Belmond Hibernian - Luxury Touring Train

[hurricanemk1c]

208 and 209 would be required on a daily basis for Enterprise work, so more likely 111-113, as they seem to spend most of their time idle

[Noel]

I'd say more likely to be 208 or 209?

 

I think these are too heavy for parts of the itinerary route. Will have to be 071/111 class.

[201bhoy]

I think these are too heavy for parts of the itinerary route. Will have to be 071/111 class.

 

Aye you might be right there actually, I don't think they're allowed on Coleraine-Derry line now that I think of it!

[Riversuir226]

Im pretty sure one of the 071's is fitted with the ni systems it could be an option? As for the 111 class having not much to do, i remember seeing both 113/112 being at limerick junction at the same time in 2003.

Edited April 24, 2015 by Riversuir226

[GSR 800]

would they buy a 201 or 071?or more reasonably lease it?

[hurricanemk1c]

They have apid for the overhaul of 216 and another, as yet unidentified, 201. Locos will have IÉ Crew and be maintained and owned by IÉ

[Riversuir226]

They have apid for the overhaul of 216 and another, as yet unidentified, 201. Locos will have IÉ Crew and be maintained and owned by IÉ

 

Think the odds on favourite for that is 225, from the pics i ve seen 230 is the spare parts for both 225 & 216.

[Ben]

https://a642203b1ea6c56b649e-54493dc0d9255706a1b8a801c97a6044.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/Brochure-Belmond-Grand-Hibernian.pdf

The train Sleep Over at night at Charleville,

Limerick junction and Athlone

Edited April 24, 2015 by Ben

[dave182]

That will make for some interesting train spotting in the years to come! Is the set going to be top n tail with a 201? If not this will make for some interesting runaround maneuvers at Hueston and Connolly as it goes/returns to Belfast.

[DiveController]

That will make for some interesting train spotting in the years to come! Is the set going to be top n tail with a 201? If not this will make for some interesting runaround maneuvers at Hueston and Connolly as it goes/returns to Belfast.

 

If they top and tail it, wouldn't that screw up the view from those nice observation coaches? Wonder if the observation cars are at both ends?

[josefstadt]

Is the set going to be top n tail with a 201?

 

No, it will be hauled by a single 201, normally 216. The other loco will be spare, for use if 216 fails or to release it for maintenance.

[Jawfin]

If they top and tail it, wouldn't that screw up the view from those nice observation coaches? Wonder if the observation cars are at both ends?

 

Belmond run their Royal Scotsman thing with only one observation coach, so you're stuck looking at the GM for half the journey probably. Wonder if we'll get verandah and all like the Scottish one...

[jhb171achill]

That'll be the first purpose built observation coach in Ireland, presumably....

[josefstadt]

If one of the MkIIIs has significant modifications to make it an ‘Observation Coach’, such as fitting windows in the end as per the Belmond brochure, then the coach would have to go through the approval process with the Railway Safety Commission and this can take some time.

[Riversuir226]

If one of the MkIIIs has significant modifications to make it an ‘Observation Coach’, such as fitting windows in the end as per the Belmond brochure, then the coach would have to go through the approval process with the Railway Safety Commission and this can take some time.

 

I was thinking along the same lines plus with all the luxury fittings and fixtures wouldn t the coaches weight be a factor?

[DiveController]

If one of the MkIIIs has significant modifications to make it an ‘Observation Coach’, such as fitting windows in the end as per the Belmond brochure, then the coach would have to go through the approval process with the Railway Safety Commission and this can take some time.

Interesting, maybe the Belmond brochure is not to be believed? An artist's (or CGI's) impression.......

I'd want to get everything that was advertized at that price!

 

I was thinking along the same lines plus with all the luxury fittings and fixtures wouldn t the coaches weight be a factor?

I guess the tare weight might but there wouldn't be much passenger weight with 40 guests aboard

[Riversuir226]

Hence i said fixtures & fittings....

[DiveController]

No, I understood that. What you were saying is correct but I guess I just realized that each MK III would normally accommodate maybe 50 passengers per coach and here is a rake of 8 or nine coaches with 40 plus a few extra staff!

[Riversuir226]

I remember watching a documentary on one of the other luxury trains & they mentioned the weight of the coaches which was eye watering. I presume the toilet facilities will be better than the old mk3 set up, i presume there ll be more need for water storage & waste storage especially with the overnight capacity etc.

[Noel]

Oh how we chatter like the little people in the land of Darby O'Gill about new things of the world we don't fully understand. in jest, but seriously this exciting decision to extend a well established product from their international portfolio to Ireland is bound to be successful. It's not a new idea nor a new product, but a well proven formula with an established marketing machine on three continents. I'm sure the operator is well used to all the logistical aspects of running such a top class service targeted at a very discerning client base. It's not like they haven't done it before nor figured out all the issues running and stabling such a specialist train.

[201bhoy]

Belmond run their Royal Scotsman thing with only one observation coach, so you're stuck looking at the GM for half the journey probably. Wonder if we'll get verandah and all like the Scottish one...

 

I think you mean you're stuck looking at boring scenery for half the journey?

[201bhoy]

Also, what do they mean by "the train continues to tralee and limerick junction"? If tralee is the end of the line do they just mean to run around? https://www.belmond.com/grand-hibernian-train/journeys/grand-tour-of-ireland-6-nights

[Dhu Varren]

The train to Portrush/Londonderry from Coleraine will be a Caf service train, from what I've heard as this train won't be allowed further than Coleraine, guess we'll just have to wait and see,

 

There is no mention of Derry in the itinerary for the NI tour, and the time required to do everything else would not leave any time to go there anyway.

 

Space for stabling the train at Coleraine would be very limited, with only a short bay platform available, as the main platforms would be in use all day for service trains.

 

Portrush, on the other hand, has three platforms, only one of which is in regular use, and one which has a run round loop which is used for the Portrush Flyer.

 

Seems to me that Portrush would be the only logical place to stable overnight. Mk3s in Portrush should not be a problem, as they have visited there in the past.

[201bhoy]

There is no mention of Derry in the itinerary for the NI tour, and the time required to do everything else would not leave any time to go there anyway.

 

Space for stabling the train at Coleraine would be very limited, with only a short bay platform available, as the main platforms would be in use all day for service trains.

 

Portrush, on the other hand, has three platforms, only one of which is in regular use, and one which has a run round loop which is used for the Portrush Flyer.

 

Seems to me that Portrush would be the only logical place to stable overnight. Mk3s in Portrush should not be a problem, as they have visited there in the past.

 

Yeah, I see that! Pretty strange really, given that Derry is pretty close to Portrush and is quite historic. I would've thought people would want to see the walls and murals in places like the Bogside...

[Glenderg]

All the interior shots in that brochure are 3D visualisations/renders, by James Park Associates. They have a superb design bureau, so here's hoping they do the external livery design too.

[jhb171achill]

Can we suspect a maroon livery? This seems quite popular with touring trains of this type elsewhere in the world. A claret-type colour is seen as "traditional". Certainly, in Ireland, it is for all major companies bar the GNR and CBSCR; and they'll hardly be visiting the latter!

[NIRCLASS80]

I believe that gradually there has been a move away from the negative tourism attractions (painted walls, bombed hotels etc) to things that have a lasting appeal (Giants Causeway, Distillery, Coastal scenery and beautiful Glens), as an occasional coach driver the talk that many guides give now concentrate less on the nasty NI than say 10 years ago.

[jhb171achill]

Having contacts in tourism myself, I can confirm that the whole "troubles tourism" and "graffiti tours" up the Shankill and down the Falls are not (mercifully!) as popular as they were. Personally, I'd say good riddance to the lot. The north has a lot more to offer than "art" sprawled across walls displaying Neanderthal bigotry.

[Noel]

I believe that gradually there has been a move away from the negative tourism attractions (painted walls, bombed hotels etc) to things that have a lasting appeal (Giants Causeway, Distillery, Coastal scenery and beautiful Glens), as an occasional coach driver the talk that many guides give now concentrate less on the nasty NI than say 10 years ago.

 

Hear hear.

[Railer]

Can we suspect a maroon livery? This seems quite popular with touring trains of this type elsewhere in the world. A claret-type colour is seen as "traditional". Certainly, in Ireland, it is for all major companies bar the GNR and CBSCR; and they'll hardly be visiting the latter!

 

I was lead to believe it will be a chocolate and custard type livery? Can't wait to see the train running next year.

[jhb171achill]

Could be, Railer; a 201 in Bord na Mona livery, anyone?

 

Incidentally, BnM livery - believe it or not - was possibly influenced by the English GWR, the livery of which an early BnM senior person thought looked well!

[201bhoy]

Having contacts in tourism myself, I can confirm that the whole "troubles tourism" and "graffiti tours" up the Shankill and down the Falls are not (mercifully!) as popular as they were. Personally, I'd say good riddance to the lot. The north has a lot more to offer than "art" sprawled across walls displaying Neanderthal bigotry.

 

Nah I dunno if that's entirely true. I think the murals are interesting when they display historic events or their communities' culture, and are often beautifully painted! The loyalists seem to be slower to get rid of their militant ones with masked men (this is probably the type you're referring to) and this needs to happen asap as they often seem to be around flashpoint areas and are intimidating to people across the divide (e.g. Newtonards Road-Short Strand). But I'd say I still would recommend someone who's never been to Belfast to do a tour of the murals in west Belfast!

[ei6jf]

As long as the livery is not silver or grey or a variation thereof I'll be happy. Given that Belmond is a company which understands aesthetics and the importance of image, I'm sure I have nothing to fear.

[Warbonnet]

I was lead to believe it will be a chocolate and custard type livery? Can't wait to see the train running next year.

 

Their Northern Belle and their VOSE are umber and cream a la traditional Pullman trains. Their Royal Scotsman is maroon.

[jhb171achill]

Possibly, 201bhoy, I'd agree with your points about some well painted; I suppose my real point is that for whatever reason, not as many tourists ask for them now. There'll always be at least a niche market though. Just on a personal basis not my thing.