The Proposed Belfast Central Station and Railways. 41 



station close to Castle Place and Royal Avenue, which are 

 practically the centre and heart of the city, of the railways which 

 at present have their termini in Belfast — viz., the Great Northern 

 Railway, the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway, and the 

 Belfast and County Down Railway — and the supplying, in con- 

 nection with the station, of a first-class hotel. Mr. Lanyon pro- 

 ceeded to point out the necessity which, in the opinion of the 

 promoters of the new undertaking and in that of a very large 

 section of the public, exists for both of these branches of the 

 undertaking, the present termini being not only quite insufficient 

 for the present traffic, which is increasing rapidly, but also in- 

 conveniently situated, especially those of the County Down and 

 Northern Counties Companies ; the County Down terminus 

 lying on the south side of the River Lagan, and necessitating, 

 for the great bulk of its passengers, the crossing of the Queen's 

 Bridge or the ferry in order to reach it ; often an unpleasant 

 task, especially in severe weather. The proposed central station 

 will occupy about nine and a half acres, and the station and 

 new streets and approaches will occupy nearly twelve acres, and 

 will be quite close to Castle Place, Royal Avenue, and the 

 General Post Office, with which building a direct communication 

 will be made, thus accelerating very considerably the delivery 

 of letters and parcels from all lines of railway and from the 

 steamers, as well as saving a corresponding amount of time in 

 their despatch. This central station will be at a low level — the 

 platform about fifteen feet below the surface of the streets — and 

 the lines will be brought into it as follows : — The Great 

 Northern Railway — through vacant ground the property of that 

 company, then under Durham Street, Glengall Street, College 

 Street South, Murray's Terrace, and by an open cutting through 

 the intervening spaces and the space in front of the Belfast 

 Academical Institution, and under College Square East into the 

 central station. This section will have a wayside station along- 

 side the present Great Northern terminus. The Belfast and 

 Northern Counties Railway — through the property of that com- 

 pany, and under Whitla Street and Back Ship Street, and then 



