HC Deb 02 March 2004 vol 418 cc867-8W
Lady Hermon

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average age of rolling stock in service with Translink is; and what progress has been made with the introduction of new rolling stock to the railway network in Northern Ireland. [157671]

Mr. Spellar

The following table gives a breakdown by type for the different locomotives and carriages used on the Northern Ireland Railways network. This information was supplied by Translink.

Age (years)
Two GM locomotives 8
14 De Dietrich carriages 7
Three GM locomotives 22
11 ex-Gatwick carriages 31
80 class:
20 power cars 26
19 driving trailers 28
17 intermediate trailers 29
450 class:
Nine power cars 17
Nine driving trailers 17
Nine intermediate trailers 17

Translink also advise that the first of the 23 new trains is scheduled to be delivered in April 2004 with the remainder being delivered progressively through the rest of 2004 and the first part of 2005. Translink expect that all the trains will be in service by the Autumn of 2005.