Lots of messing in Drogheda this morning.
A work colleague tells me that passengers for the 06:31 service to Rosslare were directed over to platform 2 and onto the train that usually operates as the 06:46. This left at 06:40 and was made quite clear that it was not the Rosslare service.
There was subsequently no train for the 06:46. At 6:55 an announcement was made that sounded like, "Mppmh uurgh, mmmm" but somebody must have heard it because people started back over the bridge towards platform 1 where the 06:59 was due to arrive from Dundalk. Another announcement, eligible this time, "Passengers for the 06:46 please remain on platform 2 as this train will arrive shortly and will depart before the scheduled 06:59". The cattle herded back over the bridge again. I opted to ignore this announcement and go to platform 1 for the 06:59 on the assumption that the first train to leave was going to collect a double load at every stop so the later one would be nice and empty.
06:59 and the train from Dundalk pulls into platform 1. Some people waiting for the 06:46 over on platform 2 start back over the bridge then turn back as another one arrives at platform 2. This new train that was masquerading as the 06:46 waited a few more minutes before departing, followed a couple of minutes later by the scheduled 06:59 which was now almost 10 minutes late.
Note that all of this was done while a train sat on platform 3 with its engine running, ready to operate as the 7:18.
Oddly, my decision to take the second train out of Drogheda did not result in an lighter load. Despite having a train running two minutes ahead, there were still plenty of people boarding along the way. Did the 06:46 miss some stops? The OP says that it stopped at Malahide and Portmarnock. I missed that because I was asleep but does that mean that the previous train did not make those stops as it is supposed to?
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