RAILSCOT | Donaghadee

Station

Donaghadee (1861-1950)

/ /1861	Donaghadee Branch (Belfast and County Down Railway) Opened through Newtownards [2nd] to Donaghadee. (Newtownards [1st] closed.) Company takes a loan to reach the Admiralty recommended port.
/ /1863	Donaghadee Branch (Belfast and County Down Railway) Treasury financed harbour built at Donaghadee.
/ /1868	Portpatrick Railway Portpatrick to Donaghadee Boat starts running.
/ /1870	Donaghadee Branch (Belfast and County Down Railway) Line extended from Donaghadee into the harbour.
/ /1874	Portpatrick Railway Portpatrick to Donaghadee boat stops running. This is in part due to the unsuitability of Portpatrick Harbour. The Stranraer Harbour to Larne Harbour [1st] service replaces the abandoned service. Portpatrick to Stranraer remains open.
/ /1901	International Engineering Congress, Glasgow Three tunnel routes considered from Scotland/Wales to Ireland: Mull of Kintyre to Antrim (revival of the 1868 proposal, rejected due to remoteness of Kintyre), Holyhead to Howth (rejected due to length), Wigtownshire to Larne/Donaghadee (passing north round the deep trench of the Beaufort's Dyke). Latter considered most suitable with a route from north of Portpatrick to Whitehead.
24/04/1950	Belfast and County Down Railway Donaghadee Branch (Belfast and County Down Railway) Closed from Donaghadee to Newtonards [2nd] and Belfast Queen's Quay.