Belmond Hibernian - Luxury Touring Train

[Railer]

Is 7122 left at Northwall going anywhere or are they going to store it somewhere more secure. I've read that it will be used for parts but how can one coach act as a donor for 10.

 

It's amazed me up till now that they never secured a second EGV as a backup. There is a backup Enterprise EGV and the RPSI have secured 2 Mk1 GSVs and Dutch vans.

[Garfield]

From what I hear, 7122 will be cannibalised for spares. I guess they'll take what they can and then perhaps look to the UK. With the amount of Mk3s still in service over there, I'd be surprised if they weren't still fabricating parts...

[jhb171achill]

So what will they actually do NOW if their genny fails????

[Railer]

So what will they actually do NOW if their genny fails????

 

Something about a creek and paddle comes to mind.

[thewanderer]

BELMOND GRAND HIBERNIAN carries first Guests on week long trip of Ireland.

 

Photos from the launch of the Belmond Grand Hibernian at Heuston prior to its first departure for Cork.

 

The train arrived from Inchicore shortly after 1030 with 226. 216 was then coupled onto the other end and the set was washed and placed back to Platform 2 for loading of catering supplies and for final preparations to take place.

 

The first guests on board the train were a group from the USA based "The Society of International Railway Travelers". The group arrived from the Merrion Hotel in Dublin led down to Platform 2 by a Bag Pipe musician shortly before 1400.

 

Once there a informal meet and greet took place with a Champagne reception and Irish Dancing.

 

The train departed from Heuston at 1420 hours bound for Cork, its first stop on the week long tour. Over the course of the week the Guests will visit Killarney, Galway, Westport, Belfast & Waterford.

 

The train was hauled by ex works 226, IE deciding not to risk the blue liveried 216 which has being giving some issues lately.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2bD22R5 to view all the photos from today.

 

 

[Weshty]

There are two separate generators in each gen van are there not?

[jhb171achill]

There are in the older ones that the DCDR and RPSI have. But there can be instances of the whole car failing - many a time.

[richrua]

Really great looking train in my humble opinion. Nice look about it. Would make a nice modelling challenge too . All shiney like and all.

[snapper]

There are in the older ones that the DCDR and RPSI have. But there can be instances of the whole car failing - many a time.

 

Doesn’t need to be a generator failure to fail a gen van.

[jhb171achill]

True - another reason to have a spare! Maybe there's a long term plan for a spare...? No reason why they couldn't get any sort of British 2nd hand Mk3 bodyshell and put gennies in it....

[Railer]

True - another reason to have a spare! Maybe there's a long term plan for a spare...? No reason why they couldn't get any sort of British 2nd hand Mk3 bodyshell and put gennies in it....

 

They could have easially got a second if they wanted. Out of the 15 EGVs IE and NIR got their pick of 4 for the Enterprise, 7601 was put aside in Dundalk for Belmond while IE took another from Waterford for the PWD at some stage. That's 6 out of the 15 that was secured from the scrap list.

Edited August 31, 2016 by Railer

[jhb171achill]

In theory at least, presumably the maroon RPSI one would do?

[Old Blarney]

In theory at least, presumably the maroon RPSI one would do?

 

John, from your comment, I take it the Maroon RPSI Generating Van has both Air Brakes and Vacuum Brakes! Is this correct?

[jhb171achill]

Not sure, OB, hadn't thought of that. Though, if the wrong brakes, nothing to stop Belmond paying to have dual braking fitted....

[Garfield]

I think there's still one of the modified Dutch vans with air brakes up in Whitehead?

[WRENNEIRE]

My truppence worth about the Belmond gig.

I think the colour of it is terrible, there was a blank canvas available and they went for blue all over, very imaginative.

The price of a jant in it is frightening, their cheapest journey is €3160, the price of a small family hatchback

The company is based in London, so when the bills are paid all the loot will be UK bound.

I could rant on but its getting late and me cocoa is going cold

[Noel]

My truppence worth about the Belmond gig.

I think the colour of it is terrible, there was a blank canvas available and they went for blue all over, very imaginative.

 

Hi Dave. Glad somebody else thinks the livery was a little plain, but easily fixed with a tiny amount of delicate thin lining (e.g. photoshop earlier in the thread). I like the blue and grey roof, it just needs a tiny lift along the sides.

 

The price of a jant in it is frightening, their cheapest journey is €3160, the price of a small family hatchback

The company is based in London, so when the bills are paid all the loot will be UK bound.

 

In fairness there seems to a market for such 5-star+ products and the price reflects that. Suites at that price are the norm on many of the large cruise ships, and also the smaller 150/300 pax premium cruise ships. Prices are not dissimilar to the 'orient express'. In terms of the company location, some of the 'spend' will go into the Irish economy in terms of local day excursions, jobs if even sub-contracted, Irish rail, and the local hospitality sector. Once exposed to Ireland, in the future some of these pax may return here for land holidays or talk about it to their 'circle of friends' back home. Irish golfing holidays in the 80s and 90s had a role in attracting some of the corporate inward investment that came here decades later.

[hurricanemk1c]

John, from your comment, I take it the Maroon RPSI Generating Van has both Air Brakes and Vacuum Brakes! Is this correct?

 

Don't think 3173 is air braked fitted. Best would probably be through piped (although older photos of it in IE service don't support that). Then I doubt the RPSI van would be capable of providing enough juice for the on board services such as air-con

[snapper]

In theory at least, presumably the maroon RPSI one would do?

 

Both RPSI BR vans are vacuum brake only, gangways wont connect and I also believe they would be electrically incompatible.

[Railer]

The Mk3 EGVs have alot to power. Lights, aircon, the bogie air suspension system, the pneumatic doors and the kitchen coaches.

 

The electrical system is very unique. The Mk3A set had a different system again an only the modified Mk3 EGVs could power the 3As.

[Garfield]

The Mk3 EGVs have alot to power. Lights, aircon, the bogie air suspension system, the pneumatic doors and the kitchen coaches.

 

The electrical system is very unique. The Mk3A set had a different system again an only the modified Mk3 EGVs could power the 3As.

 

I understand the air for the suspension and the doors comes from the loco via the air brake system rather than a compressor on board the coaches. Apparently the 071s have difficulty handling it all (taking ages to build brakes) so are not likely to appear hauling the Belmond under any circumstances.

[ttc0169]

I understand the air for the suspension and the doors comes from the loco via the air brake system rather than a compressor on board the coaches. Apparently the 071s have difficulty handling it all (taking ages to build brakes) so are not likely to appear hauling the Belmond under any circumstances.

 

 

Correct Patrick.

[ttc0169]

My truppence worth about the Belmond gig. I think the colour of it is terrible' date=' there was a blank canvas available and they went for blue all over, very imaginative. The price of a jant in it is frightening, their cheapest journey is €3160, the price of a small family hatchback The company is based in London, so when the bills are paid all the loot will be UK bound. I could rant on but its getting late and me cocoa is going cold[/quote']

 

 

Well at least the Guard is getting well paid for it and getting around the country for free....😜😜😎😎

[Garfield]

Correct Patrick.

 

Thanks for the confirmation, Noel!

 

Re. the ire towards the service being in the hands of a UK operator and the cost of travelling... I don't get it.

 

There were no Irish companies queuing up for the Mk3s, so the fact they are now being used to create a few jobs, generate revenue for Irish Rail and create a bit of 'wow' factor from a tourism perspective instead of simply being scrapped can only be positive.

 

And yes, the cost of travelling isn't cheap but the Grand Hibernian is apparently booked out for the next two years, so the customer base is obviously there. It's a bit like complaining about not being able to afford a Ferrari...

[ttc0169]

And yes' date=' the cost of travelling isn't cheap but the Grand Hibernian is apparently booked out for the next two years, so the customer base is obviously there. It's a bit like complaining about not being able to afford a Ferrari...[/quote']

 

Correct again and fully booked out for longer than two years now since the launch is the latest information.

[BosKonay]

Correct again and fully booked out for longer than two years now since the launch is the latest information.

 

Wow!

[WRENNEIRE]

Well at least the Guard is getting well paid for it and getting around the country for free....

 

And fair play Tom, take them for every shilling you can squeeze from them

[skinner75]

I've heard they have around 4000 bookings for it at present

[Noel]

I've heard they have around 4000 bookings for it at present

 

Not surprised. I looks a great product and should sell well into that market segment.

 

That is 100 trains assuming 40 pax per train (i.e. 20 x 2 cabins) and €20m to €30m roughly in revenue. How often is it going to run?

Edited September 1, 2016 by Noel

[Garfield]

Not surprised. I looks a great product and should well into that market segment.

 

That is 100 trains assuming 40 pax per train (i.e. 20 x 2 cabins) and €20m to €30m roughly in revenue. How often is it going to run?

 

There will be 20 runs between now and the end of October, so you could be looking at treble that number...

[Broithe]

In my innocence, I was rather sceptical about this set up, but I'm pleased to see it starting well - the opportunity was there for anybody to take, and they took it.

[Noel]

In my innocence, I was rather sceptical about this set up, but I'm pleased to see it starting well - the opportunity was there for anybody to take, and they took it.

 

+1

 

Great to see successful ventures that spin off into the wider economy as well.

[thewanderer]

I really don't get folks complaining about BGH and being so expensive (some comments earlier in the thread).

 

- It's a top end of the market train. This is what Belmond do and do very well.

- It's not aimed at the Irish Market. Aimed at US, UK and Europe tourists. Not us Irish folk. If I had the money I would do it so say I've done it. Then again I'll probably do the VSOE first!

- It's full board. Once you step on board you won't spend a cent until you step off at the end of the tour. All tours, food and drink paid for. So you could say paying €7,700 per person for a week tour is actually good value when staying in a 5 star hotel and travelling around the country.

 

While listening to Gary Franklin (Belmond MD) on the Anton Savage Show on Today FM last Tuesday the comments from listeners afterwards were mostly negative afterwards. "Why would you spend €7k to travel on a train around Ireland", "I could go to the Caribbean for that price". etc etc. It's not aimed at us FFS.

 

It appears to me that us Irish are a bunch of whingers and the whole amount of negativity towards this venture astounds me.

 

Now rant over.

 

W.

[jhb171achill]

I really don't get folks complaining about BGH and being so expensive (some comments earlier in the thread).

 

- It's a top end of the market train. This is what Belmond do and do very well.

- It's not aimed at the Irish Market. Aimed at US, UK and Europe tourists. Not us Irish folk. If I had the money I would do it so say I've done it. Then again I'll probably do the VSOE first!

- It's full board. Once you step on board you won't spend a cent until you step off at the end of the tour. All tours, food and drink paid for. So you could say paying €7,700 per person for a week tour is actually good value when staying in a 5 star hotel and travelling around the country.

 

While listening to Gary Franklin (Belmond MD) on the Anton Savage Show on Today FM last Tuesday the comments from listeners afterwards were mostly negative afterwards. "Why would you spend €7k to travel on a train around Ireland", "I could go to the Caribbean for that price". etc etc. It's not aimed at us FFS.

 

It appears to me that us Irish are a bunch of whingers and the whole amount of negativity towards this venture astounds me.

 

Now rant over.

 

W.

 

Absolutely, totally right on all counts.

 

Irish or not, nobody has any grounds at all to tell a company they ought not to provide a service to someone who wants to pay for it, nor to tell a potential customer that they shouldn't buy it - irrespective of the reason.

 

If it's our thing, fine. If not, we move on and leave them to it.

 

I wish them the very best - passengers and Belmond alike.

[jhb171achill]

There will be 20 runs between now and the end of October, so you could be looking at treble that number...

 

 

 

Twenty? So it's going to be out and about almost constantly?

 

Fair play to the operators.