THE Downpatrick and County Down Railway (DCDR) has been told it is unlikely to “fully recover” from last month’s flooding without significant support.
Heavy flooding meant that the majority of rail vehicles were under water, and now need major assessment and repairs for them to be used again. The local heritage railway undertook an assessment of all its stock following the flooding. They want to know what it would cost to get them up and running again and have been stunned by the potential costs, and a report on the damage did not make for good reading. The assessment found that flooding that hit the heritage railway at the start of November could cost nearly £3 million in repairs. The group has also been informed: “The scale of the damage is such that the railway can never fully recover; a new era is the only possible view but this will require some serious thought and planning.” Chairman Robert Gardiner told the Mourne Observer it could cost £2.3 million in repairs to get all the rolling stock back to the condition it was in before the flooding. And this figure is on top of the £500,000 it was already costing the local railway for the impact of the flooding on its buildings and equipment. “The amount is just staggering, and well above what insurance will cover,” Robert added.
The news is even more frustrating for the group as they were turned down for the £7,500 initial aid. The DCDR has over 70 rail vehicles on its site. Some are operational, some are museum pieces and others are restoration projects. All these were affected by water during the flooding, but in particular it is the operational fleet which may cost the most to repair. With the exception of approximately five vehicles, the operational fleet was subjected to flooding above the axle bearings.
All but two traction motors were subject to water ingress. Six vehicles were subject to battery and fuel tank flushing or contamination. All vehicles’ brake-work have been subjected to submersion. These vehicles are rendered inoperable until rectification work has been undertaken. To return the operational fleet to service by applying traditional repair methods, the cost may be calculated to be £2,326,400. Part of that cost involves lifting the vehicles in order to check the axles, which is an expensive process. And 29 operational vehicles requiring lifting at £21.6k each amounts to £626,400. There are 58 bogie (a structure underneath a railway vehicle to which axles are attached) overhauls at an average of £25,000 each, which works out at £1.45 million.
The estimate of critical spares overhaul is £150,000. The estimate of the miscellaneous inspections and repairs is £100,000. While the costs are high, the time that it will take to complete those repairs would be considerable as well. The assessment reckons that it would take 3.25 years to complete the overhaul, repairs and checks to all vehicles. With no income, this poses other problems for the railway. The costs and the timeframe are worrying for the group. The report also said: “In all cases, the flood has significantly reduced the lifespan of every component and assembly on every vehicle. What has not been established for this report is the historical importance, or value, each of the artefacts represent. “It is not known if any vehicle belongs to the national collection or is considered a national treasure or subject to any type of preservation requirement.”.
