Enterprise (Train Service) - Enterprise History - AEnterprise (Train Service) - AEnterprise is the cross-border inter-city train service between Dublin Connolly in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast Lanyon Place in Northern Ireland, jointly operated by Iarnród Éireann (IE) and NI Railways (NIR). It operates on the Belfast–Dublin railway line. Enterprise (Train Service) History The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) (GNR(I)) introduced the service as the "Enterprise Express" on Monday 11 August 1947 in an attempt to compete with air and road transport which were challenging the railways. In particular, business travel was and is an important market. Customs checks were limited to the Belfast and Dublin terminals to reduce journey times by ensuring that journeys were non-stop, and advance booking was available. The name of the train comes from the "enterprising" approach that the GNR(I) took to make journeys more convenient for passengers despite the requirement for customs checks. The initial service ran between Belfast Great Victoria Street and Dublin Amiens Street Junction (renamed Dublin Connolly in 1966). Locomotives of GNRI Class V were initially used, followed in 1948, by GNRI Class VS. In October 1950 the service was extended to Glanmire Road station (renamed to Cork Kent in 1966) in Cork. This proved unsuccessful and ceased in September 1953 when the governments of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland nationalised the GNR as the Great Northern Railway Board (GNRB). The Cork service's unpopularity may also have been due to the six-and-a-half-hour journey time. On 1 October 1958 the GNRB was dissolved and its assets and liabilities were split between Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) and the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) — the predecessors of Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) and Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) respectively. Following the completion of the Belfast Central Line Project, which involved the relaying of track along the route of the former Belfast Central Railway, the Belfast terminal moved to the newly constructed Belfast Central station in April 1976. The new station was named after the former railway and was located some distance from Belfast City Centre, adjacent to the city's markets. (The name was a source of confusion to tourists and was eventually renamed to Belfast Lanyon Place in 2018). The service was upgraded in September 1997 with a new timetable and new coaching stock from French train makers De Dietrich Ferroviaire (now Alstom DDF). At this point the service, which had operated under either the IÉ or NIR brands, was branded separately as Enterprise. The service has suffered disruption, particularly during the Troubles when it was regularly halted by bomb threats. These became so frequent and caused such considerable disruption to the service that a campaigning group, the Peace Train Organisation was formed in 1989. Since the Northern Ireland peace process however, such disruption has diminished. Renewed investment in recent years has seen the line upgraded to continuously welded track capable of 145 km/h (90 mph) running along the southern part of the route, as part of Iarnród Éireann's rail network upgrades. The Northern Ireland section of the line was also upgraded to 90 mph running on many sections of the line. Journey times vary between 2 hours 5 minutes (with four intermediate stops) and 2 hours 20 minutes (with six intermediate stops), with an average speed of 93 and 84 km/h (58 and 52 mph) respectively. The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland runs a steam Enterprise in the summer months to exchange its Dublin-based engine with its Whitehead-based engine. Enterprise (Train Service) Overview Enterprise Franchise(s): Not subject to franchising (1997 - present) Enterprise Main station(s): Dublin Connolly, Belfast Lanyon Place Enterprise Other Station(s): Drogheda, Dundalk, Newry, Portadown. Lurgan and Lisburn (09:00 ex Belfast, Sunday only) Enterprise Fleet Size: Eight 201 Class locomotives Twenty eight De Dietrich carriages Four Mark 3 generator vans Enterprise Stations Called At: 8 Enterprise Parent Company: Iarnród Éireann/ Northern Ireland Railways Enterprise (Train Service) Route Map Legend Belfast–Larne & Derry Lines Belfast–Bangor Line River Lagan Belfast Lanyon Place - NI Railways Botanic City Hospital City Junction to Belfast Great Victoria Street Adelaide Balmoral Finaghy M1 Dunmurry Derriaghy Lambeg Hilden Lisburn Knockmore 2005 Lisburn-Antrim line Banbridge, Lisburn & Belfast Jn Rly to Banbridge Maze 1974 Broomhedge Halt 1973 Damhead Halt 1973 Moira M1 Pritchards Bridge 1844 Lurgan Goodyear Halt 1983 Seagoe 1842 River Bann Portadown to Armagh 1957 Tanderagee 1965 Scarva Acton Crossing 1954 Poyntzpass Augheranter Crossing 1954 Knockarney Crossing 1965 to Armagh 1955 Goraghwood 1965 to Warrenpoint 1965 Mullaghglass 1901 Craigmore Viaduct Newry Wellington Inn 1852 Adavoyle 1933 Northern Ireland Ireland border Mt. Pleasant 1965 M1 Castletown River Dundalk Clarke Dundalk Junct. station 1894 to Enniskillen 1957 GNR(I) Works Castlebellingham 1976 to Ardee 1975 Dromin Junction 1975 Dunleer 1984 Newfoundwell Boyne Viaduct Drogheda MacBride Dublin–Navan railway line (freight only) Laytown Dublin Suburban Rail Laytown Viaduct Mosney 2000 Gormanston Balbriggan Ardgillan 1867 Skerries Skerries Golf Club Halt 1960 Baldongan 1847 Rush and Lusk Rogerstown Viaduct Donabate Broadmeadow viaduct Malahide Portmarnock Clongriffin Baldoyle 1852 to Howth Howth Junction & Donaghmede Kilbarrack Dublin Area Rapid Transit Raheny Dublin Area Rapid Transit Harmonstown Dublin Area Rapid Transit Killester Dublin Area Rapid Transit Clontarf 1956 Clontarf Road Dublin Area Rapid Transit Fairview DART depot River Tolka North Wall Yard to Alexandra Road Western Commuter & Sligo Line Docklands Dublin Connolly Luas Red Line to Tallaght and Saggart Loopline Bridge Trans-Dublin Line & Rosslare Line | |||||
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