In a major boost for rail travel on the island of Ireland, it has recently been announced that a new fleet of trains has been ordered for the flagship international Enterprise service which links the two capital cities of Belfast and Dublin. Costing more than £500m, these trains promise to transform travel along the route. In this video we’ll discuss everything you need to know about the new fleet, from their technical capabilities to the passenger facilities they provide. We’re also joined by special guest anoniaino to provide an Irish perspective on the new fleet, and the role they could play in the future of the Irish and Northern Irish rail networks!
Subscribe to anoniaino’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@anoniaino
SOURCES:
https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/electro-diesel-stadler-flirt-trains-selected-to-renew-dublin-belfast-enterprise-fleet/70100.article
https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/news/contract-for-new-enterprise-fleet-formally-signed
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast%E2%80%93Dublin_line
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_(train_service)
https://www.translink.co.uk/Infrastructure-and-Projects/Current-Projects/New-Enterprise-Trains-Project
Landmark deal for new Belfast–Dublin Enterprise fleet signed by Ministers
https://www.modernrailways.com/article/stadler-wins-enterprise-replacement-deal
https://www.stadlerrail.com/en/media/media-releases/premiere-eight-stadler-trains-for-ireland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaching_stock_of_Ireland#De_Dietrich_(1997%E2%80%93present)
34 Comments
Wait? What I knew this before Micheal? Usually I know stuff from NN!
Slight correction: It sounds like the £548m price tag also includes infrastructure enhancements required to get the journey times down to less than two hours, rather than just being for the trains
Thanks for having me on 🙏.
I think these might possibly be the best model of train we could have ordered for this. It’s very pleasing.
Thank god they didn't go with CAF. CAFs quality is extremely questionable these days. Given how incredible the 745s are, I think these will be just as good or even better. I have to say though, I'm extremely disappointed that Stadler is the only company that implements level boarding as standard.
FLIRTS again 🙁 Those things are really appearing everywhere on the globe.
I completely agree that while the flirts will bring a needed upgrade to the intercity route between dublin and belfast, i also agree that it would be nice if they were introduced to other intercity routes, i also think dublin to belfast should be half hourly considering it is the only intercity link between belfast and the republic of ireland, i suspect that route has high demands
world peace will be achieved when we get a Dublin-Liverpool international service, that'll be the real northern powerhouse rail…
FLIRT no longer stands for Fast Light Intercity Regional Train instead it now stands for Fast Light and Innovative Regional Train.
Woop
Irish rail also just dropped it's 2050 strategy
I suspect many would be pleased not to have the Hitachi sets used in England that so often give such a poor ride. I look forwards to using this service one day ..
Incredible stuff. 🎉
VERY excited to see these in action though I do have a soft spot for the old stock. Hopefully a heritage railway will procure one of the sets
A new tender is going to be submitted for the new Irish Rail InterCity fleet next year. That will be exclusively for Ireland with the Cork line to be the first for full electrification.
Rail Journal have an in-depth report on it as well as from those working on implementing electrification, infrastructure and service frequency enhancements for the InterCity network.
Stadler are in prime position to win the tender if the new Enterprise goes well.
The enterprise trains have incredibly comfortable seats. Hope these don't come with fitted with ironing boards
They should order Class 755.
Wish they would build the rail link between Ireland and Britain.
Would be interesting to see that train acquired by Great British Railways and run through the tunnel.
80X is shit wish companies would stop acquiring them and would just scrap them.
I noticed that one of the Enterprise trains had a lot of damage to the carriages. It looked like rocks were throwen at them. If there are any Irish Rail or Translink watching this video they could clarify what has happened.
A very good video. Well done.
All flirts use the power pack design, not just in Britain. Not sure why in Ireland they thought it would be a good idea to put the engines in the front carriage, as I'm pretty sure that the power pack can be removed and replaced with an extra coach in the event of electrification.
So, there will eventually be fast electric trains from Dublin to the border, then diesel or battery powered to Belfast. No rail electrification plans in Northern Ireland, then?
Delighted to see good joined-up thinking and planning….at last!
Next up needs to be the phasing in of the overall rehab plan for the whole island system which was tragically butchered in the 60s.
Sadly I won't be around to see that!!!
It’s Fast Light Innovative Regional Train 2:02
Stadler FLIRT (W-Code Edition) 2:05
I Meant That W-Code = W-System (UK)
You Can Tell By The Loading Gauge
It’s past time for Ireland to massively upgrade its rail system. A high speed train ( over 200kph) between Belfast and cork is a bare minimum. Followed by complete rebuilding of most railway stations.
Nice!
Touring in Ireland, and as a rail fan, I travelled Dublin-Belfast-Dublin on the Enterprise. "Premium Train" is a misnomer. I have had better service on local trains on the Continent and local trains were faster. I don't know whether it was the train or the track limitations but the journey both ways was painfully slow. It's a distance of approx 160 kms (100 miles) and they are trying to get the time down to less that 2 hours? There are about 6 stops on the journey each way. Alternate stops so that each train stops three times on each journey instead of six and every station gets a service every two hours. And how about a non-stop at peak times between the two cities? I won't even comment of the snail route between Dublin and Cork!
Any point apart from the current trains sucking diesel (actually sucking) as if its free and IRs attempts to retrofit coming to no big change (new transmissions yes but battery help was a no) . The issue is sitll Connolly station and where is the network upgrades for that junction of hell. The cost to upgrade that junction would be the same as the trains and that could be started now not in the 22nd century. Meanwhlle Dart+ North remains a pipedream from another stalled NTA "plan". Even Dart+ to Maynooth is vaporware at its finest. Meanwhile new Dart stock is postponed and the replacement commuter trains (only 1 delivered for testing) are stalled again due to Chinese battery fails on the hybrids. This is on lines and stations that Irish rail owns and one agency funds the plans (NTA)
Stadler cooking up once again
What about toilets for mobility impaired?
Never used the service but the Enterprise tains have always been praised. Operators should have got a like for like replacement. The low floors mean the seats are on plinths which are a hazard. Ride quality is iffy on switches, crossings and jointed track.
It's cool to see Ireland getting new trains. I'd love to come sometime. I'd also love to see more widespread rail electrification. I think Ireland (And by extension Northern Ireland) should adopt 1500V DC as its standard OLE voltage. It would save needing the conversion later (unless you build the OLE with 25kV in mind in terms of clerance and isolator lengths, etc). Given that the system is separate from the UK and a different gauge rendering it incompatible, you may as well stick with DC.
Mentioning Incompatibilities, I think it would be awesome one day if someone had the mindset of connecting Ireland to the UK and mainland Europe by High Speed rail. You'd solve the gauge issue the exact same way the Australian State of Victoria did: Dual Gauge (Or you could go the Iberian Route and do automatic gauge changing trains but IMO dual guage is cooler). One can dream
I was quite surprised how slow these services will be. I would have thought a high speed rail connection would have huge benefits for both sides of the border.