Helen's Bay railway station

Helen's Bay railway station serves Helen's Bay as well as the nearby village of Crawfordsburn in the townland of Ballygrot, County Down, Northern Ireland.[3]

Helen's Bay
NI Railways
Helen's Bay station in 2005
General information
LocationHelen's Bay
Northern Ireland
Coordinates54°39′59″N 5°44′27″W / 54.66639°N 5.74083°W / 54.66639; -5.74083
Owned byNI Railways
Operated byNI Railways
Line(s)Bangor
Platforms2
Tracks2
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade
Key dates
1865Opened
1950Goods traffic ceased
2008Refurbished
Passengers
2022/23135,371 [1]
2023/24Increase 167,849 [2]
Route map

(Click to expand)
Year
closed
Great Victoria Street
2024
Belfast Grand Central Belfast-Derry railway line Belfast-Dublin railway line Belfast-Larne railway line Belfast-Newry railway line Bus interchange
City Hospital Belfast-Derry railway line Belfast-Larne railway line
Botanic Tunnel
Botanic Belfast-Derry railway line Belfast-Larne railway line
Lanyon Place Belfast-Derry railway line Belfast-Larne railway line
Titanic Quarter
(Bridge End)
Queen's Quay
1976
1950
Ballymacarrett
1976
Victoria Park
1981
Sydenham Belfast City Airport
Tillysburn
1945
Kinnegar
1957
Holywood
Marino
Cultra
Craigavad
1957
Seahill
Helen's Bay
Crawfordsburn
1997
Carnalea
Bangor West
Bangor Bus interchange
Location
Helen's Bay is located in Northern Ireland
Helen's Bay
Helen's Bay
Location within Northern Ireland
Helen's Bay is located in island of Ireland
Helen's Bay
Helen's Bay
Location on the Island of Ireland
Map

The station in the grand Scottish Baronial style, built in 1863, was the creation of Lord Dufferin, through whose land the line was laid. His family had their own private entrance and waiting room. The architect was Benjamin Ferrey.

The next station on the line towards Bangor used to be Crawfordsburn, but this was closed in 1997.

On the 22nd of July, 1922, two brothers, who were well known in Helen's Bay were killed at the station whilst waiting on a train to Belfast. Their bodies were placed in the old station house.[4] Another person was killed at the station in 2004.[5]

Service

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Mondays to Saturdays there is a half-hourly westbound service to Titanic Quarter, Belfast Grand Central in one direction, and a half-hourly eastbound service to Bangor West and Bangor in the other. Extra services operate at peak times, and the service is reduced to hourly operation in the evenings. Certain peak-time express trains will pass through Helen's Bay station without stopping.

On Sundays, there is an hourly service in each direction.

Preceding station     Northern Ireland Railways   Following station
Seahill   Northern Ireland Railways
Belfast-Bangor Line
  Carnalea

References

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  1. ^ "FOI1317 NIR Footfall 2223.xlsx". www.whatdotheyknow.com. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  2. ^ "FOI Footfall 2023 2024 figures PDF.pdf". www.whatdotheyknow.com. 7 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  3. ^ Discoverer Map Series Belfast (D ed.), Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland, 2005, ISBN 978-1-905306-02-2
  4. ^ https://www.newsletter.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/retro/through-the-archives-brothers-killed-in-tragic-railway-accident-at-helens-bay-3318747 [bare URL]
  5. ^ "Teen killed by train had taken drink and drugs". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 21 April 2005.

Bibliography

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