Northern Ireland Railways

...know from countless experience that Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) wouldn't have me at my destination in the time their timetable would have me believe. And sure enough the journey was not without its problems for that particular night I ended up not on a train, but in a taxi and remarkably I managed to get home before the train had even reached my station.

The whole episode began when I reached the platform and the porter asked ...
...and has sole responsibility for Northern Ireland Railways. This includes everything from trains, to stations, track and signalling. It was formed in 1995 after a government review aimed at promoting the use of public transport. In general it adopts an approach of integrating buses and trains so that most parts of Northern Ireland are accessible by one or both. I'll not bore you with all the nitty gritty details but the most important thing to note ... more

It had been a long day in the big smoke and I was looking forward to the journey home. My feet were aching, I was tired and hungry and the train was due to leave at 21:15. According to the timetable I would arrive home at 22:55 just in time for bed but somehow I knew that it would be after eleven before I did. I'm not psychic by any means; I just know from countless experience that Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) wouldn't have me at my destination in the time their timetable would have me believe. And sure enough the journey was not without its problems for that particular night I ended up not on a train, but in a taxi and remarkably I managed to get home before the train had even reached my station.

The whole episode began when I reached the platform and the porter asked where I was travelling. When I told him my destination he said it would be the third train to enter on platform one. Already late, in succession three trains entered the platform one after another and as the third entered I got up to board it when the guard cried out to me. "That's not your train mister" and somewhat confused I sat back down again in anticipation of when it would arrive. Five minutes later I was beginning to feel a bit apprehensive and knew something was wrong so checked with the porter as to when it would be arriving. "It's already gone," he said and at the words "about five minutes ago" my heart sunk. It was the last train and being 50 miles from home I started to panic at the thought of how I would manage to get back there so late at night. The Station Manager looked equally panicked and asked if there was anyone else waiting for the train. When four others stood up I knew I was not alone.

The saga ended when the Station Manager fetched us a cab that would take us along the route the train would travel. Ironically at several points along the way we could see the train in the distance chortling its way through the darkened countryside. When the taxi finally arrived at my destination it was 10:50pm and I could see the train approaching the station. Despite any apparent delay in organising the taxi and dropping off the other passengers, the taxi had still managed to arrive before the train. And so, once again, a standard train journey turned into something of an escapade. Alas, this is something synonymous with NIR.

Translink is the organisation charged with managing the province's public transport network and has sole responsibility for Northern Ireland Railways. This includes everything from trains, to stations, track and signalling. It was formed in 1995 after a government review aimed at promoting the use of public transport. In general it adopts an approach of integrating buses and trains so that most parts of Northern Ireland are accessible by one or both. I'll not bore you with all the nitty gritty details but the most important thing to note is that it's still a publicly owned and publicly funded organisation. This is important, as you will find out later when I get to the reasons for NIR providing the poor service that it does.

The rail network here consists of four main lines connecting the cities of Belfast, Dublin and Londonderry, and the major towns of Coleraine, Portadown, Newry, Larne and Bangor. There are various main stations dotted across the network, generally in larger towns and these are usually manned by staff. The larger stations are well maintained and provide basic facilities such as toilets, vending machines, a shop or café. The majority of stations however are simply comprised of a shelter, a few seats and a copy of the timetable. It is at these stations in particular that vandalism is rife and timetables are often missing which, for an infrequent traveller or tourist, can be a nightmare. There are no monitors to inform you of delays and no telephones allowing you to check train times either. If your mobile phone is handy you may also find that the company's help line number isn't. And on the occasions I have used it I have found it not to be helpful at all - most of the staff aren't kept informed of when trains are delayed - they simply rhyme off the timetable to you.

Speaking of staff - there are plenty of them - all employed by Translink and they are generally very helpful. They work in difficult conditions with aging trains and frequent delays but somehow manage to retain a pleasant personality and will help you in whatever way they can. They do make mistakes on occasions as I've already demonstrated but then no one is entirely perfect. Where delays occur they will do their best to remedy the situation and if you find your train has left without you they'll certainly get you home in some shape or form! The company employs an independent monitor to assess its performance on areas of service and it's a condition of their passengers' charter that all staff wear the distinctive Translink uniform. Likewise, trains are monitored for punctuality, reliability and cleanliness.

Dirty floors, broken windows and knackered heating aren't my idea of a comfortable means of travel and if you are anyway sane they wont be yours either. This is often the case with the trains of NIR and it's largely due to their age. Most of them are a decade older than myself (I'm 21) and it's for this reason that they so often break down. On the parts of the track where trains can average a speed greater than 50mph they become incredibly noisy and creak to the point where you expect the carriage to dislodge itself at any minute. The seats aren't the most comfortable and a train that sways from side to side may leave you feeling a little queasy. Don't venture to the bathroom though unless it's essential. The toilets on board are generally filthy, cramped and on most trains the door never locks properly. On one occasion I was on board a train that happened to be veering a corner when some poor chap was doing his 'business'. The door of the cubicle swung open and neither he nor I knew where to look. If you go hungry too, don't expect a quick solution - where catering is provided it's usually poor and nothing more than crisps, tea and sandwiches.

Sadly the majority of these problems are attributed to a serious under-funding of public transport in Northern Ireland for many decades. If you happen to complain to Translink (as I have done on occasions) you will find they hold their hands up to the problems of their network. The company itself does try hard to please its passengers and it would be unfair of me to suggest otherwise. Recent innovations have included the upgrade of key stations on the network, improvements to minor stations and refurbishment of certain trains. At the time of writing the company is awaiting delivery of some 30 new trains to be employed in 2004 and plans are afoot to upgrade certain stretches of track.

Despite the problems of aging trains, the safety record of NIR is almost immaculate. Where people have been killed or injured on the railways it has largely been due to accidents rather than faults on the part of the company. They are strict on safety. In one instance where a train broke down just yards from a station, passengers were not allowed to disembark until the train could be pulled into the station. Major incidents such as the Hatfield and Potters Bar disasters are simply unheard of.

Fares are somewhat reasonable and discounts are available for students provided they have a travelsave stamp (costing £6 per year) attached to their International Student Identity Card. Over 65's travel free provided they have their smartpass and children under 16 travel at half the adult fare. Weekly and monthly season tickets represent particularly good value for money and there are frequent promotions on most routes. In the summer special discounts apply which allow you to travel between any number of stations on the network for a flat rate of £5 per adult (£12.50 for families). On Sundays this is reduced to £3 per adult. The rail network extends to the popular holiday destinations of Portrush and Bangor and these tickets in particular provide for a cheap day out.

More recently the company has come to provide an award winning website that allows you to keep up to date with delays and travel information. There's a handy journey planner aspect to the site which, when the new trains eventually arrive, will prove invaluable. All too frequently it's a case of trains being delayed for one reason or another and what you plan online is rarely what you experience in your actual journey.

As a frequent rail traveller I could list countless incidents where I have been aboard a train that has broken down or where the train has been so cold I shivered the entire length of the journey. There have been instances where urine has run down the aisle of a carriage as one of the toilets had over flown. There have been countless incidents where I have been late for work or Uni because the train has broken down. Where I've applied for compensation it's usually been in the form of travel vouchers and you might argue that these are more insulting than compensatory. Be warned also - they don't compensate against loss of earnings and if the boss sacks you for being late several days in a row don't expect Translink to back your case.

Just recently eight people were injured when a train was derailed close to where I live. It wasnt through any fault of the train company but by a landslide that had caused a giant boulder to land on a section of track. I happened to take a train to Belfast and found it to be early despite the disruption this particular incident had caused on the netwo
rk. And so you begin to see the diversity of the problems faced by NIR.

On the whole, there is a lot to be said for Northern Ireland Railways. It's a great way of seeing the countryside and, despite its problems, represents a cheap means of getting around. Sadly the network only covers around half of Northern Ireland so it?s not a means to be relied upon if you want to see the entire province. Unlike its mainland counterparts, how it is managed remains the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly which, in recent years, has set out to improve the service. With additional funding and the replacement of all its rolling stock, NIR is certain to provide a service to be envied in years to come.

*For those interested in finding out more of the company as a whole and the stations covered by NIR you can find full details on the company's website:

www.translink.co.uk
 

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