Ulster Transport Authority
Encyclopedia
The Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland
from 1948 until 1966.
(BCDR). Added to this in 1949 was the Northern Counties Committee
(NCC), owned by the British Transport Commission
's Railway Executive since its previous owner, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
(LMS), had been nationalised in 1948
.
commuter line. In the same year it closed the Macfin — Kilrea
section of the former NCC's Derry Central Railway and the freight-only former NCC line from Limavady
to Dungiven
. It also withdrew passenger services from the former NCC branch lines to Cookstown
, Draperstown
and Limavady and the Magherafelt
— Kilrea section of the Derry Central. That summer it closed Northern Ireland's last narrow gauge lines: the Ballycastle Railway
and the Ballymena and Larne Railway
.
In 1955 the UTA closed the (by then freight-only) branches to Cookstown and Limavady, and the line between Castlewellan
and Newcastle, County Down
(which was worked by the GNR).
In 1957 the Northern Ireland Government made the Great Northern Railway Board
close much of its network in the province. This left no railways in many rural areas, including the whole of County Fermanagh
. By 1958 the GNR main line was the only remaining railway across the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In that year what was left of the GNRB was dissolved and split between Córas Iompair Éireann
(the Republic of Ireland
's nationalised transport company) and the UTA.
In 1959 the UTA closed the (by then freight only) remaining Magherafelt — Kilrea section of the Derry Central and the former GNR (by then freight only) branch from Dungannon
to Cookstown. The UTA also took over the Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners
' dual gauge
railway that linked Derry
's four railway termini, and in 1962 the UTA closed this railway as well.
, the Government of Northern Ireland
commissioned a senior Coopers & Lybrand accountant, Sir Henry Benson
, to report on the future of the UTA's railways. In 1963 Benson submitted his report, which recommended closing all UTA railways except the Belfast commuter lines to Bangor and Larne and the main line between Belfast and the Republic of Ireland
, and the reduction of the main line between and to single track.
Benson recommended the only reason for retaining the main line between Portadown and Dundalk was not for transport or economics but solely political. The Republic of Ireland's government objected to Benson's proposal to single the track between Portadown and Dundalk so the Northern Ireland Government withdrew it.
Derry
had two rail links with Belfast: the former NCC main line via Coleraine and the former GNR one via Portadown. Benson's recommendation to close both lines provoked strong protest from Northern Ireland's second city and towns along both routes. The Northern Ireland Government responded by retaining the former NCC main line, which was slightly the shorter of the two but also served strongly Unionist parts of County Antrim
, plus the short branch between Coleraine and the seaside resort of .
In 1965 the Northern Ireland government implemented Benson's recommendation to close the former GNR route between Portadown and Derry, informally known as the "Derry Road", at the cost of 400 jobs. This ended all railway services to stations including , , and left the entire southwest of the province, including the whole of County Tyrone
, with no rail services. The government also closed the Belfast Central Railway, (that Benson had recommended retaining). The branch between and was also closed, leaving Newry
with only the inconveniently sited Newry Main Line
station some distance up a hill outside the town.
These closures left only the Belfast York Road
– Londonderry Waterside
, – and – lines in service.
Much of the former GNR workforce was Roman Catholic. Closure of the "Derry Road" contributed to Catholic Irish Nationalists' sense of discrimination, leading to the emergence of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
, Campaign for Social Justice
and other groups in communities such as Derry and Dungannon
.
in the same year. The rail operations temporarily became Ulster Transport Railways (UTR) before being taken over by Northern Ireland Railways
(NIR) in 1968.
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...
from 1948 until 1966.
Formation and consolidation
The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board (NIRTB) and the Belfast and County Down RailwayBelfast 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...
(BCDR). Added to this in 1949 was the Northern Counties Committee
Northern Counties Committee
The Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. It was built to Irish gauge but later acquired a number of narrow gauge lines...
(NCC), owned by the British Transport Commission
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
's Railway Executive since its previous owner, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
(LMS), had been nationalised in 1948
Transport Act 1947
The Transport Act 1947 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Under it the railways, long-distance road haulage and various other types of transport were acquired by the state and handed over to a new British Transport Commission for operation...
.
Branch railway closures
In January 1950 the UTA closed almost the entire BCDR network except the Queen's Quay, Belfast – BangorBangor railway station, Northern Ireland
Bangor railway station is a terminal railway station which serves the town of Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland. The station was opened by the Belfast and County Down Railway on 1 May 1865 and closed to goods traffic on 24 April 1950.-Service:...
commuter line. In the same year it closed the Macfin — Kilrea
Kilrea
Kilrea is a village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is near the River Bann, which marks the boundary between County Londonderry and County Antrim...
section of the former NCC's Derry Central Railway and the freight-only former NCC line from Limavady
Limavady
Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. It lies east of Derry and south west of Coleraine. It had a population of 12,135 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of some 17% compared to 1991...
to Dungiven
Dungiven
Dungiven is a small town and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is on the main A6 Belfast to Derry road. It lies where the rivers Roe, Owenreagh and Owenbeg meet at the foot of the Benbradagh. Nearby is the Glenshane Pass, where the road rises to over...
. It also withdrew passenger services from the former NCC branch lines to Cookstown
Cookstown
Cookstown may refer to either of the following:*Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland*Cookstown, Ontario, Canada*Cookstown, New Jersey, United States...
, Draperstown
Draperstown
Draperstown is a village in the Sperrin Mountains of County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,638 people in the 2001 Census.-Name:...
and Limavady and the Magherafelt
Magherafelt
Magherafelt is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 8,372 people recorded in the 2001 Census. It is the biggest town in the south of County Londonderry and is the social, economic and political hub of the area...
— Kilrea section of the Derry Central. That summer it closed Northern Ireland's last narrow gauge lines: the Ballycastle Railway
Ballycastle Railway
Ballycastle Railway was a narrow gauge railway line which ran from Ballycastle to Ballymoney, both in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.-History:...
and the Ballymena and Larne Railway
Ballymena and Larne Railway
The Ballymena and Larne Railway was a narrow gauge railway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The first part opened in July 1877 and regular passenger services began in August 1878, the first on the three foot Irish narrow gauge...
.
In 1955 the UTA closed the (by then freight-only) branches to Cookstown and Limavady, and the line between 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....
and 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...
(which was worked by the GNR).
In 1957 the Northern Ireland Government made the Great Northern Railway Board
Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
The Great Northern Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.The Great Northern was formed in 1876 by a merger of the Irish North Western Railway , Northern Railway of Ireland, and Ulster Railway. The Ulster Railway was the GNRI's oldest constituent, having opened between Belfast and...
close much of its network in the province. This left no railways in many rural areas, including the whole of County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
. By 1958 the GNR main line was the only remaining railway across the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In that year what was left of the GNRB was dissolved and split between Córas Iompair Éireann
CIE
-Organizations:* Cambridge International Examinations, an international examination board* Cleveland Institute of Electronics, a private technical and engineering educational institution — the International Commission on Illumination...
(the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
's nationalised transport company) and the UTA.
In 1959 the UTA closed the (by then freight only) remaining Magherafelt — Kilrea section of the Derry Central and the former GNR (by then freight only) branch from Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
to Cookstown. The UTA also took over the Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners
Londonderry Port
Londonderry Port at Lisahally is a port near Derry, Northern Ireland. It is the United Kingdom’s most westerly port, has capacity for 30,000 ton vessels and accepts cruise ships. The current port is on the east bank of the River Foyle at the southern end of Lough Foyle, by the small village of...
' dual gauge
Dual gauge
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
railway that linked Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
's four railway termini, and in 1962 the UTA closed this railway as well.
The Benson Report
In 1962, on the recommendation of Dr Richard BeechingRichard Beeching
Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching , commonly known as Doctor Beeching, was chairman of British Railways and a physicist and engineer...
, the Government of 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...
commissioned a senior Coopers & Lybrand accountant, Sir Henry Benson
Henry Benson, Baron Benson
Henry Alexander Benson, Baron Benson was a British accountant best known as a partner of Coopers & Lybrand, an advisor to the Bank of England, his work organising the accountancy profession as president of ICAEW and for the part he played in various Royal Commissions.Born in Johannesburg to...
, to report on the future of the UTA's railways. In 1963 Benson submitted his report, which recommended closing all UTA railways except the Belfast commuter lines to Bangor and Larne and the main line between Belfast and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, and the reduction of the main line between and to single track.
Benson recommended the only reason for retaining the main line between Portadown and Dundalk was not for transport or economics but solely political. The Republic of Ireland's government objected to Benson's proposal to single the track between Portadown and Dundalk so the Northern Ireland Government withdrew it.
Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
had two rail links with Belfast: the former NCC main line via Coleraine and the former GNR one via Portadown. Benson's recommendation to close both lines provoked strong protest from Northern Ireland's second city and towns along both routes. The Northern Ireland Government responded by retaining the former NCC main line, which was slightly the shorter of the two but also served strongly Unionist parts of County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, plus the short branch between Coleraine and the seaside resort of .
In 1965 the Northern Ireland government implemented Benson's recommendation to close the former GNR route between Portadown and Derry, informally known as the "Derry Road", at the cost of 400 jobs. This ended all railway services to stations including , , and left the entire southwest of the province, including the whole of County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, with no rail services. The government also closed the Belfast Central Railway, (that Benson had recommended retaining). The branch between and was also closed, leaving Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
with only the inconveniently sited Newry Main Line
Newry railway station
Newry railway station serves Newry in Northern Ireland. The station is in the northwest of the town on the Cross Border line next to the 18-arch, high Craigmore Viaduct....
station some distance up a hill outside the town.
These closures left only the Belfast York Road
Yorkgate railway station
Yorkgate railway station serves the north of the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The station opened in 1992, replacing the previous York Road station nearby.-York Road Railway Station:...
– Londonderry Waterside
Londonderry railway station
Londonderry/Derry Railway Station, known commonly as Waterside Railway Station, serves the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. The station is also used by residents of the west of County Londonderry, much of west Tyrone and County Donegal. It is operated by Northern Ireland Railways...
, – and – lines in service.
Much of the former GNR workforce was Roman Catholic. Closure of the "Derry Road" contributed to Catholic Irish Nationalists' sense of discrimination, leading to the emergence of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association was an organisation which campaigned for equal civil rights for the all the people in Northern Ireland during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
, Campaign for Social Justice
Campaign for Social Justice
Campaign for Social Justice was an organisation based in Northern Ireland which campaigned for civil rights in the country.The Campaign for Social Justice in Northern Ireland was inaugurated on 17 January, 1964...
and other groups in communities such as Derry and Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
.
Split into rail and road companies
Transport Acts in 1967 split the UTA into road and rail operations, the bus operations being taken over by a new company called UlsterbusUlsterbus
Ulsterbus is a public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside Belfast. It is part of Translink , which also includes Northern Ireland Railways, Metro Belfast and Flexibus.-Services:Ulsterbus is responsible for most of the province-wide bus...
in the same year. The rail operations temporarily became Ulster Transport Railways (UTR) before being taken over by Northern Ireland Railways
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
(NIR) in 1968.