NIR changed their timetable - that's how they managed it.

I'm not making excuses for anyone so please stop that line of posting - it's verging on a personal attack. I'm being realistic.

We could all take your approach and go on a Daily Mail style rant - that doesn't solve anything.

Just because I tend to take a more considered approach doesn't mean that my opinion isn't valid.

If a Mk4 was available I would be sure that it would be pressed into service - no company is going to subject its customers to this level of discomfort if they can avoid it.

While I appreciate that re-introducing mothballed Mk4s would take some time the cumulative effect of cancelling the 1600 and almost halving accommodation on the 1705 is hardly the best that can be done.

Given that the 1715 to Longford is still a full size set, would it not make sense to run the 1705 non-stop to Mullingar while the flooding emergency lasts ? This would reduce long-haul overcrowding on the 1705 at the expense of some lesser additional short distance overcrowding on the 1715. Alternatively move the 1705 to No 3 platform and deny boarding to passengers travelling to Maynooth, Kilcock and Enfield, but still stop to pick up.

Some sources are suggesting that the Sligo line is unlikely to re-open before January.

I'm sure they haven't changed it back yet so they could still spare them.

This level of discomfort lasted the bones of a year across the network and is repeated at least weekly at some point on the network especially DART services. No decent company would allow this to happen.

On a general note it's unacceptable that there is not a stand by Mark IV set to be readily available for service at short notice. There should be and they have 3 sets to play around with.

There is a lot of "acceptable" solutions to ease the problems been experienced but as usual IE are un willing to implement them. I wouldn't bank on it changing any time soon either. There is no way the line will reopen this week, possible but unlikely next and chances are maintenance may be required before services can resume.

Will be a costly period for IE inaction and failure to take precautions given the warnings were clear.

Stop it!, it's to much of a sensible idea for IE to implement...

Is the 17:15 to longford a full set? Is it 29k or 22k?

Why are IR claiming otherwise?

Monday to Thursday there is a mk4 set that is spare all day until 1900 Heuston Cork. Using that at least for 0800 ex Heuston and 1120 ex Cork would provide a 22 for the morning peak if not evening

Mikey

It wouldn't as it nost likely is a commuter from Portlaoise before/after.

The 17:15 is half its usual strength and is a 29K as normal. Skipping Maynooth is not really an option any more as a lot of students get on in Maynooth but restricting boarding to the 1705 to people heading further than Mullingar might be an option.

At this stage, anything would do to provide extra capacity - maybe somebody could be innovative and hire in the RPSI's cravens. A more sensible possibility might be to extend one of the Maynooth commuter services that wouldn't make it back into town in time for another run to Longford

But Irish Rail don't really seem to have any interest in pulling out the stops and making a bit of a effort to serve the customer. As a long-time long-distance commuter I feel that Irish Rail as an organisation treat me with contempt. This does not in general apply to the front-line staff who are the complete opposite but if you have to deal with "customer service" staff in terms of stuff like complaints or timetable "consultations" you soon get the impression.

People fainting is nothing new, I have seen it happen several times this year during evening peak on the Malahide branch.

Although I noticed that IE are putting posters up on the commuter trains about "What would you do if someone next to you passed out" Have to love the irony.

I think that's up there with putting all the grab rails on the 8100 class rather than using the spare carriages.

It is unusual to have people fainting in the winter and as berneyarms suggested the very mild weather is a contributing factor. It is also very unusual to have two ambulances called in three days.

I asked on Twitter and it would appear that there are no plans to strengthen the service on Friday evening so that's going to be fun.

an easier solution is to provide relief busses.

the 22k going from Heuston to Connolly might not be a runner, they are more or less all needed, from what i recall of the working timetable some of the 22ks get moved around a lot and can come in from cork and head off to anywhere and the Mk4 is only cleared for Cork/Limerick so there isnt as much freedom as you'd think. There is also the ability to get the things over to the connolly side in the first place which is also problematic.

I would hope that IE now regard what is happening as a probable annual event and actually put some form of contingency plan in place to ensure that this doesnt happen again.

Reading the above posts it appears the 1715 to Longford is also half sized which I hadn't realised. So this train couldn't take extra passngers unless it also skipped some stops which might still be an option with stopping services at 1728 and 1744 from Connolly and 1725 and 1755 from Docklands.

I'm not sure about 17:28 but 17:44 would be a nonrunner for taking extra capacity.

There's also complaints about capacity on the docklands services. I think they may be 22k so that's where the issue may lie there.

Yes but gross overcrowding for lengthy periods is less acceptable on longer distance high revenue services than it is for 10 to 15 minutes on a DART or commuter train.