First NIR 4000 (C4K) arrives Port of Belfast

[jamesontheroad]

According to this article on a related train care facility, NIR and NI government officials will be dockside in Belfast tomorrow to welcome the first of twenty CAF 4000 class (C4K) DMUs.

The C4K will compliment the existing C3K fleet... more details and first photographs tomorrow, hopefully. Testing and commissioning should be completed this year.

 

[4SRKT]

Where's that Newport crane driver? Can't we get him a job in Belfast?

 

[jamesontheroad]

No photos or videos as yet...

http://www.u.tv/News/First-of-new-train-fleet-arrive-in-NI/456117f0-9609-4386-b065-b405f6e148a5
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Et voila:

http://www.translink.co.uk/New-Trains/New-Trains-Images/

Note the slightly revised headlights, as seen last year in a factory shot. Otherwise apparently indistinguishable outside from the C3K. Bigger changes inside, apparently.

 

[Techniquest]

Where's that Newport crane driver? Can't we get him a job in Belfast?

I thought the first C4K had been in Belfast for some weeks now, or at least that's what I heard traincrew discussing when I went in January. Might have misheard though.

Take this as your final warning though chaps, if you still haven't been to Northern Ireland for the remaining Thumpers, you've got hardly any time left. I don't know how many C4Ks they need to do it, but testing and acceptance of the new order surely won't take long. I'd assume a matter of a few weeks and no more.

Surprised how few people have jumped on the Thumper bandwagon really!

 

[jamesontheroad]

Surprised how few people have jumped on the Thumper bandwagon really!

You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone, as the saying goes. Besides, NIR is such a small network and NI is such a small place, there isn't really a huge rail enthusiast scene locally. After all you can cover the whole network in a day and catch sight of just about every unit if you spend another on the platforms at Belfast Central

 

[Techniquest]

That's a good point, there aren't many C3Ks left for me to spot now (5 or less I think), although as I went for Thumper cranking purposes I haven't done all of the track over there. I'll do the remaining lot one day, same for the shacks. Couldn't face doing the Bangor line and Coleraine to Londonderry (plus one side of the triangle near Great Victoria Street) on C3Ks when the Thumpers were about!

 

[route:oxford]

Looks good.

So, with the right bogie - would one of these be suitable for mainland* rail?

*mainland UK rather than mainland europe.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Looks good.

So, with the right bogie - would one of these be suitable for mainland* rail?

*mainland UK rather than mainland europe.

Skirting over the complicated implications of the world "mainland" relative to Northern Ireland ... yes, and this is I believe not dissimilar to what CAF tendered for the follow-on DfT order for DMUs for TPE / Northern etc.

 

[fgwrich]

Skirting over the complicated implications of the world "mainland" relative to Northern Ireland ... yes, and this is I believe not dissimilar to what CAF tendered for the follow-on DfT order for DMUs for TPE / Northern etc.

Looks good.

So, with the right bogie - would one of these be suitable for mainland* rail?

*mainland UK rather than mainland europe.

Pretty much yes, The C3Ks are part of the same family as the CAF bodied 332s & 333s - The only real differences being the obvious fact that the C3Ks & C4Ks are DMUs & The rather expensive Glass wrap around cab, replaced with a more normal & conventional cab front - if anything, the only changes you'd need to do to run a C3/4K over here, is to remove the wider doorsteps & fit our standard guage bogies under it.

Have to say though, whilst ill miss the good old NIR 80 Class {Rarely use the term, but they really, really are Hellfire!} and the 455 derivative of the 450/Castle Class, Those C3Ks are absolutely fantastic replacements - Plenty of floor to ceiling height, with decent overhead luggage racks which contrary to Us mainlanders, you can actually put luggage into! The interior layout is well thought out and unlike those rancid Bombardier products, they don't seem to suffer from any underfloor engine vibrations!

There's a couple of things ill note though about that C4K - Firstly, thought Translink / NI Railways was to introduce a new livery on the refurbished C3Ks - with the aim of the C4K's carrying it too...and Notice the L Shaped light cluster - something CAF Seems to have got right first time, unlike the original 172 proposals?

Anyway, Here's an Interior phot from one of NIR's C3Ks in Great Victoria Street

 

[MCR247]

Rather small PIS

 

[fgwrich]

Rather small PIS

True, But who needs the rather large, almost head banging PA Screens as on the Turdostars?

I think one of the reasons why CAF have made the C3Ks so light and rather airy, actually spurs from moving the Air Con modules from the middle of each coach to above the vestubles, but still providing enough cooling to the centre of each coach - and again, the result seems to make the coach feel rather light and airy - unlike say the electrostars - surely im not the only one to notice how small they feel on the inside!

As for the C3Ks PIS Screens - Theres still enough in the coach though - 1 on each side of the Vestuble - And plenty of proper Northern Ireland anouncements to go with!

 

[jamesontheroad]

Some photographs of the first unit being unloaded at the Port of Belfast this morning:

http://cid-31d17eadbd99e52d.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Northern%20Ireland%20Railways

and a longer news report from this evening's UTV Live News:

http://www.u.tv/News/First-of-new-train-fleet-arrive-in-NI/456117f0-9609-4386-b065-b405f6e148a5