Dunboyne line times up on journey planner

[ThomasJ]

The times for the new Meath line are now up on journey planner.

Didn't get a chance to look at it in depth but will post later

[Mark Gleeson]

Not quite up, everything either starts or terminates at Clonsilla, no mention of Dunboyne yet

Every 30 minutes all day till after 7pm

[ThomasJ]

strange....

apart from the first few inbound or last few outbound on weekdays it would seem according to that timetable most dunboyne trains will operate non-stop between clonsilla and the city

[Mark Gleeson]

Another classic Irish Rail mess

For reference as is the standard Irish Rail practice stations have to be renamed before opening just to confuse you

Pace has become M3 Parkway (very UK there on the name)

The timetable is great until you realise trains never stop in Broombridge, off peak run non stop Clonsilla Docklands and the last train home is before 10pm and requires a change at Clonsilla

[ThomasJ]

not the greatest of timetables is it?......

last train outbound on saturday 19.20 and no connections to maynooth line services offered after that

last train outbound on sunday 18.10 and no connections to maynooth line services offered after that

last connection on weekday is to the 20.59hrs pearse maynooth

[ThomasJ]

new longford-maynooth-m3 parkway-dublin timetable for september 3rd onwards up on irish rail website

http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey...oth%2010-2.pdf

[ColmmacO]

They removed the 09.05 clonsilla to connolly.
Damn!

[Mickey H]

Is this line covered by short hop tickets including the all day ones?

If not can you buy a ticket for the bit not covered at Connolly?

[Mark Gleeson]

The line is within the short hop zone

[ThomasJ]

so will the m3 parkway trains operate via the midland line to connolly at weekends given that it will run non-stop from clonsilla to connolly and am wondering will they make extra stops when events on at croke park.

[Alan French]

I noticed the name "M3 Parkway" on the signs a few weeks ago. It's a rather boring name, but I suppose Pace isn't a very well-known name. Imagine "Pace station" or "Is this train going to Pace?" Is the car park "one giant Pace for mankind"?
The route will probably still be called the Dunboyne line.

[Colm Moore]

Is M3 Parkway a geographical location?

http://www.dublinpeople.com/content/view/3458/57/

...

However, the renaming request was denied on the basis that Iarnród Éireann now restricts the naming of stations to their geographical location, a policy which was developed on the back of repeated requests to rename stations after celebrities and other well-known figures.

...

[ACustomer]

For once IE are on the ball with thier refusal to use anything other than geographical names for stations. Just think of Drumcondra.

[brendan]

Originally Posted by ThomasJ

strange....

apart from the first few inbound or last few outbound on weekdays it would seem according to that timetable most dunboyne trains will operate non-stop between clonsilla and the city

I think the biggest mistake in this timetable is that the Saturday and Sunday don't stop at all stations. The gap between trains at the moment is 60 mins on Sundays and typically 45-60 minutes on Saturday. This was a great opportunity to double the weekend frequency to Connolly - but for whatever reason Coolmine to Drumcondra is bypassed

[finnyus]

FROM 3rd SEPTEMBER: Dunboyne (M3) Commuter rail timetable details by Corporate Communications

http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey...oth%2010-2.pdf

Timetable up.

[Alan French]

I wonder why they decided that most trains will run non-stop to Clonsilla. Perhaps they want to market a high-speed service. (They have been told off in other parts of the country for trains being too slow.)

Or perhaps, in striking the balance between speed and number of places served, they reckoned that it's easier to add stops later than to remove them. I think that on balance, more stops will be needed, even if not all stations by every train.

I wonder what the train movements will be like in Connolly at weekends. They typically have about 37 minutes layover, so each train will have to move out of the way before returning to its departure platform. If they use the lower line (via Newcomen Junction) they will have to use platform 7.

[ThomasJ]

well interestingly the weekend services do say platform 7 in connolly (under journey information)

Now..... how about a new dublin map?

and maybe a new name for the maynooth line, m3 maynooth line anyone?

[brendan]

Originally Posted by Alan French

I wonder what the train movements will be like in Connolly at weekends. They typically have about 37 minutes layover, so each train will have to move out of the way before returning to its departure platform. If they use the lower line (via Newcomen Junction) they will have to use platform 7.

But doesn't this begs the question, why is P7 Connolly the final stop? I thought that the purpose of terminating Maynooth trains at P7 was that the Connolly didn't have additional capacity at peak times, and P7 got over this problem and meant that conflicts with other trains/DARTs were avoided. This should not be an issue offpeak and at weekends.

Given that it seems there is idle time of over half an hour before the return journey starts, I think all stations from Dunboyne to Pearse should be served (without any extra trains or drivers needed). Serving Tara St and Pearse would make the service more attractive for many potential Dunboyne passengers. It could also get the frequency from Clonsilla to Drumcondra down to half an hour most of the time. Serving all stations would add only 7 mins to the journey to Connolly.

I'd argue that the Mon-Fri off peak trains should also go all stations to Connolly/Pearse for the same reasons. Very few people want to go to Docklands, apart for people commuting to/from work. When the station opened, the original timetable had trains to Clonsilla throughtout the day. In reality the demand for Docklands did not exist between 10am and 4pm, and the trains were dropped in the next timetable. While the demand maybe a bit higher from Dunboyne (because they don't have the alternative of services to Connolly!), I would have doubts about how busy it will be.


Overall, I think this timetable is a bit of a wasted opportunity. I think that going to Docklands off peak, not going to Pearse at weekends, and not serving Coolmine to Drumcondra will mean the usage will be much lower than it should be.

[ThomasJ]

I don't know, I reckon the reason for this express service is to introduce the people of Meath to the fast and efficent world of rail while utilising existing stock.

How better way to do this than to run nonstop Clonsilla to the city and run via newcomen overcoming the notorious bottleneck into Connolly. I reckon even weekend services will not use drumcondra but via midlands line upto Connolly platform seven.

I do agree it is not fair for the rest of Dublin 15 but I do think it will change due to things like gaa matches soccer matches at lansdowne and meath people wanting to go to castleknock etc time will tell!

[Colm Moore]

http://dublinobserver.com/2010/08/ne...medium=twitter

New station to remain closed on Dunboyne line

A fully complete railway station is to remain closed when services start next week because developers have yet to build an access road.

Rail Users Ireland said it was unacceptable that Hansfield Station in Dublin 15 will not open when train services to Dunboyne start next Friday.

“It is unacceptable, many of the residents of Hansfield bought there homes based on the promise of a railway station and a direct service to Dublin. There needs to be clarity as to what is going on and as to whether Irish Rail or Fingal County Council will step in to build the road,” said Mark Gleeson of Rail Users Ireland.

The unfinished access route

A banner still lines the boundary of Barnwell Hansfield saying: “Looks what’s coming Summer 2010 … Hansfield’s very own Train Station,” with the text “choo… choo… choose Barnwell Hansfield.”

Irish Rail said that the station is “fully complete”, but the rail company said it has yet to be given a timescale for the completion of the access road.

“As the developer has not built the access road, the line will open with Dunboyne and M3 Parkway Stations operational, and Hansfield will open when the developer completes the road,” said Irish Rail spokesman Barry Kenny.

He said the line will be officially opened this Thursday, September 2, with the full schedule commencing on Friday, September 3.

Kenny added: “As the development and access road works have stalled, we do not currently have a timescale from the developer for when this will be delivered. However, we are working with Fingal County Council to ensure that the developer honours their contractual obligation to build the road.”

Fingal County Council said it was in ongoing discussion with Irish Rail to work towards the opening of Hansfield Station.

“It is the responsibility of the developer to ensure that the access road for Hansfield Station is completed satisfactorily, and you would need to speak directly to Menolly Homes and Irish Rail on this matter,” said Ann Murphy, assistant communications officer at Fingal County Council.

Irish Rail confirmed that Menolly Homes and Manor Park Homes are responsible for building the access road. However, the developers have not replied to emails requesting comment.

The “fully complete” Hansfield Station surrounded by fields and a construction sites

Commuter rail services on the 7.5km railway line which has cost €160 million will also serve Dunboyne and a park-and-ride station M3 Parkway near Pace, both in Co Meath. It is the phase one of project to restore a rail link from Dublin to Navan, Co Meath. No bus services to M3 Parkway have being announced.

The timetable for the new rail line was released this week (PDF), with a note that “Hansfield opening date will be advised at a later date.” Train times can also be viewed using Irish Rail’s online timetable by entering dates on and after next Friday.

Trains will run from M3 Parkway, stop at Dunboyne, pass Hansfield until it opens, stop at the current Clonsilla Station. At weekdays trains will run express from Clonsilla to the Docklands Station in Dublin. Only trains on Saturday and Sunday will go to Connolly Station.

Commuters wanting to get to Pearse, Tara Street, Connolly, Drumcondra, Broombridge, Ashtown, Castleknock, Coolmine, Maynooth, or Leixlip stations should switch trains at Clonsilla.

The Docklands Station is around 500m to Luas Red Line stops, just under 900m to the nearest Dublin Bikes station on Custom House Quay and 1km to Connolly Station.