[5-5-2006] Yet More Disruption
 

Two seperate incidents today

Firstly 8:45 am signaling fault on the Pearse Interlocking led to delays of up to 10 minutes to northbound services including the 8:05 Greystones Howth. No notice on IE site

Second a train suffered a technical problem at Booterstown sometime after 5pm leading to delays of up to 20 minutes northbound. Souhtbound trains were subsequently delayed. A very breif notice appeared on the IE site but not promptly and the notice is now actually incorrect

Bray Drogheda Service
 

I think it was the 16.50 Bray to Drogheda service, which failed at Booterstown around 17.12 (unscheduled stop). This caused all northbound DARTs to be held behind it. This service reached Lansdowne Road @ 17.45, around 25 mins late. There were large crowds at all platforms north of this.
At Lansdowne there was the same announcement every 5-10 mins about a delay, but as always, no information that passengers actually want .i.e. expected return of services, alternative arrangements, etc. I assume the decision makers had all headed home early today!
Another thing I noticed was that when services returned to normal, they took this service off the displays before it's arrival. While standing there, I rang Connolly information desk to ask what happened to it - they told me it was in Pearse St. I told them that would be a miracle, as it had yet to pass me! They told me to ring back in a few minutes. Eventually, the delayed service arrived, but as it then stopped at Howth Junction, Malahide, etc. the total delay was > 30 mins. I assume the 17.50 ex Pearse st to Dundalk was sent out early to clear the crowds from Pearse, Tara st, Connolly, but no one told any of the passengers south of these stations what was happening. Yet again IE turn a problem into a communications disaster. Will they ever get it right??:confused:

It was a complete mess

A train to Drogheda did leave Pearse at about 17:47 (the 16:50 ex Bray) followed by a train to Dundalk, then Malahide, then the 17:00 ex Bray to Maynooth

Total lack of information, all we got was 20 minutes delay due to technical fault on train at Booterstown. The displays on the platform at Pearse was not synced and was not showing the correct order of trains