[2] All NI Railways services on this line terminate at Belfast Grand Central and Bangor Bus and Rail Centre stopping at stations in between.

By the 1940s, the BCDR operated a fleet of 29 locomotives and 181 carriages, with its workshops located at Queen's Quay in Belfast.

[3] Following the creation of the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) in 1948, much of the BCDR network was closed, including lines to Newcastle and Donaghadee.

[8][9][10][11][12][13] In October 2024, the opening of Belfast's Grand Central Station led to significant changes in the city's rail services.

Notably, the direct train service between Bangor and Portadown, which previously operated through central Belfast, was discontinued.

In November 2024, during a session in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr. Robbie Butler, a member of the Ulster Unionist Party, inquired about the technical issues affecting the Portadown-Belfast-Bangor train line following the opening of Grand Central Station.

The Minister for Infrastructure acknowledged minor teething issues but emphasized that the overall impact on passenger numbers was positive.