The Enterprise returns

[Thewanderer]

Afternoon all,

One year to the day since the first set was withdrawn from passenger service, the first of the refurbished Enterprise trains returns to service. It worked the 0800 Belfast Central - Dublin Connolly and 1100 Dublin Connolly - Belfast Central. The project team aim to return sets 2 and 3 to service at two week intervals from today.

Click http://smu.gs/1MhInU8 to view all the images from this morning.

 

[ainsworth74]

Ooh looks very sharp compared to previous! Have they moved to three classes as it looks like three different layouts?

 

[superalbs]

Ooh looks very sharp compared to previous! Have they moved to three classes as it looks like three different layouts?

Looks like the first two interior pics are both standard, same seats, and in the second, you can just about see an individual seat.

 

[Thewanderer]

Looks like the first two interior pics are both standard, same seats, and in the second, you can just about see an individual seat.

The first picture is of the buffet vehicle. Like the Eurostars it used to be a bar/standing area. They have now changed this to 16 seats which will offer a sit down meal service to std. class customers. Previously full meals were available to first class only.

Old buffet car layout.

 

[scotsman]

Looks pretty cool, I'll need to go on it some time - until I get my FIP the bus is far cheaper...and faster and more flexible.

 

[Thewanderer]

Looks pretty cool, I'll need to go on it some time - until I get my FIP the bus is far cheaper...and faster and more flexible.

You do not need FIP to use this service.

Your TOC PRIV card is valid for use on IE and NIR services. Likewise IE Priv cards are valid on NIR, ATOC, LUL, Stena Line and Irish Ferries.

 

[ainsworth74]

Looks like the first two interior pics are both standard, same seats, and in the second, you can just about see an individual seat.

Actually if you look at the first interior picture you'll see it's in 2+1 layout such as you might find in first class )) hence my confusion which has been cleared up by:

The first picture is of the buffet vehicle. Like the Eurostars it used to be a bar/standing area. They have now changed this to 16 seats which will offer a sit down meal service to std. class customers. Previously full meals were available to first class only.

Oh interesting! Hopefully they'll load more stock than when I was on it earlier in the year when they only had three beef burgers for the entire train (and this was a evening peak departure from Belfast)!

Looking at it again are those only half tables in standard class? Seems a bit of a downgrade from what's there now.

 

[duesselmartin]

grey seems to be in fashion nowadays. How about a bit of colour?

 

[scotsman]

You do not need FIP to use this service.

Your TOC PRIV card is valid for use on IE and NIR services. Likewise IE Priv cards are valid on NIR, ATOC, LUL, Stena Line and Irish Ferries.

Ooh, interesting. I thought you needed FIP, as my flatmate just got his and it listed discounts for NIR and IE.

 

[Murph]

Looking at it again are those only half tables in standard class? Seems a bit of a downgrade from what's there now.

Look closer. It looks to me like it's only the 2 bays in the immediate foreground that have miniature tables, but the bays behind them have proper full tables.

 

[ainsworth74]

Look closer. It looks to me like it's only the 2 bays in the immediate foreground that have miniature tables, but the bays behind them have proper full tables.

Ah yes so they do

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Given the name of the units and where they have been for a long time now, I'd have piped track 5 of The Wrath of Khan soundtrack or track 3 from Undiscovered Country over the PA system

unofficial points to those that get it without googling

 

[Thewanderer]

I'd have piped track 5 of The Wrath of Khan soundtrack

unofficial points to those that get it without googling

I think you mean track 6 Which I'm off to play now.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I think you mean track 6 Which I'm off to play now.

Sorry - I meant in the expanded score

 

[Comstock]

Something I wouldn't mind riding one day.

So how long does it take from Belfast to Dublin?

 

[ainsworth74]

So how long does it take from Belfast to Dublin?

A little over two hours but it is quite a pleasent journey with some quite nice views around the Ireland/UK border. The timetables can be found on the Translink website about half-way down this page. If you book in advance they have some really dirt cheap advance fares.

 

[PFX]

If you're doing it any time soon, make sure you time your journey properly. There's only one Enterprise set on the route at present. The other two are due to be back in before the end of the year when full seat reservations will start to be offered.

At present it's a free for all unless your in First Plus.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

'Enterprise Returns' that got my hopes up for season five of the TV show.
It's a nice train though. How fast does it usually go?

 

[ainsworth74]

It can do up to 100mph but most of the time it seemed to trundle at more like 60-80mph. Railways in Northern Ireland and Ireland are not very quick (and often it is quicker to go by road using long distance buses).

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

What can you expect? The buses go at Warp 9.975 whilst these are limited to 1/4 impulse power

Joking aside, its nice to see them back into service

 

[PFX]

It can do up to 100mph but most of the time it seemed to trundle at more like 60-80mph. Railways in Northern Ireland and Ireland are not very quick (and often it is quicker to go by road using long distance buses).

Top line speed for the Belfast Dublin route is 90mph but the average route speed is just over 40mph. This isn't helped by DART services getting priority over the Enterprise from Malahide to Dublin and often means the final leg of the journey is not much better than a crawl.

Many people take the bus or car instead but personally, I'll sacrifice 30 minutes to enjoy the comfort of the train and avoid driving into Dublin and attempting to find parking. If you add on traffic congestion and looking for a free space, I'd say that the point to point times are more or less the same.

That aside, it will be great to wave goodbye to the CAF sets on the service.

 

[duesselmartin]

how have passenger numbers developed? Is there any chance of an hourly service in the near future?
I travelled on Enterprise when the sets were new. Thalys TGVs seem to be of similar design. Sadly I have not been in Ireland since the late 1990s.

 

[PFX]

how have passenger numbers developed? Is there any chance of an hourly service in the near future?

Passenger numbers were adversely affected after the Broadmeadow viaduct collapse north of Malahide in 2009 and anecdotally at least, I think a lot of people see the Enterprise as being a slow way to travel between Belfast and Dublin, many preferring to drive or bus.

I haven't heard anything concrete to indicate an hourly service is being considered at this time.

Thalys TGVs seem to be of similar design.

You could be onto something there... The current De Deitrich stock is based on the Eurostar 373 stock as far as I recall, though the Enterprise stock isn't articulated.

 

[ainsworth74]

Top line speed for the Belfast Dublin route is 90mph but the average route speed is just over 40mph. This isn't helped by DART services getting priority over the Enterprise from Malahide to Dublin and often means the final leg of the journey is not much better than a crawl.

I should have been a bit clearer that I was referring to locomotive speed not line speed when I said 100mph so thanks for clearing that up

Yes I do remember it seemed to take an age to get into Dublin but I had no idea the average speed is as low as 40mph! I knew the whole journey felt slow but good grief!

I guess that a legacy of rail becoming a tertiary means of inter-city travel on the island as well as the political side of running a cross border service.

 

[PFX]

Ah right, thought it may have been the loco you referred to...

The average linespeed may have crept closer to 50 these days but it's still pretty slow, most noticeably within the Dublin suburban area. Still, on a newly refurbished, comfortable train, I'm not going to complain.

 

[Thewanderer]

Bus services are still slower than the train. Not by much though! I wasn't sure if I would make the 1900 Connolly - Belfast last Sunday night so I was looking at the bus options which were 2hrs 25 mins on Aircoach.

 

[PFX]

...Aircoach.

I'm reminded of a hair-raising trip from the airport to Ballsbridge on the Aircoach when the port tunnel works where still ongoing. I think the driver thought he was in charge of a missile!

 

[Thewanderer]

I'm reminded of a hair-raising trip from the airport to Ballsbridge on the Aircoach when the port tunnel works where still ongoing. I think the driver thought he was in charge of a missile!

Prefer Dublin Bus 747 myself. Does help as I have an annual Dublin Bus ticket. Never done Aircoach.

 

[craigybagel]

You do not need FIP to use this service.

Your TOC PRIV card is valid for use on IE and NIR services. Likewise IE Priv cards are valid on NIR, ATOC, LUL, Stena Line and Irish Ferries.

Ooh, interesting. I thought you needed FIP, as my flatmate just got his and it listed discounts for NIR and IE.

A priv on its own will get you a discount (50% off single tickets IIRC, although I've never tried using it cross border), but a FIP with a coupon will get you free travel.

Top line speed for the Belfast Dublin route is 90mph but the average route speed is just over 40mph. This isn't helped by DART services getting priority over the Enterprise from Malahide to Dublin and often means the final leg of the journey is not much better than a crawl.

I should have been a bit clearer that I was referring to locomotive speed not line speed when I said 100mph so thanks for clearing that up

Yes I do remember it seemed to take an age to get into Dublin but I had no idea the average speed is as low as 40mph! I knew the whole journey felt slow but good grief!

I guess that a legacy of rail becoming a tertiary means of inter-city travel on the island as well as the political side of running a cross border service.

103 mph locos, 90 mph stock, 90 mph maximum linespeed - but lower in many places. Notable slow points are the mountainous sections near the border, and the crawl across the viaduct at Drogheda. The 201s aren't exactly renowned for their acceleration either. And as has been pointed out, they do have a nasty habit (as do the Dublin - Drogheda/Dundalk suburban trains) of getting stuck behind the all stations DART service. Howth Junction-Connolly desperately needs 4 tracking but its not going to happen anytime soon.

I can remember them knocking down and rebuilding a very busy overbridge in my hometown in the 90s as part of the line upgrade. The line was resignalled, and jointed track on wooden sleepers was replaced with CWR on concrete. The end result? Speed limit went up from 75 to 90. The Cork line was upgraded to 100mph around the same time; why the Belfast line wasn't done to at least that standard if not more has never made sense to me. South of the border the line is pretty straight, apart from Drogheda.

 

[ainsworth74]

Thanks for the extra detail

The Cork line was upgraded to 100mph around the same time; why the Belfast line wasn't done to at least that standard if not more has never made sense to me. South of the border the line is pretty straight, apart from Drogheda.

I would hazard a guess at cross border politics perhaps?