Downpatrick & County Down Railway
@downrail.bsky.social
Ireland's only standard gauge heritage railway, north or south, running through Saint Patrick's Country.
Thankfully the water didn’t rise any further this time, and by Monday morning it was receding again - good news for us and the wider Downpatrick community, we got lucky this time.
November 17, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Thankfully the water didn’t rise any further this time, and by Monday morning it was receding again - good news for us and the wider Downpatrick community, we got lucky this time.
Following sustained heavy rain in the area, water was already starting to rise in the locomotive yard where our volunteers were replacing point timbers on Wednesday. They dug down to the bottom of the sleeper level and it was getting pretty damp.
November 17, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Following sustained heavy rain in the area, water was already starting to rise in the locomotive yard where our volunteers were replacing point timbers on Wednesday. They dug down to the bottom of the sleeper level and it was getting pretty damp.
It was a tense weekend for all of us at the railway, with rising floodwaters lapping at our tracks and seeping into our station yard again. Memories of 2023’s devastation are still raw, indeed we are still trying to build back from some aspects of that event just over two years ago.
November 17, 2025 at 5:49 PM
It was a tense weekend for all of us at the railway, with rising floodwaters lapping at our tracks and seeping into our station yard again. Memories of 2023’s devastation are still raw, indeed we are still trying to build back from some aspects of that event just over two years ago.
ONLY A FEW PLACES LEFT ON THE LAPLAND EXPRESS
With just two weeks to go, we have only a few places left on our Lapland Express trains. We expect these to sell out very soon so you haven't booked already, we strongly advise you to do so now to avoid disappointment.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/santa/
With just two weeks to go, we have only a few places left on our Lapland Express trains. We expect these to sell out very soon so you haven't booked already, we strongly advise you to do so now to avoid disappointment.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/santa/
November 15, 2025 at 11:37 AM
ONLY A FEW PLACES LEFT ON THE LAPLAND EXPRESS
With just two weeks to go, we have only a few places left on our Lapland Express trains. We expect these to sell out very soon so you haven't booked already, we strongly advise you to do so now to avoid disappointment.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/santa/
With just two weeks to go, we have only a few places left on our Lapland Express trains. We expect these to sell out very soon so you haven't booked already, we strongly advise you to do so now to avoid disappointment.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/santa/
Given how stiff the competition was this year, this is no mean feat.
Commiserations to Shea on missing out on Young Person of the Year, and Robert on Leader but those were seriously tough groups to be in.
Fantastic night by the Social Enterprise Northern Ireland team.
Commiserations to Shea on missing out on Young Person of the Year, and Robert on Leader but those were seriously tough groups to be in.
Fantastic night by the Social Enterprise Northern Ireland team.
November 9, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Given how stiff the competition was this year, this is no mean feat.
Commiserations to Shea on missing out on Young Person of the Year, and Robert on Leader but those were seriously tough groups to be in.
Fantastic night by the Social Enterprise Northern Ireland team.
Commiserations to Shea on missing out on Young Person of the Year, and Robert on Leader but those were seriously tough groups to be in.
Fantastic night by the Social Enterprise Northern Ireland team.
November 9, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Our chairman, Robert Gardiner, is in the running for the Leader of the Year category tonight, while our Flood Recovery Team is a finalist in the Team of the Year category.
Have a great night everyone, we're very proud of you all.
Have a great night everyone, we're very proud of you all.
November 7, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Our chairman, Robert Gardiner, is in the running for the Leader of the Year category tonight, while our Flood Recovery Team is a finalist in the Team of the Year category.
Have a great night everyone, we're very proud of you all.
Have a great night everyone, we're very proud of you all.
Wishing the best of luck to our very own Shea McKee, who is a finalist in the Young Person category in the Social Enterprise Northern Ireland Awards 2025 tonight. Shea has been volunteering with us for over three years now and has put in countless hours of hard work across a wide range of tasks.
November 7, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Wishing the best of luck to our very own Shea McKee, who is a finalist in the Young Person category in the Social Enterprise Northern Ireland Awards 2025 tonight. Shea has been volunteering with us for over three years now and has put in countless hours of hard work across a wide range of tasks.
For this #ThrowbackThursday we have a very rare photo of GSWR 99, fresh out of the box at Inchicore Works, Dublin. 99 was built in 1890 and worked on the on the Fermoy-Mitchelstown branch in Cork, before being scrapped in 1930. You can just about see that it has two whistles on top of the cab.
November 6, 2025 at 10:11 PM
For this #ThrowbackThursday we have a very rare photo of GSWR 99, fresh out of the box at Inchicore Works, Dublin. 99 was built in 1890 and worked on the on the Fermoy-Mitchelstown branch in Cork, before being scrapped in 1930. You can just about see that it has two whistles on top of the cab.
And that's a wrap for Day 1 of our Phantom Flyers. We're doing it all again on Sunday, trains depart Downpatrick at 15:00, 16:15 and 17:30. No need to book, tickets available at the station.
November 1, 2025 at 8:02 PM
And that's a wrap for Day 1 of our Phantom Flyers. We're doing it all again on Sunday, trains depart Downpatrick at 15:00, 16:15 and 17:30. No need to book, tickets available at the station.
Trains operating today and tomorrow 15:00-17:30. Pay on the day tickets available.
November 1, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Trains operating today and tomorrow 15:00-17:30. Pay on the day tickets available.
To celebrate Halloween, for this #FlashbackFriday we have a photo of O&K No. 1 in ghostly grey shortly after it arrived at Downpatrick in 2012.
October 31, 2025 at 6:32 PM
To celebrate Halloween, for this #FlashbackFriday we have a photo of O&K No. 1 in ghostly grey shortly after it arrived at Downpatrick in 2012.
For those of you who like your ghost trains extra dark, we also have an additional 18:45 departure on Saturday only.
Face-painting for kids included.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
#Halloween #Downpatrick
Face-painting for kids included.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
#Halloween #Downpatrick
October 30, 2025 at 8:01 PM
For those of you who like your ghost trains extra dark, we also have an additional 18:45 departure on Saturday only.
Face-painting for kids included.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
#Halloween #Downpatrick
Face-painting for kids included.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
#Halloween #Downpatrick
What better way to celebrate Halloween than on a live ghost train? Ours is an interactive on-board show where passengers become part of the story.
The Phantom Flyer departs Downpatrick this Saturday and Sunday, 1st and 2nd November at 15:00, 16:15 and 17:30.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
The Phantom Flyer departs Downpatrick this Saturday and Sunday, 1st and 2nd November at 15:00, 16:15 and 17:30.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
October 30, 2025 at 8:00 PM
What better way to celebrate Halloween than on a live ghost train? Ours is an interactive on-board show where passengers become part of the story.
The Phantom Flyer departs Downpatrick this Saturday and Sunday, 1st and 2nd November at 15:00, 16:15 and 17:30.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
The Phantom Flyer departs Downpatrick this Saturday and Sunday, 1st and 2nd November at 15:00, 16:15 and 17:30.
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
Only a few days left until the Phantom Flyer pulls into town. Don't worry though, our monsters are child-friendly monsters. That being said, they do enjoy spooking the grown-ups...
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
October 28, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Only a few days left until the Phantom Flyer pulls into town. Don't worry though, our monsters are child-friendly monsters. That being said, they do enjoy spooking the grown-ups...
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
www.downrail.co.uk/event/hallow...
We certainly had a lot of interest in our restoration of No. 90, the oldest surviving Irish-built locomotive, not to mention our upcoming Lapland Express trains.
Special thanks to our hosts, South Dublin Model Railway Club – we’re looking forward to the next one.
Special thanks to our hosts, South Dublin Model Railway Club – we’re looking forward to the next one.
October 27, 2025 at 6:45 PM
We certainly had a lot of interest in our restoration of No. 90, the oldest surviving Irish-built locomotive, not to mention our upcoming Lapland Express trains.
Special thanks to our hosts, South Dublin Model Railway Club – we’re looking forward to the next one.
Special thanks to our hosts, South Dublin Model Railway Club – we’re looking forward to the next one.
We had a wonderful time at the South Dublin Model Railway Club's exhibition in Blackrock College over the past three days – it was a great opportunity to meet many of our supporters from the Dublin area. Thank you to everyone who supported our stall and for all the chats.
October 27, 2025 at 6:44 PM
We had a wonderful time at the South Dublin Model Railway Club's exhibition in Blackrock College over the past three days – it was a great opportunity to meet many of our supporters from the Dublin area. Thank you to everyone who supported our stall and for all the chats.
We're attending the South Dublin Model Railway Club Exhibition in Blackrock College this weekend, open 11-5 today and tomorrow.
October 26, 2025 at 11:11 AM
We're attending the South Dublin Model Railway Club Exhibition in Blackrock College this weekend, open 11-5 today and tomorrow.
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/...
Our popular 80 class posters are also back in stock.
downrail.myshopify.com/collections/...
October 8, 2025 at 5:19 PM
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/...
Our popular 80 class posters are also back in stock.
downrail.myshopify.com/collections/...
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.
No, we’re not being seasonal now that it’s October… Say hello to our latest acquisition, the last surviving CIÉ ‘cement bubble’ wagon.
October 4, 2025 at 11:10 AM
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.
No, we’re not being seasonal now that it’s October… Say hello to our latest acquisition, the last surviving CIÉ ‘cement bubble’ wagon.
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 santa@downrail.co.uk.
To book seats on the Quiet Lapland Express Train only, email santa@downrail.co.uk.
October 1, 2025 at 8:13 PM
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 santa@downrail.co.uk.
To book seats on the Quiet Lapland Express Train only, email santa@downrail.co.uk.
A bit of torrential rain didn’t stop our volunteers from coming to the railway today… or more importantly, getting chips at Ralph's.
September 27, 2025 at 9:13 PM
A bit of torrential rain didn’t stop our volunteers from coming to the railway today… or more importantly, getting chips at Ralph's.
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.
September 23, 2025 at 6:10 PM
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.
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.
September 23, 2025 at 6:09 PM
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.
Not only that, but work has also commenced on reinstalling seating, with the seat frames having been shot-blasted and painted off-site.
September 18, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Not only that, but work has also commenced on reinstalling seating, with the seat frames having been shot-blasted and painted off-site.