[Article] Cork jazz fans face the blues over rail line closure

[Thomas Ralph]

http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/cork-...re-170414.html

[comcor]

I'm a bit confused as to why trains are terminating in Thurles. The line should be unaffected as far as Charleville.

Now, possibly, there's no way to switch lines in Charleville, but that still leaves Limerick Junction as a possibility. At least, there, you wouldn't be inconveniencing people who are taking a connecting train to Limerick.

[Thomas Ralph]

Well, based on the journey planner they are still running trains as far as Limerick Junction on Saturday and Charleville on Sunday. The Cork bus connection will run from Thurles, presumably as it's more convenient (and I don't know if buses can fit up the little access road to Limerick Junction).

[Mark Gleeson]

The Examiner has its facts slightly wrong, no trains on Saturday or Sunday are sold out, they aren't available to book full stop in the first place. The only way to prevent any form of booking is for the computer to flag the trains as sold out, otherwise the ticket only option would be available

There is no good time to do work like this and as most will travel on Friday and back on Monday fewer people would be effected than a normal weekend

[Thomas Ralph]

Then the question is why are they booked out? Perhaps it is because they aren't sure of the final timetable.

[Mark Gleeson]

Generally during engineering works seat reservations are not available.

I don't think the plans for Sunday are online yet

[Destructix]

Thurles seems to be always used as a terminus when there is line work i guess its just easier as the M8 motorway is nearby the town and the Bus Éireann depot.

Tbh it is kinda a rip off running a bus service from Thurles-Cork when paying €71 return train fare. Break it down. Its €46 to Thurles and lets say the €25 left out of €71 is bus fare.

Its only €22 Urlingford-Cork and this bus passes near Thurles so you are technically paying more for less of a journey.

And all buses in the Thurles depot (which i imagine will be used) are 12+ years old.

[Mark Gleeson]

Irish Rail don't hire Bus Eireann, there is a multi annual tender for bus replacement services http://etenders.gov.ie/search/show/s...x?ID=JUL251216 Never been on a Bus Eireann bus on hire to Irish Rail

Road access to Cork is best via Thurles, Limerick Junction requires a tricky route via Tipperary town roads are quite narrow especially in and out of Limerick Junction before joining the motorway.

[Destructix]

Is there work going on between Dublin and Thurles on the 29-30th just every train Thurles-Heuston seems to be sold out to avoid people booking that day. But there are some bus transfers from Thurles which must mean there is some work going on that side.

I can remember few years ago though getting on a Bus Éireann 1997 VC from Thurles to Limerick due to track work. This was about 10 or 11 years ago. I guess its all tendering now but wouldn't it not be much cheaper or possibly free both being subsidiary's of CIE if Bus Éireann did provide the service.

[comcor]

Charleville is just 45 mins down the N20 though and passes straight by Mallow. The problem.with Thurles is that it's not very handy for people going to Limerick Junction, Charleville or Mallow.

I'd also wonder what the arrangements are for people travelling from Cork to Charleville, Limerick Junction or Limerick

[Mark Gleeson]

There is a full service Dublin Limerick Junction and a full service Mallow Cork.

There is a bus for Mallow Charleville which presumably will get to Limerick Junction as well

[Thomas Ralph]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Never been on a Bus Eireann bus on hire to Irish Rail

They cover the Cork/Cobh/Midleton from time to time.

[comcor]

Another question that comes to mind...

If the Cork-Mallow service is being maintained, does that mean that there will be 80% empty CDE sets operating between Cork and Mallow, or will a more appropriate train set be found?

[Colm Moore]

I imagine it will be 2600s and 22000s, although it seems to some Cork-Mallow services are Mark 4s.

[comcor]

At the moment all three are used, depending on whether the train's final destination is Dublin (CDE & 22000), Tralee (22000) or Mallow itself (2600).

Obviously, the Mallow (6tbd) and Tralee (3tbd) services will run as normal, but the bulk of availability is on the Dublin (14tbd) services.

It just seems pointless to use the CDE sets for a train like the 05:05 or 06:15, where the number of passengers who have Mallow as their final destination is unlikely to break into two figures.

[Mark Gleeson]

I'd presume most of Malllow Cork will be a 6 car ICR first class set as the Tralee line set will be stuck down there

People forget that Irish Rail run a Mk4 on morning commuter run Mallow Cork

[comcor]

So, from what I could see in the dark, the new bridge seems to be in place.

But also in place is the temporary speed restriction.

Any idea when that will be lifted?

[Colm Moore]

There tends to be a temporary speed restriction for a few weeks after such work to allow things to settle in.