THE Downpatrick and County Down Railway (D&CDR) suffered significant flood damage caused by heavy rainfall that began on October 30 and which continued into the next day.
Downpatrick was one of the worst areas affected by the floods in Northern Ireland and buildings and stock at the D&CDR were damaged with most of the track submerged until waters began to subside.
Officials from the railway were only able to gain access to the premises on November 4, when it was discovered that the damage was so serious that the planned diesel gala on January 6 had to be cancelled due to concerns regarding possible damage to traction motors and axle boxes, as well as any other components that could have been damaged.
Established in 1982 on a barren site with only a derelict island platform and canopy on the Downpatrick avoiding line surviving from the line’s closure in 1950, the D&CDR has been built-up from virtually nothing to a working railway museum and tourist attraction which features preserved steam and diesel traction, carriages, wagons and permanent way machines.
Its collection, which
