The company was incorporated by the Belfast Central Railway Act 1872 (35 & 36 Vict.
c. clxxi) and acquired by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) in 1885.
A link to the BNCR was built later, via a tunnel under Queen's Bridge to the dock board railway at Donegall Quay Junction which, in turn, connected to the BNCR.
[1] By 1885 the Belfast Central Railway had become unviable as a company due to increasing competition from the city's trams, and so it was acquired by the GNRI.
On 30 November of that year passenger services were withdrawn and Ormeau station was closed.