[22-3-2013] disruption due to flooding

[ThomasJ]

Irish rail tweeted earlier that due to flooding in places there may be delays to services.

The latest is services between Howth and howth junction are suspended due to flooding on the line.

Update: 11.27hrs

DART services are currently suspended between Howth and Howth Junction due to flooding along the line. Dublin Bus are honouring rail tickets.

Services between Howth Junction/Malahide and Greystones* experience delays of 10 to 15 minutes due to further flooding at various locations*along the line.

This website will be updated as further information is made available.

http://www.irishrail.ie/cat_news.jsp?i=4788&p=116&n=237

[ThomasJ]

A few reports going around say the dodder may be about to burst is banks and looks threatening.

[ThomasJ]

Irish rail now tweeting that services not operating south of dun laoghaire

[James Howard]

And nobody saw that coming :-)

[Mark Gleeson]

Current status

1. Howth Howth Junction, flooded, use bus change Rahney

2. Dun Laoghaire Dalkey is flooded, no service Dun Laoghaire Bray, again use bus however the N11 is also flooded so most bus routes in the area are not really working very well,

3. Strong risk at high tide, 20:00 ish Sydney Parade Dun Laoghaire will also flood

4. No reports yet of flooding on Maynooth line, however Docklands services would be at risk as well as all services due possible flooding Broombridge

[karlr42]

Twitter now reporting that a shuttle Commuter service will operate every 30 mins between Dun Laoghaire and Dalkey. Sounds like a good idea.

[ThomasJ]

2 updates from Irish rail twitter

1. Docklands station will close at 16:30, from 16.30 peak hour m3 services will run from connolly

2. Shuttle commuter service between dun laoghaire and dalkey every 30 minutes. Darts running between greystones and dalkey

[ThomasJ]

Latest

DART services are*operating between Malahide/Howth Jct and Dun Laoghaire and between Dalkey & Bray/Greystones

The only Gorey Commuter & Rosslare Intercity Services that will operate this evening will be at 16:30, 17:30 & 18:30

Docklands Station will close at 16:30hrs and all M3 Parkway services will operate from Connolly subject to delays
*

Maynooth and Northern Commuter services operating but are subject to delays

This website will be updated as further information is made available.

[comcor]

The only mystery is why Ennis-Limerick is still open.

[Mickey H]

Newry Dundalk currently closed due to a tree on the line according to Irish Rail but due to a landslide according to Translink

[Eddie]

First time I've ever heard of the Dart operating on two different sections, but it has been discussed on this forum before when there's a blockage somewhere on the line.

Was it RUI that proposed this to Irish Rail, and how did it work?

[Mark Gleeson]

We have raised this with Irish Rail in the past, we certainly have seen a significant improvement in the situation

Bray Greystones stays running

The handling of the situation is still poor with trains stuck outside stations for no reason waiting to terminate.

We still have no information about which bus routes to use.

[dowlingm]

The flooding on the Ennis-Limerick line has been going on for what, 100 years? In that time no agency has decided it's their problem rather than someone else's.

2008:http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0312/100755-rail/
2009:http://www.railusers.ie/forum/showthread.php?t=11523

I believe the line flooded in 2003 but the article Google presented turns out to be behind a paywall.

OPW say "in view of the fact that the railway line is the only significant beneficiary, the OPW will not be managing or commissioning a study or any proposed works for the area" - if the Ennis-Limerick road was flooded that would be a different matter of course. IE don't see it as a priority despite the fact that every flood costs them in replacement buses and custom because I guess they think OPW might change its mind at some stage.

Ideally some sort of 1/3 (OPW), 1/3 (IE), 1/3 (Clare CoCo) would be worked out but we know County Councils love trains but won't put their hand in their pocket to facilitate them (unless it's expenses for pointless WIRC meetings)

[Inniskeen]

Originally Posted by Eddie

First time I've ever heard of the Dart operating on two different sections, but it has been discussed on this forum before when there's a blockage somewhere on the line.

Was it RUI that proposed this to Irish Rail, and how did it work?

The DART system being split into multiple sections is fairly routine due to to bridge strikes, level crossing problems, OHLE issues and the now routine flooding in the Dun Laoghaire/Dalkey section and at Claremont LC on the Howth branch. It is true that Irish Rail tended to abandon the entire service south of Dun Laoghaire in the event of disruption. While usage of a Dalkey/Bray/Greystones DART service is likely to be minimal a service should be provided where possible to avoid needlessly stranding passengers in locations where other realistic public transport alternatives are unavailable. Given the track layout at Dalkey it is not really practical to run the full frequency, but a 30 minute service in each direction is a good alternative.