Cross-border review of rail network officially launched

Agreed. The cryptic phrase "The additional resourcing will allow for increased capacity for Iarnród Éireann and Translink NI with their respective fleet networks" doesn't sound like "New train-sets being bought"; much more a case of stretch what you already have a bit further. Anyway 2 x €12.5m wouldn't get you a lot in terms of carriages etc.

To be honest, reading the press release both Taoiseach and Tánaiste wax lyrical on the €600m going on the A5 and on the Carlingford Narrow Water Bridge. The bit about ramping up the Enterprise to an hourly service has the feel of crumbs from the table to give the green third wheel something to point to. Which is a pity as an hourly Belfast-Dublin service is very welcome. Now all they need to do to make it really useful is it to speed it up.

Still pending the ministerial order, RWO require a SI to be signed and recent history shows the minister is very slow to sign off on anything

Given that they have more trains as a result of the recent ICR fleet deliveries, it is now possible to deliver the hourly service.

It wasn’t possible beforehand.

The fact that the Taoiseach is announcing that they are committed to providing the necessary money to fund it this year tells me that this is going to happen.

Any previous statements have been aspirational.

I would think that they will be ICR premier sets yes.

As for the mixed stock, well until new Enterprise stock is ordered, it's the best that they can do if they want the increased frequency.

It's not that congested for this not to be possible, but there won't be accelerated journey times.

There will presumably still be a trolley service on the CAF operated departures.

they may have stock available, but do they have drivers? Any request for increased services in the timetable consultation seems to be met with the response "we don't have enough drivers". If they do have drivers, what exactly are they doing currently?

The Belfast terminus is moving from lanyon place to the new central station, that will likely take about 5 mins off the trip. Making it an even 2hrs, with hourly departures. These are good improvements for now without spending serious money.

What it really needs long term is a new Newry to Belfast alignment, new dedicated tracks between Drogheda and Dublin, electrification, rolling stock capable of 200kmh and half hour frequency. Pretty much what is proposed in the review. In my view this is much more important than the A5. The same money could have gone an awful long way towards providing the above

The A5 is a critical safety concern. Also it is much closer to actually needing the funding than any Newry-Belfast realignment.

The improved Dublin-Belfast service north of the border cannot be funded by ROI right now. There is nothing to throw funding at other than what has already been funded.

You frame it as if there is an opportunity cost here, whereby funding the A5 means less funding for Dub-Bel line. This is completely false. Any works to improve the alignment (or lay new alignment) between Belfast and the border is ultimately a matter for NI's DFI. Until they progress it enough, it cannot be funded by us.

The Northern Line is already the subject of an EU funded feasibility study looking at possible capacity enhancements.

Any investment in the railway line will follow from that.

The A5 is a project that has been put back time and time again, and with 52 deaths since 2006 needs addressing in the here and now.

Would I be right in thinking that the extra services (hourly) can only be accommodated by the new Grand Central station? Lanyon seems pretty restricted as a through-station for terminal intercity services. Any ETA on when the new station is due to open?

Yes you’d be right in that.