Where this is?

[Tullygrainey]

Any idea where this might be, anyone? The photo was taken by one of my 2 times great grandfathers around 1895-1900. We thought it might be BCDR given where he lived. 

[Mol_PMB]

Interesting puzzle. 
The spacing of the rails indicates 5’3” gauge rather than standard. 
Trackform on the near line is bullhead but the far line may be lightweight flatbottom. 
With a signal and points, plus an access path from the bridge, we’re most likely at one end of a station. 
I wondered whether it is true double track or if it’s one end of a passing loop with a spur siding. I’m not sure I can see enough point rodding or evidence of FPLs for the crossover to have FPLs so I think it’s a trailing crossover on a double track line. 
The lattice post lower quadrant signal is distinctive but I’m no expert. 
The stone arch bridge looks a funny shape - the top of the arch seems rather flat. It may be a skew bridge but I’m still unsure of its integrity. 
If the line still exists then most of the distinctive features are likely to have been changed since the photo was taken. So I’ve no idea!

[leslie10646]

@Mol_PMB makes a lot of good points (sorry), the bridge definitely looks skewed, so that's a big clue.

I suspect the biggest clue is the lattice signal post - which Irish railway had such posts? 

Speak up you signalling experts!

 

[Mol_PMB]

Signal style looks good for BCDR:

https://flic.kr/p/2pwkdzq

Construction style of the bridge also looks good for BCDR:

If the double track means it’s on the Bangor line, then there aren’t many stations to check, and being on straight track in a cutting will narrow it down. 

[Tullygrainey]

The BCDR seemed to mix and match as regards signal posts -  some lattice, some wooden but I'm only going on photos I've seen. I agree the bridge looks pretty BCDR. There's a bridge in East Belfast between Bloomfield and Neill's Hill that might fit the bill. It's still there and carries road traffic on North Road over what is now a greenway. I've seen a photo but I can't remember where now.

Edited 13 hours ago by Tullygrainey
typo. Bridge not bride!

[Tullygrainey]

On second thoughts It's not the North Road bridge. This is a facsimile copy of a 1902 map. No crossover.

 

[Patrick Davey]

I do enjoy mysteries like this!

My initial thought was somewhere on the approach to Bangor but then I thought Knock on the BCDR main line.  There were facilities there for short working commuter trains to return to Queen's Quay so that could explain the crossover in the photo.  The bridge therefore would be that which brings King's Road over the railway, which was definitely on the skew.  I've checked old maps and there was a footpath which presumably gave access to the down platform, which tallies with the photo, plus I checked Google Earth as I was wondering if the house beyond the bridge might still be there........photo below!!!  So my best guess is that we are looking at the Comber end of Knock station, in the direction of Comber, and the signal is the Knock down starter.  The point rodding would suggest there is a signal cabin on this side of the railway, and indeed there was one on Knock up platform.

Also just found this photo on FB, taken from the King's Road bridge - there's the signal and also the footpath.....?

Also - bottom left of the last pic, there's the start of the crossover!

Edited 12 hours ago by Patrick Davey

[Tullygrainey]

Excellent detective work Patrick. Thanks. It ticks most of the boxes so I think you've found it. I grew up locally and well remember the original bridge before it was filled in and the road junction realigned. It had become too narrow for the increasing traffic load.

I also have a vivid memory of an encounter with that bridge. My first car after a few years of motorbikes was a second hand 3 wheeler Isetta bubble car bought for £50. Three wheeled cars were classed with motorcycle sidecar outfits and you could drive them unaccompanied on a motorcycle licence so I taught myself to drive in mine. Coming out of that road in the middle of Patrick's picture one day and turning sharp left over the bridge, I misjudged it badly and wiped off a headlight on the parapet. How we laughed. Afterwards.

[Tullygrainey]

Found another map which I didn't realise I had. Another facsimile of a 1902 OS map. This looks like our photo location with all the features - cutting, skewed bridge, crossover, signal post, footpath and house(s)

 

[Mol_PMB]

I enjoyed that. Have you got any more? 

 

P.S. Did pilgrimage specials ever run from the BCDR? 

P.P.S. this is a very poor attempt at a Knock Knock joke.

[Patrick Davey]

48 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

I enjoyed that. Have you got any more? 

 

P.S. Did pilgrimage specials ever run from the BCDR? 

P.P.S. this is a very poor attempt at a Knock Knock joke.

Apparently the BCDR had plans to fully modernise Knock.  They were going to rename it ‘Ring’. 

[DAVID WILSON]

This is Kings Road bridge over the BCDR just on the Dundonald side of Knock station.  The photographer is standing on the narrow pedestrian path down from the bridge to the up platform to Belfast, just up from the wicket gate on the right of the photo I attach.  I give credit to the author Noel Connell of a local paper feature some decades ago who inserted the photo with his article, in which he referred to the BCDR as " it wasn't inter city, but it wasn't bad, not bad at all".  The train is heading towards Dundonald.

[Tullygrainey]

47 minutes ago, DAVID WILSON said:

This is Kings Road bridge over the BCDR just on the Dundonald side of Knock station.  The photographer is standing on the narrow pedestrian path down from the bridge to the up platform to Belfast, just up from the wicket gate on the right of the photo I attach.  I give credit to the author Noel Connell of a local paper feature some decades ago who inserted the photo with his article, in which he referred to the BCDR as " it wasn't inter city, but it wasn't bad, not bad at all".  The train is heading towards Dundonald.

Wonderful! Thanks for posting this David