Hop Aboard the Easter Eggspress!
There’ll be eggs-travagant fun at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway with eggs galore on this year’s Easter Eggspress, running over the Easter weekend.
The bunnies are already hopping the rails at the local heritage railway, and the Easter Eggspress is a unique and special treat for kids and a great way to say ‘Happy Easter!’ for all the family.
The train will be used for excursions from the town centre from 1.30pm to 4.30pm on Saturday 20th, Easter Sunday 21st & Easter Monday 22nd April.
Railway Chairman Robert Gardiner said that young passengers will receive a treat from a special guest, and he added: “The Easter Bunny has bounced into the station for this weekend who’ll be hopping with joy to give away lots of Easter Eggs.”
And this year, the Easter Bunny wants to play a game and is creating an Egg Trail Hunt for wannabe eggsperts, said Mr Gardiner. “The Easter Bunny has brought down some of her friends, small teddies and bunnies, but they’re very shy and it’s the job of visitors to track them down. Families will receive a guide to their hunt with their tickets to help ‘eggsplore’ the railway and gather up the info on the card. Each bunny has a large letter which together make up a two word message.
“They then have to reveal this secret phrase to the Easter Bunny who will reward them of an Easter Egg of their choice.”
And as well as fun for the children, mums and dads also get the chance to experience rail travel at its most traditional, as passengers will be able to taste the elegance of by-gone railway travel on 100+ year old carriages hauled by one of our steam locomotives through the picturesque County Down countryside along nearly two miles of restored track.
Teas, coffees, soft drinks and snacks will be served all day on board a vintage buffet carriage parked at Inch Abbey station.
Mr Gardiner added: “A trip to the museum and Carriage Gallery visitor centre brings the golden age of the railway vividly back to to life. It looks at the impact that the railways had on people’s lives, through artefacts from the smallest, such as a ticket in the upstairs exhibition, or the largest, such as lovingly restored railway carriages in the Carriage Gallery and the stark contrast of the wrecks these vehicles once were when rescued.
“For the younger train fans, children can enjoy their own Kids’ Station in the Gallery, and dress up as a train driver or guard for a family selfie using some of the Victorian props and costumes provided in the dressing up area, in a carriage or beside the 1875 steam engine.
“On the station they can get to drive Thomas the Tank Engine on a model railway – or will they let the big kids get a go too?
“For those a little more adventurous, and perhaps to fulfil a childhood dream, you can buy a Footplate Pass for just £20 and get to travel up in the locomotive cab with the driver.” A reasonable level of fitness is required to purchase these passes.
Tickets cost £8.50 for all ages (£7.50 for concessions), and can be booked in advance via the DCDR’s website – hop over to: www.downrail.co.uk to choose your train and purchase your ticket – but you better hare over quickly as they are selling out!
For further information on events, or if you are thinking about joining the railway as a member and volunteer, visit: www.downrail.co.uk or call 028 4461 5779.
