Loco hauled on the island of Ireland

[gazthomas]

Well a friend and I are doing Cork - Belfast today, having taken the red-eyeish flight from Stansted.

First impressions - I prefer the mark 4's over the Die Deitrichs that's for sure. The latter feel like tired Eurostars.

The line from Dublin to Belfast is much more interesting too.

We had some spare time this morning and took a train from Cork yo Cobh. I was expecting quite a lot but was very disappointed.

What do you think?

 

[hurricanemk1c]

The De Dietrichs are due for a refurbishment and funds have been authorized by both governments

 

[gazthomas]

Good to hear. Is there enough spare Mark 4 stock to use that instead?

 

[duesselmartin]

I suspect the IE has some ICRs to replace the DeDietrich during refurbishment. Are the NIR "Gatwick Express" coaches still in running order?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Well a friend and I are doing Cork - Belfast today, having taken the red-eyeish flight from Stansted.

First impressions - I prefer the mark 4's over the Die Deitrichs that's for sure. The latter feel like tired Eurostars.

The line from Dublin to Belfast is much more interesting too.

We had some spare time this morning and took a train from Cork yo Cobh. I was expecting quite a lot but was very disappointed.

What do you think?

I prefer the ICRs to any of them, I seem to recall the view from the Mk4s was distorted by the glass shading, but I may be getting confused.

I'll agree Dundalk-Newry is a brilliant run, one of the best stretches of line on the island.

Cork-Cobh isn't the worst line I've ever travelled; it was especially nice around Glounthaune.

Good to hear. Is there enough spare Mark 4 stock to use that instead?

I suspect the IE has some ICRs to replace the DeDietrich during refurbishment. Are the NIR "Gatwick Express" coaches still in running order?

Since the ICR reformations there are now only four (M-Th, less so F-Su) Mk4 diagrams on Dublin-Cork services, so I suspect it may be those that cover for any Enterprise shortages.

 

[hurricanemk1c]

I believe that it will be a Mark 4 set or two that will cover the Enterprise sets. Crews already know the 201's, and to keep up the first class service, some of the ICR Premier Class sets would have to be fitted with AWS/TPWS. To fit two sets of equipment or one?

 

[berneyarms]

Well a friend and I are doing Cork - Belfast today, having taken the red-eyeish flight from Stansted.

First impressions - I prefer the mark 4's over the Die Deitrichs that's for sure. The latter feel like tired Eurostars.

The line from Dublin to Belfast is much more interesting too.

We had some spare time this morning and took a train from Cork yo Cobh. I was expecting quite a lot but was very disappointed.

What do you think?

The De Dietrich sets are based on the TGV design. They are now going to undergo a full overhaul.

What was so disappointing about Cork/Cobh? It's a lovely trip along the shoreline.

Since the ICR reformations there are now only four (M-Th, less so F-Su) Mk4 diagrams on Dublin-Cork services, so I suspect it may be those that cover for any Enterprise shortages.

There are actually only 3 Mark 4 sets currently in service on Dublin/Cork, and their use is more intense at the weekend rather than less.

They operate as follows:

Monday-Thursday:

Dublin - Cork: 07:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00
Cork - Dublin: 06:00, 07:00, 10:20, 20:20

Friday:

Dublin - Cork: 07:00, 11:00, 13:00, 17:00, 18:00
Cork - Dublin: 07:00, 09:20, 10:20, 14:20, 16:20, 20:20
Mallow - Cork: 08:00

Saturday:

Dublin - Cork: 07:00, 11:00, 12:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00
Cork - Dublin: 07:00, 10:20, 14:20, 15:20, 20:20

Sunday:

Dublin - Cork: 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 17:00, 19:00
Cork - Dublin: 08:20, 10:20, 13:20, 15:20, 17:20

Every other Dublin/Cork service is operated by a mixture of 4, 5, 6 (2 x 3) or 7 (4 + 3) car ICR sets.

As per other posters, I'd expect that the stored Mark 4 sets will cover for the De Dietrich sets when the refurbishment programme starts.

 

[gazthomas]

The Cobh line - I was expecting something more picturesque. Quite industrial, especially on the other side of the river. Yes, a couple of nice views when crossing viaducts but in my view nothing special.

We also did Belfast to Derry/Londonderry via Portrush. Having never bee on NI railways I like the 3000 series units, just a slow run. South of Coleraine was pastoral and okay. The view coming into Portrush is great and it is a pleasant place. Who could resist Barry's amusements!

I was disappointed with the final coast run to Derry/Londonderry - having read quotes from Michael Palin and others I was surprised how short the cliff hugging section was. Maybe better to watch trains pass than travel? Weather didn't help!

That said £7 for a Sunday rover was a bargain!

We flew back to Stansted in the Sunday evening. A great adventure. I've loaded some of my pictures on Railway Herald, link in my footer.

 

[GM078]

I suspect the IE has some ICRs to replace the DeDietrich during refurbishment. Are the NIR "Gatwick Express" coaches still in running order?

Afraid not, in fact it's now a good few years since the Gatwicks last ran (2009 maybe?).

NIR even purchased an ex-BR DBSO, brought it to York Road and it's never seen service!

 

[DT611]

I suspect the IE has some ICRs to replace the DeDietrich during refurbishment.
and NIR will probably provide some 3000/4000s as well, all though i believe some mark 4s are currently stored so maybe IE might put them on the run to belfast, considering rosslare and sligo lines still have 29 k commuter trains turning up on services taking more ICRS for the belfast line is something i hope doesn't happen for fear commuter trains will become more common on these runs again.

Are the NIR "Gatwick Express" coaches still in running order?

out of use i believe

 

[gazthomas]

As much as I enjoy loco hauled is Ireland big enough to justify? Any idea what the cost per mile of each option is?

 

[87015]

Is there a list of 201s that are actually in service currently?

 

[DT611]

Is there a list of 201s that are actually in service currently?

i believe the following are in service, but can't confirm for definite
206
207
208 (NI 8208)
209 (NI 8209)
215
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
226
227
228
229
231
232
233
234

 

[berneyarms]

i believe the following are in service, but can't confirm for definite
206
207
208 (NI 8208)
209 (NI 8209)
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
231
232
233
234

216 and 225 are not in service.

 

[DT611]

As much as I enjoy loco hauled is Ireland big enough to justify?

irelands size actually had nothing to do with the situation as such, whereas operational requirements seemed to have been the ultimate decider, we did manage loco hauled for years, even though many services are of a stop start nature, of course DMU/railcar operation would have been much better i suppose and CIE did infact operate railcars on its network which were later converted to pushpull operation, but the fact that at one stage the network carried a lot of freight, as passenger services weren't as much as today meaning more passengers per train, and the fact that at the time of the conversion of the railcars to pushpull stock irelands diesel locos were rather young, it was probably felt best to use loco hauled carriges instead of railcars so the locos would have work if the freight declined (which it did) . with that decline and eventually the loco hauled carriges and locos being retired and the amount of services increasing meaning a lesser need for large rakes of carriges DMU operation can now happen almost in full, with 201s looking for work however i suspect the mark 4 carriges were bought for the cork line to give them something to do, yet some of these carriges are now stored i believe