I've flown to Belfast for passport appointment before! Piss easy but very strange flying without needing a passport. Probably cost about as much as a rush hour ticket to Victoria too.
Renewed my daughter's passport last month and used the online service for regular renewal. We got it back in less than 3 weeks; longest part of the process them acknowledging the old passport had been sent in. We used Recorded Delivery so knew it had been signed for but wasn't marked as...