Belmond acquires 10 mk3 carriages

[Destructix]

It’s all aboard the tourism train as Ireland is set to get its very own Orient Express.

Dubbed the Belmond Grand Hibernian, the country’s first luxury overnight train is set to tour the magnificent countryside and coastal scenery of both the Republic and the North — but it’ll set you back a pretty penny.

Offering two-, four-, and six-night rail experiences, with a two-night all-inclusive stay costing €3,200, it has been confirmed that the sleeper train will visit key destinations in Cork, Dublin, and Belfast.

Daily excursions to tour historic estates, famous golf courses, and landmarks are also included in the price, as is food and drink.

Due to arrive in 2016, Belmond Ltd has already acquired 10 carriages from Irish Rail and is in the process of transforming them into luxury accommodation for up to 40 tourists.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland...ss-297980.html

Couple of questions.

It doesn't mention other cities Limerick, Galway, Waterford or Kilkenny (though technically a town) etc just Dublin, Cork and Belfast so it appears this service will only be operating on the mainline/enterprise.

Will there be any reductions from services out of Heuston to accommodate this train?

How many times a day/week/month/year will this service run?

Will this train be making any stops at the larger towns on the mainline/Belfast line like Portlaoise, Thurles, Mallow, Dundalk and Drogheda and if so where will the train be parked up whilst the tourists are visiting these towns? (then again apart from Holycross Abbey which is a good 4 miles outside Thurles I can't think of many tourist attractions in the above mentioned towns)

It mentions sleeper cabins so will this train be operating late into the night or will it be parked up in Kent/Heuston/Connolly/Belfast?

I'm not against this service and I'd imagine most of us on here would welcome a service like this as long as it doesn't affect intercity/commuter services.

What's your thoughts/opinions?

[Jamie2k9]

I expect the operator hasn't a clue about locations in Ireland and probably got a map to see the bog 3. Cities. As for Killenny I expect it may not be allowed operate into there assuming it runs in 7/8 unit and locomotive cant be changed without a lot of work.

Shouldn't see why a reduction a reduction to regular services would happen, all lines have running slots free and plenty of drivers.

Would say May-September it will be kept busy while April/October operated at lower freq.

As for affecting services don't think it will and expect it will run against the peak flow of traffic to match demand of.tourist travel.

[Mark Gleeson]

RUI actually was consulted by the parent company behind this two years ago. All very hush hush. We did tell them to grab a push push control car to save a lot of trouble doesn't look like they did

From the information I have to hand from as recently as yesterday at least the following stations are involved.

Dublin
Belfast
Cork
Midleton
Limerick
Galway

This is operating on a charter basis, Irish Rail provide the locomotive and driver. Train will be 100mph capable so will not be an issue to schedule into current timetables. Mk3 has go anywhere rights so there is no destination it cannot reach. There was a Dublin Midleton charter last week which went mostly unnoticed

Train will overnight parked up at a station en route, so place like Athlone, Charleville, Ballybrophy

[Mickey H]

The Middelton train mentioned was Cravens. mk3 coaches are now only permitted as far as Ballymena on the translink network (having in years past gone to Derry and Portrush) but an extra Guard would be needed as translink staff not trained on them and Irish Rail do not sign the route.

They are not passed to Bangor or Larne

[Mark Gleeson]

Mk3 coaches have clearance for every single Irish Rail route, including several closed and freight only lines (Navan, Mullingar-Athlone)

Mk3 should currently be good for Dublin Belfast, Portadown Antrim Belfast as there is a Mk3 van in the Enterprise and the Antrim route is cleared for Enterprise diversions. No other routes are currently cleared in NI

[berneyarms]

This will not impact on normal services at all. There is tons of capacity around the network to operate additional services such as these.

Effectively it is a luxury hotel on rails that will tour around the country, with the passengers staying overnight on board at certain locations, such as where there is a loop platform that is not required for crossing purposes at those times.

They've yet to outline in public exactly what tours will be offered, so we will have to wait until that happens, but I imagine it will involve any major attractions that are within a reasonable distance of the railway.

If you want an idea of what is involved, have a look at what the company operates across the water:

http://www.belmond.com/northern-belle-train/journeys
http://www.belmond.com/northern-bell...n/short-breaks

Railtours Ireland operated a full week long tour of much of the country in September using the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland coaches, with guests staying in luxury accommodation, and taking coaches where needed to visit attractions.

It's great to see some positive developments such as these for the railway.

[dowlingm]

I thought aircon Mk3s couldn't be pushpulled with a Mark 3 DVT, unless the idea was that the coaches be wired for it during refit? In any event if 071s or 111s had to be used then they would have to haul anyway.

Presumably a refit as significant as this would not make an accessible toilet a major extra spend, but aren't the doors an issue too, as it was for Chiltern? Or would a service such as this be able to plead an exemption of some sort?

[Jamie2k9]

I thought aircon Mk3s couldn't be pushpulled with a Mark 3 DVT, unless the idea was that the coaches be wired for it during refit? In any event if 071s or 111s had to be used then they would have to haul anyway.

201s are only restricted on Rosslare/Sligo and Limerick branch lines. Given the work needed the cost of wiring would be nothing.

Some of the DVTs were scrapped years ago and one that was purchased to be displayed in Ennis so there was only 3 (possibly 4?) so maybe it was an option to get one.

[dowlingm]

There's always the NIR DVT (DBSO)

It would be a shocker for that to finally make a return on what was spent on it!

[Mickey H]

Originally Posted by dowlingm

There's always the NIR DVT (DBSO)

It would be a shocker for that to finally make a return on what was spent on it!

It was sold to the Downpatrick museum line in October and all the driving equipment was removed from the cab before it went. It would not be electrically compatable with the mk3s anyway

[dowlingm]

t'was said merely in jest Mickey. I have no doubt that doing anything with that yoke would be a money pit. Probably easier to mate it with a Mk4 DVT!

[Destructix]

Looks like they might have taken RUI advice and acquired a push/pull set.

Thursday 17th July:

071 class no. 077 hauling 5 standard class coaches, 1 CityGold coach and Push/Pull DVT no. 6105 from North Wall to Inchicore Works for storage.

Source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SadgN9AEuic

[Jamie2k9]

That DVT looks like 6105 which is the one that went to Clare.

[Mark Gleeson]

6105 is sitting in Ennis

Once plans for Enterprise got pulled the DVT's vanished pretty quickly. 6105 was long flagged for ITG use. They have both a C class and a 121 class both of whom should be able to talk to the DVT, but they also picked up a non PP MK3 71xx series coach as well