The Cork Dublin Express Train has entered service

[Mark Gleeson]

Great laugh today 9:30 Cork Dublin

IT went nuts on coach D, but that wasn't all about 2 miles from Lisduff (the quarry beyond Templemore) the PA awakes in the usual robo voice

Due to a mechnical fault on the train there may be a need to detrain, remain onboard until the driver instructs you to leave

Or something close to that

About 15 seconds later the brakes come on hard and I mean as hard as they go and we go from 80-85mph to about 60 mph now of course there is a 70 limit through Lisduff but we dropped to 60 mph which got me somewhat worried

At this point people get really concerned around me, worst case its a suspension bolt nothing that hasn't happened before.

Then the PA does the driver contacting train manager chime and the train manager comes on and instructs us to ignore it

[comcor]

Next week, I get my first run up to Dublin since these were brought in.

The 9:30am set ex-Cork will be a CDE, but the 9pm set ex-Dublin will still be a Mark III.

Is that correct?

[Mark Gleeson]

All Mk4 next week, in fact today should have been all Mk4 bar the 10:40/14:30 but the citygold from Cork this morning was Mk3 since there was a Mk4 breakdown in Heuston last night

21:00 ex Dublin has been Mk4 since September

[comcor]

Originally Posted by comcor

Next week, I get my first run up to Dublin since these were brought in.

The 9:30am set ex-Cork will be a CDE, but the 9pm set ex-Dublin will still be a Mark III.

Is that correct?

I've been offline with a bust computer all week, but a quick follow up to this.

The best news was that both trains actually arrived a little early. God bless timetable padding...

I was very impressed on the 9:30 up to Dublin. The customer service was at a level I hadn't expected of Irish Rail. The 21:00 to Cork was more like the IE of old. No trolley because of staff shortages, just the standard ticket checker, but no sign of a train manager.

PIS worked in both directions. On the way back it announced that passengers for Kerry could change in Mallow, which is not the case on that train. I was wondering if there was any chance of a quiet carriage where passengers could just read the display and not need to hear the incessant announcements in two languages.

I didn't find the ride quality to be problematic (I was in coach D to Dublin and coach F to Cork). It did seem to sway more than I remembered between Charleville and Limerick Junction, but if anything, it was better between Mallow and Cork where the springiness in the Mark IIIs meant that it never stopped bouncing.

Reserved seats were clearly indicated on the train although, there was no indication of who had actually reserved them.

As a side note, the train was very crowded after Limerick Junction with people standing from Port Laoise onwards.

And it stops too much. Cork-Dublin trains should only stop in Mallow (with connections to Kerry and future Cork suburban), Thurles (with a connection to Limerick using the bay platform) and Port Laoise (with connections to Dublin suburban). Everything else is unneccessary.

[Mark Gleeson]

If its a Mk4 there must be a train manager on board, its the rules

He or she is probably hiding in first class they seem to do that on the 21:00

From January way fewer stops at most 5 generally only 3 or 4

[sean]

Have the inital problems with these trains been sorted out now?

[MrX]

I was on a MK4 CityGold coach to Cork yesterday and I have to say that there were no problems at all. Service was excellent, my luggage was stowed in the luggage car as it was oversized, the train manager was very attentive, seats were excellent (reclining mechanism is better than in business class on many planes!)
In-seat audio worked, laptop power sockets worked, it was clean and tidy.

The ride seemed as good as MK3, didn't notice any bumps/shakes/rattles.

Perhaps I was on a coach that has received the necessary modifications?

The announcement system worked pefectly too. Even announcing "Mind the gap" as the doors opened at Kent Station Cork.

Only slight glitch was that we departed Heuston a couple of mins late. This was explained over the PA. Apparently we were waiting on a signal and couldn't leave the platform until it changed colour.
We arrived in Cork within 3 mins of the due time.

[Mark Gleeson]

Since we know the set that hit the debris in Templemore was 4004, all servicable Mk4 sets have the modifications, 4004 doesn't

Its is a big improvement, the ride is always better the further down the train you are, its still not perfect and I get a continuous vibration added to a occasional forwards and backwards motion

First is cool, the seats are great

[Mark Gleeson]

Good news is that

1) The 13 zero hours pa has been changed to 13 hundred hours
2) The ride modifications are a massive improvement

Bad news

1) Internal doors seem to be locked open on all trains
2) There was no trolley service on the 13:00 today
3) Electronic seat reservations where broken as well

I can as well confirm the stuttering PA problem, I only noticed it when the PA said Heuston and repeated the exact same message 5 minutes later and said Dublin Heuston, it seemed to have trouble with it en route

The customer service end was not up to standard either

[Mark Gleeson]

The interior doors where working on the 5:30 this morning

The 9:00 Dublin Cork seemed to have problems with its brakes and what is this a orange loco on the end

Bad news is IE have little chance of delivering the timetable on Jan 14th

Out of 8 trains
2 have yet to enter service, one of which is still undergoing modifications
1 has been withdrawn with accident damage (unknown duration), also needs modifications (7 days work)

So 3 short, 10 days to go

This means not enough coaches to cover the expanded Limerick service

[Colm Moore]

The 0830 ex-Cork isn't a direct service, so presumably that takes some of the pressure off.

Surely there is a spare set?

[Mark Gleeson]

Morning from Tralee is regularly full

They need 7 Mk4 sets and 1 spare, only 5 are currently on the books as available, there wont be a spare on Jan 14th. The current record is 3 breakdowns in 9 hours. Set 8 is still undergoing modifications in Connolly, set 4 still needs them, sets 7 and 8 have yet to carry a passenger

All Dublin Cork and Dublin Limerick sets must be 100 mph capable so you need the right kind of spare

[portarlington_user]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Great laugh today 9:30 Cork Dublin

IT went nuts on coach D, but that wasn't all about 2 miles from Lisduff (the quarry beyond Templemore) the PA awakes in the usual robo voice

Due to a mechnical fault on the train there may be a need to detrain, remain onboard until the driver instructs you to leave

Or something close to that

About 15 seconds later the brakes come on hard and I mean as hard as they go and we go from 80-85mph to about 60 mph now of course there is a 70 limit through Lisduff but we dropped to 60 mph which got me somewhat worried

At this point people get really concerned around me, worst case its a suspension bolt nothing that hasn't happened before.

Then the PA does the driver contacting train manager chime and the train manager comes on and instructs us to ignore it

I actually noticed some strange noises myself on that train today, sounded like metal dragging type of thing but as I'm suffering a very bad hangover I wondered if it was all in my head!

[Mark Gleeson]

I was back in coach F and apart from being quite wobbly there where no funny noises I picked up on

The noise to listen for is a solid thump under the floor that might indicate a suspension bolt failure

[IHIR]

got mk4 on friday on 13.30 cork to dublin - just took off and got to just past the tunnel at kent station where the train stopped for 10/15 minutes, no explanation, no apology - got in on time though

[Mark Gleeson]

Did another Mk4 pass you? Sounds like a swap from the 11:00 ex Dublin

That was set 4005 when it left Heuston at 9:00 am it stopped at Inchicore for 20 seconds

[IHIR]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Did another Mk4 pass you?

I didnt think so but it may have - either way it shouldnt have happened

[2Funki4Wheelz]

Due to arrive 7:35 in Portarlington, arrived at 8.05 after the station intially announcing a 20 min delay, they changing to a 29 minute delay.

Announcement on train when we boarded to "apologise the the passengers and also to those who have just boarded" (more passengers??) for the delay which was due to electrical failures between Ballybrophy and Port and (I think) Thurles and Templemore.

Got into Heuston at about 8:50, PA announcements there apologising for inconvenience too.

Dying to see how the service goes when it gets pushed back by 10 mins in Jan. Will I ever see 8:30 on the clock in Heuston??