Downpatrick Loop Platform railway station
The Downpatrick Loop Platform railway station is owned and operated by the Downpatrick and County Down Railway which is a heritage railway in Northern Ireland.
The original Downpatrick railway station was constructed as part of the Belfast and County Down Railway mainline from Queens Quay, Belfast to Downpatrick. However, with growing railway expansion in the Victorian era and the connecting Downpatrick, Dundrum and Newcastle Railway being subsequently built with a junction north of Downpatrick for through trains between Queens Quay, Belfast and Newcastle railway station. The awkward permanent way with Downpatrick railway station being on a branch necessitated the construction of the triangle and Loop platform. Therefore, trains could call at Downpatrick or use the avoiding line with connections for passengers and goods at the Loop Platform, thereby making the railway operationally from a signalling point of view, more efficient using a railway triangle.
Downpatrick Loop Platform was opened on 24/09/1892 and closed on 16/01/1950.
During the 1950s with the closure of the BCDR mainline from Queens Quay, Belfast to Newcastle railway station, the Loop Platform was not demolished as the station had no road access. Under the auspices of the Downpatrick and County Down Railway in 1993 with funding from the International Fund for Ireland the remains of the original ironwork was incorporated into the replica station canopy. The station is on the only operational railway triangle on a preserved railway.
In Spring 2014, the 'Back Line' was relaid and the platform refurbished. During 2015, relaying commenced on the 'South Line'.
