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Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 2d

If anyone missed out on the DCDR 40th Anniversary brochure, we have a limited supply available in our Shopify store.

Our popular 80 class posters are also back in stock.

downrail.myshopify.com/collections/...

DCDR welcomes iconic cement 'bubble' wagon to its collection - Downpatrick and County Down Railway

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 5d

More on the arrival of our cement bubble wagon

www.downrail.co.uk/2025/10/dcdr...

We found ourselves welcoming ex-Iarnród Éireann cement bubble wagon No. 25199 to our railway museum.

80 Class restoration update: reupholstered seats installed - Downpatrick and County Down Railway

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 6d

Bubble bubble, boil and trouble…

No, we’re not being seasonal now that it’s October… Say hello to our latest acquisition, the last surviving CIÉ ‘cement bubble’ wagon.

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Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 8d

Last weekend saw further progress on 80 class railcar 69.

www.downrail.co.uk/2025/10/80-c...

Reupholstered seating is being fitted to 80 class railcar 69 by volunteers at Downpatrick.

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 9d

If you want to travel on our Lapland Express trains but you have someone in your group who doesn’t respond well to crowds, music, and other loud noises, you can now book our Quiet Train on Sat 29th Nov at 4:30pm.

To book seats on the Quiet Lapland Express Train only, email [email protected].

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 13d

A bit of torrential rain didn’t stop our volunteers from coming to the railway today… or more importantly, getting chips at Ralph's.

IRSE Irish Section visit Downpatrick - Downpatrick and County Down Railway

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 17d

Do you like big oily engines, getting your hands dirty, and rewarding hands-on work? Then we might be just the community for you. Send us a message if you're interested in volunteering – no engineering experience required.

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Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 17d

Our new volunteer Harrison has been getting stuck in on his first day at Downpatrick by carrying out welding repairs on 80 class power car 69. At almost 50 years of age, the ducts that carry air to cool the traction motors were in desperate need of some TLC.

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Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 18d

Great to host the Irish Section of the Institute of Railway Signal Engineers last week. Some very informative talks indeed.

www.downrail.co.uk/2025/09/irse...

Last Thursday we played host to a visit from the IRSE (the Institute of Railway Signal Engineers), Irish Section. Our chairman, Robert Gardiner, gave an overview of our railway's story over the past 4...

www.irishtractiongroup.com/2025/124-dow...

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Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 20d

124 is the star of Downpatrick's European Heritage Open Day Weekend - Irish Traction Group

121 class locomotive No.124 was in action again at Downpatrick over the weekend of 13/14th September.

www.irishtractiongroup.com

Reposted by Downpatrick & County Down Railway

Avalard Productions Ltd @avalardproductions.bsky.social · 22d

We're back at @downrail.bsky.social on 1st & 2nd Nov with our family-friendly Halloween show - The Curse of the Phantom Flyer.

Tickets on sale now
downrail.co.uk/event/halloween/

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Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 22d

We're now in the final stretch in terms of 69's interior refurbishment, and while it's taken a long, long time, we're confident that the result will be well worth it. Already, it's beginning to 'feel' like a classic mk2 interior again.

Help DCDR save the last cement 'bubble' wagon - Downpatrick and County Down Railway

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 22d

Not only that, but work has also commenced on reinstalling seating, with the seat frames having been shot-blasted and painted off-site.

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 22d

Time for a Thumper Thursday update.

September has seen another milestone reached in our 80 class restoration project, with substantial progress made on the fitting of the windows and their frames back into the power car (putting things back in feels so much rewarding than dismantling them).

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Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · 25d

Help us save the last CIÉ cement bubble wagon.

www.downrail.co.uk/2025/09/savi...

Thanks to a generous preservationist, DCDR has been presented with the opportunity to preserve the last surviving CIÉ cement ‘bubble’ wagon, but we need your help.

www.downrail.co.uk/2025/09/whis...

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Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · Sep 6

Whiskey Express success - Downpatrick and County Down Railway

Last week we ran out our very first whiskey tasting train, and we’re pleased to say that it was a raving success. We’re looking forward to hosting a similar event in the not-too-distant future, especi...

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Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · Aug 29

We love a good trainbow.

Station and sky looking stunning this evening.

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · Aug 28

To celebrate 124 carrying passengers for the first time in preservation last Saturday, for this #ThrowbackThursday we present this photo from Ernie's Railway Archive of B124 with its original paint scheme at Aghadavoyle, Co. Armagh, with a Dublin-Belfast Enterprise service in the 1960s.

www.downrail.co.uk/2025/08/reli...

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · Aug 27

BCDR relics uncovered at Saintfield - Downpatrick and County Down Railway

We're chuffed to have been asked by the Saintfield Community Association to assist in their restoration and redevelopment of Windmill Park.

Rail buffs shocked as Ireland's first US-made locomotive makes surprise appearance in Co Down

Reposted by Downpatrick & County Down Railway

ShezzaT @shezzat.bsky.social · Aug 27

Look at the cracking write-up the heritage railway my brother volunteers at got in the local paper: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...

Well done @downrail.bsky.social, and happy anniversary!

An American-made locomotive which first arrived on the island of Ireland in the 1960s has once again hauled passenger trains in Co Down, marking a major milestone for local railway preservation.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

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Reposted by Downpatrick & County Down Railway

RailAdvent @railadvent.bsky.social · Aug 15

Babcock upgrades level crossing and track at Northern Ireland Heritage Railway https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2025/08/babcock-upgrades-level-crossing-and-track-at-northern-ireland-heritage-railway.html #downpatrick #DownpatrickAndCountyDownRailway #ireland #LevelCrossing #RailwayHeritage

Babcock upgrades level crossing and track at Northern Ireland Heritage Railway

Vital infrastructure works at the Downpatrick and County Down Railway were recently completed with the help of Babcock International Group.

www.railadvent.co.uk

www.irishtractiongroup.com/2025/first-p...

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · Aug 24

124 hauls the first 121 class passenger working in preservation - Irish Traction Group

On Saturday 23rd August, locomotive No.124 became the first Irish 121 class locomotive to haul a passenger train in preservation.

www.irishtractiongroup.com

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · Aug 23

One week to go until our first ever Whiskey Express, featuring no less than four locally-produced spirits.

Limited places available, secure yours at www.downrail.co.uk/event/whiske...

Downpatrick & County Down Railway @downrail.bsky.social · Aug 17

Out in the County Down countryside, one of our volunteers braved the heat to fix a farm crossing sign — and managed to catch our 450 railcar passing by before retreating to the shade!

Remember next weekend is our fully-booked Diesel Gala, but you can find all our other dates at our website.