The Green Way
After the great railway boom of the 19th Century, the province of Ulster had a modest network upon which the population could use for both passenger and goods services.
It was far from standardised, with both Narrow Gauge and Irish Guage tracks, and stop-start in its nature due to one county having a separate railway company from another, and a lack of through links between them. Alas,it was a railway network nonetheless.
As the 20th century rolled on, it was increasingly popular to own a car. Car manufacturers were supported by the government, while railway upkeep was not, as the once incredibly profitable lines had dwindled in financial prosperity to the point of needing financial support.
By 1950, the recently formed Ulster Transport Authority had decided to take action. Unfortunately, their action was short sighted, and simple. Around 80% of the network was ripped up, scrapped, and auctioned off where possible. To make matters worse, some critical parts of the railway land was then redeveloped upon, ensuring that the route would be less feasible to be rebuilt in the future.
So, what has been left?
Fortunately for a nerd like me, there are many clues across our landscape, like stone bridges, pillars, waymarkers, old signs, and most importantly, stretches of land that meander their way through the countryside, easily visible from satellite imagery such as google maps.
Finding and tracing these old routes provokes many thoughts as to how the land could ever be reused, whether for the original purpose of a railway, gardens, farmyards or, perhaps a Greenway.
This is a popular idea. Already proven in its concept, the old line from Belfast to Comber has somehow not been developed upon over the years, and was reopened to the public as a beautifully smooth and flowing tarmac path some years ago.
Most of our rides in the club involve this greenway at some point. It is an excellent way to get somewhere, or to get home. Being tree lined, the vast majority of the path is sheltered from blustery cross winds. There are often a lot of people using the greenway at once. Local residents out walking the dog, runners of all ages, wheelchair users, and cyclists, yet everyone is able to travel in harmony. The Comber Greenway has been a great success.
So, what about the rest of the remains of the network? Could it be feasible to convert more old railway routes to popular cycle paths, or green lanes?
This blog entry, or mini project if you will, intends to explore those possibilities.
So, in 2024, three quarters of a century after the depletion of the railways, there are calls to do something. The private motor car has engulfed the streets, consumerism has made it possible for every family to own at least one vehicle, and the population have become entirely reliant on them to move anywhere.
Words by @ Micheal Rea - 2024
