Malahide viaduct

[Colm Moore]

http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53...223267&zoom=14

[Mark Gleeson]

Email just in from Irish Rail, details of obtaining a refund will be available either tonight or tomorrow

Anyone who surrenders an annual ticket will get the value left in full, so 6 months left -> 50%

All the issues raised in this thread have been communicated to Irish Rail and they will look at them tomorrow. There is a crisis meeting each morning

[Colm Moore]

What about annual ticket extensions instead of refunds? I'm not sure how it would work.

what use is a refund for someone doing Donabate-Dun Laoghaire - they want performance, not a refund.

I wonder if Skerries could handle on of these? http://images.google.ie/images?hl=en...pell=1&start=0

[The Kew Tour]

This is for Mark Gleeson. I'm just wondering about the train stopping in Skerries. Has this to do with points and changing trains to go on the opposite track? I'm assuming that a service to Donabate and Rush would mean using a single line up and back?

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by The Kew Tour

This is for Mark Gleeson. I'm just wondering about the train stopping in Skerries. Has this to do with points and changing trains to go on the opposite track? I'm assuming that a service to Donabate and Rush would mean using a single line up and back?

It can be done, there are practiced procedures. There are still two tracks which can be used in an alternating fashion. It has been done before elsewhere in Ireland

[Mark Hennessy]

Originally Posted by Bluetonic

Do you consider the abnormal high and low tides to be a weather event?

I thought they were anecdotal from local residents though?

If IE were worried about these (and high tides) and had an inspection last Tuesday, why was only the decking inspected etc (according to IE)?

The bridge doesn't exist solely in 2-D space and is supported by the underwater piers so what kind of "full" inspection does not fully inspect all aspects of the structure?

[OisinDunne]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...253270336.html


From Irish Times:

Alert on possible bridge damage given five days before collapse
FRANK McDONALD, Environment Editor

IARNRÓD ÉIREANN was warned about possible damage to one of the piers supporting the Broadmeadow Estuary rail viaduct five days before it collapsed.

One of the leaders of Malahide Sea Scouts in north Dublin contacted the company to report what he perceived to be erosion damage, along with a recent change in water flow in the estuary. “This wasn’t something that happened overnight,” said one of his colleagues, who did not wish to be identified. “We had noticed a massive change in the water flow over the past two months, with a third of it going through one of the arches that collapsed.”

He said there was “no doubt that the flow pattern had changed” due to the erosion of the causeway beneath the viaduct, creating “rapids” under this arch right alongside the pier than crumbled last Friday.

“White water was spewing through it. One of my colleagues phoned Iarnród Éireann on Monday week and said it was in danger of collapse,” said the member of the sea scout group, which organises canoeing and other water sports in the area. It was as a result of this call that an inspection was carried out the following day. But whatever happened, the subsidence of the causeway was not picked up.

“They did nothing about it. Only when it collapsed did they see the problem. Yet we could see that there was a serious problem developing long before it happened, over a period of two months, and it should have been taken more seriously by Iarnród Éireann.”

The sea scout leader said the causeway was intact in May. But the photographs taken in July showed that it had been breached, and he had given these to the Department of Transport’s rail investigation unit.

The breach had happened weeks ago and “wasn’t noticed” by railway inspectors. “This wasn’t an ‘act of God’, as Iarnród Éireann seem to be suggesting, but something that was going on over a period of two months, and yet they took no action on it – that’s incompetence”.

Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny confirmed that the company had been contacted last Monday week by an individual from the area.

“He said there was exposed stonework on one of the piers and was concerned that there was a crack in this pier,” he said.

“The inspection that took place on Tuesday [the following day] found that the markings were cosmetic rather than structural”, he added.

On Monday Iarnród Éireann said it was “completely satisfied that the inspection was thorough, professional and accurate”.Asked whether the call had referred to causeway erosion in the vicinity of the pier, Mr Kenny said “the focus was on the stonework and markings of the pier”.

[roamling]

I have a question here:

I returned my annual train ticket today because its of no use to me anymore.
I take the car now. Lets say my car is in repair and I need to get into town can I still use the buses that were set up by IE, instead of the normal scheduled buses, in order to get into town quickly (under the assumption that I pay the busdriver a fare)?

[Mark Gleeson]

If its a normal Dublin Bus, the normal 33x fare should apply

[philip]

Originally Posted by OisinDunne

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...253270336.html


From Irish Times:

Alert on possible bridge damage given five days before collapse
FRANK McDONALD, Environment Editor

IARNRÓD ÉIREANN was warned about possible damage to one of the piers supporting the Broadmeadow Estuary rail viaduct five days before it collapsed.

One of the leaders of Malahide Sea Scouts in north Dublin contacted the company to report what he perceived to be erosion damage, along with a recent change in water flow in the estuary. “This wasn’t something that happened overnight,” said one of his colleagues, who did not wish to be identified. “We had noticed a massive change in the water flow over the past two months, with a third of it going through one of the arches that collapsed.”

He said there was “no doubt that the flow pattern had changed” due to the erosion of the causeway beneath the viaduct, creating “rapids” under this arch right alongside the pier than crumbled last Friday.

“White water was spewing through it. One of my colleagues phoned Iarnród Éireann on Monday week and said it was in danger of collapse,” said the member of the sea scout group, which organises canoeing and other water sports in the area. It was as a result of this call that an inspection was carried out the following day. But whatever happened, the subsidence of the causeway was not picked up.

“They did nothing about it. Only when it collapsed did they see the problem. Yet we could see that there was a serious problem developing long before it happened, over a period of two months, and it should have been taken more seriously by Iarnród Éireann.”

The sea scout leader said the causeway was intact in May. But the photographs taken in July showed that it had been breached, and he had given these to the Department of Transport’s rail investigation unit.

The breach had happened weeks ago and “wasn’t noticed” by railway inspectors. “This wasn’t an ‘act of God’, as Iarnród Éireann seem to be suggesting, but something that was going on over a period of two months, and yet they took no action on it – that’s incompetence”.

Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny confirmed that the company had been contacted last Monday week by an individual from the area.

“He said there was exposed stonework on one of the piers and was concerned that there was a crack in this pier,” he said.

“The inspection that took place on Tuesday [the following day] found that the markings were cosmetic rather than structural”, he added.

On Monday Iarnród Éireann said it was “completely satisfied that the inspection was thorough, professional and accurate”.Asked whether the call had referred to causeway erosion in the vicinity of the pier, Mr Kenny said “the focus was on the stonework and markings of the pier”.

If this is true then surely some senior heads should roll.

[roamling]

Any idea of what all this will cost?

Cancellation of tickets; paying Dublin bus; loss of revenue from parking charges and the new bridge. I guess its to early to call but I am concerned that there will be a massive drop in revenue that will put IE and other projects in jeopardy.

[citizens7]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Happy days

Irish Rail are to improve the rail service and extend to Donabate on Thursday

This is an issue we had raised with Irish Rail on Sunday and again on Monday, so big thanks to the guys in IE for listening

What about running a better service to Dundalk, such as bus all the way from Connolly to Dundalk station. I had to get home for 5 today, and to be sure I was home in time I have to leave work at 12:55, the printed Drogheda to Dundalk timetable is meaningless ..

[Mark Gleeson]

Iarnród Éireann will update this site shortly with an enhanced train service between Dundalk - Skerries with extended services to Donabate from Thursday onwards.

Dundalk is included

[irishsaint]

Originally Posted by citizens7

the printed Drogheda to Dundalk timetable is meaningless ..

I agree - the timetable is completely off - i think its because 8/9 of the trains on that emergency timetable from drogheda to dundalk are enterprise trains which we know can not be depended upon...... the timetable after 18:00 is shocking for dundalk. Most dont leave work till 5, short hop accross the city and bus then to drogheda. realistically, there is only 2 trains that can be relied upon then, the 19:00 and 19:45 (both of which have yet to leave within 10mins of their stated time) - the 20:00 and 21:55 might as well be "lucky dip trains"(enterprise)

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by roamling

I have a question here:

I returned my annual train ticket today because its of no use to me anymore.
I take the car now. Lets say my car is in repair and I need to get into town can I still use the buses that were set up by IE, instead of the normal scheduled buses, in order to get into town quickly (under the assumption that I pay the busdriver a fare)?

If you are travelling to the city centre from beyond Swords (single fare €2.20-4.50), it is most likely that a Rambler or Travel 90 ticket will be better value than paying cash.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Ti...-Daily-Weekly/

[markpb]

Originally Posted by roamling

can I still use the buses that were set up by IE, instead of the normal scheduled buses, in order to get into town quickly (under the assumption that I pay the busdriver a fare)?

I doubt it. I haven't been on the buses myself but I assume the express coaches are private hire and the drivers don't work for IE and can't issue tickets. You could always buy a day return from a train station and use that instead.

[citizens7]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Several extra services Dundalk Drogheda have also been added - see irish rail journey planner

There is still no service to Dundalk between 16:50 and 19:00, there used to be two trains between these times.

[UPDATE] having looked at planner again it seems its only got the times which match the normal enterprise schedule, so even if you select Dublin to Drogheda it only lists the enterprise times and service is "bus", maybe they haven't finished updating it.

[Trampas]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-iV2nDopvY

[James Shields]

I'm not condoning their actions, but it's certainly interesting to see the torrent of water still flowing.

Anyway, it's not like they'll be in danger from an oncoming train.

[Mark Gleeson]

The accident has been officially recorded with Brussels

http://pdb.era.europa.eu/safety_docs...w.aspx?id=1468