NEW TRAINS!

[Derek Wheeler]

This poor category has lay vacant too long.

Passengers on this line will be getting new trains after the Sligo line gets them....apparently. But I have a theory. I reckon IE might try and shaft this line, so they can use IC railcars on the WRC and lift the existing 29000s for Dublin commuter runs.

The Rosslare line could be the on going haunt of the MK2. (thats the train with slam doors and windows you cant open) again.

Despite my smilies, would anyone rule it out?

[Mark Gleeson]

Come on Derek we can tell everyone of the extra afternoon train to Gorey that you won't find in the timetable, its claim to fame, it doesn't stop in Bray

[sean]

Originally Posted by Derek Wheeler

This poor category has lay vacant too long.

Passengers on this line will be getting new trains after the Sligo line gets them....apparently. But I have a theory. I reckon IE might try and shaft this line, so they can use IC railcars on the WRC and lift the existing 29000s for Dublin commuter runs.

The Rosslare line could be the on going haunt of the MK2. (thats the train with slam doors and windows you cant open) again.

Despite my smilies, would anyone rule it out?

I wouldn't rule it out either. What with the two premier Intercity services, Cork and Belfast, being made a complete shambles by their coach sets, it's only a matter of time before someone with responsibility for either goes fishing for IC railcars to back them up. Rosslare would probably be the (first) loser.

The Mk2d have only a short lifespan left. Back at the end of 2005, some of them like the Sligo bunch, were not life expired contrary to IEs claims, but the rest of them were pretty much finished and a year hanging around Heuston and NI probably hasn't done ours any good either. So they're not going to Rosslare (Rosslare had Mk2ds before but those not scrapped have been in Heuston for much longer and Heuston doesn't exactly have the Midas touch when it comes to Mk2ds).

Rosslare will possibly get stuck with 29ks. If IE needs 29ks for Dublin service, they could very well get them from Longford by replacing those with Mk3 P/Ps

[packetswitch]

I'm in two minds over whether I'd prefer the old MK2s or not. I mean, if we're not getting our proper Intercity railcars, I'd rather the old ones, as they are relatively comfortable but the politicians and the locals will lobby against them. If we continue with the 29000s, certain people will be contented enough (cause the trains look 'newer') but if we go back to slamdoors, the County Councils will raise blue murder and we'll get our trains! Machiavellian but as Mark said earlier, you have to understand how this country works...

I think the Rosslare line is very neglected in the debate..it always gets towards the bottom of IÉ press releases, everyone assumes that because it's single-track in certain bits, it's beyond salvation and vague promises of 'more trains' will keep the poor Wickla people happy.

Given the level of development in Wicklow and Wexford, a couple of extra stations could certainly be considered, if the relevant councils were to plan ahead.

[sean]

That wouldn't happen seeing as the Mk3s are going as well and they're in much better shape than the slam-door coaches, most of which are past-it at this point.

IE wants to get rid of all their pull-only trains but if they were going to pawn some off on Rosslare, it would be those that got sent over.

BTW are you a user of the Rosslare line? We need more Southeastern rail user's voices around here.

[James Shields]

The only locos that can pull the Mk3 push pulls at the moment are the 201s, which weigh something like 120 tons and tear up the track something terrible. There are a number of places they can't go, including Sligo (I don't know about Roslare).

The pull-only version wouldn't be a problem, though.

[dowlingm]

071s could use the mk3pp in pull only mode, right? Just means running around in Sligo.

[Edward Ryan]

A poster displaying the new trains saying something about coming to route in Autumn is on display in Gorey station. Making conversation I said to the staff member on duty any date on them entering service. His reply was they are not coming in Autumn and are going to the Westport line instead.. Has anyone on the board more information on this?

Ed

[Thomas J Stamp]

Yeah, that one is doing the rounds.

Could someone take a photo of that advert.

We, of course, have plenty of captured webpages where IE have implicitly said the Rosslare service goes ahead after Sligo.

Just in case, mind.

[Mark Gleeson]

There is some truth in it for a number of reasons

1. Most of Rosslare/Gorey services are linked to Dublin suburban services where the new regional/intercity railcars are not suited. So a new timetable is needed to introduce them. Gorey suburban services will remain with commuter railcars. There will be an extra 16:30 Connolly Gorey in the Autumn.

2. The cab window on the new railcars isn't up to the task of catching the old manual ETS staff required by the Rosslare signaling. So we have to wait till the new signaling is commissioned. New signaling also means new timetable

What is likely to happen is this

The current 6:00 Gorey Sligo will depart at 6:10 and run to Maynooth, then all Sligo services will be operated by Intercity Railcars requiring 4 3 car sets weekdays with 6 3 car sets needed on a Friday

Certainly from December 2007 Rosslare could be served, the ETS issue isn't a problem once staff are told only exchange staffs through a open cab door while stopped

[packetswitch]

I really hope they don't mess us around - perhaps time to start riling up the public representatives in Wexford and Wicklow?

Mark, if you're going to talk about things like tokens flying through windows you might want to explain that to the non-Rosslare readers whose services stopped doing this (admittedly cute) trick sometime before I was born...

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by packetswitch

I really hope they don't mess us around - perhaps time to start riling up the public representatives in Wexford and Wicklow?

Mark, if you're going to talk about things like tokens flying through windows you might want to explain that to the non-Rosslare readers whose services stopped doing this (admittedly cute) trick sometime before I was born...

Its only since 2003 has mainline ETS started to be withdrawn, Rosslare is last on the list.

Basically hand out window to catch the wire loop which holds the ETS token, the loop swings back and smashes into the area just behind the window, the 201 class locomotives had to be modified to reduce the damage, problem with the new railcars is there is a fixed window just behind the cab window which won't last long. I discussed this with a driver while in the cab ages ago and got full agreement. It can be solved through procedures

There will be enough intercity railcars in the fleet in December to change the full Rosslare timetable, there are as of today 12 3 car sets here and more coming.

The Westport alternative doesn't stack up anyway the 3 coach set even in 6 car mode is a downgrade compared to the Mk3 set

[ThomasJ]

One flew past me as i was walking up by the twelveth lock in castleknock around half eight this evening heading in the sligo direction first time i saw her running on her own will be looking forward to using them

[Edward Ryan]

Latest rumour now is the 0600 Gorey to Sligo train is getting one of the new trains soon . Late October was said.

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by Edward Ryan

Latest rumour now is the 0600 Gorey to Sligo train is getting one of the new trains soon . Late October was said.

That would fit, but unlikely that the 06:00 Gorey Sligo will continue to operate in the new timetable, probably become 6:10 Gorey Maynooth

First set as yet to enter service and it won't be next Monday as we thought

[Sean Daly]

Originally Posted by ThomasJ

One flew past me as i was walking up by the twelveth lock in castleknock around half eight this evening heading in the sligo direction first time i saw her running on her own will be looking forward to using them

A set has been parked in longford since someday last week, moving from one siding to another every couple of days. Last night there were 2 29000's and the new intercity railcar in the sidings, making longford statioin look very important with all that hardware parked up!!!!

I take it the new service will be 2 intercity railcars in tandom i.e. 6 cars, if they only have 1 set irs going to tight!!!!

Why weren't they all ordered as 6 car sets?

[Mark Gleeson]

3 car set has more seats than the current 4 car railcar also has proper luggage storage and even full size tables

Sligo is getting a at least 1 full six car set, Rosslare gets a mix and match of either single or pairs of 3 car sets

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

1. Most of Rosslare/Gorey services are linked to Dublin suburban services where the new regional/intercity railcars are not suited. So a new timetable is needed to introduce them. Gorey suburban services will remain with commuter railcars. There will be an extra 16:30 Connolly Gorey in the Autumn.

sorry to drag the commuter aspect in but I was talking to an IE employee recently and he wasn't sure that the maynooth/drogheda aspect of the rosslare services needed to be removed.

a few things about this possability:

The 18.30ish ex connolly is one of the busiest services on the rosslare line and quite often when is a 4-car 29000 service packed to the rafters. Therefore this should be a 2*3car 22000 set surely? if so as it kind of mtaches the seating capacity of a 8-car 29000 if not greater surely it could work with the 16.40 connolly-maynooth?

If the railcars continue to maynooth then it would free up the 2800s for extra services and not just for creating a new maynooth service as a result of the afternoon rosslare europort-maynooth service being dropped?

if the maynooth side of the journey is dropped where do they get the path for a new service? surely there is no space for a new service?

it doesn't need to hang around connolly taking up space

surely these railcars will still end up heading to the railcar depot in drogheda with the sligo railcars. if so would the evening rosslare-drogheda service continue?

what do you think?

[James Shields]

Hmmm, the 8:25 Pearse-Drogheda (ex Roslare) could suddenly become a lot more attractive.

I think most of the servicing will be done in Port Laoise. I'm not sure if Drogheda is equipped to handle them, though it was where the first set were sent when they arrived.

[paddyb180285]

I think this site mentioned at one stage that by the end of Transport 21 Gorey will be serviced by trains, 2 times an hour on Peak and hourly off peak.How is this possible when the line is single track from Bray southwards?I know there are passing loops along this stretch.However,this won't be enough for the proposed frequencies despite better signalling.I think doubling this track should be the next entry in IE's investment plans.For the new trains its a case of "all of that horse power and no room to gallop".Also,"2 trains an hour on peak and hourly off peak" till what time?The current 6:30 PM?Another thread in this forum mentioned that trains south of pearse are running at capacity.Surely some Bray/Greystones bound DARTs will have to be sacrificed in order to free up slots to acheive the proposed frequencies.For instance,don't do a 15:58 Connolly-Bray (ex Longford) on it and have it tightly squeezed between two DART services.Otherwise,they would end up going so slow.On that note,if it is going to be slow then it isn't in a mad rush.Therefore,it can aford to serve a few more stations instead of very slowy passing those stations.