geraghtyg

They look stunning!!!! Fantastic job. Is the seating 2+1 or is it just the way I'm looking at them? I only ever remember 2+2 seating (with 1st class legroom) when I travelled on any of those ex 1st class carriages.

The first three minutes of THIS youtube video shows passenger operations near Sutton station on the Howth branch, most likely in 1983. There's a bit of everything to be seen: Push-pull, loco hauled, 141/181 class, C Class, Cravens, Park Royals, Laminates and AEC railcars in the formation of some sets. What's great is that there is also audio too. It's not too often you get to hear a C Class accelerating! This video should answer a lot of your queries.

I found some video taken inside the executive brake coach, courtesy of the RTE archives. https://www.rte.ie/archives/collections/news/21366396-cross-border-peace-trains/

Educating Rita. More info here... Click here

Looked at the video again, the sealed window side (compartment side) are reduced height D/E/F style whilst the sliding toplight ventilators on the corridor side are full sized.

In the second Youtube video from Drogheda that I posted in this thread last Wednesday evening, what is suspected to be the Brake First Executive (1st carriage in the consist) has sliding toplight ventilators on the corridor side and sealed windows on the compartment side, making this a very unique carriage. As for the apology, absolutely no need for it Would have been very easy to mistake something like that which you've not seen for a long time.

I couldn't view it as I'm not in the UK but I think I found the same programme on youtube and if so, the interview in the 1st class NIR Enterprise carriage is just a regular MkII non-AC open First.

I don't suppose you would have any photos of video of the interior of it?

"You have either better, or worse, eyes than me as I can't see any sliding doors in the first video clip. Of course that could be because the coach had already been converted to open plan seating some years before." I watched on a large screen, the sliding doors of the compartments are definitely visible. It's probably the Brake Executive Generator Van. It's definitely a generator coach because it has the side venetian vents. The last coach in that consist is an ex BR BFK Standard Class Generator Van, again you can tell be the side venetian vents and lack of a rear window for the driver. I would imagine that 2 generators were required for this long 13 piece consist. If you continue watching the video, the next train is another loco hauled Enterprise (remember that it's a GAA specials day). That train is only a 6 piece but the first coach is a ex BR BFK Standard Class Generator Van and the final is a Brake Driving Trailer. "The first coach in the second clip is indeed the Brake Executive Generator Van, but the second coach is in fact 813 now numbered 917, the original Driving Brake First from 1970. This vehicle would have had a large Guards Compartment as described by JHB. " As you mention, the second coach is the original driving brake first. The last coach is a driving brake second....you can see the drivers window at the back. I would imagine that the Brake Executive Generator Van was added to the consist (and probably locked out of use) purely to be used as a generator.

Probably the same carriage I mention in my previous post as it had only 3 passenger compartments instead of the usual 4, with the rest being the brake/parcels/generator section.

If you go to 3:35 on THIS youtube video at Malahide from 22nd August 1993, you can see that the first carriage (a BFK) is still a corridor as you can the sliding doors inside. Incidentally, the train itself is a very long 13 piece GAA special.......probably about as long as they got! At 3:22 in THIS Youtube video from July 1993, you can see that the first two carriages are BFKs. What's noteworthy is that if you view the train from the other side as it leaves Drogheda station @ 4:10, you can see that the windows are of the non-opening variety on the first carriage as this carriage became an executive coach with air conditioning. I suspect that this is the same carriage mentioned in the other video.

Has anyone got any photos or better still, video of any of the interiors of the NIR Enterprise Mk II corridor stock? I see on this video from 1988 https://youtu.be/dJZb5z_TVag that the second and third carriage look to be second class corridor carriages, which would have been ex BR first class corridor stock so I would imagine they would've been rather comfortable. Even if there are no photos or videos, does anyone have any recollections or stories of travelling in Mk II Enterprise carriages?

Thank you Jon.....you look after that house move first!!!! Have never been to IIRS site @Hueston train staion but I know the building well. When the Pox (that made me giggle!) clears up a little, I will definitely make it my business to pay a visit.

I recently joined up to the IRRS, assuming that I could search for old journals but unless I am doing the wrong things, I don't appear to have that ability which would be a shame if it's the case.

And a newspaper articles about the accident. Anyone ever know a Joseph Pipping?

Here's the plaque in question

Ahhh, I got you now, thank you. I'll post the photo of the plaque when I find it, in case anyone would like to see it.

Thank you so much for that, Leslie and David. Regarding the plaque, I have a photo of that. I'll post it here when I find it. My cousin went to great lengths to get that plaque created and installed in the Enterprise waiting area as it finally meant that CIE/Irish Rail have officially recognised that he died whilst on duty. A second copy of the plaque was also created, which was presented to Joe's wife Anne (my grandmother) in August 2018. Anne passed away peacefully a mere couple of weeks after that, perhaps happy that she had finally gotten the apology she had been waiting for, for almost 53 years. One last question, the driver in the photo above, is that Joe popping his head out the side? Neither myself nor any of my family are aware of any photos of Joe whilst driving a train.

Oh Wow! Thank you. You don't realise what this means to me.

Just wondering if my Grandfather Joe turned up in any of your notes???

That's sounds fair enough but how is the coach cooled during warm weather, with no opening windows?

Thanks leslie10646 - His name was Joe Dennis

Would anyone here know of any older drivers who are still about? My grandfather died in active service whilst driving The Enterprise from Belfast to Dublin in 1965. Just wondering if anyone would have known him and also know what happened when he died.

Let's hope that the local graffiti artists don't decide the freshly painted coaches!!!

OK, this is my first post on these forums and although I don't know a huge amount about the interior of Executive Brake Generator Van 913, I have some interesting info about the exterior that could make for a very interesting project. Executive Brake Generator Van 913 began life in BR as a Brake First Corridor, a Mk2b. When purchased by NIR in 1981, it became a standard generator corridor brake second. In 1989, it was converted to an Executive Brake Generator Van. This is where it gets very interesting. If you go to around 3:21 on this video , you will see a Dublin to Belfast Enterprise arriving into Drogheda in 1993. Executive Brake Generator Van 913 is the first coach. You can see the vented windows. Now, if you fast forward a little to where the train is departing, you get to see the other side of the coach. You will see that it has Mk2d/e/f style windows!!!! The toilet window is still of the earlier type. This is because Air Con was fitted. It also makes for a highly unusual and unique coach. In 1995, it then became a generator brake first open and I believe it reverted to being a standard pressure vent vehicle. So not much help on the interior but interesting info on the interior, I guess.