Enterprise (train)

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Enterprise is the cross-border train service between Dublin Connolly in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast Central in Northern Ireland, jointly operated by Iarnród Éireann and Northern Ireland Railways.

Four Class 201 locomotives are used to haul the service, two owned by Iarnród Éireann and two by Northern Ireland Railways, in the single Enterprise livery. The coaches were manufactured by De Dietrich Ferroviaire, half owned by IE and half by NIR. The service has had reliability issues; the 201 class locomotives provide head end power and the stress this places on the engines has led to Enterprise-liveried 201s being swapped with non-Enterprise 201s to minimise wear from operating in this mode. NIR also have an extra 201 class locomotive on loan from Iarnród Éireann as a standby locomotive. Iarnród Éireann in return use one of NIR's Class 111 locomotives for various duties around their network.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] History

The Enterprise service was introduced on August 11 1947 by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) as the "Enterprise Express". The service was an attempt to compete with air and road transport that were challenging the railways; in particular, business travel was seen as an important market. Customs checks were limited to the terminals in Belfast and Dublin in order to reduce journey times by ensuring that journeys were non-stop, and advanced booking was available. The service proved a success and October 1950 a service between Belfast and Cork was inaugurated. This service did not prove successful and ceased in September 1953; this may have been due to the duration of the journey at approximately six and a half hours.<ref>A Regional History of Railways (Volume XVI, Ireland), J.W.P. Rowledge, 1995, ISBN 0-906899-63-X</ref>

On September 1 1953 the Great Northern Railway Board, a joint venture between the Irish and Northern Irish governments, took over the services of the Great Northern Railway (Ireland), including the Enterprise. On October 1 1958 the Board was dissolved and its assets and liabilies were split between Córas Iompair Éireann and Ulster Transport Authority — the predecessors of the current operators, Iarnród Éireann and Northern Ireland Railways respectively.

The service has suffered disruption over the years, particularly during the Troubles, when it was regularly disrupted by bomb threats. Since the Northern Ireland peace process, however, disruption is almost unheard of.^{[citation needed]} Renewed investment in recent years has seen the line upgraded to continuously welded track that is in theory capable of 90 mph (145 km/h) running. However, these speeds are not reached for much of the route.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Advertising and promotion

Translink has regularly promoted the Enterprise service with a '2 for 1' offer for readers of the Northern Ireland editions of the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror. In January 2006, this promotion was undertaken in conjunction with a comprehensive advertising campaign on billboards and in railway stations in Belfast, Newry and Portadown. The slogan, "Depressurise, Capitalise, Economise, Socialise...Go Enterprise; premier rail travel to Dublin," was used to encourage wide groups of customers to use the Enterprise.^{[citation needed]} Discounted internet booking for the service is also offered by Translink periodically.

[edit] References

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[edit] Gallery

The inside of an Enterprise train.

An Enterprise train at Dublin Connolly where an Irish Rail worker unloads a cargo of young chickens in boxes.

[edit] External links

• Iarnród Éireann page on the Enterprise
• Northern Ireland Railways page on the Enterprise

Categories: Articles with unsourced statements | Named passenger trains | Rail transport in Northern Ireland | Rail transport in Ireland | 1947 introductions