Belfast and Ballymena Railway
Introduction
This railway remains mostly open. Today it carries commuter trains and forms the portion of the lines from Londonderry and Larne Harbour into Belfast.
Its original course was from Belfast [York Road] to Carrickfergus [1st], then to Ballymena [1st] via a reversal and from that portion a ranch to Randalstown [1st] which was intended to be the springboard for a route to Londonderry.
Dates
| / /1845 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Incorporated. |
| 12/04/1848 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Opened from Belfast [York Road] to Carrickfergus [1st], Ballymena [1st] and Randalstown. A single track network built by William Dargan. The Randalstown branch was meant to meet the never built Dublin, Belfast and Coleraine Junction Railway. |
| / /1854 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Belfast [York Road] renamed Belfast York Road. |
| / /1855 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Makes a connection to the Belfast Harbour Commissioners railways via Dufferin Dock Junction. |
| 04/12/1855 | Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Portrush Junction Railway Opened from a new Ballymena station (just north of the Belfast and Ballymena Railway terminus Ballymena [1st] which closed) to Coleraine and Portrush. Stations opened at Ballymena, Killagan, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Portrush |
| / /1860 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Renamed Belfast and Northern Counties Railway. |
| / /1862 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Doubled from Belfast York Road to Greencastle. |
| / /1863 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Doubled from Greencastle to Carrickfergus Junction. |
| / /1872 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Doubled from Ballyclare and Doagh to Dunadry. |
| / /1875 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Belfast York Road rebuilt (formerly only one platform). |
| / /1875 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Doubled from Carrickfergus Junction to Ballyclare and Doagh. |
| / /1875 | Ballymena, Cushendall and Red Bay Railway Carries iron ore from Cargan to Ballymena on the Belfast and Ballymena Railway. |
| / /1877 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Doubled from Dunadry to Cookstown Junction. |
| / /1878 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Doubled from Cookstown Junction to Ballymena. |
| / /1878 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway South to west curve authorised from Jordanstown to Mossley to save on reversing at Carrickfergus. Not built. |
| / /1884 | Ballyclare Branch (Belfast and Northern Counties Railway) Opened from Kingsbog Junction (Belfast and Ballymena Railway) to Ballyclare [BNCR]. |
| / /1894 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Carrickfergus Junction renamed Greenisland. |
| / /1894 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Tramway laid into Belfast York Road. |
| / /1897 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Doubled from Greensland to Carrickfergus. |
| / /1897 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Belfast York Road station at largest size. |
| / /1905 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Street tramway into Belfast York Road electrified. |
| / /1926 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Belfast York Road resignalled with colour lights. |
| / /1928 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway South to west curve authorised from Whiteabbey to Mossley to save on reversing at Carrickfergus. |
| / /1931 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Construction of south to west curve authorised from Whiteabbey to Mossley begins. |
| 17/01/1934 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Double track curve opened from Bleach Green Junction, Whiteabbey, to cross Valentine's Glen Viaduct (concrete) to Mossley. Mossley to Carrickfergus Junction singled. |
| / /1941 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Belfast York Road badly damaged during bombing of World War II. Partly repaired. |
| 09/09/1961 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Through coaches from Larne Harbour to Londonderry Waterside [2nd] withdrawn. Mossley to Greenisland falls out of passenger use. |
| 01/10/1963 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Mossley to Greenisland closed. (Retained for a time as long siding approached from the east?) |
| / /1966 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Near Belfast York Road spoil is delivered by rail, from a new third track, on the east side of the line to form the motorway. The workshops are relocated from the east side of the line to the west. |
| /05/1970 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway After delivery of spoil using 7,600 for the motorway formation the operation ceases. The steam hauled service ends. |
| / /1975 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Belfast York Road rebuilt. |
| / /1978 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Bleach Green Junction to Antrim falls out of use with the diversion of the Londonderry trains. |
| 01/09/1980 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Bleach Green Junction to Antrim re-opened with stations at Monktown, Mossley and Templepatrick. |
| 21/02/1981 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Regular passenger trains using Bleach Green Junction to Antrim withdrawn. |
| / /1990 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Antrim to Ballymena singled. |
| / /1992 | Belfast and Ballymena Railway Antrim to Ballymena restored in anticipation of the diversion of Londonderry trains via Whiteabbey, to be introduced with the opening of the Cross Harbour Link. Loops prepared at Kingsmoss and Templepatrick, and north of Antrim at Magherabeg. |
| 17/10/1992 | Cross Harbour Link Yorkgate opened as a temporary terminus for the former Belfast and Ballymena Railway while the link to the Belfast Central Railway is under construction. Belfast York Road closed. |
| 28/11/1994 | Cross Harbour Link Opens to link Yorkgate, temporary terminus of the former Belfast and Ballymena Railway, to the new Lagan Junction on the Belfast Central Railway. The line is largely on viaducts and is single track with a passing loop at Donegall Quay [Belfast], site of a planned station. Londonderry trains cease running via Crumlin and return to the route via Whiteabbey. The viaduct, 4,675ft, is named for William Dargan. |
Portions of line and locations
This line is divided into a number of portions.
Belfast to Carrickfergus
Belfast [York Road] to Carrickfergus [1st].
Former Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway 0-6-4T No 26 Lough Melvin in a siding at Belfast York Road shed in the summer of 1965, the ...K A Gray 26/08/1965
The yards at York Road, Belfast, on 26 August 1965 with Jeep 2-6-4T No 4 nearest the camera. ...K A Gray 26/08/1965
Greenisland to Ballymena
Greenisland to Ballymena [1st].
Antrim station, seen from Translink Northern Ireland Railways diesel unit no. 3002 arriving with the ex-12.55 service from Great Victoria Street ...David Bosher 30/07/2018
Antrim station, looking towards Belfast from the level crossing on 9th July 2018....
Douglas Blades 09/07/2018
Londonderry service entering Antrim. In the background the (Bleach Green) line to Belfast passes under a roadbridge and to the right is the unused ...Ewan Crawford 18/10/2004
Randalstown Branch
Cookstown Junction to Randalstown [1st]. This was a branch intended to meet the never built Dublin, Belfast and Coleraine Junction Railway, but instead it was extended to Cookstown and the terminus replaced by another station.
