irish indo:The train now arriving is first for 100 years

[Colm Donoghue]

THE first train has arrived at Dublin's newest railway station.

The 'test train', right, arrived at the Docklands station yesterday to test track gauge and platform clearance, but in just three months, the station will be officially opened.

The first city centre station built in over 100 years and at a cost of €26m, Iarnrod Eireann said it will be fully operational by March 12, three months ahead of schedule. It will deliver a "dramatic increase" in peak frequency from west Dublin suburbs such as Clonsilla and Castleknock, as well as developing areas such as Ashtown and the proposed Phoenix Park Station.

Most of the main building work is already completed. Signalling and final fit-out will begin in the New Year.

It will handle 2,500 commuters daily on opening, with potential to cater for up to 10,000 more.

[Mark Gleeson]

Not the first train to visit the station

The station is currently not accessible and require a reversal via Connolly to access it

[Nigel Fitzgricer]

Dear Transport Santa,

When the Interconnector is open for business, can Docklands Station become the terminus for the future Dublin-Cork high speed line? Trains use the Midland Line and Phoenix Park Tunnel to get out to the city. On piers over the present Dublin-Cork mainline and then come off at Adamstown heading towards Naas and down straight as a pin down to Cork. 1.15 hour journey time city centre to city centre.

Please do not let the nasty CIE men demolish the station for another office block/apartment complex while wasting 900 million Euros on their own "solution" for trains between Dublin and Cork.

Oh, and make Patrick Kielty go away and never come back.

Thanks Santa.

[sean]

And so the man in the red suit responds;

Dear Nigel

You don't want the Docklands station to be used to terminate Cork Mainline trains becase its a kip. Firstly, it can only be accessed by the Midland Line which cannot be directly accessed from the Park Tunnel, even if Irish Rail built a double-scissors juntion at Glasnevin, Dublin-Cork moves would cause a nasty set of double-conflicts with Sligo/Longford/Maynooth services.
Secondly, the Docklands station is for all practical purposes not integrated with the proposed Luas, being several hundred metres away from the Sherrif St Line and another hundred or so from the nearest proposed station.
Of course Irish Rail used to own tracks that proceeded down to Sheriff St. bridge and would have taken in the route from Drumcondra as well but they chose to tear those up and give you the station now being built, I can't do much about that from the North Pole. Your Mr. Moriarty is free now, perhaps he may be of assistance.
If you want to see the Midland Line and the Park Tunnel being reused, perhaps you could always ask your favourite IE manager why Sligo, Longford and Maynooth trains currently use the most inefficient routings possible to reach and leave their bases at Connolly station, all going over the Drumcondra line while a vastly superior routing over the Midland line lies unutilised. Perhaps Irish Rail could run all Maynooth, Longford and Sligo services onto the Midland line, to Connolly Station and to points South on the mirror Rosslare service. No doubt ye Sligo and Longford users would like to have direct trains to Tara St. and Pearse (where the Interconnector will Interconnect, and some much abused Wexford customers would like to have potential direct access to that Metro you praise so highly.
Subsequent to such a move, there would be plenty of paths for a Cork or other Heuston train to come from there to terminal platforms of Connolly without major expense.

Yours truly;
Saint Nicholas of Kildare St.

[Colm Moore]

Most of the main building work is already completed. Signalling and final fit-out will begin in the New Year.I was there last Tuesday.

Track and platforms are in place.

The frame for the platform roof is in place, but the cladding / decking hasn't started.

The roof of the station building is just about finished, but the walls aren't.

I suspect fit out of the building is still at early stages.

There is some landscaping done, but no acoustic barriers.

There is no access to the station and won't be until work is finished south of Sheriff Street, which is problematic until the apartments / offices are finished.

No word on other measures (bus link, bridge upgrade, etc.)

[Gary]

So in 3 months time you're landed at the top end of Sheriff Street, ok if you're working in the IFSC or East point.... but if you're up in stephen's green how the heck do you get up there, walk to Connolly Dart and get it to Pearse or as most will have to do get the nike's out and burn some rubber...

[Mark Gleeson]

If you want Pearse or Connolly you stay on the train you currently get

If you want IFSC etc you board one of the new extra services to the Docklands station

[Mark Hennessy]

Passed by the site today, there is a new piece of track going in linking the line into the station with the line that leads to the freight area and future route into the interconnector tunnel.

[Derek Wheeler]

I sadly have to remain silent on this issue due to a conflict of interest matter.........I once saw real shorterm potential on this site.:)

Sean is nearly right. Moriarty can be sent in when the money runs out and all options are spent.;)

[Colm Moore]

Planning decision is 1994/06 available here: http://www.dublincity.ie/swiftlg/apas/run/WCHVARYLOGIN.display

4. The following requirements of the Roads Department to be complied with in the development;

a) Any alterations to Sheriff Street Bridge shall be carried out by Dublin City Council at the applicant's expense.

b) Ducting shall be provided along Sheriff Street Bridge at the applicant's expense to accommodate a future pedestrian crossing facility if deemed necessary by Dublin City Council.

c) Lighting in the vicinity of the station and along main pedestrian access routes shall be upgraded to pedestrian levels in the interests of safety. Details to be agreed with the Public Lighting Section of Dublin City Council.

d) Cycle parking to Development Plan standards shall be provided to serve the development. This shall be covered, secure, well lit and conveniently located. Details of proposed location of this parking to be submitted to the Roads Department for agreement prior to the commencement of the development.

e) All costs incurred by Dublin City Council, including any repairs to the public road and services necessary as a result of the development, shall be at the expense of the developer.

f) The applicants to provide for safe access for the disabled, including access via the proposed linear park.

g) The applicant to monitor the pedestrian impact of the proposal within a 1km radius during the first 6 months of operation and to consult with the Roads Department regarding any improvements required to the pedestrian network to serve the development.

h) The applicants to provide for a bus service to serve the development. Details of this aspect of the proposal to be submitted to the Planning Authority for agreement prior to the commencement of the development. Reason: In order to ensure a satisfactory standard of development.they have to provide a certain level of service to the council's approval. Note the bridge has a 7.5t limit (constantly broken), so an East-West service is unlikely as there are no minbuses left in the DB fleet.

So in 3 months time you're landed at the top end of Sheriff Street, ok if you're working in the IFSC or East point.....East Point is quite a hike / OK cycle.

[petronius]

Whilst from a trainspotters like viewpoint I like the idea of docklands
As a former commuter on the Maynooth line... I reckon the docklands station is not major benefit to Maynooth commuters to long a walk from amiens street...
Perhaps when the luas runs up to it is is more beneficial but initially it shall just a cul-de-sac of a station.