Belmond Grand Hibernian

The Belmond Grand Hibernian was a luxury train service in Ireland. The service was operated by Belmond, the operator of several other luxury trains including the Venice Simplon Orient Express. It was officially launched on 30 August 2016 and ceased on 18 February 2021 and the service will run in another European country in the future.

Belmond Grand Hibernian
Overview
Franchise(s)Railtour Operator
Fleet size10 × Mark 3 carriages
Stations called atDublin Connolly
Parent companyBelmond
Dates of operation30 August 2016–18 February 2021
Other
Websitewww.belmond.com

Route

The planned routes took in some of the history of rail transport in Ireland and were centred around Dublin. The service was timetabled to operate on a weekly schedule: a four-night tour of the south-west of Ireland during the week, then a two-night weekend tour to Northern Ireland. The Taste of Ireland two-night trip was to travel from Dublin to Belfast, Belfast to Waterford and back to Dublin, while the "Legends and Loughs" was to go from Dublin-Cork-Killarney-Galway-Westport and back over four nights. One night per week was planned to be available for maintenance and other activities. For the 2016 season, full six-night Grand Tour of Ireland journeys were scheduled to run Tuesday-to-Monday, as these would consist of both the south-westerly Legends and Loughs and northerly "Taste of Ireland" segments with a change-over for some passengers in Dublin on the Saturday of each week.[1]

Rolling Stock
216 River Dodder at Inchicore in green undercoat prior to receiving the blue livery.
Belmond, "Wexford", formerly IÉ 7169, being fitted out at Mivan's workshops in County Antrim
"Down", formerly IÉ 7149, passing the GNR viaduct at Dromore on its way to Dublin
The Grand Hibernian on a test run at Moira, 28 August 2016.
The interior of the lounge car in June 2018.

Carriages

The Grand Hibernian carriages were heavily renovated Mark 3s, originally built by British Rail Engineering Limited at Derby Litchurch Lane Works for Córas Iompair Éireann between 1980 and 1989, and withdrawn in 2009. The carriages underwent extensive engineering redesign and overhaul by Assenta Rail and were refurbished by the company in 2015 at a cost of £7 million.[2] Internal fitting was carried out in Antrim, by Mivan. From the eleven Mark 3 carriages purchased,[2] the train included five sleeping cars, two restaurant cars for dining and an observation car. The train composition and the carriage layouts were inspired by Belmond's other overnight luxury train on the British Islands: the Royal Scotsman. Carriage names were based on the counties of Ireland, several taken from each of the provinces of Ireland. Each carriage bore a dark blue livery, 'Grand Hibernian' lettering, an enamel nameplate, and a 'Celtic knot' logo.[3]

Name CIÉ number EVN[n 1][4] LayoutDoubleTwinSeats
Kildare[5] 7104 55 60 89-87 103-7Observation/barall
Wexford[5] 7169 55 60 88-87 102-0Dining (casual)24
Sligo[5] 7171 55 60 88-87 101-2Dining (formal)20
Kerry[5] 7137 55 60 76-87 005-2Cabins[n 2]4
Down[5] 7149 55 60 76-87 004-4Cabins[n 3]13
Waterford[5] 7129 55 60 76-87 003-8Cabins[n 3]13
Leitrim[5] 7158 55 60 76-87 002-6Cabins[n 3]13
Fermanagh[5] 7116 55 60 76-87 001-8Cabins[n 3]13
Donegal[7] 7130 55 60 89-87 110-2Crew accommodation
Carlow[8] 7601 55 60 99-87 104-3Generator
River Dodder / Abhainn na Dothra 216 Diesel locomotive
    • 55: Special Vehicle type
    • 60: Ireland
    • 76: Sleeping car; 88: Dining car; 89: Saloon car; 99: Special vehicle
    • 87: 160 km/h (100 mph)
    • NNN: carriage number
    • -X: check-digit
  2. One twin-bed cabin in Kerry, adjacent to corridor connection, is designed to be wheelchair accessible with 700-millimetre wide access route to day-facility carriages.
  3. One family suite per carriage by connecting door between double and adjacent twin cabin.[6]

Locomotives

IE 201 Class number 216 River Dodder has been overhauled specifically for use on the Grand Hibernian, having been repainted into the same dark blue livery as the coaches.[9] It was built in 1994 by General Motors Diesel but placed in storage at Inchicore in 2010 following an accident. However, it was decided between Irish Rail and Belmond that 216 was the most suitable candidate to become the Grand Hibernian's dedicated locomotive, and as such it was brought back into service. In a green undercoat, it worked several test runs and freight trains in 2016 before being repainted into the Grand Hibernian's blue livery.

A second 201 class locomotive - presumedly 225 River Deel - was due to be converted for use with the Grand Hibernian in the event that 216 fails or is unavailable.

On June 24, 2017, 201 Class locomotive 209 River Foyle operated The Belmond Grand Hibernian run to Belfast.

Refurbishment

In December 2014, IÉ 201 Class locomotive number 229 moved the rake of eleven vehicles from Dublin Heuston Inchicore Works to Dublin North Wall sidings.[10] The Mark 3 carriages in the rake were ordered as 7601, 7149, 7104, 7129, 7169, 7158, 7171, 7122, 7130, 7116 and 7137.[11] Ten of the carriages were transported by road to Scotland in 2015 for refurbishment and painting.[12][13] However, 7122 remained in Dublin and as of December 2016 is to be used for spare parts for the other vehicles in the set. It remains in Irish Rail's orange livery, with no refurbishment having taken place, in spite of it being purchased by Belmond.[14]

By mid-2016, all of the coaches had returned to Ireland to be taken to Mivan Engineering, Antrim, to have their interiors fitted. After fitting out, they were all returned to Dublin, with the last coach (No. 7149 ''Down'') leaving Antrim on 30 July 2016. All carriages were unloaded at North Wall sidings and taken by rail to Inchicore, where they were assembled into a complete train in preparation for test runs.

In service

Throughout the summer of 2016, several test runs took place prior to the train entering service. The first of these took place on Wednesday 10 August 2016 behind 216, which ran from Dublin to Thurles and back. The first test runs to reach Northern Ireland took place on Sunday 28 August 2016, when 201 Class No. 233 (In common user livery) stood in for 216 for a return trial from Dundalk to Belfast York Road. The final trial occurred on Monday 29 August 2016 with 216, which ran from Dublin to Portarlington and back.

The Grand Hibernian was officially launched on Tuesday 30 August 2016, with Irish Rail Intercity-liveried 226 hauling the inaugural train out of Heuston station at 14:20. The final train of the season operated on Monday 24 October, and on Wednesday 26 October a return trip from Dublin to Thurles was arranged for the Irish Rail staff involved.

On 15 April 2017, the Grand Hibernian was trialled south of Connolly station as far as Gorey.[15]

The 2017 season began on Tuesday 25 April. On 29 April the train ran to Gorey instead of Belfast as normally scheduled due to engineering works on the Belfast - Dublin line.

On 18 February 2021 the ceasing of the operation was announced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] According to Belmond's plans to relocate the train to a new, yet undisclosed place inside Europe the carriages have left Ireland in 2022.

References
  1. "Belmond Grand Hibernian - Luxury Train Travel in Ireland - 4 nights". Belmond Grand Hibernian (New for 2016). Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  2. Sweeney, Joanne (24 April 2015). "All aboard the 5-star Portrush express, luxury 'hotel on wheels' will bring tourists to north coast for £1,000 a night". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 22 May 2015. Eleven Irish Rail carriages have been transformed into a top-quality hotel on wheels at a cost of £6.5m
  3. "Ireland - June 2016 - Irish Train Scenes". Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  4. "Belmond Grand Hibernian: 2016 Tours - UK & Irish Train Scenes". Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  5. "Belmond Grand Hibernian". The Society of International Railway Travelers. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  6. Clinnick, Richard (10 November 2014). "Luxury charter train launches in Ireland in 2016". Rail. Retrieved 18 May 2015. four interconnecting suites to accommodate families
  7. "Ireland - June 2016 - Irish Train Scenes". Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  8. "Ireland - June 2016 - Irish Train Scenes". Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  9. "August 2016 - thewandererphotos". Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  10. DeutschBahn in HD (20 December 2014). "Drumcondra HD-Irish Rail 201 no.229+Belmond Mk3's pass on transfer to North Wall" (video). Retrieved 18 May 2014. Services: 07:30 Inchicore-North Wall (Delayed). This set consisted of 11 mk3's on transfer to North Wall for overhaul in Scotland.
  11. Marshall, Kieran (20 December 2014). "Belmond Mark 3's at North Wall, 20/12/14" (photograph). Retrieved 18 May 2015. Belmond Mark 3's were tripped from Inchicore to North Wall … as follows: 7601, 7149, 7104, 7129, 7169, 7158, 7171, 7122, 7130, 7116 and 7137
  12. Mulveney, George; Thompson, Gordon (22 January 2015). "Kilmarnock - 22-01-2015" (photograph). Retrieved 18 May 2015. Ex Irish Railways 'Inter City' BREL built Mk 3 carriage arrives at Brodie Rail Engineering for refurbishment.
  13. Yellowlees, John (31 March 2015). "Photographs of Andrew Barclay" (photograph). RailScot website. Retrieved 18 May 2015. Caledonia Works: An Irish Rail carriage in the yard at Brodie's, Kilmarnock, on 31 March 2015 awaiting conversion as part of the 'Belmond Grand Hibernian' luxury train, due to launch in 2016.
  14. "Irish Rail Mark III Coach 7122 North Wall". Flickr. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  15. "Belmond on the DSE, 15/4/17". Flickr. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  16. "Ireland's only luxury sleeper train derailed by Covid-19". Retrieved 5 March 2021.
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