Five CAF trains rolling on Londonderry line

THE Londonderry railway line is served by five of twenty-three high tech Spanish trains introduced here as part of an £83million investment between 2002 and 2005.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Feb 2010, 10:59 BST
Updated 16th Feb 2010, 10:21 BST

In 2002 the Department of Regional Development (DRD) announced it was to buy the new trains as part of a revitalisation of the Northern Ireland rail system.

The new Class 3000 trains were manufactured by the Spanish firm Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarrilles (CAF) and entered into passenger service in November 2004.

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Foyle SDLP MLA Mark Durkan asked Rail Minister Conor Murphy how many of the trains are currently in service throughout Northern Ireland and how many on the Londonderry line.

The Minister replied: “NI Railways has 23 CAF Class 3000 trains at its disposal. Normally 20-21 train units would be in service each day, the remaining trains undergoing overhaul, maintenance or examination.

“Translink has informed me that during peak morning and evening operations 5 trains are required to operate Derry line services. These are normally CAF rolling stock.

“The number of trains in use on the Derry to Belfast line can rise to six if one of the five trains is operating as a 6-car unit.”

The introduction of the Class 3000 trains to replace NI Railway’s Class 80s was the largest ever single investment in railway rolling stock in Northern Ireland.

Related topics:Northern IrelandConor Murphy