New Train Service from Newry

[Inniskeen]

Commencing Monday March 21st the 0620 Portadown to Newry departs at 0615 arriving Newry 0639.

The suggestion that the proposed service is in some way unsafe is patent nonsense. There is no more risk to passengers than on the Kerry, Galway, Rosslare, Sligo or Westport lines which are not AWS, CAWS, DRA or TPWS fitted.

Presumeably this is a temporary arrangement pending the allocation of AWS/TPWS fitted ICR sets. In the interim elaborate, extensive and largely unnecessary arrangements will be in place to compensate for the absence of these systems. It is frankly farcical that such a simple service extension has generated such manic interest from the safety industry.

[Mark Gleeson]

Its in breech of UK regulations and is unique in having an exemption, there is no other recorded exemptions of this kind

The basic fact is the train used is unsuitable from a passenger standpoint in comfort and facilities. Both Irish Rail and Translink have trains which comply fully with the regulations which offer greater comfort. It is not what was discussed with the railway companies in 2010

So its a lose lose a uncomfortable train which is not in compliance with the regulation vs a comfortable train which is compliant

There is no end date on the exemption, again unique

Safety is the key and first concern, is this less safe than current, yes, is it less safe than considered acceptable by the safety authorities yes. Has safety been compromised to save money?

[Jamie2k9]

I don't know how an agreement like this can be allowed to happon even when they have the right trains that can operate the service.

What will happon next? Will we see IE trains operating to Belfast when the enterprise breaks down.

[dowlingm]

We'll probably see C4Ks on this route before we see 22Ks at IE's pace

edit: If IE used 90mph capable stock rather than, let's say, 70mph 29000s, then based on existing Enterprise timings from Newry-Drogheda the train could leave at about 0652 - and hey, maybe even offer Dundalk or Drogheda people a chance to make the 0650 departure to Belfast. But hey, who needs to make Belfast before 0945, right? Would this exemption even allow northbound carriage of passengers even if IE made time to stop on the way north?

[Padna]

If these trains are considered "unsafe" while operating on the short stretch between Newry and the border, are they equally unsafe when operating on the much longer stretch southwards from the border to Dublin & Bray?

[Mark Gleeson]

The trains have all the safety gear for Ireland, they don't have the Northern Irish safety equipment. It is a legal requirement to have this equipment but you can beg for a exemption. This to my knowledge is the only exemption ever granted for a scheduled passenger service. Translink probably has acquired the greatest number of exemptions of any rail operator in the UK industry. To make matters confusing Translink applied for the exemption not Irish Rail which again is at odds with the way this is normally done.

For the record the last fatality accidents in both Ireland and Northern Ireland involved trains passing red signals and rear ending a stationary train. Both accidents would have been either prevented or significantly reduced in scale had the equipment existed then

Basically the train Irish Rail are sending up has no equipment fitted which will warn the driver of the next signal (AWS) and which will stop the train if it passes a red signal or approaches a red signal too fast (TPWS). All trains in Northern Ireland require a guard or second driver to be carried as they don't have a secure radio system.

Irish Rail has 6 trains in addition to enterprise which have this equipment but are not using it on this service.

On the Irish side there is continuous notification of the next signal (CAWS), automatic brake if the driver fails to acknowledge and a full positive id radio system. The radio is the secondary safety element if something goes wrong.


Put simply if Irish Rail used the trains with the safety equipment, everyone wins, the train would be significantly more comfortable for passengers, be appropriate for the distance, be faster and would ensure the highest level of safety achievable

[dowlingm]

Mark, could you please outline for us what role the second driver or guard plays north of the border which gets around the need for secure radio?