Editing Northern Counties Committee (section)

===Developments in the 1930s===
Although the NCC had dealt with the issue of competing passenger road transport by running its own bus services, competition from unregistered road freight operators remained a problem.

A number of innovations were introduced during the 1930s with the intention of bringing about greater economies or improving services to retain existing customers and attract new ones.

On the single line sections of the Main Line north-west of Ballymena and on the Larne Line north of Whitehead, crossing loops were relaid in the 1930s to provide one completely straight or "fast" line to allow the passage of express trains at high speed in both directions.

==== Greenisland Loop Line ====
It had long been recognised that the need for Main Line trains to reverse at [[Greenisland]] was undesirable. Various plans for a direct line bypassing Greenisland had been proposed over the years but the engineering problems faced by having to cross Valentine's Glen near [[Whiteabbey]] and surmount Mossley Col had precluded these. However, construction started on such a scheme on 1 January 1931.

This involved creating a new junction at [[Bleach Green]] where the Larne and Loop Lines diverged. The former main line from Greenisland Junction was singled and joined the new Main Line at a new connection, Mossley Junction, to the east of Mossley station. The old main line became known as the "Back Line". The ruling gradient on the Loop Line was 1 in 75 which could only be achieved by excavating and lowering a section of the existing Main Line near Mossley station. The new lines were carried over Valentine's Glen on imposing ferro-concrete viaducts. The smaller of these curved to the east from Bleach Green Junction as a [[burrowing junction]] passing under a skew span of the larger Main Line viaduct which curved westwards. The old masonry Main Line viaduct was retained to carry what had become the up Larne Line.

A strike by Irish locomotive men in 1933 delayed completion and it was not until 22 January 1934 that the new lines opened for regular service.

Part of the programme included resignalling the lines between Belfast, Greenisland and Mossley Junction with automatic colourlight signals. A new signal cabin was built at Greenisland to control train movements over the triangle formed by the Loop Line, Larne Line and the Back Line.

Although the distance covered by the Loop Line was only two miles less than by the old route, eliminating the reversal at Greenisland saved as much as fifteen minutes allowing services to be accelerated. Some up Main Line trains were divided at Ballyclare Junction with coaches for Larne Harbour being detached and worked over the Back Line to Greenisland while the main part of the train continued to Belfast.

====North Atlantic Express====
Given the opportunity for accelerating services provided by the opening of the Greenisland Loop Lines and the availability of the new powerful Class W 2-6-0 locomotives, a new express service known as the "North Atlantic Express" was introduced between [[Portrush]] on the north coast of County Antrim and Belfast.

The "North Atlantic Express" began operation on 1 June 1934 and was intended to exploit the market in prestigious long-distance commuter traffic. A set of three luxurious new coaches with large picture windows, including a {{convert|60|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[buffet car]], was built for the service.

Initially, 80 minutes was allowed for the {{convert|65+1/4|mi|km}} journey with a stop of one minute at Ballymena but this was progressively reduced to 73 minutes by 1938. Slick working was needed as slightly more than half of the route was single track. For the first time on the NCC a start-to-stop booking of {{convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} was required as only 31 minutes were allowed for the {{convert|31|mi|km}} from Ballymena to Belfast.

Two further coaches were built for the "North Atlantic Express" in 1935 and on arrival at Belfast in the morning the set was speedily attached to the Larne Harbour boat train to provide a through Portrush to Larne service.

The "North Atlantic Express" was discontinued on the outbreak of World War Two although the coaches would be used on prestige services in the immediate post-war years.

====Railcars====
Four [[railcar]]s entered service on the NCC's lines between 1933 and 1938. They were all double-ended single units with underfloor engines and running on two four-wheel bogies.

The first of these, No.1, was {{convert|56|ft|m|abbr=on}} long and seated 61 passengers. It had a traditionally constructed wooden body and was powered by two [[Leyland Motors|Leyland]] {{convert|130|bhp|abbr=on}} petrol engines with hydraulic transmission in the form of [[Lysholm-Smith]] [[torque converter]]s. No.1 was re-engined with Leyland diesels in 1947 and again in 1959.

The next car, No.2, introduced in 1934, was to a radically different design. An ungainly looking machine, it had a {{convert|62|ft|m|abbr=on}} long, slab-sided lightweight body that was to prove problematic. To eliminate the need to run round its trailer at termini, it was equipped with an elevated driving position at each end (similar to some [[Micheline (railcar)|French railcars]]) so that the driver could see over the top of a trailer that was being propelled. No.2 could seat 75 third class and five first class passengers and was powered by two {{convert|125|bhp|abbr=on}} Leyland Diesel engines with a similar transmission to No.1. No.2's looks were improved somewhat when the raised drivers' cabs were removed during its NCC service.

Railcars Nos.3 and 4 were built in 1935 and 1938 respectively and were virtually identical. Like No.2, they were {{convert|62|ft|m|abbr=on}} long with elevated driving positions but there the similarity ended as the cars had "air smoothed" bodywork. Each seating 80 passengers, they too were powered by two {{convert|125|bhp|abbr=on}} Leyland Diesel engines with hydraulic transmission.

In 1934, two railcar trailers emerged from York Road works. Of light weight construction, they weighed only 17 tons (17 tonne) but each could seat 100 passengers. They had a low roof profile so that the railcar driver in his elevated cab could more easily see ahead when propelling them. Elderly former BNCR Class I1 bogie brake tricomposite coaches dating from the 1890s supplemented the purpose-built trailers and provided an interesting contrast between the latest technology and Victorian design.

Besides pulling their trailers, the railcars could also be seen hauling 4-wheel vans. With top speeds of around {{convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, the railcars were not restricted to branch lines but could also work stopping trains on the main lines.

Railcar No.2 was withdrawn in 1954 and No.3 was destroyed by fire in 1957 but the remaining two cars were to continue in service until the mid-1960s.