Why don't IE run a Shop Till you Drop special

trellheim

i.e.

train special :

Depart Cork 0600 be in Newry by 1000 [ nonstop all the way except reverse in Connolly ] continue to belfast/portadown as needed

I mean it's not as if there's no spare stock there must be a gang of big GMs and MK3s spare at the moment

current demand would seem a market to exist

reverse and 1800 depart belfast same stops in reverse, home at midnight.

it would be an enterprising move.... I'll get me coat

A Dub in Glasgo

You would have to reserve 50% of the train for 'luggage'. Not sure a 42" LCD would fit into the racks above the seat!

Ste.phen

Still gotta be worthwhile surely?

L1011

Isn't there extreme difficulty in organising cross-border trains, e.g. why the repeatedly proposed commuter (!!) services from Newry to Dublin have never happened?

dowlingm

let me count the ways:

ILDA intransigence
IE's no new ideas syndrome
The Oireachtas having a collective sh!tfit about all the unpatriotism
Lack of drivers passed all the way between the two points

I'm sure there are more but can't be @rsed thinking of them.

Ham'nd'egger

MYOB wrote: »

Isn't there extreme difficulty in organising cross-border trains, e.g. why the repeatedly proposed commuter (!!) services from Newry to Dublin have never happened?

Trains working cross border require two sets of signal equipment for both networks to be allowed to work cross border runs so there is only so many locos and railcars that can work it. The logistics in a special from Belfast and Cork would need to allow for the right locos to work through; as well the staffing levels in such a service would probably weigh against it though it is by no mean impossible.

There was a Newry-Dublin service in the mid 90's but it had low passenger levels so it was discontinued. Newry Station has just two platforms as it stands so it is unsuitable for terminating trains at the best of times. It is under redevelopment at the moment which should expand it's capacity big time so it may be revisited in the near future.

amacachi

dowlingm wrote: »

IE's no new ideas syndrome
The Oireachtas having a collective sh!tfit about all the unpatriotism

This is Ireland you say? :P

trellheim

1. first 201 takes the rake to Connolly... use one of the dual-fit 201s to pull it from Connolly to Belfast

2. Stick 2xluggage vans on the end , charge 3 euro a piece going in

3. doesn't need to stop in Newry very long... as I said it could continue to Portadown and Belfast plenty of room to stable there.

4. It seems that it would be do-able, union rules wouldn't apply as normal since it'd be a special

5. Put a full dining car on as it's an morning and night run...


Not too much patronage I'd say from Dublin but from Limerick or Cork I'd say it might be a runner

also you could get Newry or Belfast to sponsor a couple of buses to pick up from the Stations to the shopping areas

goingnowhere

Given the timetabled service is a joke, shouldn't they focus on that instead of some fanciful rubbish. It would be 70-90 euro return which would wipe out any savings you make anyways

And yes the government would probably pull strings to stop in happening anyway

Ham'nd'egger

goingnowhere wrote: »

Given the timetabled service is a joke, shouldn't they focus on that instead of some fanciful rubbish. It would be 70-90 euro return which would wipe out any savings you make anyways

Yes, a mere 15 trains both ways on the Dublin-Cork weekdays and just 8 between Dublin-Belfast on an already well competed travel route with car and bus is a joke :rolleyes:

corktina

whatever about the belfast line, 15 a day to Cork is a very good service...hourly throughout the day to/from what in other countries would be a modest sized town...

Red Alert

They should sort out the dual-system arrangements pronto like the rest of the EU. If every single european country can have trains crossing borders (which in some cases like Croatia means border control) why can't we make a miserable intercity trip inside a common travel area?

On the technical front the best way would probably have an all-island compatible signal system, where all that changes between North and South is operational control.

Ham'nd'egger

Red Alert wrote: »

They should sort out the dual-system arrangements pronto like the rest of the EU. If every single european country can have trains crossing borders (which in some cases like Croatia means border control) why can't we make a miserable intercity trip inside a common travel area?

On the technical front the best way would probably have an all-island compatible signal system, where all that changes between North and South is operational control.

It isn't an issue of either dual systems or signals being compatible or not; it is a case of certain safety equipment that has to be installed legally on trains in the UK (TPWS) and signal equipment that is standard for Irish Rail trains (CAWS) in order for them to operate safely/legally on both networks. Other trains crossing land borders are subject to similar protocol for region specific equipment if need be.