[19/07/12] Shambles on the Sligo line this evening

[James Howard]

There was something a bit wrong with the 17:05 Sligo train this evening in Connolly as it was in complete darkness but they got it started anyway. Anyway, it got as far as Maynooth before they gave up and decided to transfer everyone across the platform onto another train.

So they attempted to put the entire contents of the busiest Sligo-line train onto a 4-car 29k with no assistance whatsoever from Irish Rail staff. You had elderly people with luggage trying to get across the bridge - a complete mess. And that with a Longford train running about 15 minutes behind where there was no need to change platform.

The 29k set didn't even have standing room as it set off on the 2.5 hour journey to Sligo. I've waited on the Longford train but no doubt they will do something stupid with the crossing trains that will leave me at least an hour late.

I guess it is because these trains are so old that is causing them difficulty with keeping them running.

[Jamie2k9]

There was something a bit wrong with the 17:05 Sligo train this evening in Connolly as it was in complete darkness but they got it started anyway. Anyway, it got as far as Maynooth before they gave up and decided to transfer everyone across the platform onto another train.



Being in darkness in Connolly dosn't mean there is problem with the set as it just saving money by not running engines etc. If they made a number of attempts to start it then there may of being an issue.

[Inniskeen]

Being in darkness in Connolly dosn't mean there is problem with the set as it just saving money by not running engines etc. If they made a number of attempts to start it then there may of being an issue.

Complete darkness doesn't sound good. Mind you it doesn't mean the engines can't be started and the train would be unable to proceed.

A set in complete darkness sounds like a Health and Safety issue - a minimum amount of internal lighting should always be maintained, otherwise the darkened vehicles aren't fit for service.

[Jamie2k9]

Complete darkness doesn't sound good. Mind you it doesn't mean the engines can't be started and the train would be unable to proceed.



Would happen a lot when the train arrives from Portlaoise and everything is shutdown until the driver of the next service arrives. Its not complete darkness ther would be light coming through the windows.

A set in complete darkness sounds like a Health and Safety issue - a minimum amount of internal lighting should always be maintained, otherwise the darkened vehicles aren't fit for service.

Only in there is no light coming through the windows. I have traveled from Heuston to Kildare with no lights as the train arrived from Portlaose and was left running and the driver didn't see that the lights were off until the ticket inspector told him. Health and Safety is very over rated these days.

[James Howard]

The set was in complete darkness apart from what was getting in the windows under cover in Connolly on a dull autumn evening. This is not normal.

The real issues ware the severe overcrowding on the replacement service and the general stupidity of trying to get 500 people across the footbridge in Maynooth without any form of assistance from staff. Some attempt to split the load based on who was going further than Longford would have been sensible.

Apparently there was a similar failure on Wednesday but I wasn't on it so I only heard it from a fellow traveller. If this is the case, this a bit poor.

[Mark Gleeson]

It did fail on Wednesday as well.

Train has to have working lights and as such should not have left Connolly.

There wasn't much else that could be done to get a replacement train in place, ideally the defective train could have been shunted out of the way and the replacement the same platform but if the train is defective you could then end up blocking the Sligo end of the station.

I'm guessing the other train was already in platform

[James Howard]

The train left Connolly with all interior electrics operational - what was unusual was having sit in Connolly until about 10 minutes before departure with everything off but they got it going eventually. The busted train was still operational - it left Maynooth under its own power going towards Dublin. But if was the same unit that failed earlier in the week, this is a pretty poor effort.

I guess they didn't have much option but to use the train they had available which I reckon was the 15:00 up-train from Sligo, as it arrived from the down-side with people on board. But they could have managed the situation a lot better as follows.

1. Announce instructions clearly twice or three times (for the benefit of headphone wearers, hard of hearing - etc.). Repeat the announcements on each train every couple of minutes.
2. Offload the train and have everyone for Sligo (beyond Longford) cross to the other platform. Have the failed train head towards Dublin.
3. Have everyone going no further than Longford board the 17:15 on the same side - also suggest the infirm do the same so as to avoid having to cross the bridge as they will be able to do a same platform change onto the following Sligo train at Longford.
4. Have the Longford train leave first to avoid providing an incentive for Longford passengers to overcrowd the Sligo train because it was leaving first.