Infrastructure Minister Experiences Co Down Railway Heritage

Infrastructure Minister, John O'Dowd, has experienced the rich railway heritage from across the island of Ireland during a visit to Downpatrick and County Down Railway.

The Downpatrick and County Down Railway is a private charitable organization that operates heritage steam and diesel train services on three miles of track in Downpatrick. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) holds a licensing role concerning heritage rail and oversees safety matters and other related regulations.

Minister O'Dowd said: "The Downpatrick and County Down Railway brings to life the rich rail heritage of the area and indeed across the island. The enthusiasm, passion and pride for rail travel past and present was in abundance. It was inspiring to see and hear how the volunteers and the local community responded to the Autumn flooding events and to hear of the preparations that are being made to become operational again. A feasibility study looking to identify viable flood risk management and engineering solutions will include the railway facility.

"My Department as the Rail Safety Authority is working with Downpatrick and County Down Railway to ensure safety compliance for the re-opening of the facility."

Railway chairman, Robert Gardiner, said: "The volunteers at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway were pleased to welcome the Minister for Infrastructure, John O'Dowd, to the town and our historic railway for the first time since the floods to see for himself the impact of the recent floods in Downpatrick and our recovery efforts.

"We greatly appreciated that Minister O'Dowd expressed his concern and support for our efforts to restore the railway and get it open as soon as possible. He acknowledged the significant cultural and economic value that the Downpatrick & County Down Railway brings to the area and the role of heritage railways in promoting tourism and the local economy, as well as providing a training base for the growing rail sector here in Northern Ireland.

"We are pleased that Minister O'Dowd was receptive to our concerns and was open to exploring avenues for support and collaboration between the DfI and the DCDR, strengthening the relationship between the heritage railway and our regulator. We look forward to working closely with the Department for Infrastructure to ensure that our railway remains a treasured part of Downpatrick's history and a vibrant attraction for visitors."