NIR Mk2?

[duesselmartin]

Hi all, I am trying to find when Mk 2 coaches first entered service in Northern Ireland and what preceded them on the Enterprise Service. Google is not helpful here. Any NIR / UTA experts here?
Thanks
Martin

 

[Ash Bridge]

Hi all, I am trying to find when Mk 2 coaches first entered service in Northern Ireland and what preceded them on the Enterprise Service. Google is not helpful here. Any NIR / UTA experts here?
Thanks
Martin

I think it may be July 1970, this was when the 'Enterprise' commenced push-pull operations using mk2s and the new GEC/Hunslet/BREL diesel electric locomotives 101-3, not certain about what preceded them but it could possibly have been some form of diesel multiple units.

 

[DT611]

Before the mk2, i believe a mix of CIE and NIR (previously ulster transport authority) stock would have operated the service (and even when the mk2 were introduced CIE stock operated i believe)
I believe the stock that operated the service pre mk2 to be the following. 70 class railcars along with multi-engined diesel (med) and multi-purpose diesel (mpd) railcars belonging to the ulster transport authority and later NIR, the 2600 class AEC diesel railcars belonging to CIE, along with hauled stock belonging to both companies. I don't know which stock would have been the main stock operated though.

 

[Elwyn]

Along UTA lines by Ian MacLarnon Sinclair has a couple of photos of the Enterprise in the 1960s, comprised of a CIE B121 loco, hauling carriages which appear to be Cravens, though I am not 100% certain.

 

[duesselmartin]

thank you for your answers so far. That Irish premier train does not seem to be that well documented before its re-launch in 1997. Yes, I am certain that CIE used Cravens, also during the troubles as not to risk Air-Con stock on that line. Also the GNR days seem well documented. During the UTA, early NIR days there seem to be a lack of interest on their (non-CIE) operation.
A question to Class 101 and Mk2 in push-pull: With only three locos of that class, does that mean there was only one NIR Mk2 set in service?

Martin

 

[dubscottie]

CIE used Cravens/Park Royal stock and then Mk2D stock until 1976 when someone blew up the line and this happened..


They went back to cravens after that until the mid-late 80's when the Mk2's returned.


NIR ordered 3 x 101 + 8 X Mk2B's in 1968 and they entered service on 4th July 1970.

During the winter it ran as 101+5 Mk2 in push-pull mode and 8 x Mk2 top and tailed by 101's in the summer.

5 more Mk2C's were ordered in 1970 so the train would be 12 coaches top and tailed by 101 in the summer and 5-7 coaches in push-pull during the winter.

In 1980 NIR bought 12 more Mk2 and the two 111 class locos. Some of the original ordered coaches went into 80 class sets to replace bomb damaged vehicles.

At the time any remaining coaches that were not for the 80 class were converted from 3-pipe to 2-pipe air braking.

4 more coaches and the 3rd 111 were bought in 1982 to make up a second 9 coach set.

On a typical weekday the two NIR sets and one CIE/IR set would be in use.

 

[jopsuk]

So the mark 2s included driving trailers? These, unlike the DBSOs converted for Edinburgh-Glasgow (and subsequently used on London-Norwich) these presumably were specially built, like the CIE Mark3 driving trailers?

And when you say "top and tail" was this in "both locos providing power" mode like the Class 27s on Edinburgh-Glasgow?

 

[Elwyn]

I recall using the Enterprise a couple of times around 1980. The timetable then was 4 trains each way on weekdays. I think NIR & CIE each provided 2 rotations, presumably with the same set each day. So not too demanding on NIR's fleet of 111s. But NIR and CIE have always worked closely together and whenever there was/is a shortage of locos or equipment they lend each other equipment. It appears to work very well. There was a period a few years back when one of the NIR 111s spent months working freights around Waterford. Presumably because that met a particular operational need.

 

[Ash Bridge]

The initial order in 1970 comprised 2 mk2b open second driving brake trailers from BREL Derby, a further driving trailer first was supplied during 1972 along with four other vehicles, these were to mk2c spec, it seems likely that both locomotives were powered in push-pull operation, as they were only rated at 1350bhp. which would be somewhat insufficient for an 8 coach load.

 

[dubscottie]

Here is one of the Driving brakes in original form -

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/6580100049/

You can see the MU jumper in this shot so both locos were powered in top and tail mode -

https://www.flickr.com/photos/33lima/19050715383/

After one was converted for 80 Class use -

https://www.flickr.com/photos/38339202@N00/11581489234/