[Article] Maynooth line station upgrades coming

[ThomasJ]

Irish Times
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...301949270.html

Maynooth line to be refurbished

Three train stations on the Maynooth commuter line are to be upgraded with funding of €2 million announced yesterday.

The Department of Transport has allocated the funding to Iarnród Éireann for the refurbishment of Ashtown, Castleknock and Coolmine stations in Dublin west. The work is to begin next month and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

“This funding will be used to, amongst other things, upgrade signage and station lighting, install new customer shelters and seating and for landscaping and painting around the stations,” Minister for Social Protection and Dublin West Labour TD Joan Burton said.

The refurbishment will also include electrical works and structural improvements to station buildings.

Clonsilla station is currently being upgraded as part of a seperate project

[ThomasJ]

Further details here - Seems most stations are getting the upgrade.
http://www.maynooth.org/?p=15340

STAGG WELCOMES UPGRADING OF RAILWAY STATIONS ON MAYNOOTH LINE
By admin on August 8, 2011 | Leave a response
Deputy Emmet Stagg has welcomed the provision of funding in the sum of €2 million to upgrade the railway stations on the Maynooth line, sanctioned by Minister of State for Transport Alan Kelly T.D.

Deputy Stagg stated that the Maynooth line had been one of the fastest growing routes in the Irish Rail network with approximately 15,000 passenger journeys daily. Train services along this line have been modernised over recent years, through rolling stock replacement programmes and improvements in service frequency, including the start of services on the M3 Parkway – Docklands route in 2010. The stations, however, have not been upgraded since construction and are now in need of modernisation.

The objectives for this project are to enhance the customer facilities and presentation of Maynooth line stations. The following elements are included in the proposed works:

•Building structural improvements;
•New customer shelters on platforms incorporating new seating;
•New station furniture on platforms (seating, litter bins, etc);
•Platform and station lighting improvements;
•Upgrade of station signage plus new information panels;
•New signage on approach roads;
•Upgrade of electrical services at each station; and
•Landscaping and painting works around stations.
These works will provide a cleaner, brighter more welcoming experience for customers.

The Kildare stations on the line to be refurbished under this project are as follows;

•Leixlip Confey;
•Leixlip Louisa Bridge; and
•Maynooth.

In addition similar works will be undertaken at Drumcondra, Broombridge, Ashtown, Castleknock and Coolmine Stations. Some of these will require upgrading of all elements listed above while basic works will address all others. In respect of the remaining stations, Phoenix Park does not require upgrading as it is effectively a new station, while Clonsilla is being currently being addressed as part of a separate project.

This funding stated Deputy Stagg follows on from the €34,000 approved for IE Signage, Directional Signage, External and Internal Painting and Platform Furniture at Kilcock Railway Station approved in July last.

In conclusion Deputy Stagg stated that it is anticipated that these station upgrade works will be completed by year end. The overall estimated cost of the refurbishment programme is €2 million.

[drumcondra commuter]

Originally Posted by ThomasJ

Further details here - Seems most stations are getting the upgrade.
http://www.maynooth.org/?p=15340

Why don't they just switch on the platform displays and save themselves some cash?

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by drumcondra commuter

Why don't they just switch on the platform displays and save themselves some cash?

The displays are dependant on the signalling upgrade. The current system only know that the train is between two signals, it doesn't know where between the two signals and therefore can't estimate arrival time.

[Mark Gleeson]

Its worse than that the current system has no idea where any train west of Broombridge is

Control is currently from Maynooth which will transfer to Dublin once the city centre signaling upgrade is completed

[eugene]

When will they get the important things right?

On a slightly separate point, any progression on the Pelletsown/Royal Canal Park station?

[Inniskeen]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Its worse than that the current system has no idea where any train west of Broombridge is

Control is currently from Maynooth which will transfer to Dublin once the city centre signaling upgrade is completed

Did Maynooth not close some time ago ?

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by Inniskeen

Did Maynooth not close some time ago ?

It was transferred to clonsilla

[Mark Gleeson]

Kilcock to Broombridge and the M3 spur is controlled from the Maynooth line SSI panel which is buried somewhere, the panel could be Cork for all the difference it makes...

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by eugene

When will they get the important things right?

On a slightly separate point, any progression on the Pelletsown/Royal Canal Park station?

Unlikely to happen before O'Reilly's Bridge is finished, which may start later in the year and will take perhaps 6-9 months.

It is possible it may be done as part of the Maynooth Line Electrification, but at the moment, the scope for that is electrification and level crossing removal only.

[Inniskeen]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Kilcock to Broombridge and the M3 spur is controlled from the Maynooth line SSI panel which is buried somewhere, the panel could be Cork for all the difference it makes...

I think there is actually more than one SSI controlling the section of line you mention. The MMI is presently in Clonsilla.

Not sure that the city centre resignalling will resolve the issue either as the Maynooth line SSIs are non-standard and do not integrate easily with the CIS. I think you may have to await the resignalling of the Maynooth line itself - hardly the top priority in current circumstances.

[dowlingm]

Well if that's the case they should look at equipping with a GPS system that can be linked to the train info system. Saying "we'll have to wait for Maynooth resignal" (something probably deferred until electrification can be afforded) when competing modes are rolling out real time is like the wifi thing all over again - IE dragged kicking and screaming into something that customers could really use.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by dowlingm

Well if that's the case they should look at equipping with a GPS system that can be linked to the train info system. Saying "we'll have to wait for Maynooth resignal" (something probably deferred until electrification can be afforded) when competing modes are rolling out real time is like the wifi thing all over again - IE dragged kicking and screaming into something that customers could really use.

The NTA are looking at that.

[ThomasJ]

More details on this from Northside People

A NUMBER of railways stations serving Northsiders along the Maynooth line are set for a facelift following a Government decision to provide funding worth e2 million for upgrades.
The line is one of Iarnród Éireann’s busiest routes with approximately 15,000 passenger journeys daily and the funding will be used to improve stations including those at Drumcondra, Broombridge, Ashtown, Castleknock and Coolmine.
Misinster for Transport and Dublin West TD, Leo Varadkar, confirmed the funding was in place and said work will be carried out before the end of the year.
“I expect there will be a direct jobs benefit from this work as well,” he continued.

“Works are already underway at Clonsilla Station under an earlier funding programme. This includes providing parking spaces, a set-down area, a new signalised junction with pedestrian phasing and a new access point to the station.

“The new access route will allow people with disabilities to access the station via a lift and bridge over the tracks. It will also enable people from Portersgate, Aldemere, Manorfields and Ongar to enter the station without having to walk up to the level crossing.

“This route is therefore safer, and will save time during rush hour.

“At Castleknock, plans are in place to improve the station building and provide more ticket machines.

“Castleknock and Coolmine train stations will both benefit from new shelters, seat- ing areas, new signage and information displays, emergency lighting and structural upgrades.”

Minister for Social Protection and Labour TD for Dublin West, Joan Burton, welcomed the announcement saying the objective of the upgrading project was to enhance customer facilities and presentation at the train stations.
“This is to be greatly welcomed as the Maynooth line is one of the fastest growing routes in the Irish Rail network,” she said.

“In recent years, the frequency of the service has improved and the MP3 Parkway Docklands route was introduced. However the stations have not been upgraded since they were constructed and are in need of modernisation.
“These works will provide a more welcoming environment for customers and it is anticipated that they will be completed by the end of the year.”

[karlr42]

Oh, that's cool, I guess they're putting another entrance at the west end of the Clonsilla Road, opposite where the new bay platform will be(near the bottle bank, I guess). That's very handy, at the moment I and many others coming from the Joseph's hospital direction cut through some woods, across a green and though Portersgate to get to the current entrance faster.

Though having looked down there from the current platform, it looks really tight to squeeze in a track and platform next to the canal bank. There's also some nice mature trees on the southern side of the station right where the elevator shaft should go. Let's also hope that the lifts and overbridge don't impinge too much on the view westwards.

[karlr42]

Also, here are the plans for the station works: http://planning.fingalcoco.ie/swiftl...=9&#tabdetails

The site layout plan is here: http://documents.fingalcoco.ie/Anite...s/00402761.pdf and the specs on the bridge and lifts here: http://documents.fingalcoco.ie/Anite...s/00402753.pdf