Cu na Mara service?

[davekoolhill]

the cu na mara train no longer appears to be operating on the 7.10 dublin to galway service. what services does this work on?

Also is there no more catering on Dublin - Galway services? i know that the breakfast service operates on morning trains mon-fri from dublin and from Galway but other than that there is no more rail catering on the Galway or Westport trians. with the new RAIL GOURMET company is there a chance that the dinner service will ever be restored on this route.

many thanks,
dave

[Oisin88]

Bits of it, some partially redecorated by "Grift" or one of his friends, appear from time to time on different Galway & Mayo services.

Are they all interchangeable with normal Mk3s, and does it really matter so long as there is some sort of a (working) train at the platform for the 7:10?

[Mark Gleeson]

The Cu Na Mara set has operated services to Limerick and Mayo in its time. Of course it should be noted Cu Na Mara name was used on trains from Westport back in the 1970's. The 7:10 is timetabled as a Mk3 set with first and catering, there are 13 such sets. Most people prefer the standard Mk3 over the Cu Na Mara coaches anyway.

From time to time the Cu Na Mara set will be withdrawn for maintenance reasons, however last week I understand it struck a cow and required some repairs. The vandals out west have been busy as well.

We have had very few comments on the lack of catering on a specific service, date/place/time. Dublin Cork, Dublin Belfast, Dublin Rosslare, Dublin Sligo, Dublin Tralee, Dublin Limerick and Dublin Waterford we can certainly confirm the trolley service is being provided and in most cases the service level appears to be better now than in the past in particular there are reports of breakfast served on Saturday mornings as well. Out west things seem rocky but we haven't got much information to work from