Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Junction Railway

The Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Junction Railway was an Irish gauge (1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)) railway in Ireland linking Belfast with Banbridge, County Down. It was built in the 19th century. The line between Knockmore and Banbridge was closed in 1956.

Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Junction Railway

The former Dromore Railway Station
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1863
Defunct	1956
Fate	Closed
Parent	Great Northern Railway Board

History

Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Railway Act 1858
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act for making a Railway from Banbridge to Lisburn, to be called "The Banbridge, Lisburn, and Belfast Railway;" and for other Purposes.
Citation	21 & 22 Vict. c. xlvi
Dates
Royal assent	14 June 1858

Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Railway (Leasing) Act 1862
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to provide for the leasing of the Banbridge, Lisburn, and Belfast Railway to the Ulster Railway Company.
Citation	25 & 26 Vict. c. cviii
Dates
Royal assent	30 June 1862
Text of statute as originally enacted

Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast and Ulster Railway Act 1860
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to enable the Banbridge, Lisburn, and Belfast Railway Company to make Deviations in their authorized Railways; and to enable the Ulster Railway Company to acquire and hold Shares in the Undertaking of the Banbridge, Lisburn, and Belfast Railway Company; and for other Purposes.
Citation	23 & 24 Vict. c. vi
Dates
Royal assent	3 April 1860
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Junction Railway (BLB) through Dromore was authorised by the Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Railway Act 1858 (21 & 22 Vict. c. xlvi), and opened in 1863.^[1] Its line was a branch that joined the Ulster Railway main line Knockmore Junction, giving Dromore a direct link to Lisburn and Belfast Great Victoria Street.^[1] In 1876 the Ulster Railway became part of the new Great Northern Railway, which took over the BLB company in 1877.^[2] In 1953 the railway was nationalised as the GNR Board,^[3] which closed the line through Dromore on 29 April 1956.^[4]

The main engineering feature on the line was Dromore Viaduct.

Gallery

• 
  Dromore Bypass June 2011. The disused viaduct of the BLB can be seen on the left
• 
  The remnants of the platform at Dromore Station on the Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Junction Railway