Been able to put together the sequence from last night
1722 E926 Dun Laoghaire Howth was unable to depart due to a points issue at Dun Laoghaire
1645 E222 Howth Bray stops at Salthill in the platform, the next signal cannot be cleared as the points failure results in a fail safe condition
Between 1725-1800 efforts made to fix points fault, ultimately this appears to have resulted in use of the clip and scotch solution to clamp the points for the Bray direction (the 'normal' direction in jargon terms). The equipment cabinet in Dun Laoghaire storing the equipment is left open confirming the equipment was used.
1800 Howth Bray train at Salthill is departs and proceeds to Dun Laoghaire under caution, approx 1805 (not 1815 as Irish Rail claimed) this train derails at slow speed over the facing points which previously had been clamped, the train derails leftwards away from northbound trains.
The entire first carriage is derailed, and the front of the second coach, but it is only obvious the front of the first carriage is off the rails.
Approx. 1840 (train now 66 minutes late vs timetable) passengers in the third carriage start to leave the train onto the up track, at 1842 passengers from the second carriage also start to exit, after approx. 3 minutes these doors are closed, this is the first point staff are seen onboard the train
Approx 1850 passengers in the 6th coach start to exit via the side of the train, at an unknown time passengers in the 5th coach also open a door and start to exit over the wall to the former coal yard tramway
Controlled evacuation did not start until after 1900 and was complete by 1945.
A pregnant woman in the third coach required assistance and an ambulance arrived however it arrived at the front and not rear of station. Dublin Fire Brigade evacuated to booking office, where staff were unable to find a key (assuming the staff bathroom), 'casualty' seemed in good spirits
A second ambulance arrived, however no Irish Rail staff at the booking office area to take control and direct, passengers at booking office directed the ambulance crew and others to the incident train, due to an empty train in the northbound platform many initially headed that way instead of the incident train which was just out of view from the booking office
Despite the urgency to get folks evacuated a senior looking member of Irish Rail staff found the time to escort a camera crew from RTE to the train, even though they could have got a perfectly good camera angle from the street
Approx 2000 derailment team arrive to start work
By 2230, only the front of the train remains off the rails
Last edited by Mark Gleeson : 25-09-2017 at 10:03.
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