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

36 minutes ago, hexagon789 said:

Still full sized windows or the reduced height Mk2 AC style?

 

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.

15 hours ago, hexagon789 said:

As far as I know the Brake First Executive retained pressure vent Mk2-style sliding toplight ventilators and not sealed windows.

Apologies, it's been that long since I watched it. I thought there was a compartment but obviously not.

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.

1 hour ago, hexagon789 said:

I haven't watched this in a while but if memory serves the Executive Brake is seen in this programme from the BBC - Great Railway Journeys: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p03rdrdk/great-railway-journeys-series-2-4-michael-palin-derry-to-kerry

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.

23 hours ago, Galteemore said:

Is that the one to Westport or thereabouts? If so I was on it and distinctly remember sitting in the exec coach for part of the journey back. 

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.

18 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

The one I was in was definitely later - on further thought, possibly about 1998. It had not been in use much - I only saw it a few times. For good measure for about a week it was hauled by a sole 141 from IE to replace a (regularly sick) 111; possibly the Dundalk pilot engine - with a load of nine bogies PACKED with commuters!

It was a brake 1st with a pretty big brake compartment; that's all I know.

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.

1 hour ago, hexagon789 said:

They also obtained BFKs (Brake First Corridor) as well these having gensets fitted to heat the other coaches as of course unlike the Hunslets, the 111s couldn't heat coaching stock.

These are still marked as compartment stock in 1994.

Need to look out my other stock books for later dates, but I wouldn't expect them to still have had the older Mk2s some 3 years after displaced by the De-Dietrichs?

Edit: Though saying that, the gen van used with the Gatwicks was one of the ex-BFK Corridor Standard Generator Brakes.

Re-edit: I've checked, NIR had no compartment stock after 1991. The Brake First/Standard Corridor Generators were all converted in 1988/89 to open seating.

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?

10 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Will do.

I am currently in the throes of a house move, and they're in storage but I can get at them on Saturday (tomorrow).

As a member you can go to the society clubrooms / archives / library in Heuston station (old hoods office between the car park at the back and the river) any Tuesday night.

Among other things, you can browse the journals going back to 1946/7. PLUS other goodies.

Because of the Pox, the place is shut right now but once things ease you'll doubtless be able to get in. Personally, I've a long list of things I need to gather up!

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.

1 hour ago, leslie10646 said:

No, I put the photo up to show you the sort of engine your grandfather was driving when he did 60mph in reverse - that is "tender first" - see my earlier post - such a speed was a rare exploit in steam days.

For a driver to die in service would be unusual and I would have thought it was reported in one of the railway journals of the day. I'm away from my IRRS Journals, but Irish Railfans News may have reported it - that's on line somewhere.

JHB has copies of Cuisle. Have a look Jon, please - 1965.

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.

3 hours ago, leslie10646 said:

We've found him!

I'll post a full reply shortly. And yes, he did die "on active service".

Leslie

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

On 4/24/2018 at 10:46 AM, leslie10646 said:

If you let us know your Grandfather's name, I could ask around.

Some of us who timed trains in the 1960s will have the names of the crew in our notes.

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

On 11/7/2018 at 3:55 PM, Railer said:

I believe they stripped the air con out of the Mk2D and converted to pressure heating like the rest of the RPSI Mk2 set.

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.

It will have to be soon, the services is due to start in 6 weeks or so, the other 9 Mk3s are to be delivered to Northwall over the next 3 weeks.

 

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.