Neill's Hill railway station
Encyclopedia
Neill's Hill railway station is a disused railway station / halt on the main line of the Belfast and County Down Railway
. It ran from Queen's Quay, Belfast south to Newcastle, County Down
in Northern Ireland
.
When the Belfast and County Down Railway
was open, Neill's Hill railway station was the 5th station from Queen's Quay, Belfast. The preceding stations were Ballymacarrett
Junction, Fraser Street Halt and Bloomfield. The stations following Neill's Hill were Knock, Dundonald
, Henryville Halt, Comber
, Ballygowan
, Shepherds Bridge Halt, Saintfield
, Ballynahinch Junction, Crossgar
, Kings Bridge Halt, Downpatrick North Junction, Downpatrick
, Downpatrick South Junction, Downpatrick Loop Platform, Tullymurry (old), Tullymurry (new), Ballykinler
Halt, Dundrum
, Junction with Castlewellan
line and the terminus at Newcastle
.
in 1850 with both passengers and goods being carried. The railway was now serving the villages of Ballyhackamore and Gilnahirk. The railway was to encourage the development of those villages into the outlying Belfast suburbs of today. There was a level crossing at Ballyclougan Nursery on the Ballycloughan Road. This road was later to be known as Knock Road. The first station building at Knock began with part of the Holywood station being moved to Knock. A 2 storey station house was built at Knock on the down side in 1869. Knock sits at mile post 2¾.
. Mr Boyd's business, 'Sinclair & Boyd' built many houses in the surrounding districts. To make the bricks, he quarried the sand-hills around the railway line at Cadger's Loaney and had brick-fields in that area. In June 1877, a siding consisting of a short loop was installed off the main line to cater for this trade. A level-crossing was in existence. Cadger's Loaney later changed its name to Sandown Road, Belfast.
Neill's Hill station opened on 1 March 1890 with a gateman acting as stationmaster and assisted by a boy porter. A subway was added in 1897 alongside the level crossing. In 1904, a more substantial station building was built on the down platform. This would have faced out onto what later became Sandown Park South. Neill's Hill station sits at mile post 2¼. A timber signal cabin was later built on the down side of the crossing at an angle to the track for visibility. Following rationalisation of the signalling, this cabin was removed in 1925 and replaced by a 3 lever ground frame on the opposite side. Permanent Way workmen loaded the signal cabin onto the 12:15pm stone train and brought it into Belfast.
The sand siding had been closed and built over in the 1920s. This would have been the Clara Park and Neill's Hill Park area.
In 1922, BCDR considered using Baltic Class engines on the main line and a survey recommended that the platform walls would require to be rebuilt to improve the clearance at Bloomfield, Neill's Hill, Knock and one at Comber.
Coakham also reports that BCDR engine number 6 achieved 60 mph through Neill's Hill in the latter war years. The magic '60' had only been achieved in 1944.
Closure=
The Ulster Transport Authority
had taken over the BCDR and closed the main line to Newcastle on Sunday 15 January 1950. The halt at Neill's Hill closed at the same time. Housing had been built in the 1950s at Sandhill Gardens followed by Orangefield Road. Both roads followed the line of the railway from Clara Park to North Road. The track was not lifted until after 1954 by which time the station buildings had fallen into disrepair. The subway was filled in in the early 1960s with the buildings also being demolished around that time.
The Site Today=
is a 7 mile traffic-free section of the National Cycle Network, in development along the old Belfast-Comber railway line. The cycle path starts on Dee Street in Belfast
and finishes at Comber
. Now completed the Greenway provides an eco-friendly cycle path with views of Stormont and Scrabo Tower.
On the way out of Belfast, the Greenway goes through many of the old BCDR stations i.e. Bloomfield, Neill's Hill, Knock, Dundonald before finishing just short of Comber station.
The Future - EWAY=
Both the Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS) for Northern Ireland and the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP) recognised the value of introducing rapid transit services in Belfast. In 2004 the BMTP stated that the pilot stage of a rapid transit network could be implemented (subject to economic appraisal, budgetary processes and the completion of statutory processes) within the 2015 Plan period. It confirmed EWAY
as the preferred option which would serve the Newtownards
corridor and its success would dictate the extent, if any, of further development of the rapid transit network.
An announcement by the BBC confirmed that the EWAY will not be using the The Comber Greenway
as part of it's route.
Belfast and County Down Railway
The Belfast and County Down Railway was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland linking Belfast with County Down. It was built in the 19th century and absorbed into the Ulster Transport Authority in 1948...
. It ran from Queen's Quay, Belfast south to Newcastle, County Down
Newcastle, County Down
Newcastle is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,444 people recorded in the 2001 Census. The seaside resort lies on the Irish Sea coast at the base of Slieve Donard, one of the Mourne Mountains, and is known for its sandy beach and the Royal County Down Golf Club...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
When the Belfast and County Down Railway
Belfast and County Down Railway
The Belfast and County Down Railway was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland linking Belfast with County Down. It was built in the 19th century and absorbed into the Ulster Transport Authority in 1948...
was open, Neill's Hill railway station was the 5th station from Queen's Quay, Belfast. The preceding stations were Ballymacarrett
Ballymacarrett
Ballymacarrett or Ballymacarret is the name of both a townland and electoral ward in Belfast. The townland is in County Down and the electoral ward is part of the Pottinger district electoral area of Belfast City Council....
Junction, Fraser Street Halt and Bloomfield. The stations following Neill's Hill were Knock, Dundonald
Dundonald
Dundonald is a large settlement in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies east of Belfast and is often deemed to be a suburb of the city. It includes the large housing estate of Ballybeen, and many new housing estates have emerged in the past ten years....
, Henryville Halt, Comber
Comber
Comber is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies 5 miles south of Newtownards, at the northern end of Strangford Lough. It had a population of 8,933 people in the 2001 Census. Comber is part of the Borough of Ards...
, Ballygowan
Ballygowan
Ballygowan is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is within the Borough of Ards. The town of Comber is a short distance to the north-east, the town of Saintfield to the south, and the city of Belfast a further distance to the north-west. It had a population of 2,671 people...
, Shepherds Bridge Halt, Saintfield
Saintfield
Saintfield is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland, situated roughly halfway between Belfast and Downpatrick on the A7 road. It had a population of 2,959 people in the 2001 Census. The village proper is considered predominantly a middle or upper-middle class town and of both Catholic and...
, Ballynahinch Junction, Crossgar
Crossgar
Crossgar is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is about 15 miles south of Belfast – between Saintfield and Downpatrick. Crossgar had a population of 1,539 people in the 2001 Census.- History :...
, Kings Bridge Halt, Downpatrick North Junction, Downpatrick
Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a medium-sized town about 33 km south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the county town of Down with a rich history and strong connection to Saint Patrick. It had a population of 10,316 at the 2001 Census...
, Downpatrick South Junction, Downpatrick Loop Platform, Tullymurry (old), Tullymurry (new), Ballykinler
Ballykinler
Ballykinler or Ballykinlar is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies 12 kilometres south west of Downpatrick, in the parish of Tyrella and Dundrum. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 348 people. It is within the Down District Council area.It is a linear settlement running...
Halt, Dundrum
Dundrum
Dundrum is the name of several places:in Ireland:*Dundrum, Dublin, a suburb of Dublin city.**Dundrum Town Centre, a shopping centre*Dundrum, County Tipperary** the Dundrum meteorite of 1865, which fell in Munster, Ireland...
, Junction with Castlewellan
Castlewellan
Castlewellan is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is beside Castlewellan Lake and Slievenaslat mountain, southwest of Downpatrick. It lies between the Mourne Mountains and Slieve Croob. It had a population of 2,392 people in the 2001 Census....
line and the terminus at Newcastle
Newcastle, County Down
Newcastle is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,444 people recorded in the 2001 Census. The seaside resort lies on the Irish Sea coast at the base of Slieve Donard, one of the Mourne Mountains, and is known for its sandy beach and the Royal County Down Golf Club...
.
Ballycloughan Road (Knock Road)
BCDR built the main line from Belfast Queen's Quay to NewtownardsNewtownards
Newtownards is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is the largest town in the Borough of Ards. According to the 2001 Census, it has a population of 27,821 people in...
in 1850 with both passengers and goods being carried. The railway was now serving the villages of Ballyhackamore and Gilnahirk. The railway was to encourage the development of those villages into the outlying Belfast suburbs of today. There was a level crossing at Ballyclougan Nursery on the Ballycloughan Road. This road was later to be known as Knock Road. The first station building at Knock began with part of the Holywood station being moved to Knock. A 2 storey station house was built at Knock on the down side in 1869. Knock sits at mile post 2¾.
Cadger's Loaney (Sandown Road)
A Mr Sinclair Boyd owned land at Ballyhackamore in east BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. Mr Boyd's business, 'Sinclair & Boyd' built many houses in the surrounding districts. To make the bricks, he quarried the sand-hills around the railway line at Cadger's Loaney and had brick-fields in that area. In June 1877, a siding consisting of a short loop was installed off the main line to cater for this trade. A level-crossing was in existence. Cadger's Loaney later changed its name to Sandown Road, Belfast.
Bloomfield (Beersbridge Road)
Between 1876 and 1878, Sinclair Boyd entered into discussions with the BCDR to build a station at Bloomfield. This part of the line also had a level-crossing. Bloomfield station sits at mile post 1¼. In 1884, the wagons used for the Neill's Hill sand traffic were the only ones available for the BCDR Civil Engineer to use for ballast work on the permanent way.Doubling
The line to Knock was doubled and the new line opened on 28 May 1888. New footbridges and up platforms were built at both Bloomfield and Knock stations to cater for the additional track. Three level crossings, including Cadger's Loaney were widened. The gates were moved to Knock crossing as part of a penny pinching exercise. 'Sinclair & Boyds' sand siding had the turnout moved to take the shunting away from the level crossing area.Opening of Neill's Hill
Following the successful doubling of the track to Knock, a decision was made by the BCDR to build a small station on the up side of Neill's Hill crossing. Coakham states that the cost of two small platforms, with a shelter on each and a small booking office would have an estimated cost of £250. Although Bloomfield and Knock stations had footbridges, BCDR felt that there was no need for a footbridge at the more respectable sounding site on the Sandown Road.Neill's Hill station opened on 1 March 1890 with a gateman acting as stationmaster and assisted by a boy porter. A subway was added in 1897 alongside the level crossing. In 1904, a more substantial station building was built on the down platform. This would have faced out onto what later became Sandown Park South. Neill's Hill station sits at mile post 2¼. A timber signal cabin was later built on the down side of the crossing at an angle to the track for visibility. Following rationalisation of the signalling, this cabin was removed in 1925 and replaced by a 3 lever ground frame on the opposite side. Permanent Way workmen loaded the signal cabin onto the 12:15pm stone train and brought it into Belfast.
The sand siding had been closed and built over in the 1920s. This would have been the Clara Park and Neill's Hill Park area.
In 1922, BCDR considered using Baltic Class engines on the main line and a survey recommended that the platform walls would require to be rebuilt to improve the clearance at Bloomfield, Neill's Hill, Knock and one at Comber.
Railway Station Floral Competition
In 1937, the Belfast Telegraph reported that Neill's Hill station is among the prize-winners in the BCDR floral competition following a recent inspection by the BCDR directors.Reduction of Neill's Hill to Halt status
As part of economy measures in 1946, the BCDR reduced the status of Neill's Hill from a 'station' to a 'halt'. This status change also occurred at Knock, Dundonald, Craigavad, Ballynahinch Junction, Killough, Sydenham, Carnalea. Cultra was made an unattended halt.Incidents
In his book, Coakham relates an incident when an up Sunday train came past Bloomfield when the engine uncoupled and ran ahead into the Neill's Hill sand siding. Smart work at the points allowed the carriages to trundle past on the main line.Coakham also reports that BCDR engine number 6 achieved 60 mph through Neill's Hill in the latter war years. The magic '60' had only been achieved in 1944.
Closure=
The Ulster Transport Authority
Ulster Transport Authority
The Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.-Formation and consolidation:The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
had taken over the BCDR and closed the main line to Newcastle on Sunday 15 January 1950. The halt at Neill's Hill closed at the same time. Housing had been built in the 1950s at Sandhill Gardens followed by Orangefield Road. Both roads followed the line of the railway from Clara Park to North Road. The track was not lifted until after 1954 by which time the station buildings had fallen into disrepair. The subway was filled in in the early 1960s with the buildings also being demolished around that time.
The Site Today=
Knock Valley Sewage Scheme
In 2003, a major Belfast sewage scheme saw a main sewer being built the whole length of the former main line between Comber and Belfast. As Neill's Hill had the only subway on the route, this had to be cut through by the builders. Photographic evidence from them shows the subway to be in good condition.The Comber Greenway
The Comber GreenwayThe Comber Greenway
The Comber Greenway is a traffic-free section of the National Cycle Network, in development along the old Belfast-Comber railway line. The cycle path starts on Dee Street in Belfast and finishes at Comber. Now completed the Greenway provides an eco-friendly cycle path with views of Stormont and...
is a 7 mile traffic-free section of the National Cycle Network, in development along the old Belfast-Comber railway line. The cycle path starts on Dee Street in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and finishes at Comber
Comber
Comber is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies 5 miles south of Newtownards, at the northern end of Strangford Lough. It had a population of 8,933 people in the 2001 Census. Comber is part of the Borough of Ards...
. Now completed the Greenway provides an eco-friendly cycle path with views of Stormont and Scrabo Tower.
On the way out of Belfast, the Greenway goes through many of the old BCDR stations i.e. Bloomfield, Neill's Hill, Knock, Dundonald before finishing just short of Comber station.
The Future - EWAY=
Both the Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS) for Northern Ireland and the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP) recognised the value of introducing rapid transit services in Belfast. In 2004 the BMTP stated that the pilot stage of a rapid transit network could be implemented (subject to economic appraisal, budgetary processes and the completion of statutory processes) within the 2015 Plan period. It confirmed EWAY
EWAY
The EWAY is a light rail or bus system proposed for East Belfast, Northern Ireland.In January 2007, then Regional Development Minister in Northern Ireland, David Cairns, announced that engineering consultants WS Atkins PLC were to undertake economic feasibility studies on rapid transit proposals...
as the preferred option which would serve the Newtownards
Newtownards
Newtownards is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is the largest town in the Borough of Ards. According to the 2001 Census, it has a population of 27,821 people in...
corridor and its success would dictate the extent, if any, of further development of the rapid transit network.
An announcement by the BBC confirmed that the EWAY will not be using the The Comber Greenway
The Comber Greenway
The Comber Greenway is a traffic-free section of the National Cycle Network, in development along the old Belfast-Comber railway line. The cycle path starts on Dee Street in Belfast and finishes at Comber. Now completed the Greenway provides an eco-friendly cycle path with views of Stormont and...
as part of it's route.