Northern Ireland Railways
Encyclopedia
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways (UTR), is the railway operator in Northern Ireland
. NIR is a subsidiary of Translink
, whose parent company is the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company
(NITHCo), and is thus one of only two state-owned train operators in the United Kingdom
, the other being East Coast
. It has a common Board of Management with the other two companies in the group, Ulsterbus
and Metro
(formerly Citybus). The rail network in Northern Ireland is not part of the National Rail
network of Great Britain
and because of this separation, NIR is the only commercial, non-heritage, passenger operator in the United Kingdom to operate a vertical integration
model, with responsibility of all aspects of the network including running trains, maintaining rolling stock and infrastructure, pricing etc.
(UTA), which had operated the province's railways since 1948. Much of the railway network closed during the 1950s and 1960s, declining from 900 miles (1,500 km) to 206.61 miles (330.58 km) at present.
Suffering frequent disruption and damage to infrastructure caused by the Troubles, and starved of investment by successive political administrations, the NIR network had become badly run down by the 1960s, with old rolling stock and poorly maintained track. NIR's last steam locomotives were withdrawn in 1970.
In 1970, NIR started using new rolling stock to re-launch the once popular Enterprise service between Dublin and Belfast. These trains comprised new three diesel locomotives (the NIR Class 101 built by Hunslet in England) and Mark 2B
carriages built by BREL
. Despite frequent interruptions due to bomb scares, the service has remained a more or less constant feature of the NIR network.
As older trains became obsolete in the 1970s, a new type of diesel-electric multiple unit was introduced to the network, called the Class 80
. BREL
built these units between 1974 and 1977 to British Rail
's MK 2B
design with some trailer cars rebuilt from hauled stock. The power cars are powered by an English Electric
4SRKT engine, nicknamed 'Thumpers' due to their characteristic sound, and are equipped with two English Electric 538 traction motors. These entered service on the suburban lines around Belfast
, becoming a stalwart on the whole network. Now a rare sight, a few of these slam-door trains remain in service primarily on the Larne-Belfast line, as well as the Coleraine-Portrush Line. In the early 1980s, NIR also purchased one of the prototype single car LEV Railbuses
built to test the railbus
concept on the British network. This was intended for use on the Coleraine-Portrush branch
, but was withdrawn due to the capacity constraints of operating a single car on the route. A plan was also mooted to utilise the vehicle on the Lisburn-Antrim line
to prevent it from being closed. This proposal failed again because of the limited capacity provided by the vehicle.
NIR have three EMD class 111 (111–113) for freight and passenger use and were built in 1980 (111–112) and 1984 (113).
During the eighties it was apparent that additional trains would be needed. BREL built nine 450 Class
sets on former MK 1
underframes between 1985 and 1987. The power cars are powered by an English Electric 4SRKT engine recovered from former 70 Class units (except 457 which uses the engine recovered from 80 Class power car 88) and are equipped with two English Electric 538 traction motors and is a three car diesel-electric multiple unit, based on a more modern British design, with air operated sliding doors. Now in the process of a mid-life refurbishment, these trains continue in service.
In 1994, NIR bought two EMD 208 Class locomotives
, identical to Iarnród Éireann
's 201 Class
. These haul the cross-border Enterprise, dedicated sets of modern carriages.
In 2004/2005, NIR received delivery of twenty-three 3000 class
diesel multiple unit
s from CAF
of Spain, in an order which totalled £80m. The final unit, 3023, arrived in Belfast Harbour on 18 July 2005. All units had entered service by 24 September 2005. They operate principally between Bangor, Portadown and Derry and Belfast.
NIR is in the process of withdrawing the 80 Class
DMUs, which have been replaced by the C3K
units. A limited number of these units have been refurbished to operate peak time Larne Town services, with one 450 Class utilised to operate the Coleraine-Portrush
shuttle, freeing the C3K trains from this task for longer routes, as well as filling other gaps in the timetable. A further two car 80 Class unit is utilsed as NIR's sandite
train. The nine 450 Class
units primarily operate the service between Belfast and Larne Harbour. The Class 111 locomotives used to operate one passenger service each weekday, with a rake of eight modified Class 488
coaches that were formerly used by Gatwick Express
, combined with a former Mark 2B
coach converted for use as a generator van. In NIR service these are known as "Gatwick Set".
In 2006 a DBSO
was purchased from Rivera Trains to add to the Gatwick Set, with the three locomotives in the process of being converted to push-pull
operation. This was intended to allow the rake of "Gatwick" stock, which does not have its own driving car, to be utilised to a greater extent because it will negate the need to run the locomotive around. This arrived on 26th June 2009 and was expected to enter service later that year, but has since been placed into warm store along with the Gatwick Set at both Fort William Depot and Lisburn station sidings, with the DBSO Stored in NIR's York Road Depot. The purchase of the new C4K units is intended to totally replace NIR's old fleet, with both the Class 80s and Class 450s to be deleted. The intention with the "Gatwick" set is to maintain it as a "strategic reserve" for both Enterprise and mainline NIR services.
NIR also owns two 201 Class
locomotives and 14 De Dietrich Stock coaches which are shared with a similar number owned by Iarnród Éireann
and used by Enterprise.
In 2005, NIR investigated the possibility of obtaining seven Class 222
DEMUs built for the British network
. In the event, these entered service with their intended operator Midland Mainline
. The trains would have required significant modification to enable NIR to use them, not least of which would have been their conversion from standard gauge
to Irish gauge.
In 2007, NIR announced plans to purchase up to 20 new trains under its "New Trains 2010" proposal following the confirmation of its expected budget. It is planned that this fleet will replace the remaining Class 80 and Class 450 trains from 2011. Renamed as "New Trains Two", this project went out to tender in late 2007, with the company due to be appointed in early 2009. Work on the new trains would begin shortly thereafter with the units entering service from 2011 onwards. In March 2009 it was announced that CAF
had been selected to build the new fleet, renamed as Class 4000. The first units were delivered in March 2011, with entry into service in October At the same time, the last Class 80 units were withdrawn from passenger service, although a set will continue to be used as NI Railways' sandite
train.
NIR operates regular passenger services along the following major routes (only major stations are listed):
On the cross-border route between Belfast and Dublin, NIR operates a joint service of fast trains under the name Enterprise in conjunction with the national railway company of the Republic of Ireland, Iarnród Éireann
.
, Coleraine, Ballymena
, Antrim and Belfast.
The infrastructure of the Lisburn-Antrim railway line
is still maintained, and occasional crew training operations are performed on the line. While it is also available as a diversionary route, Ballinderry, Glenavy and Crumlin stations have closed.
put in place an investment programme costing £100 million to bring about major improvements to the railways. This programme saw various projects including the purchase of the new 3000 Class trains, the complete relaying of track on the Belfast-Larne line and the construction of a new maintenance depot. Following the completion of this, Translink, as part of its long-term investment programme for NIR, conducted what it termed the "Strategic Rail Review" in 2004, an independent review of rail services to determine its funding request under the Comprehensive Spending Review. This report determined that so-called "lesser used lines" were an important and economically viable part of the total network, and that investment should be consistent rather than in the "stop-go" manner of previous years.
A debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly
on 14 May 2007 raised several proposals as to how the railway network could be improved:
Further proposals from external pressure groups have advocated the protection of former routes, where the track has been lifted but the trackbed remains intact, to enable these routes to be reinstated in the future in the event of the growth of commuter traffic as an alternative to increased road building.
In October 2007, following the CSR which provided funding allocation to the Northern Ireland Executive
, the Department for Regional Development
was able to announce its draft budget. Conor Murphy
, the Regional Development Minister, stated that approximately £137 million could be allocated from this draft budget for investment in the railways for the period 2008-2011.
In June 2008, Brian Guckian, an independent transport researcher from Dublin, presented a wide ranging proposal to Translink for a £460 million expansion of the network in Northern Ireland called Northern Ireland Network Enhancement (NINE). This proposes the return of the network to several towns that have not had access to rail services for many years; the main part of the proposal would see the Derry-Portadown line re-opened, which would link Omagh
, Strabane
and Dungannon
, with branches to Enniskillen
and Armagh
. In addition, this plan would see the re-introduction of services into the centre of Newry
through a short spur from Goraghwood, and the introduction of the long-proposed rail link to Belfast International Airport via the Lisburn-Antrim line. This proposal has been tied together with the cross-border link to Donegal, as it would potentially allow travel from Letterkenny
to Dublin via Omagh in approximately three and a half hours.
At present, the rail network in Northern Ireland is concentrated around the Greater Belfast
area. Both the Bangor and Larne lines have been re-laid in recent years, enabling timetable improvements to be delivered. The only significant "inter-city" routes are the main line
between Belfast and Dublin, which covers services to Newry
, and the Belfast-Derry line. This line is single track
with passing points north of Mossley West
, and single track only west of Coleraine
, which causes the service to the second city to be limited, both in terms of service frequency and service speed; according to the current timetable, the train takes 2hr 20 m while the bus takes an hour less. The pressure group Into the West, which campaigns for improved rail links to the North-West region, have stated that the need for a quality rail service, as part of a larger integrated transport policy, is vital to the economic development not just for the city of Derry, but for the wider cross-border region as a whole.
On 21 November 2007, the Regional Development Minister announced that the investment strategy being considered by the NI Executive included the relaying of the Belfast-Derry line north of Coleraine
. This project is planned to include new signalling and a new passing loop, thereby allowing more trains on the route. The cost has been estimated at £64 million, and has been projected to begin in 2011, lasting two years. Prior to the major relaying of the Coleraine-Derry section, £12 million will be spent on improving the section between Ballymena
and Coleraine, on which work has already begun. This will see the stretch of line between Ballymena and Coleraine close completely for four months, with a replacement bus service substituting. Trains will continue to run between Derry, Coleraine and Portrush
, with a small fleet of trains stabled at Coleraine for this purpose, however 4 trains have been stabled instead of the 3 previously reported. Once the project has been completed, there is a further proposal to add two additional trains per day to the route, enabling journey times between Belfast and Derry to be reduced by up to 30 minutes. As part of this plan, Translink envisage an hourly service to Derry, with a half-hourly service to Ballymena. In addition, there have been proposals to improve the Belfast-Dublin line between Knockmore
and Lurgan
, enabling journey times to be reduced and frequency to be increased on this route. This will improve not only NIR's services, but also allow an hourly Enterprise service to Dublin.
In May 2008, the Regional Development Minister announced that his department would commission a study, in conjunction with Donegal County Council, to investigate the effects a resurrection of railway services in the north-west of Ireland. This is with a long-term projection of building a railway line connecting Derry with Sligo
through County Donegal
.
As part of NI Railways' plans for its new rolling stock, it is constructing a new traincare depot next to Adelaide station on the site of the old freight yard. As a means of improving timings of its services, Belfast Great Victoria Street is planned to undergo a major refurbishment that will see the platforms lengthened and the curves reduced, together with the addition of a new fifth platform, all of which is planned to bring about the transfer of Enterprise's services from . This would see Enterprise terminating trains at the city's central terminus.
Further plans are afoot to double the track from Monkstown to Templepatrick, to further increase capacity on the Londonderry line. This is due to be completed by January 2015.
route could one day re-open, potentially to offer an alternative Antrim - Lisburn - Belfast service. The line is maintained both for crew training and as a diversion, and passes very close to Belfast International Airport
at Aldergrove. For a number of years there have been suggestions that a new station
be built on the line for trains to serve the airport. The Airport has marked the building of a new station in its list of future plans, while EasyJet
, which is the largest operator into Belfast International, have been strong in advocating an airport rail link. The reopening of the Lisburn-Antrim line is seen not simply in terms of provision of a link to the airport however - it would also allow for the further economic development of the area, which has seen increases in population as people use the towns in South Antrim as dormitary settlements for Belfast. In May 2009, the Minister for Regional Development stated that a proposal had been received from a private developer, the Kilbride Group, to restore the Knockmore line, indicating that he would be prepared to part fund a study into this if the local authorities provided the rest of the funding. The route is also included in a wider study of the development of the Northern Rail Corridor due at the end of 2009
The Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015 identifies the need to improve transport links to Belfast City Airport from the city centre. The BMAP proposed a light rail
system from the city centre that would have interchanged with a new railway station
at Tillysburn, which could serve both the airport and the Holywood Exchange
retail development. However, in April 2008, the decision was taken not to proceed with the light rail project, with the DRD instead choosing to implement a new bus based network. The pressure group Rail 21 have also stated that the Tillysburn proposal is insufficient for what the new station is expected to provide - a link to the airport, transport provision for Holywood Exchange and a park and ride
facility. Instead they propose that, instead of the Tillysburn station, which will still be some distance from the airport terminal, providing rail links to the airport, a dedicated airport station, similar to , should be connected directly to the terminal, with Tillysburn located half a mile away serving Holywood Exchange.
There have also been calls, as part of the wider upgrade of the rail route to Derry
, for a railway station connecting to City of Derry Airport
, which is close to the railway line. However, the Government have determined that the number of passengers using the airport is not sufficient to justify a new railway station.
trains has been considered a success, this is tempered by fact that they were a like for like replacement for the Class 80 units, rather than an expansion of the fleet. Due to the limited number of new units in service, some of NIR's older rolling stock has had to be retained, most notably the entire Class 450
on the Belfast-Larne route. To enable NIR to maintain its levels of service, it has set about upgrading some of its older rolling stock. In 2005, the entire Class 450 fleet was refurbished to a standard close to that of the Class 3000 units, which, it is intended, will see them through to their intended withdrawal date of around 2012. There will be refurbishment of up to three 4-car Class 80 units, and the conversion of the locomotives and coaches to push-pull operation with the addition of the DBSO obtained from 'one', to ensure that passenger rolling stock levels can be maintained up to the introduction of new rolling stock.
One of the major projects instigated by Translink is what it initially termed "New Trains Two" (formerly "New Trains 2010"), which will see the purchase of a new batch of rolling stock. At minimum, this was to be a like for like replacement of the Class 450
trains, which are due to be withdrawn by 2012. However, it has been determined that in order to deliver improved frequency of service on the network the size of NIR's fleet must be increased, and with that must come associated infrastructure improvements. The announcement of the investment programme confirmed "New Trains 2010", which will procure at least 20 new trains to both replace the remaining Class 80
and Class 450 units and provide additional capacity. The specification given by the DRD also states that the new trains are to be used to provide both inner and outer suburban commuter services and express services between Belfast and Dublin. The Class 4000 fleet is estimated to enter service by 2011. A total of twenty 3-car units have been specified to be purchased, with an option to purchase an additional twenty vehicles allowing the fleet to be lengthened to 4-cars.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. NIR is a subsidiary of Translink
Translink (Northern Ireland)
Translink is the brand name of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company , a public corporation in Northern Ireland which provides the public transport in the region. NI Railways, Ulsterbus and Metro are all part of Translink....
, whose parent company is the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company
Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company
The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company is a government-owned body which was established in 1967 to take over the railway and bus services of the Ulster Transport Authority , namely Northern Ireland Railways and Ulsterbus...
(NITHCo), and is thus one of only two state-owned train operators in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the other being East Coast
East Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
. It has a common Board of Management with the other two companies in the group, Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus is a public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside Belfast. It is part of Translink , which also includes Northern Ireland Railways, Metro Belfast and Flexibus.-Services:Ulsterbus is responsible for most of the province-wide bus...
and Metro
Metro (Belfast)
Metro is the trading name for bus company Citybus in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a subsidiary of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, within the common management structure of Translink, along with Ulsterbus and Northern Ireland Railways....
(formerly Citybus). The rail network in Northern Ireland is not part of the National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
network of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and because of this separation, NIR is the only commercial, non-heritage, passenger operator in the United Kingdom to operate a vertical integration
Vertical integration
In microeconomics and management, the term vertical integration describes a style of management control. Vertically integrated companies in a supply chain are united through a common owner. Usually each member of the supply chain produces a different product or service, and the products combine to...
model, with responsibility of all aspects of the network including running trains, maintaining rolling stock and infrastructure, pricing etc.
History
NIR was formed in 1968 when it took over from the Ulster Transport AuthorityUlster Transport Authority
The Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.-Formation and consolidation:The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
(UTA), which had operated the province's railways since 1948. Much of the railway network closed during the 1950s and 1960s, declining from 900 miles (1,500 km) to 206.61 miles (330.58 km) at present.
Suffering frequent disruption and damage to infrastructure caused by the Troubles, and starved of investment by successive political administrations, the NIR network had become badly run down by the 1960s, with old rolling stock and poorly maintained track. NIR's last steam locomotives were withdrawn in 1970.
In 1970, NIR started using new rolling stock to re-launch the once popular Enterprise service between Dublin and Belfast. These trains comprised new three diesel locomotives (the NIR Class 101 built by Hunslet in England) and Mark 2B
British Rail Mark 2
The Mark 2 family of railway carriages were British Rail's second design of carriages. They were built by British Rail workshops between 1964 and 1975...
carriages built by BREL
BREL
British Rail Engineering Limited , was the railway systems engineering division of British Rail, until the design and building of trains in the UK was privatised in 1993. On 31 October 1969, the company was incorporated as British Rail Engineering Limited.-Main products:The vast majority of BREL's...
. Despite frequent interruptions due to bomb scares, the service has remained a more or less constant feature of the NIR network.
As older trains became obsolete in the 1970s, a new type of diesel-electric multiple unit was introduced to the network, called the Class 80
NIR 80 Class
The Class 80 is a type of diesel electric multiple unit in service with Northern Ireland Railways.-History:By the early 1970s the MEDs and units inherited from the GNR had been in service for 20 years, and the MPDs for 10 years. To replace these increasingly life-expired units, Northern Ireland...
. BREL
BREL
British Rail Engineering Limited , was the railway systems engineering division of British Rail, until the design and building of trains in the UK was privatised in 1993. On 31 October 1969, the company was incorporated as British Rail Engineering Limited.-Main products:The vast majority of BREL's...
built these units between 1974 and 1977 to British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
's MK 2B
British Rail Mark 2
The Mark 2 family of railway carriages were British Rail's second design of carriages. They were built by British Rail workshops between 1964 and 1975...
design with some trailer cars rebuilt from hauled stock. The power cars are powered by an English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
4SRKT engine, nicknamed 'Thumpers' due to their characteristic sound, and are equipped with two English Electric 538 traction motors. These entered service on the suburban lines around Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, becoming a stalwart on the whole network. Now a rare sight, a few of these slam-door trains remain in service primarily on the Larne-Belfast line, as well as the Coleraine-Portrush Line. In the early 1980s, NIR also purchased one of the prototype single car LEV Railbuses
British Rail Railbuses
British Rail produced a variety of Railbuses as a means both of building new rolling stock cheaply, and to provide services on lightly used lines economically.-Terminology:...
built to test the railbus
Railbus
A railbus is a very lightweight type passenger rail vehicle that shares many aspects of their construction with a bus, usually having a bus, or modified bus body, and having four wheels on a fixed base, instead of on bogies...
concept on the British network. This was intended for use on the Coleraine-Portrush branch
Coleraine-Portrush railway line
The Coleraine-Portrush line is a short branch railway line in Northern Ireland between the town of Coleraine in County Londonderry and the seaside resort of Portrush in County Antrim...
, but was withdrawn due to the capacity constraints of operating a single car on the route. A plan was also mooted to utilise the vehicle on the Lisburn-Antrim line
Lisburn-Antrim railway line
The Lisburn–Antrim railway line is a line of Northern Ireland Railways. It links Knockmore Junction on the Belfast–Newry railway line with on the Belfast–Derry railway line.-History:The line opened in 1871 as the Dublin and Antrim Junction Railway...
to prevent it from being closed. This proposal failed again because of the limited capacity provided by the vehicle.
During the eighties it was apparent that additional trains would be needed. BREL built nine 450 Class
NIR 450 Class
The Class 450 is a type of diesel multiple unit used by Northern Ireland Railways.-History:In the mid 1980s, Northern Ireland Railways was in the process of upgrading its rolling stock. Having already purchased three new locomotives, it then proceeded to purchase replacements for its Class 70...
sets on former MK 1
British Railways Mark 1
British Railways Mark 1 was the family designation for the first standardised designs of railway carriages built by British Railways. Following nationalisation in 1948, BR had continued to build carriages to the designs of the "Big Four" companies , and the Mark 1 was intended to be the...
underframes between 1985 and 1987. The power cars are powered by an English Electric 4SRKT engine recovered from former 70 Class units (except 457 which uses the engine recovered from 80 Class power car 88) and are equipped with two English Electric 538 traction motors and is a three car diesel-electric multiple unit, based on a more modern British design, with air operated sliding doors. Now in the process of a mid-life refurbishment, these trains continue in service.
In 1994, NIR bought two EMD 208 Class locomotives
IE 201 Class
The Iarnród Éireann 201 Class locomotives are the newest and most powerful diesel locomotives operating in Ireland, and were built between 1994 and 1995 by General Motors. They are model type JT42HCW, fitted with an EMD 12-710G3B engine of 3200 hp, weigh 112 tonnes and have a maximum speed of...
, identical to Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
's 201 Class
IE 201 Class
The Iarnród Éireann 201 Class locomotives are the newest and most powerful diesel locomotives operating in Ireland, and were built between 1994 and 1995 by General Motors. They are model type JT42HCW, fitted with an EMD 12-710G3B engine of 3200 hp, weigh 112 tonnes and have a maximum speed of...
. These haul the cross-border Enterprise, dedicated sets of modern carriages.
In 2004/2005, NIR received delivery of twenty-three 3000 class
NIR 3000 Class
The Class 3000 is a class of diesel multiple unit in service with Northern Ireland Railways.-History:At the beginning of the 21st century, the majority of rail services in Northern Ireland continued to be operated using Class 80 DEMUs, which had been in service since the mid 1970s, and were...
diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s from CAF
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles is a rail equipment manufacturer based in Beasain in the Basque Country, Spain. Equipment manufactured by CAF includes light rail vehicles, rapid transit trains, railroad cars and locomotives, as well as variable gauge axles that can be fitted on any...
of Spain, in an order which totalled £80m. The final unit, 3023, arrived in Belfast Harbour on 18 July 2005. All units had entered service by 24 September 2005. They operate principally between Bangor, Portadown and Derry and Belfast.
Performance
The latest performance figures for NI Railways according to Translink are 99% of trains arriving at the final destination within 5 minutes and 100% within 10 minutes of the scheduled time. Among other accolades, NI Railways won the prestigious UK Rail Business of the year for 2008Current fleet
Since the 1950s, services in Northern Ireland have been mainly operated by diesel-electric multiple units rather than locomotive hauled stock. Today, NIR operates three distinct types of DEMU. These are supplemented by a single rake of locomotive hauled stock, which is pulled by one of NIR's three diesel locomotives.| Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Routes operated | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | ||||||
| Class 111 | Diesel locomotive Diesel locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel... |
90 | 145 | 3 | Belfast Belfast Central railway station Belfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic.... - Portadown Portadown railway station Portadown railway station serves Portadown in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The original Portadown station was sited half a mile east of the present station and opened on 12 September 1842, replacing a temporary station at Seagow that had opened the preceding year. The Portadown station was... Infrastructure duties |
1980 - 1981 | |
| Class 80 NIR 80 Class The Class 80 is a type of diesel electric multiple unit in service with Northern Ireland Railways.-History:By the early 1970s the MEDs and units inherited from the GNR had been in service for 20 years, and the MPDs for 10 years. To replace these increasingly life-expired units, Northern Ireland... |
 |
diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
70 | 112 | 1 | Sandite Sandite Sandite is a substance used on railways in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands to combat leaves on the line, which can cause train wheels to slip and become damaged with flat spots... duties |
1974 - 1978 |
| Class 450 NIR 450 Class The Class 450 is a type of diesel multiple unit used by Northern Ireland Railways.-History:In the mid 1980s, Northern Ireland Railways was in the process of upgrading its rolling stock. Having already purchased three new locomotives, it then proceeded to purchase replacements for its Class 70... |
 |
diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
70 | 112 | 8 | Belfast Belfast Central railway station Belfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic.... - Larne Larne Harbour railway station Larne Harbour railway station, Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, serves the ferry port for ferries to Cairnryan and Troon, Scotland and Fleetwood, England... Coleraine - Portrush Coleraine-Portrush railway line The Coleraine-Portrush line is a short branch railway line in Northern Ireland between the town of Coleraine in County Londonderry and the seaside resort of Portrush in County Antrim... |
1985 - 1987 |
| Class 3000 NIR 3000 Class The Class 3000 is a class of diesel multiple unit in service with Northern Ireland Railways.-History:At the beginning of the 21st century, the majority of rail services in Northern Ireland continued to be operated using Class 80 DEMUs, which had been in service since the mid 1970s, and were... |
 |
diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
90 | 145 | 23 | Belfast Belfast Central railway station Belfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic.... - Derry Londonderry railway station Londonderry/Derry Railway Station, known commonly as Waterside Railway Station, serves the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. The station is also used by residents of the west of County Londonderry, much of west Tyrone and County Donegal. It is operated by Northern Ireland Railways... Belfast Belfast Central railway station Belfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic.... - Newry Newry railway station Newry railway station serves Newry in Northern Ireland. The station is in the northwest of the town on the Cross Border line next to the 18-arch, high Craigmore Viaduct.... Belfast Belfast Central railway station Belfast Central is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the four stations located in Belfast City Centre, the others being Great Victoria Street, City Hospital and Botanic.... - Bangor Bangor railway station, Northern Ireland Bangor railway station is a terminal railway station which serves the town of Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland. The station was opened by the Belfast and County Down Railway on 1 May 1865 and closed to goods traffic on 24 April 1950.-Service:... |
2002 - 2004 |
| Class 4000 | Diesel Multiple Unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
90 | 145 | 3 (17 to follow) | Belfast - Larne | 2010 onwards | |
| "Gatwick" Stock British Rail Class 488 The British Rail Class 488 are unpowered trailer sets, converted from Mark 2F coaches for the Gatwick Express service from London Victoria railway station to Gatwick Airport.... |
 |
coaching stock British Rail Mark 2 The Mark 2 family of railway carriages were British Rail's second design of carriages. They were built by British Rail workshops between 1964 and 1975... |
70 | 112 | 8 Carriages | Belfast-Portadown | 1983 - 1984 |
| DBSO Driving Brake Standard Open A Driving Brake Standard Open or DBSO is a type of railway carriage, converted to operate as a control car. Fourteen such vehicles, numbered 9701 to 9714, were converted from Mk. 2F Brake Standard Open carriages. Modifications included adding a driving cab and TDM equipment to allow a locomotive... |
 |
Control Car (rail) Control car (rail) A control car is a generic term for a non-powered railroad vehicle that can control operation of a train from the end opposite to the position of the locomotive... |
100 | 160 | 1 | Belfast-Portadown | 1979 2008 (refurbished) |
NIR is in the process of withdrawing the 80 Class
NIR 80 Class
The Class 80 is a type of diesel electric multiple unit in service with Northern Ireland Railways.-History:By the early 1970s the MEDs and units inherited from the GNR had been in service for 20 years, and the MPDs for 10 years. To replace these increasingly life-expired units, Northern Ireland...
DMUs, which have been replaced by the C3K
NIR 3000 Class
The Class 3000 is a class of diesel multiple unit in service with Northern Ireland Railways.-History:At the beginning of the 21st century, the majority of rail services in Northern Ireland continued to be operated using Class 80 DEMUs, which had been in service since the mid 1970s, and were...
units. A limited number of these units have been refurbished to operate peak time Larne Town services, with one 450 Class utilised to operate the Coleraine-Portrush
Coleraine-Portrush railway line
The Coleraine-Portrush line is a short branch railway line in Northern Ireland between the town of Coleraine in County Londonderry and the seaside resort of Portrush in County Antrim...
shuttle, freeing the C3K trains from this task for longer routes, as well as filling other gaps in the timetable. A further two car 80 Class unit is utilsed as NIR's sandite
Sandite
Sandite is a substance used on railways in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands to combat leaves on the line, which can cause train wheels to slip and become damaged with flat spots...
train. The nine 450 Class
NIR 450 Class
The Class 450 is a type of diesel multiple unit used by Northern Ireland Railways.-History:In the mid 1980s, Northern Ireland Railways was in the process of upgrading its rolling stock. Having already purchased three new locomotives, it then proceeded to purchase replacements for its Class 70...
units primarily operate the service between Belfast and Larne Harbour. The Class 111 locomotives used to operate one passenger service each weekday, with a rake of eight modified Class 488
British Rail Class 488
The British Rail Class 488 are unpowered trailer sets, converted from Mark 2F coaches for the Gatwick Express service from London Victoria railway station to Gatwick Airport....
coaches that were formerly used by Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express is the name given to the frequent rail shuttle service between Victoria station in London and Gatwick Airport in South East England, operated by the Southern franchise...
, combined with a former Mark 2B
British Rail Mark 2
The Mark 2 family of railway carriages were British Rail's second design of carriages. They were built by British Rail workshops between 1964 and 1975...
coach converted for use as a generator van. In NIR service these are known as "Gatwick Set".
In 2006 a DBSO
Driving Brake Standard Open
A Driving Brake Standard Open or DBSO is a type of railway carriage, converted to operate as a control car. Fourteen such vehicles, numbered 9701 to 9714, were converted from Mk. 2F Brake Standard Open carriages. Modifications included adding a driving cab and TDM equipment to allow a locomotive...
was purchased from Rivera Trains to add to the Gatwick Set, with the three locomotives in the process of being converted to push-pull
Push-pull train
Push–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
operation. This was intended to allow the rake of "Gatwick" stock, which does not have its own driving car, to be utilised to a greater extent because it will negate the need to run the locomotive around. This arrived on 26th June 2009 and was expected to enter service later that year, but has since been placed into warm store along with the Gatwick Set at both Fort William Depot and Lisburn station sidings, with the DBSO Stored in NIR's York Road Depot. The purchase of the new C4K units is intended to totally replace NIR's old fleet, with both the Class 80s and Class 450s to be deleted. The intention with the "Gatwick" set is to maintain it as a "strategic reserve" for both Enterprise and mainline NIR services.
NIR also owns two 201 Class
IE 201 Class
The Iarnród Éireann 201 Class locomotives are the newest and most powerful diesel locomotives operating in Ireland, and were built between 1994 and 1995 by General Motors. They are model type JT42HCW, fitted with an EMD 12-710G3B engine of 3200 hp, weigh 112 tonnes and have a maximum speed of...
locomotives and 14 De Dietrich Stock coaches which are shared with a similar number owned by Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
and used by Enterprise.
In 2005, NIR investigated the possibility of obtaining seven Class 222
British Rail Class 222
The British Rail Class 222 is a diesel-electric multiple unit high-speed train capable of . Twenty-seven units have been built by Bombardier Transportation....
DEMUs built for the British network
Rail transport in Great Britain
The railway system in Great Britain is the oldest in the world, with the world's first locomotive-hauled public railway opening in 1825. As of 2010, it consists of of standard gauge lines , of which are electrified. These lines range from single to double, triple, quadruple track and up to twelve...
. In the event, these entered service with their intended operator Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline was a British train operating company owned by the National Express Group and based in Derby. It was created after the privatisation of British Rail. Midland Mainline services operated from April 1996 to November 2007....
. The trains would have required significant modification to enable NIR to use them, not least of which would have been their conversion from standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
to Irish gauge.
In 2007, NIR announced plans to purchase up to 20 new trains under its "New Trains 2010" proposal following the confirmation of its expected budget. It is planned that this fleet will replace the remaining Class 80 and Class 450 trains from 2011. Renamed as "New Trains Two", this project went out to tender in late 2007, with the company due to be appointed in early 2009. Work on the new trains would begin shortly thereafter with the units entering service from 2011 onwards. In March 2009 it was announced that CAF
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles is a rail equipment manufacturer based in Beasain in the Basque Country, Spain. Equipment manufactured by CAF includes light rail vehicles, rapid transit trains, railroad cars and locomotives, as well as variable gauge axles that can be fitted on any...
had been selected to build the new fleet, renamed as Class 4000. The first units were delivered in March 2011, with entry into service in October At the same time, the last Class 80 units were withdrawn from passenger service, although a set will continue to be used as NI Railways' sandite
Sandite
Sandite is a substance used on railways in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands to combat leaves on the line, which can cause train wheels to slip and become damaged with flat spots...
train.
Past fleet
| Class | Image | Type | Built | Withdrawn | Notes |
| MED UTA MED The Ulster Transport Authority Multi-Engined Diesel was an early diesel powered railcar, used in Northern Ireland. The 12-mile Belfast-Bangor railway line had a well used passenger service and, being devoid of goods traffic, was chosen as the testing ground for the diesel railcar era... |
Diesel Multiple Unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
1952-1954 | 1973-1978 | Intended for local services around Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
|
| MPD UTA MPD The Ulster Transport Authority Multi-Purpose Diesel was a diesel powered railcar, used in Northern Ireland. It was developed by the Ulster Transport Authority as a progression of the earlier Multi-engined Diesel... |
Diesel Multiple Unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
1957-1962 | 1981-1984 | Intended for longer distance former NCC Northern Counties Committee The Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. It was built to Irish gauge but later acquired a number of narrow gauge lines... routes and Enterprise |
|
| 70 Class UTA 70 Class UTA 70 class was a diesel multiple unit train built for service on Northern Ireland Railways. The MED’s and MPD’s, which made use of readily available power and transmission units, were cheap to operate but noisier and not as comfortable as locomotive-hauled rolling stock, a fact which made them... |
Diesel Multiple Unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
1966-1968 | 1985-1986 | ||
| 101 Class NIR 101 Class With the return to the working of the Belfast - Dublin "Enterprise" service with coaching stock instead of augmented diesel railcar sets Northern Ireland Railways found itself with no suitable main line diesel locomotives. The Class 101 became the answer to the immediate problem working in... |
 |
Diesel locomotive Diesel locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel... |
1970 | 1989 | Intended for loco hauled Enterprise services |
| 104 Class CIE 201 Class The Córas Iompair Éireann 201 Class was a class of 34 diesel electric locomotives manufactured by Metropolitan-Vickers at their Dukinfield Works in Manchester. They were a smaller, lighter and less powerful version of the 001 Class and were originally intended for branch line passenger and freight... |
Diesel locomotive Diesel locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel... |
1956-1957 | 1993 | Originally built for CIÉ Córas Iompair Éireann Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the... ; six transferred to NIR in 1986 |
|
| RB3 British Rail Railbuses British Rail produced a variety of Railbuses as a means both of building new rolling stock cheaply, and to provide services on lightly used lines economically.-Terminology:... |
Diesel Multiple Unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
1981 | 1989 | Prototype built for British network Rail transport in Great Britain The railway system in Great Britain is the oldest in the world, with the world's first locomotive-hauled public railway opening in 1825. As of 2010, it consists of of standard gauge lines , of which are electrified. These lines range from single to double, triple, quadruple track and up to twelve... ; transferred to NIR in 1983 |
|
| Class 1 NIR 1 Class The DH class of Northern Ireland Railways consisted of three diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotives Numbered 1, 2 & 3. They were built by the English Electric Company, works numbers 3954 - 6, at their Vulcan Foundry works in Newton-le-Willows in 1969. They were of 0-6-0 wheel arrangement and fitted... |
Diesel locomotive Diesel locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel... |
1969 | 1989 | Shunter |
Routes
NIR currently maintains the following railway lines- Belfast-Dublin railway line (from Belfast to the border)Dublin-Belfast railway lineThe Dublin-Belfast main line is a major railway route in Ireland that connects Dublin Connolly station in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast Central station in Northern Ireland.-History:The railway line was built by three separate companies...
- Belfast-Bangor railway line - the northern route of the former Belfast and County Down RailwayBelfast and County Down RailwayThe Belfast and County Down Railway was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland linking Belfast with County Down. It was built in the 19th century and absorbed into the Ulster Transport Authority in 1948...
- Belfast-Larne railway line
- Belfast-Derry railway line
- Coleraine-Portrush railway lineColeraine-Portrush railway lineThe Coleraine-Portrush line is a short branch railway line in Northern Ireland between the town of Coleraine in County Londonderry and the seaside resort of Portrush in County Antrim...
- Lisburn-Antrim railway lineLisburn-Antrim railway lineThe Lisburn–Antrim railway line is a line of Northern Ireland Railways. It links Knockmore Junction on the Belfast–Newry railway line with on the Belfast–Derry railway line.-History:The line opened in 1871 as the Dublin and Antrim Junction Railway...
NIR operates regular passenger services along the following major routes (only major stations are listed):
- Portadown, Lisburn, Belfast Great Victoria Street, Belfast Central, Holywood and Bangor
- Belfast Great Victoria Street, Belfast Central and Larne
- Belfast Great Victoria Street, Belfast Central, Antrim, Ballymena, Coleraine and DerryDerryDerry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
- ColeraineColeraineColeraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
and PortrushPortrushPortrush is a small seaside resort town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on the County Londonderry border. The main part of the old town, including the railway station as well as most hotels, restaurants and bars, is built on a mile–long peninsula, Ramore Head, pointing north-northwest....
On the cross-border route between Belfast and Dublin, NIR operates a joint service of fast trains under the name Enterprise in conjunction with the national railway company of the Republic of Ireland, Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
.
Suspended routes
Following the re-opening of the 15 miles (24.1 km) Antrim - Bleach Green line in June 2001, which had been closed since 1978, NIR ceased passenger operations between Lisburn and Antrim on 29 June 2003. Combined with the newly built Dargan Bridge across the River Lagan in Belfast, the Bleach Green route offered faster journey times between DerryDerry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Coleraine, Ballymena
Ballymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
, Antrim and Belfast.
The infrastructure of the Lisburn-Antrim railway line
Lisburn-Antrim railway line
The Lisburn–Antrim railway line is a line of Northern Ireland Railways. It links Knockmore Junction on the Belfast–Newry railway line with on the Belfast–Derry railway line.-History:The line opened in 1871 as the Dublin and Antrim Junction Railway...
is still maintained, and occasional crew training operations are performed on the line. While it is also available as a diversionary route, Ballinderry, Glenavy and Crumlin stations have closed.
Future
The development of the railways in Northern Ireland has been linked to the future economic growth of the region, and as a way of reducing the levels of congestion on Northern Ireland's roads. One of the major challenges which NI Railways has faced is the limited number of trains available for service at peak times. The limited fleet size has led to services being cancelled due to failures or delays. This can lead to widespread disruption across the network and potentially a huge loss in revenue to Translink. Upon its establishment in 1998, the Northern Ireland AssemblyNorthern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
put in place an investment programme costing £100 million to bring about major improvements to the railways. This programme saw various projects including the purchase of the new 3000 Class trains, the complete relaying of track on the Belfast-Larne line and the construction of a new maintenance depot. Following the completion of this, Translink, as part of its long-term investment programme for NIR, conducted what it termed the "Strategic Rail Review" in 2004, an independent review of rail services to determine its funding request under the Comprehensive Spending Review. This report determined that so-called "lesser used lines" were an important and economically viable part of the total network, and that investment should be consistent rather than in the "stop-go" manner of previous years.
A debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
on 14 May 2007 raised several proposals as to how the railway network could be improved:
- Reopening of existing but closed infrastructure, most notably the Lisburn-Antrim lineLisburn-Antrim railway lineThe Lisburn–Antrim railway line is a line of Northern Ireland Railways. It links Knockmore Junction on the Belfast–Newry railway line with on the Belfast–Derry railway line.-History:The line opened in 1871 as the Dublin and Antrim Junction Railway...
- Improvement of the infrastructure on the Belfast-Derry line through, at the very least, the installation of passing loopPassing loopA passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
s to allow service frequency to be increased, while upgrading the track to allow trains at higher speed. - Purchase of new rolling stock to allow the complete replacement of the remaining 450 Class and 80 ClassNIR 80 ClassThe Class 80 is a type of diesel electric multiple unit in service with Northern Ireland Railways.-History:By the early 1970s the MEDs and units inherited from the GNR had been in service for 20 years, and the MPDs for 10 years. To replace these increasingly life-expired units, Northern Ireland...
units
In October 2007, following the CSR which provided funding allocation to the Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Executive
The Northern Ireland Executive is the executive arm of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. It is answerable to the Assembly and was established according to the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which followed the Good Friday Agreement...
, the Department for Regional Development
Department for Regional Development
The Department for Regional Development is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive...
was able to announce its draft budget. Conor Murphy
Conor Murphy
Conor Terence Murphy is an Irish republican Sinn Féin politician.According to An Phoblacht, Murphy first became involved with the Irish Republican Army during the 1981 hunger strikes...
, the Regional Development Minister, stated that approximately £137 million could be allocated from this draft budget for investment in the railways for the period 2008-2011.
In June 2008, Brian Guckian, an independent transport researcher from Dublin, presented a wide ranging proposal to Translink for a £460 million expansion of the network in Northern Ireland called Northern Ireland Network Enhancement (NINE). This proposes the return of the network to several towns that have not had access to rail services for many years; the main part of the proposal would see the Derry-Portadown line re-opened, which would link Omagh
Omagh
Omagh is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The town, which is the largest in the county, had a population of 19,910 at the 2001 Census. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and...
, Strabane
Strabane
Strabane , historically spelt Straban,is a town in west County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It contains the headquarters of Strabane District Council....
and Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
, with branches to Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
and Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
. In addition, this plan would see the re-introduction of services into the centre of Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
through a short spur from Goraghwood, and the introduction of the long-proposed rail link to Belfast International Airport via the Lisburn-Antrim line. This proposal has been tied together with the cross-border link to Donegal, as it would potentially allow travel from Letterkenny
Letterkenny
Letterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly...
to Dublin via Omagh in approximately three and a half hours.
Infrastructure
Greater Belfast
Greater Belfast is an area surrounding and including Belfast in Northern Ireland.It includes Belfast and parts of the North Down, Lisburn, Castlereagh and Newtownabbey district council areas. Greater Belfast is the largest urban area in Northern Ireland, and second largest in Ireland...
area. Both the Bangor and Larne lines have been re-laid in recent years, enabling timetable improvements to be delivered. The only significant "inter-city" routes are the main line
Dublin-Belfast railway line
The Dublin-Belfast main line is a major railway route in Ireland that connects Dublin Connolly station in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast Central station in Northern Ireland.-History:The railway line was built by three separate companies...
between Belfast and Dublin, which covers services to Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
, and the Belfast-Derry line. This line is single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
with passing points north of Mossley West
Mossley West railway station
Mossley West railway station is located in the townland of Ballyhenry in the north of Newtownabbey, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.In 2008 the station was refurbished as part of a £17 million investment package by NI Railways to improve access for disabled passengers and provide better lighting,...
, and single track only west of Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
, which causes the service to the second city to be limited, both in terms of service frequency and service speed; according to the current timetable, the train takes 2hr 20 m while the bus takes an hour less. The pressure group Into the West, which campaigns for improved rail links to the North-West region, have stated that the need for a quality rail service, as part of a larger integrated transport policy, is vital to the economic development not just for the city of Derry, but for the wider cross-border region as a whole.
On 21 November 2007, the Regional Development Minister announced that the investment strategy being considered by the NI Executive included the relaying of the Belfast-Derry line north of Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
. This project is planned to include new signalling and a new passing loop, thereby allowing more trains on the route. The cost has been estimated at £64 million, and has been projected to begin in 2011, lasting two years. Prior to the major relaying of the Coleraine-Derry section, £12 million will be spent on improving the section between Ballymena
Ballymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
and Coleraine, on which work has already begun. This will see the stretch of line between Ballymena and Coleraine close completely for four months, with a replacement bus service substituting. Trains will continue to run between Derry, Coleraine and Portrush
Portrush
Portrush is a small seaside resort town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on the County Londonderry border. The main part of the old town, including the railway station as well as most hotels, restaurants and bars, is built on a mile–long peninsula, Ramore Head, pointing north-northwest....
, with a small fleet of trains stabled at Coleraine for this purpose, however 4 trains have been stabled instead of the 3 previously reported. Once the project has been completed, there is a further proposal to add two additional trains per day to the route, enabling journey times between Belfast and Derry to be reduced by up to 30 minutes. As part of this plan, Translink envisage an hourly service to Derry, with a half-hourly service to Ballymena. In addition, there have been proposals to improve the Belfast-Dublin line between Knockmore
Knockmore
Knockmore is an upland area and townland situated in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated outside the village of Derrygonnelly, in the historical barony of Magheraboy. This area, together with most of the adjacent Boho parish is described as the Knockmore Scarplands...
and Lurgan
Lurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
, enabling journey times to be reduced and frequency to be increased on this route. This will improve not only NIR's services, but also allow an hourly Enterprise service to Dublin.
In May 2008, the Regional Development Minister announced that his department would commission a study, in conjunction with Donegal County Council, to investigate the effects a resurrection of railway services in the north-west of Ireland. This is with a long-term projection of building a railway line connecting Derry with Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
through County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
As part of NI Railways' plans for its new rolling stock, it is constructing a new traincare depot next to Adelaide station on the site of the old freight yard. As a means of improving timings of its services, Belfast Great Victoria Street is planned to undergo a major refurbishment that will see the platforms lengthened and the curves reduced, together with the addition of a new fifth platform, all of which is planned to bring about the transfer of Enterprise's services from . This would see Enterprise terminating trains at the city's central terminus.
Further plans are afoot to double the track from Monkstown to Templepatrick, to further increase capacity on the Londonderry line. This is due to be completed by January 2015.
Airport links
Speculation remains that the Lisburn-AntrimLisburn-Antrim railway line
The Lisburn–Antrim railway line is a line of Northern Ireland Railways. It links Knockmore Junction on the Belfast–Newry railway line with on the Belfast–Derry railway line.-History:The line opened in 1871 as the Dublin and Antrim Junction Railway...
route could one day re-open, potentially to offer an alternative Antrim - Lisburn - Belfast service. The line is maintained both for crew training and as a diversion, and passes very close to Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport is a major airport located northwest of Belfast in Northern Ireland. It was formerly known and is still referred to as Aldergrove Airport, after the village of the same name lying immediately to the west of the airport. Belfast International shares its runways with...
at Aldergrove. For a number of years there have been suggestions that a new station
Aldergrove railway station
Aldergrove railway station served Aldergrove in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was south of Antrim the station near RAF Aldergrove and Belfast International Airport.-History:...
be built on the line for trains to serve the airport. The Airport has marked the building of a new station in its list of future plans, while EasyJet
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered at London Luton Airport. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom-based airline, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 500 routes between 118 European, North African, and West Asian airports...
, which is the largest operator into Belfast International, have been strong in advocating an airport rail link. The reopening of the Lisburn-Antrim line is seen not simply in terms of provision of a link to the airport however - it would also allow for the further economic development of the area, which has seen increases in population as people use the towns in South Antrim as dormitary settlements for Belfast. In May 2009, the Minister for Regional Development stated that a proposal had been received from a private developer, the Kilbride Group, to restore the Knockmore line, indicating that he would be prepared to part fund a study into this if the local authorities provided the rest of the funding. The route is also included in a wider study of the development of the Northern Rail Corridor due at the end of 2009
The Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015 identifies the need to improve transport links to Belfast City Airport from the city centre. The BMAP proposed a light rail
CITI Belfast
The CITI was a proposed light-rail system that would have served the under-construction Titanic Quarter and George Best Belfast City Airport in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A report revealed that there were not enough people in the city to justify the project, instead using buses to save costs....
system from the city centre that would have interchanged with a new railway station
Tillysburn railway station
Tillysburn railway station is a proposed railway station intended to serve the area between Belfast and Holywood on the Bangor line. The station has been proposed as part of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015 to provide a rail link to both the Holywood Exchange retail development and George...
at Tillysburn, which could serve both the airport and the Holywood Exchange
Holywood Exchange
Holywood Exchange is a major retail development on the borders of Belfast and Holywood, Northern Ireland. It is beside Belfast City Airport, in the townland of Knocknagoney. The site was previously known as D5 and Harbour Exchange...
retail development. However, in April 2008, the decision was taken not to proceed with the light rail project, with the DRD instead choosing to implement a new bus based network. The pressure group Rail 21 have also stated that the Tillysburn proposal is insufficient for what the new station is expected to provide - a link to the airport, transport provision for Holywood Exchange and a park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
facility. Instead they propose that, instead of the Tillysburn station, which will still be some distance from the airport terminal, providing rail links to the airport, a dedicated airport station, similar to , should be connected directly to the terminal, with Tillysburn located half a mile away serving Holywood Exchange.
There have also been calls, as part of the wider upgrade of the rail route to Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, for a railway station connecting to City of Derry Airport
City of Derry Airport
City of Derry Airport is an airport located northeast of Derry, Northern Ireland. It is located on the south bank of Lough Foyle, a short distance from the village of Eglinton and from the city centre...
, which is close to the railway line. However, the Government have determined that the number of passengers using the airport is not sufficient to justify a new railway station.
Rolling stock
Although the introduction of the Class 3000NIR 3000 Class
The Class 3000 is a class of diesel multiple unit in service with Northern Ireland Railways.-History:At the beginning of the 21st century, the majority of rail services in Northern Ireland continued to be operated using Class 80 DEMUs, which had been in service since the mid 1970s, and were...
trains has been considered a success, this is tempered by fact that they were a like for like replacement for the Class 80 units, rather than an expansion of the fleet. Due to the limited number of new units in service, some of NIR's older rolling stock has had to be retained, most notably the entire Class 450
NIR 450 Class
The Class 450 is a type of diesel multiple unit used by Northern Ireland Railways.-History:In the mid 1980s, Northern Ireland Railways was in the process of upgrading its rolling stock. Having already purchased three new locomotives, it then proceeded to purchase replacements for its Class 70...
on the Belfast-Larne route. To enable NIR to maintain its levels of service, it has set about upgrading some of its older rolling stock. In 2005, the entire Class 450 fleet was refurbished to a standard close to that of the Class 3000 units, which, it is intended, will see them through to their intended withdrawal date of around 2012. There will be refurbishment of up to three 4-car Class 80 units, and the conversion of the locomotives and coaches to push-pull operation with the addition of the DBSO obtained from 'one', to ensure that passenger rolling stock levels can be maintained up to the introduction of new rolling stock.
One of the major projects instigated by Translink is what it initially termed "New Trains Two" (formerly "New Trains 2010"), which will see the purchase of a new batch of rolling stock. At minimum, this was to be a like for like replacement of the Class 450
NIR 450 Class
The Class 450 is a type of diesel multiple unit used by Northern Ireland Railways.-History:In the mid 1980s, Northern Ireland Railways was in the process of upgrading its rolling stock. Having already purchased three new locomotives, it then proceeded to purchase replacements for its Class 70...
trains, which are due to be withdrawn by 2012. However, it has been determined that in order to deliver improved frequency of service on the network the size of NIR's fleet must be increased, and with that must come associated infrastructure improvements. The announcement of the investment programme confirmed "New Trains 2010", which will procure at least 20 new trains to both replace the remaining Class 80
NIR 80 Class
The Class 80 is a type of diesel electric multiple unit in service with Northern Ireland Railways.-History:By the early 1970s the MEDs and units inherited from the GNR had been in service for 20 years, and the MPDs for 10 years. To replace these increasingly life-expired units, Northern Ireland...
and Class 450 units and provide additional capacity. The specification given by the DRD also states that the new trains are to be used to provide both inner and outer suburban commuter services and express services between Belfast and Dublin. The Class 4000 fleet is estimated to enter service by 2011. A total of twenty 3-car units have been specified to be purchased, with an option to purchase an additional twenty vehicles allowing the fleet to be lengthened to 4-cars.
External links
- Northern Ireland Railways Revitalisation - Railway Technology
- Irish Railway News - reporting on all aspects of irish railways
- IRTi - Irish Railways News and Operations Message Group & Forum
- Official site
- Eiretrains - Irish Railways Past & Present
- Into the West - the campaign for better rail links in the west of Northern Ireland
- Collection of Google Earth locations of NI Railways stations (Requires Google Earth software) from the Google Earth Community forum.