Dundonald Railway Station, Then and Now…

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Dundonald Village	The BCDR Company	Station Timeline	Tickets Please!	Station Layout
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	Quarry Lane Crossing	Stationmasters	Accidents

Timeline

Spring 1845	Formation of the Belfast and County Down Railway Company
6^th May1850	Opening day for 12 miles of single track from Belfast Queen’s Quay to Newtownards Stations have been built at: Belfast Queen’s Quay, Knock, Dundonald, Comber and Newtownards On opening day Dundonald Station has a single platform and a wooden station building accessible from the Old Dundonald Road. The first Station Master is Hans Magee, who remains there until his death in service on 3^rd September 1888.
1879	New station built at Bloomfield (Beersbridge Road)
1889	The platform at Dundonald station is extended in length. The original platform could accommodate 8 carriages and the new 12 carriages. The work is finished in time for the 12^th July 1889 at a cost of £32. Telegraph is installed in Dundonald station.
1890	New station built at Neill’s Hill (Sandown Road)
1891-1893 1893	The line from Belfast to Comber is doubled A new down platform and wooden waiting shelter are constructed at Dundonald. Access to the station buildings is given from the Comber Road via a new subway under the tracks. The platforms at Knock and Dundonald are lengthened to accommodate double trains. The platforms at Dundonald are now 646ft long Signalling is introduced and Dundonald becomes a block post.
1894	A new larger Station Master’s house is built. The contractor was Messr. Wm Gordon who submitted a tender of £217/6/-. The design and builder are also used for the Crossgar Station Master’s house. The old Station Master’s house is used to house Porters.
1898	The old Station Master’s house is converted for other station purposes.
1900	Crossovers are built at the up end (Belfast side) of the Dundonald platforms to allow local trains to reverse and switch lines.
1901	Although never handling any large amounts of freight, a new goods siding is built behind the up platform. This includes a roadway to allow carts to get along-side 6 wagons. The total cost of the work is £418/11s/10d. Improvements are made to utilising some vacant rooms in the station buildings. The cost for new furniture is £50. A new booking office is completed allowing the old one to be demolished and further alterations to be completed.
1904	Permission is granted to the Nation Telephone Company to erect a ‘Call Office’ at the station.
1904	Local farmers and cattle dealers apply to the company for provision of a cattle beaching to aid the loading and unloading of cattle at the goods siding. A cattle beaching accommodating 2 wagons is built in November 1904. This was located at the furthest end of the goods siding (from the station).
1912	A bathroom and bath are provided in the Station Master’s house at a cost of £10.
1915	A Post Office wall letterbox is erected at the station.
1921	The bridge over the Comber Road (Bridge Number 64) is renewed.
1926	The crossover is removed.
1927	Signalling work at Knock and Comber is carried out to permit Dundonald cabin to be closed. The cabin continues to be switched in at times of heavy traffic right up until closure.
1931	Mains electricity extended to Dundonald. Station connected to the new supply dispensing with the small plant and battery that had been used to provide power for the lights.
8^th July 1938	In an accident at Dundonald station milesman Thomas Walker is killed after being struck by a down train.
1941	Stationmaster’s house is supplied with mains water. Until now both the house and the station have been served by a pump supply at the side of the station. Shortly after mains water is supplied a W.C. and wash basin are installed in the stationmaster’s house.
1948	BCDR is nationalised and becomes part of the Ulster Transport Authority
15^th Jan 1950	Mainline to Comber closes Dundonald station is closed. At this time the UTA classified Dundonald as a ‘halt’. This meant although it was still a manned station it did not have a stationmaster of its own. (Instead a foreman or senior porter would have been in charge). Dundonald’s ‘parent’ station was Comber, which also closed at the same time. the last stationmaster being Mr Samuel Johnston.
8^th July 1953	Stormont government authorises an abandonment order for most of the former BCDR now run by the Ulster Transport Authority
1953-55	The track of the former BCDR system is lifted in stages. The section from Quoile Bridge Downpatrick to Ballymacarrett Junction (including Dundonald) was lifted (in that direction) between January and October 1955.
Late 1950s/ early 1960s	The bridge over the Comber Road is removed. Some of the embankment (including the easterly end of the platforms) is removed to improve the junction of the Comber and Old Dundonald Roads. The station buildings are also demolished.
Early 1970s	Entrance to station subway from Comber Road is blocked up and pedestrian footpath link built from Old Dundonald to Comber Road.
Feb 2003- March 2004	Knock Valley Relief Sewer laid along former track bed between Ballymacarrett and Dundonald. Traces of station platforms cleared. A new pumping station is built on the Comber Road opposite the former station.

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