Harland & Wolff revives its heritage restoring a Northern Ireland Victorian railway carriage

The legendary Belfast shipbuilders Harland & Wolff has partnered with the Downpatrick and County Down Railway to restore a unique Victorian railway carriage.The project to recreate this unique railway carriage will serve as a pivotal training opportunity for Harland & Wolff apprentices, immersing them in heritage skills essential to fabrication and engineering, but also revives a long connection between the shipbuilder and Northern Ireland’s railways.

In the 1930s Harland and Wolff diversified their manufacturing expertise beyond shipbuilding to produce diesel locomotives that were used locally at Downpatrick and Ballynahinch, and as far afield as Canada, and this rich legacy is now being revitalised with the first railway vehicle to be built by the shipyard since the Second World War.

Built in 1862, carriage No. 33 is the sole survivor from Northern Ireland’s first railway company – the Ulster Railway – and 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 Northern Ireland’s railway museums.The Ulster Railway was formed in 1836 and operated out of Great Victoria Street to Portadown and Armagh, later becoming the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) operating to Dublin. It is poignant that this vehicle’s restoration coincides with rail services on its former home at Great Victoria Street site recently ending in May 2024.

"We are thrilled to partner with Harland & Wolff on this historic project," said Robert Gardiner, chairman of the Downpatrick & County Down Railway.

"Their enthusiasm for the project 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.“Their passion and expertise are invaluable in the restoration of the Ulster Railway No. 33. This collaboration not only honours our shared industrial heritage but also provides an excellent training ground for apprentices to learn and master heritage crafts."

No. 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. 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 DCDR in 1987.In addition to severe wood rot and structural problems, a major barrier to restoration was the prior removal of the chassis - or underframe - in the 1920s. However, a century later, the recreation of this underframe now serves as a major educational tool, marking a major milestone in the heritage railway sector in Northern Ireland.The development of the design has followed best practice from fellow heritage railways in England, with the Isle of Wight Steam Railway providing specialist advice on the project as well.

The heritage railway, which has charitable status, first teamed up with Queen’s University, Belfast, with students undertaking research and design work into the frame, stress calculations as well as braking systems, with Harland and Wolff now coming on board to move to the fabrication stage, with the required steel being very kindly provided by long-time DCDR supporter Walter Watson Ltd Steel Stockholders in Castlewellan.The project is being taken on as part of Harland & Wolff’s apprenticeship programme, offering students robust training in areas such as fabrication, welding, and mechanical engineering.

This hands-on project with the Downpatrick & County Down Railway allows apprentices to gain invaluable real-world experience, ensuring the transfer of critical skills from seasoned professionals to the workforce of tomorrow.