BCDR Bridges #3. Belfast Road. Traditional Cache
Balatty: Am archiving this Cache. I've never been totally happy with it.
I will investigate for a new hide. I would like to keep the BCDR bridges series going.
Maybe even extend!
BCDR Bridges #3. Belfast Road.
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Second in the "BCDR Bridge" series.
This one differs slightly, only slightly mind you, in that there is no bridge!
The bridge was demolished sometime in the 50s. Does anyone know exactly when?
The BCDR ran around Newtownards on an embankment for a large part of the way, roughly where Blair Maine Road and Hardford Link are now, in fact I, and I'm sure others, remember the embankment at Talbot Street.
Below is an arial photo from the early 60s, the embankment can clearly be seen running from Church Street, and there also appears to be a bridge on Corry Street.
It also appears Ards pretty much ended at the hospital!
At the time of the photo the Church Street bridge was gone, but the pictures below show it in all its glory!
The first is a very old photo looking from the Belfast Road towards Church Street
And this, from a bit later on, looking from Church Street towards the Belfast Road and the climb up Bradshaws Brae.
It was the horrendous accident at the bridge in 1936 that brought an end to the TT Races on the Ards Circuit.
From http://www.comberhistory.com/chsTTraces.htm
The Ards TT ran from 1928 until 1936. It was a massive event on the sporting calendar, held in August or early September, and attracting up to half a million spectators in any one year. Starting at Quarry Corner in Dundonald, cars raced their way along the public roads (closed of course for the occasion) through Newtownards and Comber back to Dundonald again – a gruelling 30 laps of this 13½ mile circuit. All the great drivers of the day were there, men such as Kaye Don, Carraciola, Nuvolari, Freddie Dixon, Earl Howe and E.R. Hall. They reached speeds well in excess of 100 miles per hour.
Tragedy struck during the 1936 race when Belfast driver Jack Chambers lost control of his Riley under the bridge after his steering linkage broke hitting a gas lampost and a house before broadsiding onto the crowded footpath killing eight people and injuring forty, eighteen seriously.
The TT Races were moved to Donnington Park in 1937.
The Cache, yes, after all that there is a Cache, is a Micro with just a log so bring something fine to write with, the Log is a small one!!
For a great history lesson on the Belfast and County Down Railway, visit http://www.downrail.co.uk/history/index.htm
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gurer'f n jrr cngu lbh pbhyq rnfvyl zvff, gur pnpur, yvxr na haehyl grrantre, vf unatvat nobhg arne gur raq!
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