Irish Railway News ‘Enterprise Watch’

[DERAILED]

Couldn't agree more about the standard of cleaning on the 22000s on the Rosslare services. I am often on the evening departure from Connolly (18.35) as was, and a lad with a broom and a black plastic bag gets on in Gorey and makes his way through the train giving a cursory attempt to clear anything obvious. Simply not good enough and regularly when I am northbound from Wexford or Enniscorthy the train still has rubbish, crumbs etc. from its outward journey. The toilets are beyond comment.

It isn't the lad with the plastic bag who is at fault but what passes for management in CIE/IE - couldn't manage a proverbial piss-up.

[IrishTrainScenes]

23 hours ago, Darrman said:

Well Monday's Enterprise journey was a bit of a mess: the 14:50 departed 40 late after its previous turn arrived 50 late, got held up at Fairview due to an incident on Clontarf Road, passed through Drogheda 70 late, and there weren't enough buses at Newry so I was waiting for their backup for 20 more minutes. In the end, I got into Lanyon Place 90 late and had missed two Derry trains. By then I was driven to madness - I started writing poetry about the state of the Enterprise. It's probably worth mentioning it was a CAF?

On a brighter note, my long trip to reach Fintown was worth it, and there were a fair few people on board. However, the Giant's Causeway train was closed for maintenance, so that one is still on the to-do list.

Heard that a physical incident took place onboard a DART hence the hold up.

[Tractionman]

Tomorrow 

[Tractionman]

Rail cart! Sounds about right

[IrishTrainScenes]

Odds are a 2x3 NIR CAF.

[airfixfan]

Like these new RAIL CARTS!

[IrishTrainScenes]

1. Enterprise

Portadown / Dublin - Rail Service Alterations

01 September 10:35-01 September 20:30

services:

• Rail

Due to operational difficulties, the following services will operate a non Enterprise service - these will be a normal rail cart with no first plus facilities and limited catering - 01/09/2024: 

 

1035 - Portadown to Dublin.

 

12:50 - Dublin to Portadown. 

 

16:35 - Portadown to Dublin. 

 

18:50 - Dublin to Portadown. 

 

Translink apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. 

Bit of a long shot - does anyone have photos from August 2007 to late 2009? There was the fotopic website which shut down. @Gordon71 did you use fotopic?

[jhb171achill]

Rail “cart”?

 

…interesting.

[airfixfan]

Looks like October 7th is the revised date for Enterprise to start serving Grand Central

[IrishTrainScenes]

2 hours ago, airfixfan said:

Looks like October 7th is the revised date for Enterprise to start serving Grand Central

Oh ffs.

Is Grand Central delayed again?

[airfixfan]

Looks like it might only open for local services on 22/9. Asking some questions but told 2 weeks ago by an Irish Rail source no Enterprise until.7/10

[IrishTrainScenes]

8 hours ago, airfixfan said:

Looks like it might only open for local services on 22/9. Asking some questions but told 2 weeks ago by an Irish Rail source no Enterprise until.7/10

So what happens to Enterprise then???

[airfixfan]

Told local trains startbusing GC 22/9. Translink calling it a phased opening! Enterprise 2 weeks later

[IrishTrainScenes]

21 hours ago, airfixfan said:

Told local trains startbusing GC 22/9. Translink calling it a phased opening! Enterprise 2 weeks later

So Enterprise where?

[airfixfan]

Ask Captain Kirk!

[jhb171achill]

I wonder will NIR railcars or 29s be a regular feature in the final new timetable? If so, they won't be actual "Enterprise" services.

Will it be like in the late 1940s / 1950s when only certain trains are designated as such - and in this day and age with 1st class and catering - and others are just "ordinary" trains, I wonder?

Or will ALL services be either 1st class / catering ICRs or DDs?

 

[GSR 800]

1 hour ago, jhb171achill said:

I wonder will NIR railcars or 29s be a regular feature in the final new timetable? If so, they won't be actual "Enterprise" services.

Will it be like in the late 1940s / 1950s when only certain trains are designated as such - and in this day and age with 1st class and catering - and others are just "ordinary" trains, I wonder?

Or will ALL services be either 1st class / catering ICRs or DDs?

 

I think 1-2 a day will be NIR CAFs

Vast majority DDs-ICRs

29s only as a backup AFAIK

[airfixfan]

Hourly service will see 1 booked diagram for CAFs and 1 for an ICR set. DD failures if that happens will be replaced by railcars from 7/10/24

[NIRCLASS80]

Hourly service will be 3 DD sets, 2 ICR’s and 1 3000 6 car set. 
 

 

[Louth]

Irish Railway Records Society presentation this evening by Irish Rail indicated that DD stock will be withdrawn in 2027 and new tri-mode trains introduced in 2029 (diesel, battery and electric). Electrification to Drogheda will be 1,500 V DC and 25kV north to Belfast. Subject to correction but I think I noted it accurately.

[IrishTrainScenes]

NIR say that the 10.35/12.50/16.35/18.50 are CAFs.

No, they are not.

A friend that they had saw 9003 + 228 leaving Dundalk.

Looking at the Translink app from Sep 23rd the 0600 from Belfast is to operate from Grand Central Station.

I believe that this will be a DD?? 

[Tractionman]

Monday October 7 is the first date the timetable shows a rail service from Belfast to Dublin without the bus

[jhb171achill]

3 minutes ago, Tractionman said:

Monday October 7 is the first date the timetable shows a rail service from Belfast to Dublin without the bus

2hrs 15 - and with Centrsl Jct to new central station maybe a mile shorter than to old central, technically it’s slower point to point?

[IrishTrainScenes]

GC when?

[airfixfan]

Train service going to Lanyon according to Irish Rail. External investigation to GC rail fiasco underway now

[jhb171achill]

19 minutes ago, airfixfan said:

Train service going to Lanyon according to Irish Rail. External investigation to GC rail fiasco underway now

So, a through service to Lanyon? From when?

 

Until i can get a proper train to belfast, without buses, I'm driving - sorry, Eamonn Ryan.

[IrishTrainScenes]

12 hours ago, airfixfan said:

Train service going to Lanyon according to Irish Rail. External investigation to GC rail fiasco underway now

FFS!!! So is the Enterprise likely to move to Belfast GC?

[IrishTrainScenes]

[airfixfan]

Sounds like a CAF

[Branchline121]

On 5/9/2024 at 11:03 PM, Louth said:

Irish Railway Records Society presentation this evening by Irish Rail indicated that DD stock will be withdrawn in 2027 and new tri-mode trains introduced in 2029 (diesel, battery and electric). Electrification to Drogheda will be 1,500 V DC and 25kV north to Belfast. Subject to correction but I think I noted it accurately.

You’d really think they’d just convert the 1.5 V DC on the DART to 25 kV AC instead of extending the redundant DC system when it could be AC from Greystones to Belfast.

[Tractionman]

On 5/9/2024 at 11:03 PM, Louth said:

Irish Railway Records Society presentation this evening by Irish Rail indicated that DD stock will be withdrawn in 2027 and new tri-mode trains introduced in 2029 (diesel, battery and electric). Electrification to Drogheda will be 1,500 V DC and 25kV north to Belfast. Subject to correction but I think I noted it accurately.

Anyone any insights on what happens with the Enterprise between 2027 and 2029?

[NIRCLASS80]

DD’s will be in service to the year 2030

[Tractionman]

6 minutes ago, NIRCLASS80 said:

DD’s will be in service to the year 2030

Personally I would prefer regauged HSTs!

[Colin_McLeod]

Just a though, but if DDs can't go to GC yet, could NIR and IR enter into some arrangement whereby the Enterprise is temporarily operated entirely by ICR sets with the DDs working to Galway or Sligo.  If it's possible that would avoid the Enterprise returning to Lanyon Place and would enable GC rail operations to get started until the problem is sorted.

[DoctorPan]

11 hours ago, Branchline121 said:

You’d really think they’d just convert the 1.5 V DC on the DART to 25 kV AC instead of extending the redundant DC system when it could be AC from Greystones to Belfast.

The talk addressed that. Currently 3% of the network is electrified. They could spend the money retrofitting the existing DART network to 25kV AC or use it to expand the electrification corridor. Makes sense to decarbonise more of the network. They do plan to retrofit 25kV AC along the DART corridor eventually and indeed, I can easily see the next gen of DART units being designed to be dual voltage to allow a phased switch over.