SideTracked Holywood
The Belfast and County Down Railway (BCDR) opened the line between Queen's Quay, Belfast and Holywood on 2 August 1848. Holywood was a terminus until May 1865, when the Belfast, Holywood and Bangor Railway (BHBR) opened from Holywood to Bangor. In 1859 the BCDR sold its Holywood branch to the BHBR, with the result that Holywood station came under BHBR management. However, the BCDR leased the BHBR line from 1878 and took it over in 1884, which meant that Holywood station returned to its original management and ownership.
When BHBR opened in 1865 it was single track. In response to increased traffic the BCDR doubled the track in stages between 1897 and 1902. In 1911 Holywood station handled passenger and parcel traffic, while its goods yard offered facilities for goods, general livestock, horses and prize cattle. Carriages could be conveyed by passenger train.
The Ulster Transport Authority withdrew Holywood's goods services on 24/04/1950. Translink had the station refurbished in 2008.
The SideTracked Holywood Cache
The cache is a watertight micro sized cache. It contains a log only so please BYOP. It is secured with magnets but has been adapted slightly to aid retrieval. Once you have retrieved the cache and signed the log, PLEASE REHIDE THE CACHE TO ENSURE THAT WHILE IT IS NOT VISIBLE TO PASSING MUGGLES IT IS STILL ACCESSIBLE FOR THE NEXT CACHER (this will make sense when you find the cache).
CONGRATULATIONS TO ULSTER LATINOS FOR THEIR FIRST TO FIND!