What is Belfast Grand Central Station? | Explained

[@fundthenine]

Now that Grand Central Station is fully operational, I would like to make some ammendments to this video almost two years on: 1. The overall canopy of Grand Central Station was cut back by 2/3s to reduce cost and comply with over-reaching climate policy(ies). 2. The Enterprise and Goldline Lounges never made it beyond the design phase, neither of them were built. 3. The construction process ended up being different than both of my predictions in different ways, but as of now, the Durham Street (Boyne) Bridge is due to be raised in the coming weeks, with the remainder of the public realm works extending into the middle of 2025. Hopefully the next biggest video on this channel is on how the International Airport Station will operate! #RebuildOurRailways

[@roybailie5976]

Excellent video and well done for pulling it together. The circle line is an absolute must and should include the International Airport in its loop. Then we would be an almost modern city.

[@fundthenine]

Thank you, we are currently in the process of producing a new video series for the Knockmore Line and our campaign to have it reopened. The first video should go live within a fortnight :)

[@diarmuidmckeown869]

Thank you so much for laying out the project in such a clear cut manner. It has been puzzling me for months as I pass through Great Victoria Street on my way to Lanyon Place as to how they were going to achieve the goal of a completely new terminus bearing in mind all the complications. Everything is now crystal clear. Well done!

[@fundthenine]

You're welcome. That is actually the main reason I decided to put this video together, as nobody at Translink seem to bother explaining the important questions such as this.

[@AheadMatthewawsome]

Great Video! As an enthusiast from Australia, I don’t normally keep an eye on NI transport. But it’s great to see something different, and sounds like an amazing structure to make Belfast a modern city! You just got Subscriber number 93!

[@fundthenine]

Thank you very much! There are currently a lot of transport development in the works in NI. Far too many to discuss here, but keep an eye out in the coming weeks for our next video(s) regarding the mothballed Knockmore line 👀

[@tomcarr1358]

Ahead.... good news for Echuca. I was there in November.

[@lyness1217]

Fantastic video. Really appreciate the effort 👍🏼

[@fundthenine]

Thank you very much :)

[@bigfrontier2980]

I also live in Antrim and work near Derriaghy train station. Currently, getting to work by public transport is not feasible - A drive of 30 minutes would take over 2 hours by train, connecting through Lanyon Place or GVS. The Antrim to Lisburn line would make this much more feasible.

[@fundthenine]

I completely agree, I intend on working in Lisburn and having the Knockmore reopened would make that idea much more feasible for me too. Our government need to be giving us good alternatives to driving.

[@StephenOKane]

@@fundthenine Yeah, that loop line would be great. Can believe that a line has been sitting mostly unused for decades now. Such shortsightedness

[@fundthenine]

@@StephenOKane It definitely would be. The ROI are opening up new railway lines left right and centre meanwhile we have to resort to basically begging our government to reopen a railway line that still exists 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@liamgaynor3576]

Great Video, looking forward to the grand opening

[@jhiv3945]

Sadly so many lines were closed. Many of them were narrow gauge but could have been incorporated into the system. I sometimes wonder why there is no line to Dungannon, Omagh and Enniskillen. The West seems to be neglected. Adimitedly, there is a coach service but a railway would reduce congestion on the roads in the future.

[@NothingHereButMe]

Japan, spain, and Russia off the top of my head have mixed gauge railways - its a real shame everything was ripped up

[@АлександрХазанчук]

Line to Omagh and Dungannon is included in the rail review, so it's likely to be built

[@garygallagher5978]

Very informative video, thoroughly enjoyed it, there is so much lost potential for reopening old railway lines in Northern Ireland and in Donegal etc and once Belfast is sorted, hopefully they will spend money in the west and south west, it would be nice to have a sort of loop line going right round NI and branch lines operating off that. (I know, pie in the sky, but we can hope)

[@fundthenine]

Well you're not far off, as just at the end of 2022 the DFI posted this (www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/news/odowd-welcomes-progress-all-island-rail-review) article to their website stating that they are exploring a new rail line between Derry and Portadown, reopening the Knockmore line with a connection to Belfast International Airport ,electrification of Belfast to Newry line and better connections between the rail halt to Belfast City airport. Plus they announced just last week that they are putting together a '2035 transport plan' to prioritise cycling bus and rail over cars for the next 10+ years, pendingnthe release of the all island rail review. Dongeal and the western counties of Northern Ireland will definitely see work on restoring their rail links before the end of the decade.

[@Benergy7]

Excited to see this come together. I drive past the site every day and there's definitely a lot of work in progress. What I'm really hoping to see is the Belfast to Newcastle railway line being reinstated, however unlikely that may be.

[@fundthenine]

I wouldn't say Belfast - Newcastle is unlikely, in fact I would say it's inevitable. The issue rail links being restored to certain areas is much more a matter of how soon will it happen rather than will it happen at all. Especially since the DFI are putting together a sort of '2030 transport plan' that they plan to use to prioritise rail, bus and cycling for the next 10+ years, pending the release of the All Island Rail Review.

[@Whizzy-jx3qe]

@@fundthenine Newcastle had two companies serving it The BCDR and The GNR unfortunately the government closed both instead of at least keeping one line open. I can’t see this line ie Belfast Newcastle being reinstated money being a key factor. If the uk didn’t take the decision to leave the EU then these projects could have been part funded by the EU. Your forgetting we’ve had no government from February of last yr.

[@fundthenine]

@@Whizzy-jx3qe Yes I am well aware. However, money is far from a factor. We spend literal billions a year on road projects, the issue is getting politicians to spend those billions of the railways instead. Also we are still partly in the EU, so we are still entitled to EU grants unlike mainland UK.

[@officialxibro]

​@@fundthenine well the comber line aint coming back anytime soon, but as someone form dundonald it gets serviced quite well through the bus network for belfast and newtonards, so think it is unnecssary for that line at least, but a newcastle line reinstated would be quite good, if it could service more places along the route

[@fundthenine]

@@officialxibro Yes Comber is a location that will take far more consideration and planning due to the original line through the town being mostly built upon. Newtownards is a potential location that could realistically be built before 2030 if work started now. Hopefully something in County Down becomes a reality this decade.

[@SiVlog1989]

Ah, this explains it. Me and my sister visited Belfast by train in November 2022, we didn't know what to expect when the train pulled into Great Victoria Street. That said, we were (I'd like to say pleasantly) surprised to see such huge construction work going on next to the existing railway, but neither of us recalled seeing any information at the time about it. This video has cleared it up. I agree that the second option you spoke about seems to be the most practical in terms of the finishing touches, you can't run anything under half finished structures without risking structural failure before completion. I would also temporarily divert bus and train services to Lanyon Place until all works at the new station is completed (after all, it seems, from my limited experience of Belfast, seems to serve the city centre just as well) :)

[@fundthenine]

Glad the video was able to help! The new station will hopefully vastly improve tourist's first impression of the country when coming from Dublin or anywhere else, especially when we (hopefully) get a railway station at the international airport. And yes fingers crossed option two is what Translink decided to go with (or at least something close to it) so that everything goes in a more streamlined manner.

[@SiVlog1989]

@@fundthenine let's hope so, it looks like (at least there was) a rail route that goes close to the International Airport, but no station. It also seems, like most of NI, to be single track. I guess having a station built there could be an incentive to either double the track or put in more passing loops to serve the International Airport

[@tomcarr1358]

Thank you for making such a thorough presentation. Beware of suspending railway services as there is a risk that once the habit is broken ridership may not fully recover. At least any amenity objections have little traction with a busy roadway on the western boundary . I hope that you have the stamina to do a program on the B&CDR and Queens Bridge and the services from York Street/Road once operated by the Midland Railway of Derby. Overdue is a plan for a light railway/tram from the ferry terminals . The time and distance wasted by the current remoteness is a pain. I miss the convenience of Donegal Quay.

[@fundthenine]

We will be doing a video on the County Down Lines down the line (pun intended). And I'm certain suspending services from GVS until the new station is built wouldn't have any long lasting adverse effects.

[@commuterbranchline8132]

Fantastic video, many thanks for all your efforts.👍

[@marcelwiszowaty1751]

Very interesting and informative. I'm from Coventry in the UK and I visited Belfast for the first time earlier in 2022. Whilst I didn't get the impression that GVS was a terrible station, it certainly didn't feel like a proper gateway to the city, being tucked away behind the Europa Hotel and other high-rise development. The new Grand Central however really fits the bill. Now that it's on my radar I'll be following progress from now on and of course it's completion will give me a great excuse to revisit the capital, not that I need one! I was in the city for only four days and that really didn't give me enough time to explore the wider region. Thank you for your professionally prepared and narrated explanation!

[@fundthenine]

Yes, whilst Great Victoria Street isn't the worst, but it certainly isn't what you would envision as a 'flagship station'. Grand Central will definitely a much better look for the city for locals and tourists. There's not a ton of construction updates on TranslinkNI's KZbin channel, but there's some good stuff on it. Over on our Twitter page I tend to upload images of the construction whilst I'm in the city every now and again. We're glad you enjoyed the video, Marcel. Hopefully Belfast sees you again soon!

[@PS-ru2ov]

Northern Ireland is in the UK....😂😂😂😂 Look at your passport "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"

[@GaryHynes-io9yz]

​@@PS-ru2ovprobably meant Britain... which is not northern Ireland

[@StephenOKane]

Very informative video. Translink should link to this to give people an idea of what to expect. It's disappointing to see the City Fringe replaced by a car park. Belfast has WAY too many car parks these days. It's quite a disgrace, and only makes Belfast more of a car centric hell hole. Turn it into a park! Hopefully the expanded platform capacity will enable trains to run frequently from Derry to Dublin too. The only downside from this development is that a major transport hub will be a further 400m from the centre of the city.

[@fundthenine]

I mean they could have just put a carpark underneath the city fringe. It's a just a little weird in that sector haha And yes, that's why Glider integration needs to happen because the walk from the station to the city centre is already lengthy enough as it is. Also yes this new station is what Translink are hoping will allow for an hourly Enterprise service.

[@bernadettedunne118]

Thank you so much for your video - this makes the current disruptions since closing GVS more bearable.

[@bdeithrick]

Good vid. Needed that

[@fundthenine]

Glad you think so! More on the way 👀

[@moirasnoddy5622]

THANK Godddd it was so badly needed in Belfast, excellent video 👏👏

[@fundthenine]

Thank you very much, hopefully the new station will start to look like a proper building come summer 😄

[@nexty2]

Excellent video, thank you for compiling this

[@gpjclarke]

Great video, very clear and informative.

[@wallacemurphy513]

Great video, defiantly was needed.

[@kiwiwarren1698]

Great, informative video. Thank you from NZ

[@fundthenine]

Glad you think so!

[@Parso77]

Great video. You are right that this is rather more than a mere station enhancement. Worth adding that Yorkgate is also due the be rebuilt this decade, with a better link into the new Ulster University site. The case for the Antrim-Lisburn re-opening is not yet certain, and there is an issue that the passing loops have been removed; but the fact the line remains in use (as a reserve route) and the increase in residential planning approvals along it do enhance the case for it - I think we're talking 2030s, but I'd be reasonably confident. The key point is your final one - if we want this sort of nice stuff, we have to *use* it!

[@fundthenine]

Yes Yorkgate (being renamed to York Street) is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. However, if that plays out as planned is yet to be seen And well the Lisburn to Antrim line may be reopening sooner than anyone might think. With all of the works going on in Lisburn at the minute I was speaking to the man that runs the South Antrim Railway Group and he explained to me that he has been in contact with the government extensively and that they are currently preparing to reopen the line. They have been repairing it all around Ballinderry. There is also a rumour Lisburn West Station is set to begin construction this year, with a finish date of 2025, however I don't have enough evidence on that to say for certain if it's true yet. The 2020s will be a very interesting year for Northern Irish Railways if nothing else.

[@kxconfessions]

Fantastic video. Thanks for making it :)

[@collizross]

So , not being in the country, is the Grand. Central station going to be on the grounds of where the Europa was OR where the Central station was?

[@fundthenine]

The answer is neither! Grand Central Station will be situated about 150m from Great Victoria Street Station's old site at the former Grosvenor Road Freight Yard. There is a graphic in the video at 9:35 that roughly shows how this will look. Hope this helps!

[@ninjacole803]

Awesome video. Love to hear from people focused on Ulster rail development

[@fundthenine]

Of course! We hope that one day you can get on a train in Dungannon and end up in Limavady. We need our railways rebuilt badly.

[@seamusmoriarty7112]

Wasn't aware of these planned developments and they are great news When completed this new transport hub will enhance Belfast immeasurably

[@netscapeboy]

Just on your last point on the phased opening of the new train station, my experience from train travel in Europe is "we're doing infrastructure upgrades - deal with it", I know it will be a major inconvenience as they transition to the new terminal but a sharp short shock is better than months of dithering IMHO

[@fundthenine]

That's true, there are pros and cons to both options. Either one that they go with I hope is the right one 😅

[@pingu255]

Really hope we can get proper transport going across the whole island. There's a lot to be desired compared to the rest of Europe, even Britain. Belfast being the most car dependent city in the UK says it all. Glad progress is starting to be made though

[@fundthenine]

The big issue is getting politicians to abandon the roads. Far too much public money is wasted every year on road maintenance that is far more costly as rail maintenance.

[@jondonnelly3]

Sad most of the rail is gone. I leave near Cookstown, I can't even imagine how convenient it once was to go to Belfast. Since I have to take the car the Portadown, it just makes sense to carry on up the motorway with the car and don't get me started on the gliders.

[@fundthenine]

@@jondonnelly3 We hope one day that Cookstown is able to enjoy the convenience of rail traval once again.

[@nornironnomad]

Do you know is the Laganside bus station going to be closed? Seems pointless having a part time station that is not connected with the railway network, just close it and run all services out of the new one

[@fundthenine]

As far as I am aware the Laganside Bus Station won't be going anywhere as it still serves a vital link for people needing to get across the city from homes and businesses in the surrounding area.

[@nornironnomad]

@@fundthenine It's so annoying if wanting to get a bus to somewhere and having to walk across the city !

[@fundthenine]

@@nornironnomad Well with the capacity increase at Grand Central, I hope Ulterbus are able to expand their services across Belfast so your points of interest are better connected!

[@binflynn1]

Great things to come very informative indeed

[@AdrianMcDaid]

Interesting video. What about the glider? Does this marry in with all this new hub?

[@fundthenine]

Unfortunately the short-sightedness of the people in charge means that the Glider is not (yet) integrated. However the DFI stated that they are starting to look into Glider and better cycle integration as part of their 2035 public transport plan (pending the release of the All Island Rail Review).

[@cliffwoodbury5319]

When a tunnel is built to Scotland I'm sure this will be the station used for passenger traffic so they should make sure there is space for tunnels under the station (making it more than a terminal) that also attach to metro rail lines on opposite sides of the station.

[@fundthenine]

Well that's assuming they do build a tunnel, after all the UK govt aren't very good at sticking to their ideas at the minute. But logically there is infinite space for a station underneath. The only issues would be getting the tunnel around the sewer system and avoiding the many culverts that carry old rivers underneath Belfast. Plus there's the issue of what gauge to use for the tracks, as the Island of Ireland uses Irish Gauge (5ft 3) and mainland UK used standard gauge (4ft 8).

[@hughmarcus1]

A tunnel to Scotland? That’s about as likely as building a space launch pad in Ballymena 😉

[@anothermetaphor7586]

Hi, nice video, just wondering if NI plans to electrify their railways by 2050 like the ROI?

[@fundthenine]

From what I have been able to gather, they are planning on mass electrification, with the first stretch of electrified lines to be completed around 2030. The inital stretch of line that will recieve electrification will be from Bangor all the way to Newry. ^As per my meeting with NIR last June.

[@anothermetaphor7586]

@@fundthenine Sounds great, I wish the Republic could be as timely with electrification

[@cameronclarke8089]

Great video, I was wondering if you know anything about Glider integration for the new station? I've been thinking a while about it, how would it work, would the glider go down the grovsner road instead cutting out the lower falls?

[@fundthenine]

I have heard people talking about the idea of it, however it doesn't seem like anything concrete has been planned. A halt at GCS is doable without cutting any of the current route out, you would merely have to add on a bit.

[@ItAlwaysHasToBePerfect]

Could someone in Translink explain how we get to this new development. I'm used to getting off the Metro bus at the front of Great Northern Mall and walking in but I can't find any information as to how I get to the new bus stands. Your staff are also clueless when asked this question.

[@rogerwprice]

Thanks - the best explainer I have seen

[@fundthenine]

Appreciate it Roger!

[@peter1892]

Great video, very informative! The project will be of huge benefit to the city. Hopefully it will lead to further improvements to the rail network.

[@fundthenine]

Most definitely, we believe the new station will be a base layer for railway expansion, given how much extra capacity it has.

[@Lennyk07]

Also at the minute they are currently refurbishing the line from Cullybackey to Ballymena.

[@NorthernIrelandsRailways]

Now we need a new ni project: an underground part linking the new station and Belfast City + Belfast international airport using class 4000s

[@LuckyFlanker13]

I’ve got two questions that are bugging me around Belfast Central 1. Won’t terminating all trains at Belfast central heavily increase train dwell times, while also wasting a lot of prime downtown Belfast real estate? Would it not be more effective and quicker for service to terminate trains past the station and convert Belfast Central to a through station? It could also set up the possibility for an RER style rapid-transit system. 2. How good is pedestrian access to the bus station? The outside design of the bus bays seem quite hostile to pedestrian access

[@fundthenine]

Are you referring to Central as in Grand Central Station that is currently under construction or the old name for Belfast Lanyon Place?

[@LuckyFlanker13]

@@fundthenine ah, yes my mistake, I’m referring to the under-construction station, not Lanyon. Elaboration - the prime example, at least to myself, of how stub-ending a train service in a busy, very restrictive city terminal wrecks service and makes expansion very difficult is New York City. All it’s major railways insist on stub-ending their services in Penn Station, right in Midtown where there is no space at all to expand. That is in spite of there being infrastructure available to allow services to run through Penn station from the west to the east. As a result, the station is absolutely crammed with passengers with little possibility of expanding Proposals have been going around for a while to combine services coming from opposite ends of Penn so that the pain of terminating trains is moved to wider-open suburban areas with the space necessary to turn trains around. Instead though, NY spent money on a brand new terminal that also stub ends from the west and thus does not provide any access to the East and north of NY. That’s a massive amount of money wasted on a project that did absolute jack to improve wider system connectivity

[@fundthenine]

@@LuckyFlanker13 Never worry. In regards to your first question, terminating all lines at Grand Central Station won't make any difference as all lines (excluding Dublin) terminate at Great Victoria Street. Also the site the station is being built on is all Translink property as it used to be a rail freight yeard, so no prime property is being lost, plus Weavers Cross will be creating a lot of new property as part of the whole project anyhow. A through station for Grand Central is impossible without significant engineering and costs. Remember Westminster only gives NI £15Billion per year which has to be divided up between different departments. As for pedestrian access, there will be two main corridors (Glengall Street and The Great Northern Mall) to feed foot and cycle traffic from the new station to the city centre. Access to the bus stands will be via the station interior only.

[@LuckyFlanker13]

@@fundthenine I see. I admit to knowing jack squat about Belfast transit (my personal interest lies more in San Francisco, LA, Washington DC, NY, and London), but keeping the same stub-ended format for Grand Central sounds like a missed opportunity to reorganize Belfast’s Suburban rail system into a more cohesive and effective system. At the very least, they should allocate the rightt-of-way necessary for such a hypothetical through tunnel for the future so development can’t encroach on it. Even if it can’t be built now, it can be prepared for the future to make it cheaper to build. If you want an example, the NY subway had planned in the 1970s to connect a new subway line to an older one. We made room for the connections. 50 years later, we found the money to make the connection between the old and new lines. Forward planning is best practice for any cash-strapped transit agency that wants and needs to expand. That said, this video was quite informative. I’d love to see more videos on how Belfast’s transit infrastructure will develop in the coming years.

[@fundthenine]

@@LuckyFlanker13 The fact that we're getting a new transport hub such as this is interstellar for us here in NI. Our country is cripplingly dependant on cars ever since the UTA got rid of 60% of our network in thr 50s & 60s. Our current politicians are slow to embrace the necessities of rail and so getting a right-of-way for a tunnel under Belfast is less likely to happen than NI reaching Mars first. There is a major proposal by a fellow rail activist to create a 'Circle Line' ccommuter rail service using the exsting lines and then connecting them up with the mothballed Knockmore Line that we are currently creating a video series for. The main focus right now for NI to restore rail links to the many towns and rural areas that were left stranded after the UTAs closures. I plan on covering all major developments here and on my social media platforms so stick around mate!

[@AtoZbyLocalBus]

I am just thinking, is that why they changed the name of Belfast Central station to Lanyon Place in 2018, because of the plan to build this new station. Also, this is the first time I have heard about this new station. When it is finish, will the train from Dublin be using this new station, instead of Lanyon Place? Just to let you know I live in Dublin, and have traveled by train to Belfast a good few times.

[@fundthenine]

I would guess that is the case, as they put in the planning permission application for the new station not long after Lanyon Place's refurbishment and name change

[@42markk42]

When the new Grand Central opens, will this make Lanyon Place redundant?

[@AtoZbyLocalBus]

@@42markk42 I say Lanyon Place will remain open, as it is very close to the Waterfront Hall, as well as having a hotel, offices and houses are very close to Lanyon place. Also trains from Derry, Porthrust, Larne and Bangor trains pass through Lanyon place. I can't see people from East Belfast wanting to travel to Grand Central, to get a train to Bangor or Derry. When they can get to Lanyon place in a short time, and have a short train trip from there.

[@fundthenine]

@@42markk42 No, Belfast Lanyon Place is a vital station for East Belfast and it would serve no justice to have it removed. Grand Central Station will be only replacing Great Victoria Street Railway Station and the Europa Buscentre.

[@michaelbramall6799]

I predict it will have a Pret a Manger and a WH Smith in the terminal

[@fundthenine]

As long as it has a Greggs, I'll be happy!

[@mark123655]

Great video. I would have though that Opt 1 or 2 would have been well described in the various planning docs. Not knowing anything about the project Id think Opt 1 is more likely. Quite common for things to open in stages, and the new station will still be much better than the old.

[@fundthenine]

Translink have been militantly quiet about the whole project overall. On their website they have a whole section dedicated to the new station, but it mostly just states statistics and other information. Nothing in terms of project outlines. Option one seems more likely at first, but given that this project will be so massive, and that this will be something the Belfast City Council can really show off, I like to hope that they go the second route as it would work just as well and have a much better end result. We have contacted Translink on numerous occasions regarding to how facilities and services will be transferred, but it is one of the few questions they flat out refuse to answer.

[@NothingHereButMe]

I do wonder why the old GVS platforms are being made completely redundant - I understand that the bus station has to go somewhere, but wouldn't it be wiser to have them for local and semi-fast services, or at least to provide additional platforms. I also question the use of 3 tracks and not 4, surely running up/up fast/down/down fast would drastically increase capacity on the Belfast to Dublin line as opposed to just adding more platforms (and therefore more trains), to an already fairly crowded line. Considering I'd heard wind of freight traffic introduced in the future, the need for a 4 track mainline is screaming out

[@fundthenine]

The old GVS platforms are currently where the bus storage and turning area will be, plus the GVS platforms would be considerably out of the way for them to be 'included' with Grand Central. Translink do have a desire to fully triple the line between Belfast & Lisburn if and when the Knockmore Line is reopened, but quad track is unlikely due to how built up the surrounding area is.

[@NorthernIrelandsRailways]

Youre on wikipedia when you search the knockmore line😂

[@northernblue1093]

Interesting and informative.

[@bosssk1dthebest.107]

I’m happy Translink launching a new ticketing system.

[@fundthenine]

That's if they stop delaying its release hahaha

[@robertfrew7425]

How about some late night public transport?

[@fundthenine]

Translate are currently in the process of sorting that out

[@Maschine103]

Will be interesting to see how the loco hauled enterprise sets are dealt with as the locomotive & generator coach will be on the buffer stops / concourse end.

[@fundthenine]

The Enterprise has a locomotive at each end. So it will be the same as it currently operates out of Lanyon Place.

[@RunawayTrain2502]

Doesn't the Enterprise use Push-Pull sets?

[@fundthenine]

@@RunawayTrain2502 Yes the enterprise as a locomotive at both ends of the train.

[@squagwag2808]

It has a Locomotive and power car at one end, and a De Dietrich driving van trailer on the other end. The Locomotive faces Belfast and the DVT faces Dublin. This means the noise of the locomotive is kept away from the main part of the stations, but this will change with the moving of the service to great victoria street.

[@ninjacole803]

What are your thoughts on development for a underground/metro for the greater Belfast area? More significantly connections to the international airport seems drastically overdue

[@fundthenine]

The DFI are currently exploring the costs of a feasibility study into reopening the Knockmore Line with a station at BFS. An underground for Belfast wouldn't work as it doesn't have the population to justify it. Glasgow would be the size Belfast would need to roughly get to in order to justify an underground.

[@davidmatthews6820]

We need a link to the international airport. Very useful video.

[@fundthenine]

Couldn't agree more!

[@emjackson2289]

Criminal that on an island the size of Ireland, flying is such a "done thing" - I mean, there needs to be a line from Derry to Cork down the west coast.

[@fundthenine]

As novel and brilliant it would be to have a line going from LDerry to Cork, there is no pre-existing track to follow and the the huge, mountainous and rural terrain you would also have to traverse would make the line borderline impossible to build without monumental capital investment from both governments. Plus, the Enterprise did serve Cork in the 50s but the extension was scrapped due to it taking over 6 hours, so a line from LDerry to Cork would likely suffer the same fate in reality unfortunately.

[@NorrehLlain]

Your mention of trains to Derry and Bundoran and the accompanying map makes me so sad. NI public transport is now isolated into the east, which isn’t a good look, historically speaking.

[@fundthenine]

The removal of our rail to the majority of the east of the bann is by far one of the worst decisions ever to be made by a government body on the Island of Ireland. Unfotunately, a lot of the lines were closed due to cars domintaing the land, which was sort of unavoidable. But a lot of lines like the Derry Road were removed as part of a political strategy to islolate the minority communities and prevent them from experiencing the growth and connectivity the rail brought with them. FundTheNINE wants to reverse this mistake completely.

[@kscptv]

The bus area should be indoors due to the weather conditions in Northern Ireland in my humble opinion. Have the architects look at Denver Union Station where the buses enter underground for passengers to avoid extreme weather. Are there green energy advances included in the building structure? Solar panels, electric power hubs for cars and future buses? There should also be a large car park structure added to the site.

[@fundthenine]

The entire station will be indoors including the train platform area. Also Northern Ireland already has a large fleet of electric and hydrogen busses so charging and fueling facilities are already in place. Also there is already a carpark planned for the site plus two multistorey carparks around it currently. However proper public transport is about pedestrians and not motorists.

[@mjj5276]

Lisburn West was stopped due to safety concerns for road users that would have had to cross two lanes of busy traffic to enter the site, the use of traffic lights were also rejected do to the proximity of the ones at the junction of Moira Rd/ Knockmore Rd.

[@fundthenine]

Yes I believe that was the case some years ago. Lisburn west seems to be still in the works now however as so it should. Prioritising road users over public transport is the reason why we're at this point in the first place.

[@mjj5276]

@@fundthenine It's not really prioritising road users over public transport, it's simply putting safety first. They also wanted it for the extra parking while work was ongoing at Lisburn but that's not going to happen now.

[@schwarzalben88]

Lanyon Place Station is not the most conveniently situated station for Central Belfast. The idea of one main station for Belfast is a good idea.

[@fundthenine]

That's why it was stated that Lanyon Place is best suited to house all lines temporarily until Grand Central Station is completed. Also I am not sure if you are mistaken or if I am misinterpreting, but after GCS is completed Lanyon Place and York Street will still be there.

[@rockerjim8045]

excellent Video. The one addition to the Railways would be electrify the main line to Dublin

[@fundthenine]

Already in the works, Translink's COP26 plan stated that by 2027-2029 they want to purchase bi-mode trains for the network and in late 2020 the DFI started exploring costs for a feasibility study into electrifying the Belfast - Newry Line. So a partially electrified network will most likely be a reality by 2030.

[@laurenceskinnerton73]

I have some friends in Newcastle and a station there would be useful.

[@fundthenine]

I couldn' agree more! Newqcastle has every potential to be the Portrush of County Down with a restroed railway link. Its unfortunate that Down doesn't have an active railway campaign pushing for such developments.

[@barryjgalbraith2635]

Personally I think it’s a pity the old bridge had to go - not because of its name in relation to the battle of the Boyne but because it was the last remaining structure to be associated with the Great Victoria Street station. It’s 1930s art deco style was a part of the history of the much older station, having spanned the old tracks and platforms of the Victorian station. Sadly we have lost so much of our built railway heritage which can never be replaced. That is “progress” we are told.

[@tdb7992]

I'm glad this video was recommended to me. I would love to visit Belfast. Hello from Australia.

[@fundthenine]

We have a new video series in production so there will be more to come if you stick around 👀 And I'm sure you could find a connecting flight to London then Belfast, although it would cost a pretty penny haha Good wintery morning from Northern Ireland where it's currently -5°C 🥶

[@99certain45]

8:20 That isn't Belfast. Those are Facelings on Backrooms Level 5304

[@fundthenine]

I have been stuck in the backrooms for over a year, these videos are my only way to contact the outside world

[@francisdrain8190]

Good video, only spoiled by the disparaging and facile comment about Marlborough House in Craigavon.

[@fundthenine]

My apologies, but my dislike for that building's appearance is deep rooted within me 🤣

[@laurenceskinnerton73]

The next thing required is electrification.

[@XxTonto98xX]

The new station can't open soon enough. The layout of the existing station is awful - getting from the platform onto GVS at peak times is so frustrating. People queuing, waiting around, and walking in opposite directions in so little space is infuriating

[@fundthenine]

Yes it has become an absolute nightmare to travel from at busy times. Especially holiday seasons. Even when the station is seeing low traffic though the place looks deserted. The layout of the station is quite frankly ugly. The new station will breathe a lot of fresh air into the city.

[@updistant705]

Great to see more major investment in NIR.

[@fundthenine]

Yes we're very fortunate to have a megaproject like this happening in the country. Hopefully this station bring with it the opportunities for new rail lines in the country.

[@updistant705]

@@fundthenine Such a change from the bad old days of the Ulster Transport Authority, who would'nt have been happy until every railway was closed.

[@fundthenine]

@@updistant705 Exactly, if it were my decision I would have the people that ran the UTA banned from all public transport for life

[@rachel.mcgowan]

@@fundthenine I doubt if any of those high up in the UTA at the time of the worst decisions would still be alive, so maybe we need to let it go and just resolve never to repeat the folly of the past.

[@fundthenine]

@@rachel.mcgowan I would imagine they are not also. Letting go of the past would be brilliant but until the DFI expand our railway network we are stuck with what the UTA left us with 60 years ago.

[@Jon.Morimoto]

Interesting high-visibility uniforms. Orange. Did Translink analyse this in light of the GFA and equalities?

[@fundthenine]

Orange high-vis is more commonly used on railways, likely due to the fact the luminous orange stands out far better than green.

[@Jon.Morimoto]

@@fundthenine I'm just surprised it isn't a difficult issue for some employees. Does Iarnrod Eireann use orange?

[@fundthenine]

@@Jon.Morimoto Yes they do, as states the orange is much safer as it doesn't blend in as much as green does.

[@Jon.Morimoto]

@@fundthenine Wonderful. If it's good enough for them...

[@robertbannocks6750]

I would make much more sense to separate out the international services with a specialized station with capacity for the inevitable passport control facilities.

[@EKsUrbanTracks]

420 subscribers, I missed it by one.

[@fundthenine]

I completely forgot to screenshot it 😢

[@EKsUrbanTracks]

@@fundthenine I can unsubscribe a a minute if you want :p

[@fundthenine]

@@EKsUrbanTracks haha it's all good don't worry lol

[@Sammy1234568910]

Just want to say I love the project but hate (I mean really hate) the name. there is heritage in the name "Great Victoria Street" plus its a bit on the nose after they changed the name of Belfast Central (another reference to railway heritage via the Belfast Central Railway), it comes across as if Belfast is trying to plagiarise New York rather than be confident in itself. That's the only criticism I have on the project (and even then its more to do with branding than anything practical) hopefully its successful and hopefully that success will be a jumping off point in continuing to upgrade the network and even expand it into areas of the province its withdrawn from in the past.

[@fundthenine]

Well the name has to change as the station won't be situated on Great Victoria Street, I'm afraid Great Victoria Street Station on Durham Street would leave quite a lot of people confused haha Also to be fair, renaming Belfast Central to belfast Lanyon Place was positive in the sense that it pays homage to Charles Lanyon who engineered much of the Northern Irish railway network. But yes, all in all Grand Central Station will most likely be the starting point from which major upgrades and expansions of the current railway network will begin from.

[@Sammy1234568910]

@@fundthenine they could simply change the name to Great Victoria Station but point well taken.

[@fundthenine]

@@Sammy1234568910 True, but one could still find that confusing. However if they named it Great Elizabeth II Station I wouldn't object hahaha

[@wanemergency3591]

As you describe the 1960's architecture being (boging) if we ever have a nuke dropped on us. That's the only nuke proof building in ulster.

[@fundthenine]

Maybe those 60s architects were more forward thinking than we thought 🤔

[@wanemergency3591]

@FundTheNINE that building is it Craigavon. Its not attractive. But it is nuke proof

[@fundthenine]

@@wanemergency3591 I'm not sure if you're joking or not, is it genuinely supposed to be able to withstand the blast of a thermonuclear bomb?

[@AdrianMcDaid]

Maybe in 100 years we could get a train to the airport. Either of them.

[@fundthenine]

The DFI are exploring costs for feasibility studies so it could be a reality

[@davidlally592]

Mm much of this excellent Belfast transport development is relevent in the context of the very recent publication of the All Ireland Rail Review (funded by both juristicions).

[@bigfrontier2980]

How can Belfast have 9 quarters? Like c'mon... Why do we do this?

[@fundthenine]

They use it the same as you would the term 'district'. We used to call them 'Wards' up until a few decades ago. I personally prefer the term ward over anything else, sounds more professional than having 9 quarters 😂

[@ULYSSES-31]

Fund the NINE counties of Ulster.

[@fundthenine]

Actually NINE stands for the Northern Ireland Network Enhancement whihc was a railway expasion proposed to the NI Executive in 2008 by Dublin based idependant transport researcher, Brian Guckian. But the 9 counties is also a convenient side reference 😉

[@philipmurphy9711]

Should make a video on how poorly Lisburn travellers have been treated too. Have to change for the Bangor line or City Hospital. Dublin train doesn’t stop in Lisburn. So you can kiss goodbye to Knockmore opening again thanks to the costs attached to the Grand central white elephant. Great videos by the way, really enjoying them.

[@dannyexcellent6749]

cool

[@samuelknox2613]

It would be wonderful if Belfast grand central could only use the great Victoria street platforms when it opens!

[@fundthenine]

Unfortunately, that would be rather counterintuitive. GVS platforms need to be removed to make way for the new bus stands, so without doing that the station wouldn't be able to be constructed.

[@samuelknox2613]

@@fundthenine I was just joking as I laughed out loud about the Idea 💡 that some people thought that! I'm sure someone will do something with great victoria street and Europa bus station after demolition.

[@fundthenine]

@@samuelknox2613 My bad, you had me worried for a second! haha And at the minute I believe the sites are planned to be used as mixed use high rise buildings

[@Laga_Mata]

in 2050 more lines will open due to nir line its small

[@nirfan4019]

This building is mant to take a 1 in 100 folld

[@fundthenine]

I'm not sure what you mean?

[@Tmen11111]

Should have made it clear at the start that this is not an official Translink video. No need to show the horrific bomb scenes or the argument about the Orange Order and the Boyne Bridge.

[@fundthenine]

The channel description explains fully that we are a railway campaign. Also, whilst some people may be happy with pretending the past didn't happen, we feel that people have a right to be aware of the reality of things. No graphic content was shown nor will ever be shown on this channel. We are sorry that you didn't enjoy the video.

[@polythenewrappedme6102]

I disagree. A well balanced video. Republican bombs and Unionist marches sound like a well balanced video showing the folly of both sides. I was not even aware there was a "fake" Boyne Bridge in Belfast ! You have no idea how pathetic such nonsense sounds. Stuck in the past, instead of looking to the future. About time Belfast enjoyed pro-rail future, job creation in construction, maintenance, operation and retail enhancing the quality of like for both communities and bringing prosperity and a brighter future. Rightfully, that should be the focus. Who wants to live in the past, and a horrible past at

[@ryanharvey485]

'Promosm' 😀

[@Berlitz81]

A monument to thoughtless planning. The misnamed 'Central Station' is in the middle of an obscure district of Belfast well away from the City's central shopping and restaurant area.

[@fundthenine]

You're thinking of the former Central Station, now Lanyon Place. This video is about the replacement station for Great Victoria Street named Grand Central Station.

[@seanocobhthaigh7096]

An suimiúil grma!!:)

[@cappaculla]

Need to work on your pronunciation.. You have slaughtered some of the place names

[@fundthenine]

I'll just blame it on my North Coast accent 😉🤣

[@wanemergency3591]

The bridge won't be removed. Look around your people. You talking nonsense

[@fundthenine]

Megaprojects are rarely, and I mean *rarely* stopped or altered by any small local resistance due to the fact that the government is putting far too much time and money into a project of this scale to have sometimes like a bridge get in their way. If the people that want to protect the Boyne Bridge really want to help all they can, they should raise money to have to original materials shipped to somewhere else and have the bridge either rebuild on a river of importance or put in a museum like the Ulster Folk Museum. I understand why people want the bridge to remain, but to anticipate that it will is only going to make the end result hurt more. The bridge will come down and it's up to the activists of it to see that it doesn't end up in landfill.

[@WhatALoadOfTosca]

Life's more expensive with Translink. How on earth this entirely public company has been allowed to continue it's bonkers. It's not a private company. Yet it is treated as so. Let's get rid of it, make it private and let's actually have a transport system worthy of a real city... Unlike we have.

[@fundthenine]

This is probably the worst idea possible. Translink's issues don't derive from some internal mismanagement or inept decision-makers, but rather from the government's lack of care for our railways. Travelling by bus and train is cheaper in my experience. The main thing is getting the government to stop spending so much public funds on the roads and start giving more money to the rails to make them better. If Translink was a public combat you would be paying £40 to get to Londonderry from Belfast. We need progressive and forward thinking solutions to fix these deep rooted political issues, not reforms that will just cripple us further.

[@craddy96]

stopped watching after a few poor attempts at saying Drogheda and then hearing Londonderry. It's Derry

[@fundthenine]

Sorry you didn't enjoy the video Jamie. For the record, I call it both Derry and Londonderry with no real preference of the two. Legally the city's name is Londonderry and hundreds of thousands of people call it by both names so honestly there's no way to please everybody. Maybe you will enjoy the Derry Road video series we have planned for the future 👍

[@netscapeboy]

That historic Belfast station looks very much like Dublin's Heuston station, one advantage of economic depravity here during the 60s and 70s was that we got to keep our historic buildings* Unforgivable that such a historic building should be torn down to be replaced by such a god awful eyesore * notable examples of 70s brutalism (down south) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_Royal,_Dublin en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork_Opera_House

[@fundthenine]

Yes it really did and its a real shame we lost it all for some glass towers, but I supose the people running the place at the time thought GVS was unnecessary. Also that is definitely some brutalism alright! 😬