[16-4-2008] Maynooth and Sligo disruption

[Mark Gleeson]

So once again another goof up

I don't call one train a service

UPDATE: : Sligo services subject to Delays by Corporate Communications

UPDATE - Wednesday 17.15hrs 16th April

Iarnród Eireann advises customers that the 19.05 Dublin/Sligo service will operate this evening.

Iarnród Éireann apologises for the inconvenience caused.

[plant43]

This was just sent around by TaxSaver Sales desk?

I would be grateful if you forward this email to all relevant staff that travel by Rail within your company.
Due to a major problem with our electronic signalling system between Connolly/Docklands and Maynooth we regret
the cancellation of all commuter train services on this route this evening. Passengers travelling between
Connolly/Docklands and all stations on the Maynooth line should divert to Dublin Bus services where their rail tickets
will be honoured.

We will endeavour to operate a very limited service from Connolly to stations beyond Maynooth using a
manual signalling system. However, these trains will not serve stations between Connolly and Maynooth including Maynooth.
Sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused.

[ThomasJ]

There was a note earlier on the Irish rail website in the Maynooth/clonsilla disruption news item that the 18:18 Connolly Longford and 19:05 Connolly Sligo would run. This has now disappeared?

[Mark Gleeson]

So why they hell isn't that on the Irish Rail website

[Mark Gleeson]

Keeps changing

17.45hrs UPDATE: : Sligo Line services by Corporate Communications

UPDATE - Wednesday 17.45hrs 16th April

Iarnród Eireann advises customers for the Sligo line services that following services will now operate this evening.

1733 Bray - Longford,

1905 Connolly - Sligo

Please note that first stop on these services will be Kilcock and will serve all stations west of Kilcock. Some delays can be expected on these services.

Iarnród Éireann apologises for the inconvenience caused.

[robdrysdale]

I'd love to know how 7 x 8 carriage trains full of people are supposed to fit onto 4 (7 if you include 66x) x 90 ish seater No 66 Dublin Bus's (between 5pm and 7 pm):

Trains serving Maynooth:

17:15
17:28
17:46
18:05
18:08
18:18
18:39

Buses serving Maynooth:
http://www.dublinbus.ie/your_journey...lectedRoute=66

1720
1810
1835
1855

66X
1700
1730
1800

So basically it's go F yourself again if you live on that line.

[ThomasJ]

Mark, given that they are talking 2011 for the resignalling (presuming it to be for new signalling equipment) I take it that there will be more of this with the current signalling system on the maynooth/sligo line to come?

Or could management learn a lesson from this and get it fasttracked?

[Thomas Ralph]

I would not like to be on either the 18:09 to Longford or the 19:05 to Sligo. Will they stop the Sligo train at all stations or will it be first stop Maynooth I wonder?

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by tralph

I would not like to be on either the 18:09 to Longford or the 19:05 to Sligo. Will they stop the Sligo train at all stations or will it be first stop Maynooth I wonder?

It says above that no stops at Maynooth or before.

[ColmmacO]

[quote=ThomasJ;32469]

If a signalling fault is stopping maynooth/clonsilla from running, how are longford/sligo getting past porterstown?

[quote]

The answer to that is very very slowly.
Was walking the canal between coolmine and porterstown level crossing about 3.30 today, the sligo train (which i believe was 3 hours or so late?) crawled by at probably 5-10 mph. Normally zips by at speed.
Presume there are severe speed restrictions so.

Unfortuantly after several years walking to work, I will soon have to resume using this desperate service. Not looking forward to it.

[lambo77]

A 22k left connolly sligo bound at about 5.30pm. The announcer at conolly said about 30 times that the first stop would be kilcock and then all stations from there. We eventually arrived at Maynooth and it stopped there and some people got off.
We trundled on to kilcock and passed through it without stopping. Needless to say passengers were quick to get onto the driver to tell him what an idiot he was!!. He then announced to the whole train that he was told by IE the first stop was to be Mullingar i.e a 17.05 dublin-sligo service!!.
We then stopped at Enfield and he appolgized on behalf of himself for another cock-up by IE. (they were his own words)
IE is run by a group of cowboys who could not organise a p**s up in a brewery. Why are they never held accountably when these things happen?
Why is there no back up plan? Would we not be better off if it was run by private enterprise?

[al2637]

Got to Conolly at about 18:05, announcements saying that all Maynooth services were cancelled, but trains WOULD run to Sligo and Longford. Train on the board was showing 18:28 (? is that correct) to Longford, first stopping in Kilkock.... guy in Orange top walking up and down the platform telling people it would stop at all stations.. despite the anouncements saying otherwise... v confusing...

Anyway, train turned up on time, pretty much empty, plenty of standing room even after everyone had piled on. Driver annouced it would stop at ALL stations to Longford. He didn't delay at any of the stations, and I made it to Castleknock in record time!

[clonsilladart]

What's the chance that the signalling problem will be sorted by tomorrow morning? Anyone taking any bets??

[Mark Hennessy]

Originally Posted by clonsilladart

What's the chance that the signalling problem will be sorted by tomorrow morning? Anyone taking any bets??

I'm not

My experience with Irish Rail is that there is a greater chance of services not running in the morning.

Even if they are running, there's no guarantee the traveling public will get clear concise information anyway.

[ThomasJ]

Heard a guy who with all the traffic in lucan it took him two and a half hours by bus to get to maynooth.

[Colm Moore]

Note they did two separate announcements at 1745.

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/...ew&news_id=237

UPDATE 17.45hrs : Maynooth Line /Docklands-Clonsilla Services Update by Corporate Communications

Update - Wednesday 16th April - 17.45hrs

Iarnród Éireann advises customers that services to/from Maynooth and Docklands/Clonsilla are suspended until further notice due to a signalling problem.

Dublin Bus are currently honouring rail tickets for relevant services on this route.

Iarnrod Eireann apologises for any inconvenience caused.

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/...ew&news_id=228

17.45hrs UPDATE: : Sligo Line services by Corporate Communications

UPDATE - Wednesday 17.45hrs 16th April

Iarnród Eireann advises customers for the Sligo line services that following services will now operate this evening.

1733hrs Bray - Longford,

1905hrs Connolly - Sligo

Please note that first stop on these services will be Kilcock and will serve all stations west of Kilcock. Some delays to these services can be expected.

Iarnród Éireann apologises for the inconvenience caused.

[Colm Moore]

Just updated.

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/...ew&news_id=237

UPDATE 22.15hrs : Maynooth Line /Docklands-Clonsilla Services Update by Corporate Communications

Update - Wednesday 16th April - 17.45hrs

Iarnród Éireann advises customers that services to/from Maynooth and Docklands/Clonsilla are suspended until further notice due to a signalling problem.

Dublin Bus are currently honouring rail tickets for relevant services on this route.

Iarnrod Eireann apologises for any inconvenience caused.

[John J]

Originally Posted by Mark Hennessy

My experience with Irish Rail is that there is a greater chance of services not running in the morning.

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/...ew&news_id=237

Looks that way Mark.
Suspended till "further notice", but I'm sure they're all tucked up in their beds with their warm cups of cocoa by now.

After all, they're not private sector employees who have to keep working however long it takes to fix a problem when they f**k up.

Will have to take the car in the N4 and up the quays tomorrow. I'm having nightmares already. Oh well at least my fuel duties, income tax and PRSI will be going to a good cause, paying these clowns' wages. [/rant]

[ThomasJ]

The message coming of Irish rail tonight seems to be that nothing is guaranteed for the morning. The problem is still there and you need to check before travelling in the morning.

Although why is it taking more than 12 hours to resolve this problem?

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/...ew&news_id=237

UPDATE 23.00hrs : Maynooth Line /Docklands-Clonsilla Services Update by Corporate Communications


Update - Wednesday 16th April - 23.00hrs

Iarnród Éireann advises customers that services to/from Maynooth and Docklands/Clonsilla are suspended until further notice due to a signalling problem.

The signalling problems are still continuing and engineers will be working through the night to resolve these issues. Customers should check this website or media travel bulletins reports before they travel.

Dublin Bus are currently honouring rail tickets for relevant services on this route.

Iarnrod Eireann apologises for any inconvenience caused.

[Mark Gleeson]

Curiously this appeared

UPDATE 00.15hrs : Maynooth Line /Docklands-Clonsilla Services Update by Corporate Communications

Update - Thursday 17th April - 00.15hrs

Iarnrod Éireann has been unable to rectify major signal fault at Porterstown on the Maynooth line.

Engineers will work through the night to endeavour to rectify this major systems failure

However, it may not be rectified for morning services

At this time Iarnrod Éireann intend to operate a services every 20 minutes on the Maynooth line commencing with the 06:20hrs ex Maynooth to Connolly - Pearse

The 06:40 ex Connolly - Maynooth will not operate

The 07:46 ex Maynooth- Connolly will not operate

Other than these 2 changes it is hoped to run a service every 20 mins both ways

No Clonsilla - Docklands or Docklands - Clonsilla will operate

Outer commuter services from longford , Mullingar, Enfield and Kilcock will operate as normal

Sligo services will operate as normal

Iarnrod Eireann apologises for any inconvenience this situation may cause

Question to be asked is why such a service was not provided yesterday