STORMONT infrastructure minister John O’Dowd is visiting the Downpatrick and Co Down Railway this afternoon.
He will be meeting officials and have an opportunity to discuss ongoing work at the heritage railway which was swamped by flood water last November.
The estimated repair bill is in the region of £3m with railway officials pleased to have the opportunity to meet with Mr O’Dowd this afternoon.
His visit comes ahead of a fundraising event in aid of the railway being held tonight at the Millbrook Lodge Hotel in Ballynahinch.
It is being organised by Mary Ann Morgan and Anthony Cunningham with railway officials humbled and touched by the community’s support.
The event starts at 9pm and there will be a raffle on the night.
Last month, Down Cathedral was alive with the sound of music during a full steam ahead concert in aid of the local railway.
It was a huge success with the concert taking place on the hill above Ireland’s only full-size heritage railway which was ravaged by last November’s devastating town centre flood.
The volunteers who run the railway have been left with a repair bill estimated at several million pounds with last weekend’s concert raising much-needed funds.
The event was organised by Dr Judith Harper from Down Cathedral to not only help raise the spirits of the community, but assist the local railway on getting back on track.
At the start of the year, the heritage railway launched an appeal for financial help as it battled to come to terms with an estimated £3m repair bill following the flood which also swamped town centre businesses.
Officials asked for support as they attempt to not only reopen for business, but preserve a piece of unique living history for future generations to remember the past.
November’s flood left the heritage railway under water with officials working tirelessly to navigate the aftermath of the catastrophic incident which they say left the organisation in a state of “disarray and threatening its entire future.”
The flood left a trail of devastating destruction in its wake, with the water causing substantial damage, necessitating urgent repairs to locomotives, carriages, track, bridges, platforms, and buildings.
The financial burden was described as “substantial” with volunteers describing the task to return the railway to its pre-flood state and operational condition to ensure its long-term viability and continued contribution to the community as “monumental”.
Hardworking railway volunteers and officials are hoping its community of supporters will weigh in with their help to allow them to rebuild and restore the popular facility to its former glory.
They say support for the appeal will contribute to repairing the damage and ensuring that the beloved railway remains a source of pride for generations to come.
Officials say support for the appeal would not only help recover from the immediate impact of the flood, but enable volunteers to continue offering a unique and enriching experience to visitors in the years ahead.
Shortly before Christmas it was revealed that a damage report from a specialist railway engineering firm in England estimated that repairing the fleet of almost 30 vehicles to their pre-flood condition would be several million pounds.
To make a donation to the flood relief appeal visit www.downrail.co.uk/appeal