Dublin to Belfast

trellheim

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122775257#Comment_122775257

Really ? They are using the kitchen on the 22k sets ?

LXFlyer

Deleted

CherryOrchardExPat

Anyone know why I can't book a ticket between Dublin and Belfast after ~Dec 8 at the moment? Tried from both the NI and Irish rail side, and it's blocked off.

Victor

Both Irish Rail and the NTA are still showing services as operating to Lanyon Place. It's as if the largest station on the island of Ireland popped up overnight, when it really opened 8 weeks ago.

Gold7

Same with Google map, the line from Dublin is still showing it terminating at Lanyon Place. It shows the departures from Grand Central however.

Gold7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122793282#Comment_122793282

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122794489#Comment_122794489

It has been updated on Google Maps since.

Telecaster58

I travelled First Class return.

Dublin to Belfast: This was the Enterprise. Welcomed aboard and took my very comfortable seat. A waitress offered me a complimentary orange juice, or apple juice or water. I was then handed a menu where I could have breakfast including a full Irish, French toast, bacon and cream cheese bagel etc. There was also a substantial Lunch menu and a full bar. Coffee was served in a cafetiere and the crockery was proper delph. Just before arriving in Belfast I was offered a warm, moist cloth served by tongs to "freshen up".

Belfast to Dublin: This was Iarnrod Eireann. Boarding the train I was informed there was only a trolley service. The seating seemed no different from the normal seating, the only difference I could see was that there was a table lamp. The trolley service offered lukewarm coffee in a paper cup and prepacked sandwiches or a Kitkat. To say it was underwhelming is an understatement. I wouldn't waste the extra money on First Class if operated by IE

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122809475#Comment_122809475

Full catering is only available on the Enterprise sets, and even then not on every service.

Last full meal service out of Belfast is the 16:00.

Jamie2k9

Do the ICR services have a guard role or have they merged to CSO only?

Do NIR require a guard present while on NIR network?

goingnowhere

All services on NIR require a guard present

Stonekeeper2024

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122880863#Comment_122880863

What is the difference between these two roles?

Victor

Well, neither the NTA not Irish Rail have worked out Grand Central Station yet.

Jamie2k9

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122888950#Comment_122888950

Guard is considered a safety role where as customer service officer is just that.

The main duty is the guard controls the doors and dispatches the trains but others know more. I beleive on the ICRs while drivers close the doors they can't until the gaurd tells them to close.

IE managed to get rid of this role years ago.

So @goingnowhere is it just the guard and driver on the ICRs excluding any catering staff?

Stonekeeper2024

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122889090#Comment_122889090

So I take it the Enterprise has this role to comply with NIR regulations or something? Whereas the other intercities do not? I was wondering why there seemed to be two different people some of the time on the Enterprise. One to deal with tickets etc another that seemed to be involved in dispatch and doing the passenger count etc.

Losty Dublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122889090#Comment_122889090

When on board a train guard is in charge of a train at all times and is in control of all staff on board, including the train driver. NIR/Translink trains running in Northern Ireland require a guard to be on board at all times. In the case of their local services (In NIR cases, this means all non cross border services.) the conductor/ticket seller on board will also be the guard. Enterprise services retain a guard on board at all times. The safe boarding/disembarking of passengers and opening/closing of doors is the responsibility of the guard, although they are entitled to allow other staff to assist.

Irish Rail passenger services don't require a guard, the driver fulfilling the duties along with the assistance of staff on hand at stations. RPSI trains require guards but this is partially down to their safety case and partially down to the operation and staffing of old slam door stock.

goingnowhere

Within Ireland all services apart from those relying on ETS or train staff or are slam door trains require a guard. Guards only exist on the Waterford-Limerick Junc, Nenagh branch and also Drogheda-Navan. Irish Rail has a comprehensive secure train radio system in place which effectively guarantees the driver and signaller can contact each other, its coded against the trains running number so high confidence signaller knows which train is calling.

Within Northern Ireland there is a requirement for a guard on all services (though there is an exception for Belfast-York Road for empty stock movements I believe). This is normally a conductor guard who also have revenue duties onboard. Train radio on NIR is basic, insecure and has coverage issues.

When operating cross border a guard is only required north of Dundalk on 22K services, but a guard is always required on Enterprise sets due the local door dispatch arrangement, though the driver has door controls in the cab.

Stonekeeper2024

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122891272#Comment_122891272

This does not sound like a very well organized set up. When we created all these all-Ireland bodies with the Belfast Agreement I thought the idea was to standardise a lot of this stuff. It seems they are still operating very different systems in terms of the way signals, comms etc work. I wonder how that compares to say cross border trains going through the Channel Tunnel or the German/French border.

goingnowhere

There is a common rule book between Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is unique.

NI follows UK regulations hence it has AWS and TPWS.

Every train north and south has been ordered with consideration to run cross border if needed. The C4K 6 coach sets will be put through the approvals process for cross border shortly once they get the radio and CAWS gear installed. Unclear why they are not going with ETCS L1 with the UK STM as border - Connolly is ETCS L1

I've been following the Enterprise X/Twitter account (run by Translink), and the amount of delays due to "train faults" seems very high at the minute. Not a great advertisement for the expanded service IMO.