THE new-look Enterprise train between Belfast and Dublin was back in operation yesterday after being pulled from service when its fanfare launch was marred by delays.
Passengers suffered a 90-minute delay during the newly-refurbished train's return journey to Belfast on Monday – leaving Translink faced with refund demands.
The train was then removed from service when it arrived back in Belfast and was not allowed to complete its planned journeys later that afternoon.
Translink said the delay was due to "low adhesion on the line caused by leaf fall".
"This in turn caused an issue with the wheels, which needed to be corrected overnight by the engineering team," a spokeswoman said.
The revamped Enterprise train was back in operation yesterday afternoon for services between Belfast and Dublin.
According to the Enterprise passenger charter, customers can receive a full refund on the price of their ticket if they are delayed by 90 minutes or more.
Translink yesterday confirmed one passenger has so far made a written complaint about the delay during Monday's service.
The Enterprise train upgrade includes new livery and interiors as well as an overhaul of the train's mechanical systems.
Transport bosses on Monday heralded the launch of the revamped train, which Translink described as a "major milestone" in the planned £12.2m upgrade scheme for the Enterprise fleet.
But the cross-border project faced criticism when it emerged that it won't have any impact on reducing passenger journey times.
TD Brendan Smith, Fianna Fáil's spokesman on border region development, expressed frustration that the upgrade will not cut journey times.
"We need to get serious about our north-south infrastructure, instead of treating it as an afterthought," he said.
"Both governments must work together to ensure a rail link between Ireland's two largest cities that is appropriate to the 21st century."
