Timing Statistics

[James Howard]

I commute from Edgeworthstown and noticed today that the stats for the Sligo line are showing 85% on-time for the last 6 weeks or so.

This is complete fantasy. Over the last six weeks, I could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have been less than 15 minutes late on an evening train. What I would give for 85% on-time! It seems to me that peak-time on-time would be a more realistic figure anyway.

Apart from the last two weeks' bridge replacement, does anyone know what is going on with Sligo/Longford evening commuter services. It doesn't feel like there is much of a leaf-slip issue between Connolly and Edgeworthstown.

[Mark Gleeson]

We actually are working on getting the arrival times of all trains on the Sligo line into Dublin to perform an independent evaluation of the on time performance. Initial results suggest Irish Rail's numbers to be generous at best. Irish Rail deny any failings in their numbers. Numbers were pretty bad during the bridge works.

We don't have the ability to record arrivals in Longford or Sligo (yet), keep a log and let us know so we can add the data to our own.

The posters claim the results are audited, but Irish Rail don't actual have a 3rd party audit them, that happens months later by the department of transport.

Good news of sorts is under EU law coming in December, monthly and annual ticket holders are entitled to a refund/discount for consistent performance failures. We just need to prove the poor performance.

Have a read of this to see the kind of underhand tactics that are employed http://www.railusers.ie/news/news.ph...009&no=13.html

[Trampas]

would have liked to see if the 6.43 Enfield - Pearse was classified as on time today.

As we sat in Connolly till at least 7.50 waiting on the new driver to arrive.

We were there for a good 5 mins waiting on the driver.

When he did he was strolling up the platform like he was in no rush.

[drumcondra commuter]

Not sure if this is relevant but the commuter to Maynooth trains have been bang on time this last week.

[DangerM]

Gorey trains have been late a good few times recently, especially the 16:40 from Connolly to Gorey, this is usually running between 10 and 15 minutes late

[Mark Gleeson]

Email in specific details, date,time,location and the train details and we can add it into the database. We have everything into Connolly covered currently

[James Howard]

Yesterday and today not good as usual although we made Edgeworthstown with about 15 seconds to spare for officially late. I suspect that the stats may not be that far out of whack given the notion that 9 minutes and 59 seconds is not late. However, this morning was good and late - no idea why.

What is odd is that they are recording greater than 99% reliability and puntuality for the Belfast line on posters in Connolly. Exactly what sort of methodology have they used to establish that given that not a single train has arrived at Connolly from Belfast for 2 months?

[Mark Gleeson]

Irish Rail work on the basis of if no one notices a cancellation, the train wasn't cancelled.

End of the day, if Irish Rail had confidence in their numbers they wouldn't have a problem releasing them, they refuse every single time and the numbers we have gathered so far exposes the Irish Rail numbers as being extremely misleading

Only 38% of Sligo services arrived Dublin within 10 minutes yesterday

[James Howard]

Actual arrival times in brackets. Two out of four meet IE's definition of on time (8 minutes and 9 minutes late). Monday was also more than 10 minutes late but I didn't record it.

10/11: 1809 Pearse - 2007 Edgeworthstown (2015)
11/11: 1805 Connolly (1805) - 1934 Edgeworthstown (1943)
12/11: 1805 Connolly (1806) - 1914 Mullingar (1925) - 1934 Edgeworthstown (1944) - Long wait at Killucan for up-train
13/11: 1805 Connolly (1806) - 1914 Mullingar (1924) - 1934 Edgeworthstown (1944) - Slow going to Maynooth, probably behind a stopping train


[MOH]

Originally Posted by James Howard

Actual arrival times in brackets. Two out of four meet IE's definition of on time (8 minutes and 9 minutes late). Monday was also more than 10 minutes late but I didn't record it.

10/11: 1809 Pearse - 2007 Edgeworthstown (2015)
11/11: 1805 Connolly (1805) - 1934 Edgeworthstown (1943)
12/11: 1805 Connolly (1806) - 1914 Mullingar (1925) - 1934 Edgeworthstown (1944) - Long wait at Killucan for up-train
13/11: 1805 Connolly (1806) - 1914 Mullingar (1924) - 1934 Edgeworthstown (1944) - Slow going to Maynooth, probably behind a stopping train


Going the other way, Friday's 19:05 Dublin - Sligo:
Maynooth: 19:48
Kilcock: 19:56
Enfield: 20:07
Mullingar: 20:32
Longford: 21:08
Dromod: 21:22
Carrick: 21:36

[JohnM]

Yesterday's 1500 Sligo - Connolly arrived into Connolly at 1930, 90 minutes late.

The 1905 Connolly - Sligo left Connolly @ 2000, 55 minutes late and arrived into Mullingar @ 2115, 58 minutes late.

Extra time lost due to sitting outside Maynooth waiting for the 1700 Sligo - Connolly to cross, which it did at approx. 2035, which means that it must've been about an hour late into Connolly.

I heard no PA announcements apologising for/explaining the delay while waiting for the 1905, you'd think that's the least they could do

[jscales1]

The train left Connolly on time and was going okay until Enfield. There was an announcement stating that the train would have to reverse out of the loop to allow the 13:00 from Sligo use the platform. The train was waiting in Enfield for 25 minutes. I could not believe that with all the carpark works completed recently in Enfield that they could not get the money to put in a platform opposite the current platform to allow train passengers to disembark the train in cases as we have seen in the this week. Then when the train arrived in Mullingar 16:35 I assumed it would wait for the 15:00 from Sligo to pass but it continued on its journey to Edgeworthtown so the 15:00 from Sligo must have been waiting 30 minutes for the 15:00 ex Connolly to pass by instead of giving the 15:00 from Sligo green light at Edgeworthtown and allowing it to make up time. The Sligo service is a mess when things go wrong and will suffer for this
it is time for some double tracking between Mullingar and Edgeworthtown even a mile or so of double tracking to allow the trains pass one another and reduce journey times

[James Howard]

I haven't bothered noting anything this week as everything has been 30 minutes late minimum apart from Monday morning.

Today took the proverbial however, 25 minutes in Killucan waiting for an up-train. I cannot understand why they every keep a busy evening down-train waiting in Killucan. It is only a 5 minute run into Mullingar and whatever train you are meeting generally has about 20 passengers on it.

[lambo77]

Hear,Hear. ive had enough of this mess. It was generally ok until mid summer. Mark, is there anyrging we can do to get the evening killucan issue raised with IE. We should just be a able to meet/pass the uptrain in Mullingar as its that late every evening. Its now the norm.

[Mark Gleeson]

Once we have stats then we can make a case. Current stats are down at 66% within 10 minutes which is utterly appalling

The platform in Enfield is the weak link, this wait in Killucan is not acceptable

[JohnM]

Friday evening's 1905 Connolly - Sligo left Connolly approx 1920 arrived Mullingar 2030. This is about a normal arrival for the 1905 in Mullingar as it has to wait for 10-15 minutes outside Maynooth every night for the Sligo - Connolly train to cross (the same train that delays the 1805 Connolly - Longford in Killucan).

The 1905 is normally a 2 * 3-car 22k. On Friday, the busiest day of the week, it was a single 3 car 22k. I don't think the train could physically have taken many more people than it left Connolly with.

[Mark Gleeson]

Looked at the numbers and the 18:05 situation is interesting

The 18:05 shouldn't exist at all, the train ahead of it arrives Mullingar at more or less the same time the 18:05 arrives Killucan. The train ahead cannot leave Mullingar unless the 17:00 from Sligo arrives.

If you let the 18:05 depart Killucan you end up with 3 trains at once in Mullingar

Given the volumes of passengers on the Mullingar - Maynooth section, restoration of the second track is justified and that combined with higher speeds would eliminate much of the troubles

[finnyus]

I know the situation the country is in, but is there any plans for the redoubling of that section, including proper turn-back facilities at Maynooth, etc...

[lambo77]

Mark
The 17:15 should be in Mullingar at 18:42 not 19:00 as is at present according to the time table. The uptrain to Dublin from sligo
holds
The 17:15 connolly to Longford at Mullingar
The 18:05 connolly to Longford at Killucan and
The 19:05 Connolly to Sligo at Maynooth.

Couldnt this be moved to a later time post rush-hour in Dublin?

North and eastern line commuters dont have to put up with this kind of rubbish. Sligo problems just seem to be accepted. IE are ripping us off for the cost we pay for annual tickets.

The 18:05 has a greater number of commuters getting off at stations after Maynooth when compared to the 17:15. If a service was to be dropped then it should be the 17:15.

[JohnM]

Originally Posted by lambo77

The 17:15 should be in Mullingar at 18:42 not 19:00 as is at present according to the time table. The uptrain to Dublin from sligo
holds
The 17:15 connolly to Longford at Mullingar
The 18:05 connolly to Longford at Killucan and
The 19:05 Connolly to Sligo at Maynooth.

The uptrain also delays the 1734 Bray-Longford (1818 from Connolly) at Enfield.