Ballymena

Ballymena, Co.Antrim, is located on the Belfast & Northern Counties constructed line from Belfast to Derry. Ballymena Station opened in 1855, but with the addition of the opening of the narrow gauge line from Larne the station was rebuilt in the mid 1900s by the BNCR. Unfortunately the fine brick station buildings and canopies, designed by Berkeley Dean Wise, were demolished in the 1970s by NIR and replaced by some quite unattractive buildings. Only the subway railings of the original BNCR architecture remains, along with the redundant signal cabin at the north end of the station. The narrow gauge line to Larne closed in 1944, but the water column, which remains in use, still retains a crane on the former narrow gauge trackbed at the station. Ballymena Station is currently been refurbished and renovated by Translink.
111 Class locomotive No.8113 stands at Ballymena Station with Ian Walsh's 'Blue Thunderer' railtour, which operated from Belfast. 8113 is seen preparing to run around the special. 8113 is seen receiving a lot of attention from photographers at the north end of Ballymena Station. At the end of the platform can be seen an operational water tower for steam locomotives. 8133 is seen running around the 'Blue Thunderer' railtour at the south end of Ballymena Station as it passes over the Galgorm Road. The former narrow gauge line to Larne once ran along side the main line here. Ian Walsh is seen placing the 'Blue Thunderer' headboard on 8113 at Ballymena Station, prior to departing back to Belfast. 8113 was built by General Motors at their La Grange Illinois works in 1983.
Northern Ireland Railway's 80 Class railcar No.8089, is seen at Ballymena Station on an Irish Traction Group tour from Belfast. The set is formed of two power cars and driving van trailers each. No.0869 was built by British Rail Engineering Limited at Derby in 1975. These 80 Class units have since been refurbished and remain in service to this day. A Modern Railway Society of Ireland headboard is mounted on the front of the unit. The large Belfast & Northern Counties Railway signal cabin at the north end of Ballymena Station remains. It faced onto the narrow gauge lines which ran to the right of the cabin. Ballymena's unattractive platform canopies are visible in this view of the station, looking north towards Derry and Portrush. Nearly all of the original 1903 built BNCR buildings were demolished in 1979.
The station at Ballymena once boasted an attractive red bricked station building with wooden canopies, all of which were removed in 1979. Today the drab station has since been refurbished. This is Ballymena in 1979, just prior to the demolition of the orignal Belfast & Northern Counties Railway buildings. Both platforms featured these sturdy canopies. ©Wilson Adams iew from the up platform at Ballymena Station, looking north to Derry, showing the signal cabin, yard, and engine shed in the background. ©Wilson Adams The water column at the south end of Ballymena Station. The left hand crane served narrow gauge NCC trains to Larne, which ceased operating in 1944. The crane remains in use to serve main line steam locomotives.
The bench and the cast iron railings are one of the few original Belfast & Northern Counties Railway features to survive at Ballymena Station. Behind the railings is the subway. One of Northern Ireland Railway's older style name boards, visible on the down platform at Ballymena.. As mentioned, the 1979 rebuilt station has since received a refurbishment.