NORTHERN IRELAND RAILWAYS (NIR)

TRAFFIC AND TRACTION:

■ Low rail adhesion, caused by leaf mulch, was a problem across the system during the period under review. The use of the waterjetter wagon, hauled by GM No. 8112, (see January issue) continued on the Portadown to Bangor line and from Belfast to Carrickfergus, until MPV

No. 11 returned to RHTT duties in late November. Low rail adhesion has had a particularly acute impact on punctuality on the Belfast to Londonderry line, where delays have been a recurring problem. The route is mostly single track with eight passing loops between Monkstown (between Whiteabbey and Mossley West) where the double track becomes single, and Londonderry. Any delay has a knock-on effect to other services. The restart from a signal check at Monkstown for a down train (eg Londonderry bound) can be problematic during the leaf fall season as the protecting signal and 50mph turnout are located on an adverse, 1-in-76 gradient. The 12.10 Belfast Great Victoria Street (GVS)Londonderry on November 23 was delayed en route and was terminated at Bellarena. The return 14.38 exLondonderry started from Bellarena. The 13.10 GVS to Londonderry on the 24th was terminated at Antrim after the unit was failed. The next day, the 07.05 Portrush-GVS was delayed early in its journey at Coleraine by 24 minutes, while the 09.10 GVSLondonderry was 11 minutes late at Mossley West.

EXTRA ‘NIGHTMOVERS’

Extra late night services from Belfast were operated during the period before Christmas. Promoted as ‘Nightmovers’, the extras were scheduled to run each Saturday and Sunday morning from November 27 until December 19: 00.10 GVS to Coleraine, serving Botanic, Lanyon

Place, Mossley West then all stations to Coleraine; 00.15 GVS to Larne Harbour, serving Botanic, Lanyon

Place, Whiteabbey then all stations to Larne Harbour; 00.15 Lanyon Place to Portadown, serving Botanic, GVS, Lisburn, Moira, Lurgan and Portadown; 00.32 GVS to Bangor, serving Botanic, Lanyon Place then all stations to Bangor. Storm Barra on December 7 caused severe disruption to services across the network throughout the day. Temporary closures of sections of the Belfast to Londonderry and Larne Harbour lines were imposed because of flooding and high tides/stormy seas on coastal sections. Obstructions blown onto lines and malfunctioning level crossing barriers were a frequent hazard across the network that had to be attended to by PW gangs and other staff. Rail tickets were valid on parallel bus services.

The use of the railway as an alternative when a parallel Translink bus service is unavailable is quite rare. However, intending passengers were advised to use the railway on the Belfast to Coleraine corridor when operational issues caused the cancellation of a significant number of buses on the Ulsterbus Goldliner 218 service during the period late November to mid-December. Up to 10 services in each direction were cancelled each day.

4000 CLASS:

■ Three new 4000

Class intermediate cars were delivered to York Road on November 25. No.

4015, the third three-car unit to be extended to six cars was working mileage accumulation trips in early December between York Road and Carrickfergus/Newry. The diagrams for the two six-car 4000 Class units accepted into revenue earning traffic, Nos. 4017/19 were: Unit 1: M-F, starting with the 07.13 GVS-Portadown; Sat, 08.10 GVS-Londonderry. Unit 2:

M-F, 13.10 GVS-Londonderry; Sat, 09.10 GVS-Londonderry.

NEWS IN BRIEF:

■ Londonderry station, also known as the North West Transport Hub, has recently received two awards: ‘Best Overall Entry’ at the National Rail Heritage Awards and the ‘Topic of the Year’ category at the EU Regiostars Awards. A new systemwide timetable was introduced on December 3 and is valid until December 10, 2022. There are no significant alterations to the previous timetable dated June 14, 2021 and the comprehensive service levels introduced then have been maintained. On December 12, a new Irish Rail timetable was introduced, but no changes were made to the jointly operated cross border ‘Enterprise’ service. All through trains on the route are booked to be worked by a GM 201/8201 Class loco, Mk.3 generator van and De Dietrich coaching stock.