North South Cooperation

Derek Wheeler · 26-01-2006, 00:43

NORTH SOUTH MAKES SENSE
17th January 2006

DALLAT CALLS FOR AN ALL-ISLAND BODY TO RUN RAILWAYS

East Derry SDLP Assembly Member John Dallat, a long-time campaigner to save the Derry-Belfast railway has called for an all-island body to run the railways across the island of Ireland North and South.

Mr Dallat stated:

“The partition of Ireland almost killed off the railways north of the border and it is a miracle that we have any left but we are getting nowhere while two separate companies, Translink and Iarnod Eireann, are operating separately. It doesn’t make sense and it severely restricts efforts to deliver an all-island strategy which will serve the people of Ireland in the next twenty-five years.

Translink is constantly in the news for the wrong reasons but it isn’t enough to lambaste their shortcomings or mistakes. Change has to take place and take place without delay if the professionalism, expertise and benefits of a larger scale operation are to be achieved. A holistic approach is urgently needed and the only intelligent way to do that is to set up a body or company with specific responsibility for the future development of our railways from Derry to Kerry.

While the all-island bodies set up under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement to take charge of the Waterways of Ireland has been severely hampered by the continual suspension of the Assembly there is no doubt that in a time much shorter than many people believe, there will be a complete transformation of water-based tourism. The same is true of Tourism Ireland. How much more likely is it that rail transport can be transformed on an all-island basis with financial backing from both governments and the European Union?”

ENDS

17/01/06

PaulM · 26-01-2006, 11:15

I have very limited experience with Translink but if this were too happen...

Engineering duties -> IE
CS duties -> Translink

We may have a decent company that way.

Mark Gleeson · 26-01-2006, 11:33

If you think IE are bad Translink are even worse the sheer volume of cancellations and strange last minute changes is unbelieveable, the only forgiveness is a decent website which actually details the disruption

For start IE and Translink do not operate seperately they share a common rule book and common standards, they share equipment passenger coaches, locomotives and maintenance equipment. IE and NIR have running rights on each side of the border which is quite unique, if IE wanted to run a train from Derry to Dublin they could and they have

A single infrastructure company could make some sense but I hate to say it the track between Belfast and Newry is said to be better than Dundalk Dublin

In reality what you will end up with is a seperation into
1 Dublin Belfast
2 Dublin Suburban
3 All other IE
4 All other NIR

OK it will never happen but if it did you can be sure things would improve on both sides as IE actually can maintain equipment correctly, so all the stuff NIR have lying around (1 * intercity train + 2 * 2250 hp 90mph locomotives) unused could be making money equally you don't see IE 29000 units breaking down while its direct relation the 3CK seems to fall over quite a lot despite the two have virtually the same underfloor equipment

PaulM · 26-01-2006, 11:58

How would you do it Mark?

All I know is that Translink employees are generally friendly and helpful (the ones I've spoken to) is that their only quality? I don't know anything else about them really.

Mark Gleeson · 26-01-2006, 17:58

Translink/NIR is said to have a better customer attitude than IE that said the Larne line farce, closed line to relay, relay takes several months, relay finished, NIR don't have enough drivers to provide a service on the line makes IE look like a top class outfit in comparison

Suburban fares are generally higher up north as well

Problem is the trains and infrastructure are in a poor state and no matter how good the customer focus is nothing will get you out of that kind of mess, its more of less the opposite of IE where you get decent infrastructure but non existent customer focus

That all said NIR are unique in actually reopening lines and building a new line to link Yorkgate and Belfast Central roughly equivalent problem to Heuston Connolly but without a Park Tunnel

Behind the scenes there is a lot of cooperation going on, having a common rule book across an international boundary is quite an achievement. It took only 2 test runs for IE to gain approval to run the 29000 units across both routes to Belfast. There are a few things that could have been done in the mid 1990's like standardised radio and cab signaling but they wheren't and can't be done now due to EU rules

From a passenger point of view I can't see much benefit really, you can already get a ticket from say Cobh to Bangor and it works, for all it matters Dublin Belfast looks as if it is run by a third company, its all but impossible to know if its IE or NIR operating the train you are on since its a common fleet.

Maskhadov · 26-01-2006, 18:20

It of course would be very good news for rail users on all parts of the island. The future of the network would be better securied, better services could be offered and more efficiencies in the system could be made.

But I dont think Unionists would really back the proposal for I.E to take over up north.

Maybe a new commerical company could be formed with backing from the two governments and the company committed to meeting certain critera set out by both governments. Would that really be popular down south ?

26-01-2006, 00:43	#1
Derek Wheeler Registered user Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kildare Posts: 1,555	North South Cooperation NORTH SOUTH MAKES SENSE 17th January 2006 DALLAT CALLS FOR AN ALL-ISLAND BODY TO RUN RAILWAYS East Derry SDLP Assembly Member John Dallat, a long-time campaigner to save the Derry-Belfast railway has called for an all-island body to run the railways across the island of Ireland North and South. Mr Dallat stated: “The partition of Ireland almost killed off the railways north of the border and it is a miracle that we have any left but we are getting nowhere while two separate companies, Translink and Iarnod Eireann, are operating separately. It doesn’t make sense and it severely restricts efforts to deliver an all-island strategy which will serve the people of Ireland in the next twenty-five years. Translink is constantly in the news for the wrong reasons but it isn’t enough to lambaste their shortcomings or mistakes. Change has to take place and take place without delay if the professionalism, expertise and benefits of a larger scale operation are to be achieved. A holistic approach is urgently needed and the only intelligent way to do that is to set up a body or company with specific responsibility for the future development of our railways from Derry to Kerry. While the all-island bodies set up under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement to take charge of the Waterways of Ireland has been severely hampered by the continual suspension of the Assembly there is no doubt that in a time much shorter than many people believe, there will be a complete transformation of water-based tourism. The same is true of Tourism Ireland. How much more likely is it that rail transport can be transformed on an all-island basis with financial backing from both governments and the European Union?” ENDS 17/01/06

26-01-2006, 11:33	#3
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	If you think IE are bad Translink are even worse the sheer volume of cancellations and strange last minute changes is unbelieveable, the only forgiveness is a decent website which actually details the disruption For start IE and Translink do not operate seperately they share a common rule book and common standards, they share equipment passenger coaches, locomotives and maintenance equipment. IE and NIR have running rights on each side of the border which is quite unique, if IE wanted to run a train from Derry to Dublin they could and they have A single infrastructure company could make some sense but I hate to say it the track between Belfast and Newry is said to be better than Dundalk Dublin In reality what you will end up with is a seperation into 1 Dublin Belfast 2 Dublin Suburban 3 All other IE 4 All other NIR OK it will never happen but if it did you can be sure things would improve on both sides as IE actually can maintain equipment correctly, so all the stuff NIR have lying around (1 * intercity train + 2 * 2250 hp 90mph locomotives) unused could be making money equally you don't see IE 29000 units breaking down while its direct relation the 3CK seems to fall over quite a lot despite the two have virtually the same underfloor equipment Last edited by Mark Gleeson : 26-01-2006 at 11:38.

26-01-2006, 17:58	#5
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	Translink/NIR is said to have a better customer attitude than IE that said the Larne line farce, closed line to relay, relay takes several months, relay finished, NIR don't have enough drivers to provide a service on the line makes IE look like a top class outfit in comparison Suburban fares are generally higher up north as well Problem is the trains and infrastructure are in a poor state and no matter how good the customer focus is nothing will get you out of that kind of mess, its more of less the opposite of IE where you get decent infrastructure but non existent customer focus That all said NIR are unique in actually reopening lines and building a new line to link Yorkgate and Belfast Central roughly equivalent problem to Heuston Connolly but without a Park Tunnel Behind the scenes there is a lot of cooperation going on, having a common rule book across an international boundary is quite an achievement. It took only 2 test runs for IE to gain approval to run the 29000 units across both routes to Belfast. There are a few things that could have been done in the mid 1990's like standardised radio and cab signaling but they wheren't and can't be done now due to EU rules From a passenger point of view I can't see much benefit really, you can already get a ticket from say Cobh to Bangor and it works, for all it matters Dublin Belfast looks as if it is run by a third company, its all but impossible to know if its IE or NIR operating the train you are on since its a common fleet. Last edited by Mark Gleeson : 26-01-2006 at 18:10.

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26-01-2006, 11:15	#2
PaulM Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 826	I have very limited experience with Translink but if this were too happen... Engineering duties -> IE CS duties -> Translink We may have a decent company that way.

26-01-2006, 11:58	#4
PaulM Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 826	How would you do it Mark? All I know is that Translink employees are generally friendly and helpful (the ones I've spoken to) is that their only quality? I don't know anything else about them really.

26-01-2006, 18:20	#6
Maskhadov Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 74	It of course would be very good news for rail users on all parts of the island. The future of the network would be better securied, better services could be offered and more efficiencies in the system could be made. But I dont think Unionists would really back the proposal for I.E to take over up north. Maybe a new commerical company could be formed with backing from the two governments and the company committed to meeting certain critera set out by both governments. Would that really be popular down south ?