This is a very good video

Considering Translink have now with the opening of BGC taken a step back by abandoning the through route from Portadown to Bangor (and by design making it imposible to bring back without significant cost) I doubt we can see them using anything resembling common sense on this project.

We need a track to Comber. The roads can't cope with all the traffic from the new housing developments.

What we also need is trains to the west once again, and the AIRR should fix it

There is no signalling at all remaining on the Lisburn to Antrim line, all engineering train and driver training movements are done under possession, i.e. 20mph max with no signalling. To reinstate signalling would cost upwards of £100M at today's prices. Permanent way was refreshed in 2014 to keep it safe for low speed running but a full relay will be needed before opening to regular traffic. Also, loads of user worked crossings need closed to avoid punitive speed restrictions. The reopening of Lisburn to Antrim is being actively studied at the moment but don't expect a quick, cheap or easy solution.

thanks for another great video Richard. i was the overexcited fan who met you on Friday in Ulster Sports Club. great to have met you.

Welcome back.

There's another possible loop .... via Dungannon, Coalisland, Cookstown and Antrim.

I think the stone implement is a knife / scythe sharpener.

Another excellent video; thanks for sharing.

Excellent video; thanks for sharing.

Very interesting channel. The rail network never seems to stand still for long. Amazed with the new Grand Central Station, and the speed of it's construction. When the trains are up and running , it would be interesting to hear your views on it. There will definitely be a little confusion for a time, with Central (Lanyon) and Grand Central.

I dont think anyone refers to the TT in Comber as the "North Down Inn". Great pub, great food as well!!

I always wondered why in Dundonald, it was called Grand Prix Park. Thanks for the info!

You were speeding on the way to the Ards/Dundonald carriageway!! (I know its sped up :) )

Insane to see the last bridge and all the bustling around it.. and now? Not so much.. Great seeing the old photos, giving us an idea of what it was like and something to compare to :) Really enjoyed your videos, please keep at it.

I lived in Nelson Street when I was young it was a great area as kids we had fun I attend Sinclair Seaman’s Church I was married there the moterway broke up the community so sad

I remember the Queens Quay station and Great Victoria st station. I have a nice watercolour print of the station from the late forties

thank you for posting this series

My old Nan's family home was Train View Church Quarter Dundonald

Great work with this map Richard. It’s interesting to see how different the railway network in Northern Ireland would be if they didn’t cut it down or better yet, rebuilt most of the disused lines, although I don’t think the Fintona tram would still be around considering Fintona Junction was just a mile from the town. I think it’s likely that if the line from Omagh to Enniskillen reopens they’ll just build a new station for on the site of Fintona Junction and call that Fintona. And I’m not sure about the narrow gauge lines surviving or reopening for commercial use either given that they’re usually associated with heritage railways nowadays. I am glad to report that Translink has plans to reopen some of the old lines, including the one from Portadown to Armagh and Cavan and the Derry Road. Now if only Belfast had a rapid transit railway system similar to the DART.

Fantastic video love it

I’ve been to the top with my son and bro 20 yrs ago

I really enjoyed this video. Fantastic presentation. I’m getting a car from NI and live in the UK. I have my own private number plate but am excited to see the NI registration it comes with. Many thanks.

I’ve made a map of the entirety of County Down’s railways and beyond, would you like me to email it to you?

It's honesty depressing what happened to County Down's railway network.

I've started watching all of these videos, I can't stop myself! I didn't realise Cultra had two stations.

I've visited Ards shopping centre many times and have wondered about the wall, it just seems out of place. I never knew there was once a railway station there.

Thanks for that

I have been there and seen both they are brilliant

The device which you refer to is called a "Capstan". It is used for pulling on heavy ropes or chains which would have been wrapped around the Capstan. Poles would have been inserted in the holes at the top so that several men could wind the rope in.

Wee shot of the HSS at the end. Another forgotten sight on the Lough

Good to see you back.

Thanks for the really informative video. I am on the mainland and NI plates are quite popular here, sometimes to disguise the age of a vehicle, or simply because they look different. I recently bought one for my car and it certainly gives it a lift. Compared to other number plates, the NI ones are good value too, as a six digit plate can be had direct from the DVLA for £250 all in. A seven digit plate from an independent dealer can be bought for around £150 all in.

I briefly lived in Belfast 20 years ago and your films give me a great background to pictures still in mind. Also great to hear the accent again :) Cheers from Vienna Kupzinger

Great video, out of focus part is forgiven. What sort of car do you drive, MX5 or S2000?

Here in Newcastle upon Tyne, I bought a second-hand car that bore a Northrn Ireland registration number. I swapped it for my own plate, returning the NI number to the DVLA. Later on I sold the car, but before doing so re-registered it so I could retain my vanity plate. The DVLA returned its previous NI number. That did surprise me.

Yip I lived on the left at around 5 minutes in Atkinson Avenue back in the mid 90s mad house mad times, the shame that whoever for the bloody north way knocked our majestic railway station down at Watson street needed jailed tbf, but that’s our wee country bloody joke!

Lovely thank you.

Lovely video, Richard. The train lines in Prince's Dock St are actually tramlines: at least that's what they were always referred to in the 20+ years I lived in Sailortown up to the late 80s. However, they could have had a dual use. Also, Sailortown people regarded the district as being bounded by Henry St (and not Great George's St) on the upper or west side of Corporation St. Hence, Little Corporation St is [now, "was", sadly] part of Little Italy, where Frank Carson and Rinty Monaghan later lived.

Are ireland plates with a IRL to the left and 00 A 000 format?😮

I wonder if anyone ever restored that MGB? Is it still there?

For years my mum spoke of the Holywood Arches and as a child I was always looking for them when I travelled on the 24 or 76 bus routes. Thank you for clearing up the mystery. I am looking forward to viewing the rest of your videos as I find the history fascinating! I grew up in Castlereagh and went to school in Belfast. I live in Bangor now and I hope to take a railway tour of a number of stations on a runabout ticket.

For years I was told that Neill's ill was the hill that went from the Clarawood Estate to the Knock end of the Sandown Road. Now I know different! Thank you. I'm tracing old railways stations just out of curiosity and a desire to try to reproduce them in OO and HO scale. The architecture from the time is fascinating. Thank you for your video. Liked and Subscribed.

Yn67 fsk is that an ni reg?

I've been ontop Samson before so for me there's no need for them to charge to go to the top

Coal boats came into unload at Dundrum quay so makes sense that the railway would have drawn coal away.

Excellent video. My great great grandfather, Francis Webb, was a railway porter in Ballynahinch railway station. Google this and you'll see his photograph

These things should indeed be saved. I’ll put a link here to a fella who has a good number of videos on our railway history. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3qpcoR4gMuanbcsi=2oidgVVoBPaciS2K