![]() |
![]() |
#1 |
New to the board
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 2
|
![]() Are there plans for a second train station at Drogheda, near the Termon Abbey estate, or not? It looks like it was a marketing ploy by the original developers or is it officially planned?
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 | |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Drogheda, Ireland
Posts: 1,275
|
![]() Well, if you bought a house in the expectation that a new station will open in a few months, I'm afraid you've been sold a lemon.
The Drogheda development plan can be found here: http://www.louthcoco.ie/index.aspx?d...eid=3&secid=44 It contains the following: Quote:
There are a couple of problems with it. The track over the Boyne viaduct is single track, so there are a limited number of train paths over that line, As the new station would be on a spur, existing trains from Dundalk couldn't stop there, so trains serving the new station would be ones that currently terminate in Drogheda, but it would require increased traffic over the viaduct. I expect it will eventually get built, but it is likely to be several years off. There is significant development expected on the northern envirns, so the council would do well to start levying developments on the north of the town towards the cost of the station. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Technical Officer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
|
![]() As James has posted this is more a vision than a reality
In light of the decision not to bring the DART to Drogheda such a station would result in serve operational difficulties and low service frequency |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
New to the board
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 2
|
![]() thanks very much for coming back to me. very useful info, especially the development plans link.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 | |
Really Regular Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Navan
Posts: 305
|
![]() Quote:
Written by Ron Cox, he has kindly allowed it to be reproduced. Bridging the gap: The Boyne Viaduct 1855 Conception, Design and Construction To view, click here |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
Regular Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: County louth, 6 miles from civilisation:-(
Posts: 155
|
![]() Im Living in the Drogheda area, and as far as i know from my limited knoledge of the town, the spur to the cement plat runs south out of the main line, which would mean no train going north could stop in it and then continue. This understanding only comes from driving over the only remaining bit of track near the cement factory on my way to the station every morning. I also think this is the case due to a map of drogheda in a local barbers that shows the spur turning north-east out of the line and then south
![]() A Drogheda north station would have to be slap bang in the middle of the main line, but with the end of the viaduct stretching out of the town it would have to be built in relation to further development on the north side of the town. Also i have thought recently that it would be a good idea to replace the current span of the viaduct with a stronger structure capable of holding two tracks. Surely modern steel structures or some sort of strong carbons should be able to take the weight, and its not like the stone pillars cant take the weight. Im not an engineer but it looks like only the spans hold the viaduct back.
__________________
Commuting is my extra 50 minutes of sleep ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#7 |
Technical Officer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
|
![]() This is where you have to deal with ignorant local politicans who just don't get it, it has to be on the mainline
No problem fix the viaduct, problem is the entire structure is grade 1 listed |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#8 |
Really Really Regluar Poster
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,371
|
![]() Has NIR ever been asked to extend the Portadown service cross border to provide connection to Dublin-Dundalk suburban, providing more Dublin-Belfast capacity and freeing up seats on existing Enterprise services? Alternatively the extension could be both ways, IE and Translink to Newry with handoff there or IE to Portadown if NIR felt they didn't have enough railcars to manage the extension beyond Portadown.
That might be one way to increase frequency on the route with an eventual aim to end IE railcars beyond Drogheda and use Mk3s to turn Dundalk railcar into more Enterprise services. Maybe the DDs could be bought in full by NIR as their Enterprise fleet and IE using refitted Mk3s as theirs. With seat booking perhaps Drogheda North and/or Dunleer could be opened as a halt but only for services north of Drogheda? How much alteration would fixing the viaduct require? |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#9 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Drogheda, Ireland
Posts: 1,275
|
![]() I know a number of the arches have had iron girders in the floor replaced with reinforced concrete. I'm not sure if this has been done for all of them.
The original iron girders of the 1856 bridge were replaced by the current steel structure in the 1930s. As the steel bridge was built inside the iron one, it was no longer wide enough for trains to pass (although this had already been stopped over concerns over weight). Presumably the current steel bridge will eventually need replacing again, and at that stage it could be rebuilt with one wide enough (and strong enough) for trains to pass. I think there is some merit in the calls for a north Drogheda station, but why not test demand first? It would be easy and cheap to offer a bus service between the area concerned and Drogheda station. If it was run as a connecting service, it could cut down congestion in the car park. There are currently two Drogheda town bus services, but neither of them serve the railway station, and the bus station is a good ten minute walk away. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#10 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 54
|
![]() The fact that the metal portion of the viaduct is not the original must lessen the value of its status as a listed structure, and replication of the steel in the original position on the bridge supports would, as suggested, allow the bridge be again doubled ( or with a design cantelevered off the masonry structure, possibly trebbled).
What improvements to train paths etc would doubling allow? |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#11 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Northern line
Posts: 1,311
|
![]() This was discussed a good while ago with lots of graphics to beat the band but I cant find the thread. The latest plan is actually to locate the station on the mainline and not the spur.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#12 |
Technical Officer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
|
![]() I'm not going into the technical details but from a passenger point of view there are two key issues
Any station north of the Boyne is going to have limited service owing to the single track over the viaduct If the station is off the mainline it can't be served by any commuter train to Dundalk making it impossible to travel Drogheda north to Dunleer/Dundalk directly which is important given the NSS grouping The entire viaduct was built for two tracks, the original iron centre span is still in place. They built the new span inside the original they depend on each other. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#13 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 54
|
![]() I always heard that the original wrought iron was removed in the strenghtening works in 1920s.
An item from Archiseek shows the original, made of relatively close-centred lattice. There is no sign of this in the current bridge, being quite open. http://www.irish-architecture.com/bu...ay_bridge.html |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#14 | |
Chairman/Publicity
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: The Home of Hurling
Posts: 2,708
|
![]() Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#15 |
Technical Officer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
|
![]() Done some investigation
The current bridge was built inside the original.The original bridge was then cut out Now there would be few objections if the entire structure was replaced with a replica to modern engineering standards but you would be closed for several months to do that. Question is could it be done? Currently there is no case to inflict that level of disruption on the public. Question is do the local planners realise the issues with providing a service north of the Boyne? |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#16 |
Chairman/Publicity
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: The Home of Hurling
Posts: 2,708
|
![]() Well, under the 2000/2002 Acts the Planners nowadays have to give consideration to other , shall we say, ergonimic issues, and the existance of the NSS would most certanly be one of them.
But planning can be a case of the right hand now knowing what the left hand is doing. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#17 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 54
|
![]() Planners' usual requirement that any works to a listed structure must be "carried out with due care for the character of the structure and proper planning requirements", which can mean everything or nothing. The listed structure at dublin airport new terminus seems to be going, despite its listed status.
My offering for "What I Saw On My Holliers" was at the campsite of Maisons Laffitte, Paris. A masonry arched viaduct, to cater for quading for the TGV highpeed, was duplicated with an identical via immediately alongside. It was presumably constructed of concrete but was faced with stonework matching the original. I see that the original viaduct almost doubled in cost during construction. Budget over-runs are nothing new! Last edited by Gobdaw : 30-01-2007 at 15:51. Reason: TGV |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#18 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Northern line
Posts: 1,311
|
![]() Would there be anything wrong with the planning of a second Boyne crossing further east of Drogheda.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#19 |
Technical Officer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
|
![]() Which would destroy the view of the first one resulting in a refusal to build
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#20 | |
Chairman/Publicity
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: The Home of Hurling
Posts: 2,708
|
![]() Quote:
However, there would be an objection from AT (fair enough) and probably from other interested parties. It would be very interesting. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|