[22/12/2010] 19:00 Dublin-Belfast

[irishsaint]

Any one else experience this wonderful incident yesterday evening? I believe it was quite intimidating in Coach E.

3 youths (16ish-20ish) were intoxicated standing between the Bar Car and Coach D. A gentleman walked passed them and they said to him, "what are you, some kind of peadophile", his reply was simple "what". Anyway, the "what" apparently is deserving of a punch to the face. Obviously he was shaken at this and went straight to the Conductor where he informed him of the incident. I was in the Bar Car and saw all this. The Conductor confronted the youths (i dont know what was said) and then he headed towards the centre of the Bar Car. One of the youths followed him and said something to him. I did not hear what was said but was told by another passenger who said he heard him threatening the conductor. The conductor was visably shaken. The youths then picked up the bag of beer they had and walked away from the Bar Car. Later I understand they were in Coach E. A Lady with her child came down to the Conductor informing him of this and she told me "they are threatening to burn the train", she was obviously frightened. At this point we stopped at Malahide and waited for the assistance of the Police. Neither the conductor or any other staff approached the youths after this point and left them cause what ever trouble they were upto. Guards took approx 20-25 minutes to arrive, we departed Malahide approx 19:55. I was on the 19:00 on friday also, there was 3 fights between Drogheda and Dundalk, that train was eventually terminated due to the security alert at Newry. Is it time security personnel are put on this service at particularly troublesome times of the year?

[Mark Gleeson]

19:00 is a Translink staffed service, not that it matters

Normal policy is not to confront a trouble maker where physical confrontation is likely but to call ahead and to make an unplanned stop at the nearest suitable station where assistance can be had, Malahide is favoured as it is staffed, has a long platform and a garda station

Staff have been hospitalised while trying to subdue trouble makers after fights broke out. A train host on the Cork line quite literally lost his shirt after an all out melee broke out.

Simple solution, ban alcohol being brought aboard. No one has a problem with someones shopping but a slab of cans is clearly a problem. Sell alcohol only through the bar where it can be controlled. Translink already have a very strict set of rules for alcohol onboard.

[irishsaint]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Simple solution, ban alcohol being brought aboard. No one has a problem with someones shopping but a slab of cans is clearly a problem. Sell alcohol only through the bar where it can be controlled. Translink already have a very strict set of rules for alcohol onboard.

These chaps had their own alcohol in a plastic bag and IR staff let them through, the enterance to the platform was manned as almost always with manual ticket checking.

I've seen STT confront people consuming Alcohol on the DART.

Particularily GAA but also Rugby usually packs out this service, along with Xmas time and Paddys day etc - STT/similar should be on board during these dates / events just like when RPU decide to do a random check and get a STT escort. On the 17th there was a fight in Coach D, the chap who started it was heavily intoxicated but was not drinking on the Train.