Crayon Time

[Brian Condron]

Because it's the friday of a long weekend, and I'm having a difficult time to be motivated at work, I thought it would be interesting to see what Luas/Metro/Dart lines people would like to see built, if the sole purpose was to selfishly make your own life easier. In other words, get out the crayons and build a LUAS fomr your door down to your local etc. Extra points if the line actually makes commercial sense.

Well in my case, I live in Ranelagh near the Beechwood station, and I work near Baggot St. so the first thing I'd like to see is a luas line that follows the Grand Canal. It could start at the Red line, and follow the canal to Grand Canal St. DART station. That way, I could take the Luas to Charlemont, change to the Grand Canal line and get off at Baggot St. Bridge and go to work, and my girlfriend could her DART without walking from Stephen's Green to Pearse.

Other than that, I would like to be able take the Luas all the way to Heuston to head home for a weekend, so joining up the lines in town would be nice, or I could use my Grand canal line and skip the city centre. I'd also like the green line to be extended along the Harcourt alignment by one station southwards, Foxrock, handy for tipping out to the driving range! It would also be great for the green line to go underground and become Metro North, non -stop to the airport, no more walking to the Burlo for the Air Coach!

And for a pure 'it'd be handy reasons', a spur off the line from Milltown to head to Donnybrook, the RDS and Landsdowne Rd for all those Leinster rugby games!

Now which politician do I bribe to get that all done?

[Mark]

Brian, Mr. John Henry of the DTO got there before you with the south circular LRT. It looks extremely unlikely however due to the amount of intersections and the horizontal alignment. A Dame street option could be more possible.

[Brian Condron]

Brian, Mr. John Henry of the DTO got there before you with the south circular LRT. It looks extremely unlikely however due to the amount of intersections and the horizontal alignment. A Dame street option could be more possible.

But Dame St wouldn't be near as convenient for me.:D

[PaulM]

But Dame St wouldn't be near as convenient for me.:D

I like your plan. Maybe we should start a bribery fund. I'll throw in a fiver. :D

[Brian Condron]

Cheers Paul, so along with the change in my pocket now, we have €13.57. That should get the Leinster rugby spur built at least!

[Mark Hennessy]

Cheers Paul, so along with the change in my pocket now, we have €13.57. That should get the Leinster rugby spur built at least!

If we are building a Leinster rugby spur, i'll take a line from Lansdowne road to Donnybrook.
Its a long bloody walk from Kielys to LR:D

[Brian Condron]

If we are building a Leinster rugby spur, i'll take a line from Lansdowne road to Donnybrook.
Its a long bloody walk from Kielys to LR:D

So proposed stations:

Milltown (Luas Green Line) = > Clonskeagh (gym for the lads) => Kielys => Bective => Wesley => RDS Uncovered => RDS Covered (and reserved terrace of course) => Bellamys => Lansdowne Rd (DART)

I take it you'll put a fiver into the hat aswell markh?

[PaulM]

Wow Brian this is great work. Better yet you are helping a deprived area of Dublin and that is what policitians like to go on about. ;)

[Mark Gleeson]

You going to love this

Someone beat you to it about 150 years ago with a proposed line through the Dodder valley to the nine arches

[Brian Condron]

Someone beat you to it about 150 years ago with a proposed line through the Dodder valley to the nine arches

Aint that something. Visionary whomever this person was. Cater for the future needs of the population before Leinster Rugby was even conceived!

Obviously this proposal was shouted down by a loud politician from Limerick :D

By the way, Mark have you ever considered wrting an encyclopaedia on Railways in Ireland?

[Mark Gleeson]

Thats Dereks department

Past too depressing to write about, think about it I had a better Sunday service in 1846 than I do now

[Brian Condron]

You were around in 1846? Well that explains a lot, I thought you were around the same age as me.

So anyone else have any plans for a selfish transport solution?

I remember a couple that were suggested in one of the UCD student newspapers a few years ago. One was a Belfield monorail a la The Simpsons. The other was to connect the Luas lines in the city centre by going down Dawson st and then demolishing Trinty to bring the line to Westmoreland St. I must admit to being a fan of that proposal!

[Mark Hennessy]

So proposed stations:

Milltown (Luas Green Line) = > Clonskeagh (gym for the lads) => Kielys => Bective => Wesley => RDS Uncovered => RDS Covered (and reserved terrace of course) => Bellamys => Lansdowne Rd (DART)

I take it you'll put a fiver into the hat aswell markh?

Sounds perfect Brian, perhaps a stop outside the Ho Show Ho so season ticket holders can pop in for their cheap booze and i'll be even happier!

Obviously this proposal was shouted down by a loud politician from Limerick

It makes sense ;)

[Mark]

I think that you should work for the RPA.

[Brian Condron]

Sounds perfect Brian, perhaps a stop outside the Ho Show Ho so season ticket holders can pop in for their cheap booze and i'll be even happier!

Hold up, we get cheap booze there? Whoa, how come nobody told me that! Every day, or just during an away game?

[PaulM]

Hold up, we get cheap booze there? Whoa, how come nobody told me that!

Cause no one ever wants to go in there. ;)

[Mark Hennessy]

Cause no one ever wants to go in there. ;)

It's not that bad ( well after a few beers its fine :D )
The manager has always done a good job looking after everybody.

[Mark]

We should all meet at one of the games for a few pints when the season starts up again. Tonight however, im off to United Park. Come on the Shels.

[Brian Condron]

We should all meet at one of the games for a few pints when the season starts up again.

Maybe make "les bleus" line official Platform 11 policy...

[Mark Hennessy]

We should all meet at one of the games for a few pints when the season starts up again.

Sounds good to me Mark, we have already sold over 3,500 season tickets so it's gonna be an awesome season on the terrace.

[Brian Condron]

May I just add one more stop to my proposed "les bleus" line...Twickenham:D

[Mark]

Sounds good to me Mark, we have already sold over 3,500 season tickets so it's gonna be an awesome season on the terrace.

Yeah I heard they were sold out but I didnt know it was that many. How much did they cost this year?

[Mark Hennessy]

It was €150 if you bought before the start of June, €200 after that, which for 15 games is damn good value I think

[PaulM]

It's not that bad ( well after a few beers its fine :D )
The manager has always done a good job looking after everybody.

I think it's ok too. It's got pool tables which while a bit pricey make it a highly enjoyable midweek spot.

[Brian Condron]

Yeah I heard they were sold out but I didnt know it was that many. How much did they cost this year?

I believe that there are still terrace tickets available, it's only the seated ones that are sold out. Terrace is better craic anyway if you ask me.

[Oisin88]

Of there is bribing politicians going on, I want a Luas or Monorail linking the railway station with the hospital in Tullamore, or else move the whole track to the north of the town!

[Derek Wheeler]

Just to combat the Rugby heads.:D

My solution isn't a line on a map. Its the upgrading of Drumcondra station so all trains can serve it on big match days at CROKER, where a real mans game is played. Add to that the construction of a station on the midland line.

Considering, the serious parking violations that go on around Croke Park, its about time the transport infrastructure around it was used to greater effect. Shuttle trains could operate to both stations from Heuston/Connolly, thereby controlling the numbers disembarking to manageable levels. Once metro north is in, a lot of Dubs are happy. In fact if the whole DRP thing is ever actually implemented, Special DARTs can be provided year after year to the Leinster Final and All Ireland Football final, as the Dubs are there to stay.

As for Donnybrook and Landsdowne, build big carparks, so supporters can park their Mercs and 4x4s. "My goawd. Don't you knoow guys? Its not loike, cool, to, loike, take public trawnsport to a game. You knoow loike?"

And before all you recently declared Rugby supporters start having a go at me, iron your jerseys, don't tuck them into your slacks/chinos/jeans, sort out the youngones at the Wesley "dishco" (preferably coral them in leopardstown racecourse and bring them in by bus) and most importantly, remember that my tongue is firmly in my cheek.:D

[Mark Hennessy]

Great post Derek :D

Its a pity the Dart hasnt been extended to Drumcondra before the 6N rolls into town next year in Croker, it would make escaping to Kielys afterwards so much easier ( tongue also in cheek )

[Derek Wheeler]

Ah Mark, when we let you lot into Croker, do the decent thing and check out the local hostileries first.

Perhaps myself and Thomas Stamp can do up a, "drinking near Croker guide, for the uniniatiated Rugby head".:D

[Thomas J Stamp]

It will be a very wierd education for the rugby lads to go boozing in Dorset Street/ Drumcondra and (my fav) the back of the Clonliffe House. But, then again, you'll all be doing it during the cold days.... oooh, dont like the sound of that standing outside the Big Tree with the rain lashing down on yis, all the traffic spashing the puddles towards you.

Oh, and the tradition of the lock hard is still very much alive and kicking along the North Strand/Summerhill area. Which is more than can be said for your Lexii or Merc if you forget to pay in advance.

I am, of course, a Munster Supporter and I really cant see what you Leinster lads are getting so exicted about anyway.

[Brian Condron]

I am, of course, a Munster Supporter

And on that bombshell!

Aren't you a Dub? Or is it Dub by birth, turnip by the grace of marriage?

And believe me if you have been observing the momentum of Leinster's support over the last few years you'd realise that there's plenty to be excited about. Have my ticket for Twickenham purchased alread :D

Incidently, I'm from Laois.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Yes, I'm well aware of the momentum of your support, though it wasnt very much in evidence during the match in Landsdowne against Munster. Ah well, and I have a very good friend who goes to all of Leinster's matches, even Celtic leauge, and went to the far away matches last year with massive crowds of several hundred going with him. He can provide the momentum if no-one else can, and fair play to him.

As for being a Dub supporting Munster. Well, the primary school here has my 5 and 6 year old playing Hurling, Football, Rugby and Soccer. The lads were mad for "Munster (somtimes the 5 year old calls it Monster) Rugby" and for the many flags flying around everywhere. Didnt get that choice in St Joseph's in Ballymun growing up and lets face it the Leinster RFU werent too much interested in us either. If the Munster RFU are going to do that in a small rural school (and they're doing it in lots of them) why shouldnt I support it?

It'll be interesting when the hard-core ruggers get to Croker. They may find that the re-developed Landsdowne may not be as developed as they think.

[PaulM]

They may find that the re-developed Landsdowne may not be as developed as they think.

I hope your not saying that vote grabbing exercises are to be applauded. :p :D

[Brian Condron]

So is anyone else "allez"ing to see "les bleus" tonight?

[Mark Hennessy]

So is anyone else "allez"ing to see "les bleus" tonight?

I've got my Girv the Swirve tshirt on :D

[Brian Condron]

Nice one! I'm in the long sleeved replica jersey, that weather doesn't bode well for t-shirt wearers.

[Mark Hennessy]

With this weather im going to need my Girv the Swirve raincoat!

[PaulM]

What on earth does jerseys have to do with sensible rail developments??? ;) :D

[Brian Condron]

Platform 11 Canteen
General chat, introduce yourself, tell a joke.

It falls under general chat!

[Derek Wheeler]

UP THE DUBS!

[PaulM]

UP THE DUBS!

Right Wheeler, arguing with a mod is against the rules. Banned! :D

[Thomas J Stamp]

Ban me too, you swine!!!

OH WHEN THE DUBS
OH WHEN THE DUBS
OH WHEN THE DUBS GO MARCHING IN
I WANT TO BE WITH THE HEROS
WHEN THE DUBS GO MARCHING IN.

By the way, platform 11 is not wholley concerned with rail projects in the greater DUBLIN area.

[PaulM]

That's it! The entire committee are banned. Enter Paul 11.... :D

Though if I followed any sports I would go for Dublin.....

Now, back to my banning. Who's next??? :D

[Donal Quinn]

The Green and Red of Mayo
I can see it still
It's soft and craggy bogland
It's tall majestic hills
Where the ocean kisses Ireland
And the waves carress it's shore
The feeling it came over me
To stay forever more
Forever more

From it's rolling coastal waters
I can see Croagh Patrick's peak
Where one Sunday every Summer
The pilgrims climb the reek
Where Saint Patrick in it's solitude
Looked down across Clew Bay
With a ringing of his bell
Called the faithful there to pray
There to pray
Take me to Clare Island
The home of Granuaile
It's waters harbour fishes
From the herring to the whale
And now I must depart it
And reality is plain
May the time not pass so slowly
Before I set sail again
Set sail again

[Thomas J Stamp]

Congratulations to Mayo, well deserved win.

Just to rub salt into the wound there was an ad for the WRC in the match programme.

Ah well.

[Mark Gleeson]

Need a scan of that