Victorian boost given to local railway project

Victorian boost given to local railway project

4 May 2016

THE discovery of Victorian rail remnants on the construction site of Translink’s new Belfast Hub project has provided a major boost for the Downpatrick and Co Down Railway.

The discovery of original cast iron columns and arches from the Great Northern Railway terminus at Great Victoria Street was made within large warehouse sheds situated on the main project construction site along the Grosvenor Road in the city centre. The sheds were originally used by freight trains from all over Ireland carrying produce such as cattle and stout.

Translink is donating the recently uncovered salvage to the local railway for its own restoration project to recreate a Victorian-style train shed at its heritage station building in Lower Market Street.

Robert Gardiner, the Downpatrick and Co Down Railway’s vice-chairman, said the support from Translink and Belfast Hub contractors Tinnelly’s has been superb.

“We originally made contact to check whether or not there was anything of historical interest worth salvaging, fully expecting that there would be nothing,” explained Robert. 

“When we identified and examined these impressive cast iron stanchions and arches we realised they were the same type of castings used in the roof of the original Great Victoria Street railway station built back in the 1840s.

“By coincidence, these are exactly the sort of items we need to help construct our planned train shed project in Downpatrick — which is a large canopy over the platform and railway tracks — once a common feature on Irish railway terminus buildings. To be able to incorporate elements of a genuine Great Northern Railway train shed is an amazing development.”

Robert said in addition to preserving a unique relic from Belfast’s first railway station thought to be long gone, the local railway’s plan will allow these artefacts to be accessible to the public for the first time in years, boosting the tourism offering in Downpatrick and improving the heritage railway’s facilities for visitors by making the local station bigger and better.

He added: “We are looking forward to following Translink’s progress during this major Belfast Hub project which will result in a terminus that a capital city can be proud of. 

“The original Great Victoria Street station was incredibly beautiful and The Hub project team are obviously well aware of the Great Northern’s legacy which will inspire them in creating an equally attractive new facility fit

Translink’s infrastructure executive, Clive Bradberry, described the discovery of the Victorian rail remnants as an “exciting historical find.

He added: “These cast iron columns are one of the last remaining links to the old Great Northern Railway station that was demolished back in 1976 so we are surprised something so tangible from our railway’s past still remains in good condition today.”