SERA report to retain Waterford Rosslare line

[Mark Gleeson]

Its a good read
http://www.sera.ie/media/Maintenance...Corridor .pdf

Rail Users Ireland contributed elements of the timetable to ensure the arrival time in Waterford was early enough to allow passengers time to get to work and to WIT

Timetable proposed is page 65

It doesn't look good for Irish Rail....

[karlr42]

The proposal to include Wexford more prominently is a very good one. But the services that that would produce seem to be offputting. For people commuting from Wexford to areas on the South Wexford or to Waterford itself, they are faced with an annoying diversion southwards to Rosslare Europort, and then returning north to visit Rosslare Strand again before finally getting onto the branch line. Operating Rosslare Strand to Rosslare Europort as a shuttle or leaving it to the existing Dublin-Rosslare Europrt service to provide the connectcion seems to be a much better solution.

[Mark Gleeson]

Problem is you have to serve the whole route and the potential for ferry passengers. There are redevelopment plans for Rosslare harbour with some form of technology or industrial complex planned

Rosslare Strand could actually be skipped in one direction to minimise journey times.

Bear in mind the Rosslare Strand - Europort section is taken flat out at 70 mph. Its a massive difference compared to swaying along at 40mph

[dowlingm]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Rosslare Strand could actually be skipped in one direction to minimise journey times

That's an interesting thought. Presumably the direction to skip would be the Wexford-Rosslare legs given that the acceleration/deceleration profiles would be less severe than heading onto/coming from the South Wexford.

[Jamie2k9]

Rosslare Europort timetable should be as follows:

Rosslare Europort - Waterford
06:15 (Stena Line UK arrival)
06:45 (Irish Ferries UK arrival)
Train should depart Rosslare Europort at 07:15

11:00 & 11:30 (Irish Ferries French arrival)
13:00 (Stena Line UK arrival)
Train should depart Rosslare Europort at 13:30
(Operate May - Sep as SL fast ferry does not operate during winter and IF French route move to evening times.

17:45 & 18:00 (Irish Ferries French arrival)
18:15 (Stena Line UK arrival)
18:45 (Irish Ferries UK arrival)
Train should depart Rosslare Europort at 19:15

Waterford - Rosslare Europort
08:45 (Irish Ferries departure)
09:15 (Stena Line departure)
Train should arrive Rosslare Europort at 08:00

15:00 (Stena Line UK departure)
15:30 & 16:00 (Irish Ferries French departure)
Train should arrive Rosslare Europort at 14:15
(Operate May - Sep as SL fast ferry does not operate during winter and IF French route move to evening times.

20:45 (Irish Ferries departure)
21:15 (Stena Line departure)
21:30 & 21:45 (Irish Ferries French departure)
Train should arrive Rosslare Europort at 19:45

No other trains need to serve Rosslare Europort.

[karlr42]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

Rosslare Europort timetable should be as follows:

Rosslare Europort - Waterford
06:15 (Stena Line UK arrival)
06:45 (Irish Ferries UK arrival)
Train should depart Rosslare Europort at 07:15

11:00 & 11:30 (Irish Ferries French arrival)
13:00 (Stena Line UK arrival)
Train should depart Rosslare Europort at 13:30
(Operate May - Sep as SL fast ferry does not operate during winter and IF French route move to evening times.

17:45 & 18:00 (Irish Ferries French arrival)
18:15 (Stena Line UK arrival)
18:45 (Irish Ferries UK arrival)
Train should depart Rosslare Europort at 19:15

Waterford - Rosslare Europort
08:45 (Irish Ferries departure)
09:15 (Stena Line departure)
Train should arrive Rosslare Europort at 08:00

15:00 (Stena Line UK departure)
15:30 & 16:00 (Irish Ferries French departure)
Train should arrive Rosslare Europort at 14:15
(Operate May - Sep as SL fast ferry does not operate during winter and IF French route move to evening times.

20:45 (Irish Ferries departure)
21:15 (Stena Line departure)
21:30 & 21:45 (Irish Ferries French departure)
Train should arrive Rosslare Europort at 19:45

No other trains need to serve Rosslare Europort.

Well that would be the ideal service pattern, but that frequencey requires more trains, staff and signalling than is available or is likely to ever be available on that line. The timetable in the report seems more reasonable.

[transportuser09]

Originally Posted by karlr42

The proposal to include Wexford more prominently is a very good one. But the services that that would produce seem to be offputting. For people commuting from Wexford to areas on the South Wexford or to Waterford itself, they are faced with an annoying diversion southwards to Rosslare Europort, and then returning north to visit Rosslare Strand again before finally getting onto the branch line. Operating Rosslare Strand to Rosslare Europort as a shuttle or leaving it to the existing Dublin-Rosslare Europrt service to provide the connectcion seems to be a much better solution.

I'd agree with you on that. The diversion into Rosslare Europort is not going to attract Wexford passengers. Perhaps what would work better would be a situation whereby a connection was made with a Dublin-Rosslare line service, maybe similar to what there is at present, although whether or not having to change trains will encourage passengers is questionable.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Its a good read
http://www.sera.ie/media/Maintenance...Corridor .pdf

I see they have made comparisons with the UK.

Another good comparison might have been when BR tried to close the old Settle to Carlisle line back in 1987, based on the fact that it had become a sparsely used intercity line with all stations except one closed en route. It didn't close, stations along the line were reopened, and it would now be used as a mixture of commuters tourists, walkers (the Pennine Way and the 3 peaks pass close by) and people connecting withe the intercity lines at Leeds and Carlisle. Last time I looked there would have been about 7-8 trains daily, maybe a bit less on a Sunday.

[Traincustomer]

As a regular user of the ferry from Rosslare I appreciate that ferry connections cannot take precedence at the expense of commuter traffic.

Equally however rail-ferry connectivity should not be an optional "add-on"/"revenue top-up" at the whim of the mood of individual planners in a particular year.

It is perfectly possible to design an innovative and imaginative timetable which serves the key commuter traffic but also gives satisfactory connections to/from several sailings.

Having recently twice used the 1720 Waterford-Rosslare as part of a longer journey, it arrives a little early for the 2115 sailing but is nonetheless perfectly adequate.

Less pleasing though is the scenario every evening of the last train departing Europort as the Stena ship from Fishguard approaches its berth (ship berths at 1800; train departs at 1755).

[Mark Gleeson]

The SERA report timetable does a very good job within the constraints it has and does link with most ferries. You are restricted by having to cross trains at Wellingtonbridge its the only way to get a train every 2 hours.

I had a long discussion with the consultants about the timetable and the options and the change we suggested got a better morning arrival time in both Waterford (8:27 vs 8:50) and Wexford and got a better evening peak departure time from Waterford with the connection from the Dublin train.

I wouldn't focus too much on the Dublin - Rosslare - Ferry case, the volcano experience showed virtually zero take up even with the trains connecting while the morning train to Waterford was packed.

I certainly see a need for the ferry companies to show a small flexibility to move schedules a few minutes to make things work better

[Jamie2k9]

Is Wellingtonbridge the only part of the line where trains can meet??

[Traincustomer]

Hi, between Rosslare and Waterford - Wellingtonbridge is the only intermediate station/point equipped with a passing loop; the station at Wellingtonbridge is an island platform.

Agreed in principle regarding Dublin-Rosslare route though there would be a benefit in Co. Wexford stations on the Dublin line having an adequate connection to/from the Fishguard ferry. Innovative all-in short break packages could be developed in conjunction with the Friday evening Cherbourg sailing also.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

Is Wellingtonbridge the only part of the line where trains can meet??

To my knowledge, there are passing oppurtunities at
Rosslare Europort
Rosslare Strand
Wellingtonbridge
Belview Port
Waterford

However, what condition they are each in is another matter. there may have been a loop at Duncormick, but I think that station closed in the 1970s (its some way away from the village).

[ThomasJ]

As we know the add on fares from stenaline gives foot passengers the option of travelling on by train from rosslare to cork, mallow or Kilkenny omongst others for just fifteen euro a bargain, I'd perish to think the price of roosslare to cork using the normal fare structure.

But I could only imagine what the journey from rosslare to cork via Dublin is like. No thanks!

I had always thought that if there was a heuston Waterford rosslare service it would work better than a Connolly rosslare service on the basis that Dublin and dun
Laoghaire port would be a nearer or better option for most on the line, having a heuston departure for rosslare would benefit those south and west of the Dublin heuston area.