Belfast–Dublin line

The Belfast–Dublin Main Line is a main and busiest railway route on the island of Ireland that connects Dublin Connolly station in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast Lanyon Place station in Northern Ireland.

Belfast–Dublin Main Line
Enterprise De Dietrich DVT 9004 at Lisburn
Overview
StatusOperational
LocaleIreland
TerminiBelfast Lanyon Place
Dublin Connolly
Stations8
Service
TypeCommuter rail
Regional rail
Heavy rail
SystemIarnród Éireann
NI Railways
Operator(s)Iarnród Éireann
NI Railways
Rolling stock8100 Class
8500, 8510 and 8520 Classes
201 Class
22000 Class
29000 Class "CxK"
Class 3000 "C3K"
Class 4000 "C4K"
De Dietrich Stock
History
Opened1876
Technical
Line length181 km
Number of tracksDouble track
CharacterPrimary
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Irish gauge
Electrification1,500 V DC Overhead lines (South of Malahide)
Route map

Year
closed
Belfast Lanyon Place
Botanic
City Hospital
City Junction
to Belfast Great Victoria Street
Adelaide
Balmoral
Finaghy
M1
Dunmurry
Derriaghy
Lambeg
Hilden
Lisburn
Knockmore
2005
Maze
1974
Broomhedge Halt
1973
Damhead Halt
1973
Moira
M1
Pritchards Bridge
1844
Lurgan
Goodyear Halt
1983
Seagoe
1842
Portadown
1957
Tanderagee
1965
Scarva
Acton Crossing
1954
Poyntzpass
Augheranter Crossing
1954
Knockarney Crossing
1965
1955
Goraghwood
1965
to Warrenpoint
1965
Mullaghglass
1901
Newry
Wellington Inn
1852
Adavoyle
1933
Mt. Pleasant
1965
M1
Dundalk Clarke
Dundalk Junct. station
1894
1957
GNR(I) Works
Castlebellingham
1976
1975
Dromin Junction
1975
Dunleer
1984
Newfoundwell
Drogheda MacBride
Laytown
Laytown Viaduct
Mosney
2000
Gormanston
Balbriggan
Skerries
Skerries Golf Club Halt
1960
Baldongan
1847
Rush and Lusk
Rogerstown Viaduct
Donabate
Malahide
Portmarnock
Clongriffin
Howth Junction
& Donaghmede
Kilbarrack
Raheny
Harmonstown
Killester
Clontarf
1956
Clontarf Road
North Wall Yard
to Alexandra Road
Docklands
Dublin Connolly
Luas Red Line
to Tallaght
Trans-Dublin Line
& Rosslare Line

History

The railway line was built by three separate companies. In 1837 the Ulster Railway began building a railway line between Belfast and Lisburn, which was extended in stages to Portadown in 1842 and as far as Clones by 1863. The Dublin and Drogheda Railway (D&D) built the line between Dublin and Drogheda. The Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway (D&B Jct) linked the Dublin and Drogheda with the Ulster Railway at Portadown. The D&D and the D&B Jct merged in 1875 to form the Northern Railway of Ireland. In 1876 this new company merged with the Ulster Railway and the Irish North Western Railway, forming the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) (GNRI).

The partition of Ireland in 1922 meant that the Irish border passed between Newry and Dundalk, which caused lengthy delays as trains were required to stop at stations on either side of the border for customs examinations. This disruption was eased in 1947 with the opening of facilities for customs checks at Amiens Street station and Great Victoria Street station.

At the same time, the GNRI made its Belfast-Dublin services non-stop with the launch of the Enterprise Express. The GNRI was nationalised by the governments of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in 1953 as the Great Northern Railway Board, but in 1958 this was split between the Ulster Transport Authority and Córas Iompair Éireann. This led to a running down of rail services in Northern Ireland, leaving only some Belfast commuter lines, the northern route to Derry and the link to Dublin. In 1970 the newly formed NI Railways bought new locomotives and rolling stock for the Belfast-Dublin Enterprise service as well as new diesel multiple units for local services.

Upgrades

In 2000, the government of the Republic of Ireland developed a National Development Plan, which has seen major investment in infrastructure. Almost the entire railway network, including the Belfast–Dublin line as far as the border, has been upgraded to Continuous Welded Rail, while signalling is controlled using the Centralised Traffic Control system located at Dublin Connolly station.

In addition, in 1997, a set of new De Dietrich Stock coaches were purchased jointly by Northern Ireland Railways and Iarnród Éireann to operate a revamped Enterprise service along with the new Class 201 locomotives.[1]

High-speed rail proposal

In 2020 the Irish Government confirmed it will be launching a study into an approximately 500 km high-speed railway from Belfast via Dublin to Cork and Limerick,[2] which could cost around €15 billion.[3]

Services

In addition to the inter-city service between Belfast and Dublin, both NIR and IÉ operate local services along the route. NIR operates local services along the northern half of the line (the Belfast–Newry line) between Belfast and Lisburn, Portadown and Newry, while IE operates its Commuter services between Dublin and Dundalk as part of the Dublin Suburban Rail network. In addition, the line between Dublin Connolly and Malahide is electrified and forms part of the DART network.

One early morning weekday IÉ Commuter stopping service also operates from Newry to Dublin Connolly and returns to Newry in the evening.

The line is also used by rail passengers changing at Dublin Connolly onto the DART and also by connecting bus travelling to Dublin Port for the Irish Ferries or Stena Line to Holyhead and then by train along the North Wales Coast Line to London Euston and other destinations in England and Wales.[4]

Holyhead can also be reached by Irish Ferries from Dublin Port, reached by walking beside the tram lines around the corner from Amiens Street into Store Street or by Luas four stops to Dublin Port or Dublin Bus route 53 [5] or to take a taxi.

  • Dublin to Belfast intercity

Monday to Saturday 8 trains in each direction Sunday 5 trains in each direction

Simulation

The route has been released as a commercial add on for Microsoft Train Simulator by Making Tracks. It was released in two sections, part one covering Lanyon Place to Dundalk,[6] with part two covering the section from Dundalk to Dublin. It is set during the 2000s.[7]

See also

References

  1. "Intercity Fleet information". Irish Rail. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  2. "Study to investigate Belfast – Dublin – Cork high-speed line". International Railway Journal. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  3. "Review of €15bn high-speed rail line linking Dublin, Belfast, Cork". Irish Times. 5 August 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  4. Holyhead National Rail Enquiries
  5. "route 53 timetable". Dublin Bus.
  6. "Irish Enterprise North". Making Tracks. Archived from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
  7. "Irish Enterprise South". Making Tracks. Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
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