IR reasons for train delays
 

I've always wondered what excuses people have heard announced for IR trains being delayed


the ones I heard are

Operational difficulties
Staffing issues
Wheelslip

The classic

The xx:xx service to yyyyy is delayed by z minutes due to the late arrival of an incoming train at wwwww

I have heard that a lot sitting outside grand canal dock due to a delayed train leaving pearse.

Not even the station you are entering but a totally different station.

A northbound DART I was waiting on in Blackrock was cancelled due to "vandalism" one evening

We are sorry to annouce that the 18:30 service to Maynooth is delayed by approximately eight minutes due to the late arrival of an incoming train at Pearse Station Dublin

I've been on a train delayed due to points failure while the gf two trains ahead was told it was train failure. I'm 90% sure they have a random phrase generator:

We're sorry to announce that the {time} train to {destination} will be delayed by approximately {random number} minutes due to {random select one of: the late arrival of an incoming train | a train failure | a bridge strike | a points failure | operational reasons | a power failure | a passenger falling ill} at {random location}.

Sligo - Dublin train on Sunday due in just after 6 was 45 minutes late due to an earlier train being late. My favourite bit was when it was announced we'd wait at Edgeworthstown for ten minutes for the Sligo-bound train. After twenty minutes the driver came on to say that it had been delayed but should be there "in the next five minutes, please God".

So now they're relying on acts of God to get the trains running.

"......Hisssssss..... Click"

"ROAR OF ENGINE [unintelligible] delay [unintelligible] minutes [unintelligible] cackle [unintelligible]ROAR OF ENGINE [unintelligible] ROAR OF ENGINE Nraaaaaaaaaaaannn. Click"

Yeah, now that I think about it, that's closer to the truth. :)

Another really helpful one...

"We are sorry to announce that the _____ train to ______ is delayded by approximately __ minutes due to (pause) operational difficulties."

Heard last week at Heuston

20 minutes after the train was due to depart - "We are waiting for the driver who is on an inbound set currently at Clondalkin...":rolleyes:

Or i.e. nothing said. the train is just late or stopped nowhere, generally near Sallins (where there is a gap in o2 3G coverage)

Kildare Route Delays 22nd & 23rd Sept.
 

Hey I've a suggestion for Irish Rail, why don't you just throw out that 'Joke Book', (timetable), and just put notices up at all the stations reading - If you turn up at 8am, you might get a train, also if you turn up at 8.30am you might get a train. Good Luck!!

Heard a few years ago (was automated too from what I remember).. never did figure it out.

The XXX train to YYY is delayed by ZZZ minutes due to poor air quality