159 Year-Old Rails Discovered At Downpatrick Railway

“Never in a million years did any of us expect to discover such a tangible link between us, and the opening of the line in 1859 – over one hundred and fifty years ago!” [caption id="attachment_20338" align="alignleft" width="400" caption="Robert Gardiner looks over the 159 year-old iron rails discovered in Downpatrick. "][/caption] The type of rail was used in a form of railway track known as “baulk road”, and was most famously but not exclusively used on Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s
Great Western Railway line in England. Mr. Collins added, “The Belfast and County Down Railway used it on all its lines from Belfast to Holywood, Comber, Ballynahinch, Downpatrick and Newcastle.  ‘Baulk road’ was a continuously supported wrought iron rail – a ‘U’ shaped rail called bridge rail. It has wide flanges that could be bolted to the timber bearer, or a ‘longitudinal’ baulk. The two rails and their baulks would be tied together with smaller timbers” “By the end of the 19th Century, stronger steel rails began to become available and the Belfast and County Down Railway began to replace all its Baulk Road track with the conventional rails and sleepers we see on our railway lines today.” So how did this rail survive so long? Michael has a theory.  “I suspect that when the Downpatrick signal cabin was being built, these obsolete rails were used in its foundations, which would explain why they were buried so far below the surface of the ground. There was was also a lot of masonry debris around them, and the location fits.” And what will become of the rails? “We certainly hope to incorporate these into the new Carriage Gallery – this building will have three tracks going into it, and we would hope to recreate a section of baulk road on one as a museum piece in its own right using these rails,” said Mr. Collins. “It would be just wonderful to have a piece of track that you can point out to visitors as being from the time of the opening of the line to Downpatrick”. One of Down District’s premier tourist and visitor attractions, the Downpatrick and County Down Railway has a strong body of volunteers who are going full steam ahead on the rails pursuing their passion.]]>