New 22k not being used

[Neilo09]

New 22k not needed

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0125/364...ain-carriages/

The Public Accounts Committee has asked for a report into why 21 train carriages owned by Iarnród Éireann and worth €44m are not being used.
PAC Chairman John McGuinness has asked the National Transport Authority to report back to the committee.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr McGuinness said this is all happening at a time when Iarnród Éireann was receiving a €36m bailout from the Government.
He said it was clear the company had over-purchased and over-estimated the travelling public.
However, a spokeswoman for Iarnród Éireann has said the surplus train carriages allow for maintenance and additional capacity during busy travel periods.
Jane Cregan said when the carriages were purchased back in 2008 it seemed demand would increase.
She said the economic decline could not have been forecast or that passenger numbers would fall as much as they did.
Mr McGuinness said it is unacceptable that these trains are not being used, and has called for a report into the procurement process and the cost of storage.
He also wants to determine what efforts have been made to lease the carriages.
However, he said there is a "serious problem" in terms of the gauge of the track, as the carriages are only suitable for tracks in Australia, India and Brazil.

 

[I T S]

Don't forget the Mk3s at Nwall, Dundalk & Waterford...Irish Rail must have near the same amount of serviceable stock as they do withdrawn stock. When you take into account the 27s too

 

[EM2]

...Jane Cregan said when the carriages were purchased back in 2008 it seemed demand would increase.
She said the economic decline could not have been forecast or that passenger numbers would fall as much as they did.
...

Really? It was pretty obvious to me that the country was about to tip into recession, that's one reason I moved back to the UK!

 

[GM078]

In some ways we were quite lucky to get the extra ICRs when we did... glad they did get ordered as otherwise by now we would have aging mkIIIs in need of refurbishment and no money to do this (or replace them). At least we now have a solid Intercity fleet for the next few decades. While as an enthusiast I miss the mkIIIs and loco haulage as an Irish taxpayer and transport user I can't deny that railcarisation was the right move in terms of building a more efficient railway.

As sorry I'll be to see it happen, I think the mkIIIs need to be put out of their misery this stage. What's baffling is that they were quick to cut up most of the push-pull fleet while the majority of the conventional mkIIIs are still around - one would think it would have made more sense to retain the push-pull stock.

However, IÉ do need to do a lot more to capitalise on this investment, particularly with growing competition from bus companies and road transport in general. There is a multitude of private (along with Bus Éireann) bus operators on the Galway route, with significant bus competition on the Belfast, Cork and Wexford routes as well. Hopefully the Cork line speed improvements will go some way towards this but the routes out of Connolly leave a lot to be desired (possibly excepting the Sligo road). It's almost as quick to travel between Dublin and Belfast by road, with Bus Éireann offering an hourly service (something IÉ/NIR need to bring in). The Wexford road has two different bus operators offering a frequent service and ideally IÉ need to look at offering a two hourly interval service on this route with all ICRs if passengers are to be lured back.

 

[IR-Mark4/ICR]

The while ICR fleet is being used, these 21 units are rotated in and out of services to cut down on maintenance costs which is saving the company over 3 million a year as many of the older sets are in need of maintenance overhaul and it doesn't come cheap and they can't afford to do all of them. This way its a easy way to save costs short term until there finances are back in order and they havre making progess on this. Just name me a train operator with every single train set in service around the world.

I would also ask why the PAC dosn't ask them to use the spare entreprise set on Belfast route after all thats a wasted resourse as its stored.

As sorry I'll be to see it happen, I think the mkIIIs need to be put out of their misery this stage. What's baffling is that they were quick to cut up most of the push-pull fleet while the majority of the conventional mkIIIs are still around - one would think it would have made more sense to retain the push-pull stock.

PP sets are speed restricted and would not be able to travel at 90 or 100 mph so that rules them out for most routes. They still have 2 sets left.

 

[dubscottie]

What's baffling is that they were quick to cut up most of the push-pull fleet while the majority of the conventional mkIIIs are still around - one would think it would have made more sense to retain the push-pull stock.

From what I have learned that is to do with the "Grandfather Rights" in the UK and thus the resale chances..

As the conventional Irish Mk 3's were built using jigs and parts supplied by BREL from the UK Mk 3 production line (the gens and buffets were Derby built), they would be able to run in the UK (once rebogied etc) with no problems.

However Inchicore modified the jigs to build the Push-Pulls so they are technically a Irish design and not able to run in the mainland UK without going through all the certification nonsense that goes on now... And it is unlikely anyone other than a scrap dealer would touch them.

It was the intention that the P/P Mk 3's would be converted to DEMU's (hence DART motor bogies under the Driving cars) at some point so the body structure is different to save weight.