Shoddy service on the Belfast line

sitstill

I got the 10 AM train to Belfast the other morning (the 27th) - and I have to say I was disgusted with the service.

For starters, the train was almost 30 minutes late and no announcements to explain why or apologies were given either while we waited in the station or when we eventually got on the train.

When we did eventually get on the train, it was FREEZING - it was so cold. Could they not have had the heating running for a while before letting people on?

The seat reservation dockets were simply thrown on the chairs and tables and not put in their little holders.

It looked as though the train hadn't been properly cleaned after its last run on the 24th.

All in all I was not impressed and I will be sending an email to Irish Rail to let them know.

Cookie_Monster

Read around this forum and you will see thats its a regular feature.

Is half an hour late too short to get your money back, there is some time limit but IE don't exactly advertise it too well.

L1011

Out of interest, was the service Irish Rail staffed or Translink/NIR staffed?

I've found the NIR ones are generally much better organised...

Judgement Day

OP write don't email and make sure you send it to the organ grinder not his monkey!

Mr.Richard Fearn,
CEO Irish Rail,
Connolly Station,
Dublin.1.

sitstill

MYOB wrote: »

Out of interest, was the service Irish Rail staffed or Translink/NIR staffed?

I've found the NIR ones are generally much better organised...

It was Irish Rail staffed.

Greenmachine

At least the line is open again.

fh041205

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Read around this forum and you will see thats its a regular feature.

Is half an hour late too short to get your money back, there is some time limit but IE don't exactly advertise it too well.

50% over 1 hour
100% over 2 hours

which incidentally is double what they are required to refund under EU law. Sounds to me like this service was replaced at the last minute. Possibly a failure of another set or something. Btw I also find the Northern Crews excellent on the enterprise.

kravmaga

my folks were on the Enterprise today on the way back to Dublin from Belfast and it broke down, no explanation given.

They were eventually bussed back to Connolly.

DubDani

Could it have been related to the 1000lbs bomb they found inside a van on the A1 between Newry and Jonesbrough yesterday afternoon? Roads were closed till 10pm last night, and trains were affected as well, as the train line runs close to it.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/newry-bomb-find-contained-up-to-1000lbs-of-explosives-440174.html

Cookie_Monster

blueeyedboy wrote: »

my folks were on the Enterprise today on the way back to Dublin from Belfast and it broke down, no explanation given.

They were eventually bussed back to Connolly.

As per previous post or the usual result of running with totally unsuitable loco's on this service. they tend to catch fire every now and then due to the strain the train puts on them on this route. Loco's have to provide head end power as well as motive.

kravmaga

DubDani wrote: »

Could it have been related to the 1000lbs bomb they found inside a van on the A1 between Newry and Jonesbrough yesterday afternoon? Roads were closed till 10pm last night, and trains were affected as well, as the train line runs close to it.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/newry-bomb-find-contained-up-to-1000lbs-of-explosives-440174.html

Yes they only found out later that it was down to the suspicious vehicle with an IED on the A1.

dowlingm

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

As per previous post or the usual result of running with totally unsuitable loco's on this service. they tend to catch fire every now and then due to the strain the train puts on them on this route.

In fairness this is being addressed: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055782870

This is dealt with on Canadian locohaul passenger service (the vast majority of both longhaul and commuter heavy rail) by mounting a separate electrical generator on the locomotive itself rather than using a generator van.

Cookie_Monster

dowlingm wrote: »

In fairness this is being addressed: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055782870

This is dealt with on Canadian locohaul passenger service (the vast majority of both longhaul and commuter heavy rail) by mounting a separate electrical generator on the locomotive itself rather than using a generator van.

better solution all right. I would have assumed they would have thought of that initially though :rolleyes:

lord lucan

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

better solution all right. I would have assumed they would have thought of that initially though :rolleyes:

IIRC IE were told not to go down the HEP road by GM but decided to anyways. I can't find any links to back that up but i'm nearly sure that was the case.

dowlingm

@lord lucan/cookie monster the mistake was probably to omit a generator on the Enterprise Driving Van Trailer, as was done on the Mark3 PushPulls and CAF "Mark 4" DVTs. Whether that was an IE decision or an NIR one we'll have to wait for someone's memoirs I suppose.

daithi09

sorry to re-open thread after so long! I'l be commuting from Dundalk to Dublin(Pearse if possible,or as close to southside as I can get) for college from Sept till June, I'm wondering if the service has gotten better, i.e being on time, still frequently breaking down.etc, can't see any recent forums on it.

Also can't seem to navigate around irishrail.ie to easily, what prices are student tickets? Are there always seats on the train? And if not is first class an option or is it way more expensive(I will really need a seat and presume you'l get in first class although I'm not loaded hence not living in dub). Also I heard recently that Irish rail are rolling out broadband on some services, will the enterprise(think that's the train i'l be getting) get a piece of this action.

Thanks in advance.

not1but4

daithi09 wrote: »

sorry to re-open thread after so long! I'l be commuting from Dundalk to Dublin(Pearse if possible,or as close to southside as I can get) for college from Sept till June, I'm wondering if the service has gotten better, i.e being on time, still frequently breaking down.etc, can't see any recent forums on it.

Also can't seem to navigate around irishrail.ie to easily, what prices are student tickets? Are there always seats on the train? And if not is first class an option or is it way more expensive(I will really need a seat and presume you'l get in first class although I'm not loaded hence not living in dub). Also I heard recently that Irish rail are rolling out broadband on some services, will the enterprise(think that's the train i'l be getting) get a piece of this action.

Thanks in advance.

Get the Matthews its only €5 each way (when you get a ten trip) walk down to Connolly or get off at Drumcondra and get the train to Pearse. Its what most students do in Dundalk sure its what I did but I only did twice a week.

What college are you going to?

I have been getting the Enterprise for the last few months albeit from Belfast to Dundalk and I cant complain train has always been on time though once or twice leaving Belfast Central it was 10mins late leaving.

LizT

daithi09 wrote: »

sorry to re-open thread after so long! I'l be commuting from Dundalk to Dublin(Pearse if possible,or as close to southside as I can get) for college from Sept till June, I'm wondering if the service has gotten better, i.e being on time, still frequently breaking down.etc, can't see any recent forums on it.

Also can't seem to navigate around irishrail.ie to easily, what prices are student tickets? Are there always seats on the train? And if not is first class an option or is it way more expensive(I will really need a seat and presume you'l get in first class although I'm not loaded hence not living in dub). Also I heard recently that Irish rail are rolling out broadband on some services, will the enterprise(think that's the train i'l be getting) get a piece of this action.

Thanks in advance.

Wifi is only rolling out on the Dublin to Cork trains for now. Those trains are a lot newer. As the enterprise service is run by irish rail and nir it's hard to know if wifi will come into action on these trains. Generally you can always get a seat on the enterprise. First class is a bit more expensive and definitely not worth it.
I used the enterprise from Dublin to Belfast for the past three years, most weekends. I had my fair share of delays some lasting up to two hours.

You can follow the enterprise twitter feed for up to date news on delays.

daithi09

In DIT kevin street, yeah matthews seems to be best option, I was getting it from drog to parnell street last year but hated the 30min walk each way. I'l be doing 30 min to the bus in dundalk, then bus to dublin and 30 min across the city, and I can't be late for labs etc. so I'l have to get an early one just incase the traffic is ****e. And then back in the evening, I guess it's normal for students tho, i'm tired just thinking about and that's why I was trying to explore other options.
But sure it'l be grand.
Thanks for your help guys.

dowlingm

Funny this topic should make a reappearance - apparently as of the first week of July they have been taking another stab at making 7605 work on a DD set.

DWCommuter

dowlingm wrote: »

Funny this topic should make a reappearance - apparently as of the first week of July they have been taking another stab at making 7605 work on a DD set.

So they've figured out how to attach it safely?

markpb

daithi09 wrote: »

In DIT kevin street, yeah matthews seems to be best option, I was getting it from drog to parnell street last year but hated the 30min walk each way.

Dublin Bike from Parnell St or Princes St (beside the GPO)? It would be a lot quicker and lot more relaxing.

Seannew1

daithi09 wrote: »

sorry to re-open thread after so long! I'l be commuting from Dundalk to Dublin(Pearse if possible,or as close to southside as I can get) for college from Sept till June, I'm wondering if the service has gotten better, i.e being on time, still frequently breaking down.etc, can't see any recent forums on it.

Also can't seem to navigate around irishrail.ie to easily, what prices are student tickets? Are there always seats on the train? And if not is first class an option or is it way more expensive(I will really need a seat and presume you'l get in first class although I'm not loaded hence not living in dub). Also I heard recently that Irish rail are rolling out broadband on some services, will the enterprise(think that's the train i'l be getting) get a piece of this action.

Thanks in advance.

If your commuting to Kevin street, the train would be the better option.The train service is alright,and if the recent draft timetable is to be believed the service should get slightly better but i wouldn't hold your breath. A student monthly from Dundalk is 155 euro,you'll always be guarenteed a seat from Dundalk to Dublin,even on the enterprise.On the 8 o'clock express train,there does be always plenty of seats in standard class when it reaches dundalk so no need to go with first class, haven't a clue on the broadband situation.

Run_to_da_hills

DubDani wrote: »

Could it have been related to the 1000lbs bomb they found inside a van on the A1 between Newry and Jonesbrough yesterday afternoon? Roads were closed till 10pm last night, and trains were affected as well, as the train line runs close to it.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/newry-bomb-find-contained-up-to-1000lbs-of-explosives-440174.html

I took the 7pm Enterprise that evening which changed over to coach at Newry. This would have meant that it would have passed between that point on the A1 and Newry Station. There was also billboard at Connelly with mention of "engineering works" but no mention of a bomb.

I couldn't complain about the service, the connection was made in one of those luxurious CIE tours international coaches with a jacks which arrived in Belfast about 15 minutes ahead of the train schedule.