The Belfast and County Down Railway.
An Irish Gauge railway opened in 1848 and had lines from Belfast to Bangor, from Belfast to Donaghadee via Comber and Newtownards. There was a line ran from Comber via Ballygowan, Saintfield, Crossgar to Downpatrick.
At the Junction just outside Saintfield trains carried on to Ballynahinch.
From Downpatrick there was a branch to take passengers to Ardglass via Killough and Coney Island.
Another branch from Downpatrick to Newcastle, and finally a branch from Newcastle to Castlewellan.
The Railway was closed in 1948.
As the years go on less and less of the Railway is left. The huge, and not so huge edifices that are the bridges deserve to be seen by everyone.
To build these bridges today would be an achievment.
To have done it in the mid Nineteenth Century with only Horse drawn transport to move Ton after Ton of masonary from God knows where to a windswept field God knows how far from the nearest civilisation, was a feat and a half!
Remember, no cars, no motorcycles, not even bicycles (The first "Modern bike" didn't appear 'til 1885) so the workers either walked or used horse drawn transport to get to work!!
We have the cheek to gripe about a fifteen minute commute in a warm comfortable car with the radio blaring!!
So.
A series of Caches to mark these monuments..............
Ballynahinch Junction.
A busy place in it's day in the 40's. The bridge in the background is GZ!
There is nothing left to see now except the bridge.
Model railway enthusiasts have modelled the junction and it was, indeed still may be on display at the Downpatrick and County Down Railway station. GZ can be clearly seen!
The Cache.
Hiding places here are at a premium so it's a Micro.
Shouldn't be too hard to find.
It's now just a road junction. it's usually quiet but please exercise caution when parking, searching, and especially with young'uns in tow!