IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Upper Newtownards Road, BELFAST, BT16 1QW

Victorian postbox set into the wall of the 'Elk' public house on the Upper Newtownards Road, Dundonald.

Wall-mounted VR letter box, at “The Elk” (officially “Ye Olde Elk Inn”), at the apex of the Upper Newtownards Road and the Comber Road (background). Previously seen, before “The Elk” was re-painted, in Image It has the post code BT16 0AB which puts it firmly in Dundonald.

A vacant bungalow, at the corner of the Upper Newtownards Road and Galway Park, now with a “deal agreed” sign. There is the following planning permission (7 June 2011) “Y/2010/0310/F Replacement of existing detached dwelling with two semi-detached houses with one integral garage and driveway to the front of the properties and one stand alone garage to rear of properties”. This photograph appears as a matter of geographical and historical record only. I have no connection with any of the parties involved in the sale or proposed redevelopment.

The Belfast/Castlereagh boundary sign on the Upper Newtownards Road approaching Dundonald. The new district councils will take over on 1 April 2015. My reading of the official map is that this boundary remains unchanged. Castlereagh Borough will, however, be incorporated into a new (bigger) Lisburn and Castlereagh district.

The recently opened new maternity unit at the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7058844.stm ). It's a fantastic facility, complemented by the amazing staff inside. Why the title for this photograph? Well, it is (hopefully) the first Geograph for J4174. It is a first for me as my baby daughter had just been safely delivered inside! ('Just' meaning about 2 hours before the photo was taken - at 1:11pm on 27th November 2007 to be precise).

A former tyre and exhaust business, at the corner of the Upper Newtownards Road and Galway Park (Reaville Park on the Google map), now closed. Image shows the sign.

See Image The eye-catching sign on the closed premises.

The vacant site, looking from Reaville Park towards the Upper Newtownards Road. The “for sale” board now has an “agreed” patch.

A Wright-bodied-Volvo (2798 BCZ 2798) awaiting departure from the Ulster Hospital Image terminus with the 11.09 service to the City Hall via Tullycarnett and Bloomfield – a half-hourly service taking 35 minutes. The stop is also used by other Metro routes to Dundonald and outbound Ulsterbus services to Newtownards and beyond.