Northern Ireland

Unique Victorian railway carriage to be restored

Downpatrick and County Down Railway and Harland and Wolff join forces to historic Carriage Number 33

No 33 takes a rare trip into the sunshine during a shunt. The underframe that it's currently sitting on is far too large.
No 33 takes a rare trip into the sunshine during a shunt. The underframe that it's currently sitting on is far too large. (Picasa)
By Catherine McGinty

Downpatrick and Co Down Railway has partnered with Belfast shipbuilders Harland and Wolff to restore a unique Victorian railway carriage.

It is envisaged the project will provide a pivotal training opportunity for Harland and Wolff apprentices, immersing them in heritage skills essential to fabrication and engineering.

It also revives a long connection between the shipbuilder and Northern Ireland’s railways.

Underframe designer David Crone goes through the designs and the drawings with the apprentices to make sure he hasn't printed them upside down.
Underframe designer David Crone goes through the designs and the drawings with the apprentices.

Built in 1862, carriage Number 33 is the sole survivor from the north’s first railway company – the Ulster Railway. It is only one of a handful of Irish railway carriages to survive from the dawn of the railway era into modern times.

As such, the carriage is actually closer in age to Stephenson’s Rocket than it is to most other railway vehicles in the north’s railway museums.

Robert Gardiner, chairperson of the Downpatrick and County Down Railway, said it was “thrilled to partner with Harland and Wolff on this historic project”.

Brian Welsh, H&W Operations Manager with his team of apprentices (with the DCDR's David Crone, underframe designer, at the back) with the marked out steel for the new underframe.
Brian Welsh, H&W Operations Manager with his team of apprentices (with the DCDR's David Crone, underframe designer, at the back) with the marked out steel for the new underframe.

He added: “Their enthusiasm to recreate this Victorian gem has completely knocked us over and is wonderful against the backdrop of our recovery from the devastating floods in November 2023, it is truly appreciated.”

Number 33 was a first class “family saloon” with two large first-class compartments that were separated by a pair of lavatories.

Wealthy families would hire these luxurious compartments for themselves for a day’s travel, which like Titanic kept them apart from Third Class travellers.

Belfast & County Down Railway "Harlandic" locomotive No. 2 at Ballynahinch
Belfast & County Down Railway "Harlandic" locomotive No. 2 at Ballynahinch

The carriage was retired from railway service in 1920, and the body was removed from its wheels and used as a railway office, and later a farm shed, until it was saved by the Downpatrick and Co Down Railway in 1987.