bubbles” were a familiar sight across Ireland, north and south, hauling cement until the traffic ended in 2009 and every known example 

was scrapped. Enthusiasts believed the entire class was lost forever — until now.

Downpatrick and County Down Railway chairman, Robert Gardiner, said “one look at it and you can see how these wagons got their nickname”.

He said the new arrival in Downpatrick was the last of 150 bubble wagons built at the Inchicore Works.

“For more than 30 years, the bubbles were a familiar sight on cement trains across Ireland and  regulars in Northern Ireland Railway’s Adelaide depot. When the cement traffic ended in 2009, every last one of the wagons was withdrawn and scrapped or so everyone thought,” Robert explained.

He said that unbeknown to just about everyone, one bubble was spared the cutter’s torch thanks to the efforts of one dedicated enthusiast and moved to a secret, remote collection. 

Robert revealed that for 16 years, the wagon remained undisturbed and undiscovered and said anybody who knew what cement bubbles were, simply assumed they were all gone, another piece of Irish industrial heritage lost to time.

“The sole survivor had been secretly preserved by dedicated enthusiast Mike Murphy, who kept its existence a closely guarded secret,” the heritage railway chairman continued.

“Thanks to his generosity, the last ‘bubble’ has now been donated to the Downpatrick and County Down Railway, ensuring its long-term survival.”

Mr Gardiner likened the the discovery of the historic wagon to “finding a dodo in your back garden”.

He continued: “Whilst we might not have much need to carry cement on our network, it’s safe to say that most enthusiasts and members of the public who remember them have a soft spot for these iconic wagons.

“The humble goods wagon often gets overlooked in railway preservation, but freight was every bit as important to the story of Ireland’s railways as the glamorous passenger trains.”

Mr Gardiner said: “These were the workhorses that kept industry moving in the days before the HGV and we are delighted to make sure that part of the story is represented in Downpatrick.”

The railway chairman said a public fundraising appeal quickly followed to cover the cost of transporting the wagon to the county town, attracting strong support and sponsorship from model manufacturer Accurascale UK / Irish Railway Models.

Last Saturday, the wagon completed its long journey from its secret location near Killbarragh to Downpatrick, arriving around 9am and within 45 minutes, it was safely craned onto the heritage line’s metals thanks to expert handling by haulier David Baker.

Now resting in the local railway’s yard, the wagon is visible to visitors from the station platform and will soon undergo cleaning and a mechanical inspection, with hopes of operating on future demonstration freight trains.

Mr Gardiner added: “We are hugely grateful to everyone who donated to the Bubble Appeal.

“Their support helped us save a piece of Irish railway history that was presumed gone forever. This discovery proves that our industrial heritage can still surprise us, and that it is always worth preserving.”

The Bubble Appeal remains open until this Sunday, October 12, for final contributions toward the wagon’s restoration and upkeep. 

Donations can be made at www.downrail.co.uk/donate, with supporters asked to specify “Bubble Appeal” in the notes section. After that date, donations will go toward other ongoing heritage railway projects.