Grand Central Station: Reviews range from a 7/10 to 10/10 on the first day of the daily rail commute
Grand Central Station received a general thumbs-up from the rail-travelling public when the News Letter canvassed opinion on its first working weekday today.
The trains began running there for the first time on Sunday, about five weeks after buses started operating, but a new test came on Monday when the daily commute crowd arrived.
Asked to rate what they think of it, the travellers we spoke to varied from a respectable 7/10 to a starstruck 10/10 – though passengers were not without their complaints.
One of those on the newly-opened platforms was David Masterson, aged "over 70" and from Tandragee.
"It's the distance. It just seems to be further out,” he said.
"In the winter, raining, you'd not be happy to be soaking wet when you're getting there."
This is a reference to the fact that, despite its name, Grand Central Station is about three minutes on foot further from the city centre than the station which it replaced: Great Victoria Street.
But as to the station itself, "it's a fantastic building – it was needed". His verdict? 8/10.
Joel Hewitt, 17 and from Lisburn, gave it a 7/10, feeling it was "unnecessarily" massive, and adding: "I don't think we need eight platforms".
In addition, the months of work that went into finishing the station had shut down much of the line between Belfast and Lisburn, and had added up to two hours to his daily journey.
In a similar vein, Simon Brankin, 65, and from Bangor, described the sheer scale of the place as “slightly intimidating” while the woman he was with – a smoker who did not want to be named – complained of an absence of ashtrays outside the station.
Another traveller, John, 60, said it was a "lovely" building and "very metropolitan", adding: "It looks like a station you'd find in a big town across the water."
But he echoed Mr Masterson in saying it was "maybe a wee bit too far out from the centre": in all, a 7/10.
Dorothy and Gordon Holden, 74 and 76, and from near Portadown, gave it a 9/10, with Dorothy describing it as “very cosmopolitan and international-looking”.
Meanwhile for Andrew Kent, 28 and from Bangor, it was an 8/10.
"Looks great, it’s bright, airy, a massive improvement on the last centre,” he said.
"It’s a lot more open, a lot cleaner for sure.”
What about the fact they have roughly doubled trains to and from Dublin (up to 15 services now per day from the new station from the end of the month)?
"Before I was using the coach to go down to Dublin, but since the service is more frequent I’ll probably use the train, he said.
Noel Mullan, in his mid-50s and from Moira, gave it a 8/10 or 9/10.
“First impressions are good, and hopefully that will continue.
"It’s a fine building, beautifully presented. It’s a fantastic addition to the city. It’s a vast improvement I’d suggest.”
But the best review of the day came from Bertie Moffett, 80 and of Markethill, who went for a glowing 10/10 score.
"I’m very impressed with the building,” he said.
"It’s more spacious, well lit up, vastly different from Great Victoria Street station.
"It served its purpose for many years. Hopefully this one will do the same.”
As to its own assessment of how the opening has gone, Translink told the News Letter: “The new station is operating well, with all systems implemented as planned.
"Passengers have been impressed with the new modern station and facilities available.”
It also said “the starting dates for the retail outlets will be announced shortly” – a reference to the station’s as-yet unopened Brewdog pub, Starbucks cafe, and Marks & Spencer food shop.
Congestion has been a major recent headache in Belfast city centre, and asked whether it had detected a reduction as a result of the trains being fully operational today, Translink said it was a matter for the Department of Infrastructure.
Asked the same thing, the department replied that there had been “no unusual delays reported this morning”, adding that it “carefully monitors the area using CCTV and will adjust the signal times to optimise their performance taking into account the numbers of pedestrians, cyclists, and overall prevailing traffic conditions depending on the time of day”.