[Article] Disruption to DART services

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...reaking65.html

Disruption to Dart services
CHARLIE TAYLOR

Dart services from Pearse Street station to Dun Laoghaire have been suspended for the foreseeable future due to flood damage to a bridge.

Ianród Éireann said it did not known exactly how long services would be disrupted but said it will be for "a number of days at least".

Rosslare and Gorey services are also affected by the disruption and will only operate to Bray with bus transfers onwards to Connolly station.

Other commuter services which operate from Drogheda or Maynooth to Dun Laoaghaire and Bray will now stop at Pearse Street station.

Dublin Bus will honour tickets for customers travelling south of Pearse Street.

The line has been closed due to damage to the ground in the vicinity of a pier on the Dodder Bridge at the south end of Lansdowne Road Station.

This area was flooded on Monday, during the torrential rainfall in the Dublin area. At least two large trees which fell were swept downstream by the River Dodder became lodged under the bridge, causing debris to build up under it.

An inspection of the single-span structure by divers tonight revealed damage to the ground in the vicinity of a support pier of the bridge. No such damage was found during anunderwater inspection of the bridge in October 2010.

Iarnród Éireann said it had closed the structure as a precautionary measure to allow repair works to be carried out.

"A remedial works programme to repair the flood damage is now being devised, and this will confirm timescales for this disruption," it said.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...306624729.html

Dart services suspended after flood damage

JOANNE HUNT

DART SERVICES from Pearse Street station to Dún Laoghaire have been suspended for a number of days following damage to a bridge caused by floods earlier this week, Iarnród Éireann has said.

Spokesman for Iarnród Éireann Barry Kenny said that fallen trees swept downstream during the torrential rain on Monday had lodged under the Dodder Bridge which is located at the south end of Lansdowne Road station.

Mr Kenny said that it was normal practice to do an underwater inspection of bridges following such floods and that damage had been found in the vicinity of one of the piers of the bridge.

He said services were being suspended as a “precautionary measure” to allow repair works to be carried out. This is the second time in a week that Dart services have been suspended due to flooding.

The company said it did not know exactly how long services would be disrupted but said it could be for a number of days.

Rosslare and Gorey services are also affected and will only operate to Bray with bus transfers onwards to Connolly station.

Other commuter services which operate from Drogheda or Maynooth to Dún Laoaghaire and Bray will now stop at Pearse Street station.

Dublin Bus will honour tickets for customers travelling south of Pearse Street.

In a statement issued last night, the company said: “The line has been closed due to damage to the ground in the vicinity of a pier on the Dodder Bridge at the south end of Lansdowne Road Station.

“This area was flooded on Monday of this week, during the torrential rainfall in the Dublin area,” it said.

The statement said at least two large trees which fell were swept downstream by the River Dodder and were lodged under the bridge, causing debris to build up at and under the bridge. “The bridge is a single span structure, and as part of new safety protocols adopted following the investigations into the Malahide Viaduct accident in 2009, a detailed inspection is automatically carried out of structures affected by a major flood event as soon as possible,” it said.

“This inspection carried out by divers, has shown this evening damage to the ground in the vicinity of a support pier of the bridge,” the statement continued.

“No such damage was present at its previous underwater inspection in October 2010.”

It added: “A remedial works programme to repair the flood damage is now being devised, and this will confirm timescales for this disruption.”

[Colm Moore]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1028/dart.html

Section of south Dublin rail line closed
Updated: 07:59, Friday, 28 October 2011

Iarnród Éireann has advised customers that there is serious disruption to southside DART services.

Iarnród Éireann has advised customers that there is serious disruption to southside DART services and Rosslare-Gorey rail services.

The rail line is closed between Grand Canal Dock and Sydney Parade in Dublin due to flood damage at a bridge over the river Dodder near Lansdowne Road.

Dublin Bus will accept rail tickets for customers travelling between the two stations.

The Rosslare-Gorey rail service will run to and from Bray, with a bus transfer between Bray and Connolly Station.

Other commuter services that operate from Drogheda or Maynooth to Dún Laoghaire and Bray will now only operate from Drogheda or Maynooth to Pearse Station.

Iarnrod Eireann spokesman Barry Kenny said remedial work on the bridge would be completed as soon as possible.

Updated service information will be available on www.irishrail.ie and by following @irishrail on Twitter.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...breaking4.html

Southside Dart services disrupted
irishtimes.com - Last Updated: Friday, October 28, 2011, 07:28
ÉANNA Ó CAOLLAÍ

Iarnród Éireann has advised customers of serious disruption to its south side Dart and Rosslare/Gorey services due to flood damage to a bridge near Landsdowne Road Station.

The affected area was flooded during the torrential rainfall in the Dublin area on Monday evening. At least two large trees were swept downstream by the River Dodder and were lodged under the bridge, causing debris to build up against it.

An inspection carried out by divers last night showed damage to the ground in the vicinity of a support pier of the bridge.

Iarnród Éireann closed the structure as a precautionary measure and is now devising a remedial works programme to repair the damage.

Following protocols adopted after the Malahide Viaduct accident in 2009, detailed inspections are now carried as a matter of course as soon as possible after major flooding events.

The company said it hopes to confirm later today how long the disruption will last but warned it will take a number of days to complete the repair work.

There will be no Dart service between Grand Canal Dock and Sydney Parade. Dublin Bus will accept rail tickets for customers affected.

Services will operate from Howth/Malahide to Grand Canal Dock, and from Sydney Parade to Greystones. Southside service will be reduced in frequency, operating every 30 minutes.

Rosslare and Gorey services will operate from Rosslare and Gorey to Bray, with bus transfers between Bray and Connolly station in Dublin.

Other commuter services which operate from Drogheda or Maynooth to Dún Laoghaire and Bray will now only operate from Drogheda/Maynooth to Pearse.

Dublin Bus will accept rail tickets for customers travelling south of Pearse St.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...breaking4.html

...

Iarnród Éireann closed the structure as a precautionary measure and is now devising a remedial works programme to repair the damage. Speaking this morning, Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny said the company's best estimate was that the works would take "in the region of one week".

The company hopes to have a better idea as to how long the disruption will last following a morning meeting at the site.

Following protocols adopted after the Malahide Viaduct accident in 2009, detailed inspections are now carried as a matter of course as soon as possible after major flooding events.

...

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...306728659.html

Dart service disruptions for fortnight
ÉANNA Ó CAOLLAÍ

DISRUPTIONS TO southside Dart and Rosslare/Gorey services are expected to continue for up to a fortnight, Iarnód Éireann has said.

The disruptions are due to repair work being carried out on the Dodder bridge near Lansdowne Road Station which was damaged in the flooding that hit Dublin earlier this week.

Iarnród Éireann had initially said it expected services to be affected for a number of days but this has since been revised.

At least two large trees were swept downstream by the river Dodder and became lodged under the bridge on Monday evening, causing debris to build up against it. An inspection carried out by divers last night showed damage to the ground in the vicinity of a support pier of the bridge.

The repair work means there will be no Dart service between Grand Canal Dock and Sydney Parade for the foreseeable future. Services will operate from Howth/Malahide to Grand Canal Dock, and from Sydney Parade to Greystones.

Southside services will be reduced in frequency, operating every 30 minutes.

Rosslare and Gorey services will operate from Rosslare and Gorey to Bray, with bus transfers between Bray and Connolly Station in Dublin.

Other commuter services which operate from Drogheda or Maynooth to Dún Laoghaire and Bray will now only operate from Drogheda/Maynooth to Pearse.

Dublin Bus will accept rail tickets for customers affected by the disruptions.

Although scaffolding had been in place on the bridge at the time of the floods, a spokesman for Iarnród Éireann said indications were that this had not added to the amount of debris which accumulated against it.

Following protocols adopted after the Malahide viaduct collapse in 2009, detailed inspections are now carried as a matter of course as soon as possible after major flooding events.

A total of 21 bridges have been inspected in areas affected by flooding since the Malahide incident, Iarnród Éireann said.

[Jack O'Neill]

Photo of Dodder Bridge (Credit to original uploader/photographer)

[dowlingm]

Are IE able to run trains to and from depots over this bridge? If not, how are they being serviced?

[James Howard]

Why is there such a muted response to this? This is a significant worry for me as I depend on the train for my livelihood. If I have to suffer through a extended disruption, I simply couldn't get to work and it appears to be just a matter of time before something similar happens on my line.

As usual Irish Rail depend on their divine luck to save them. They ran trains over this bridge for two days after the incident and got away with it. Then this all happens in the week of the presidential election so the media don't really pay any attention.

What other country would tolerate its two busiest commuter rail lines having extensive unplanned shut-downs (with loss of life only prevented by Hail Marys) over a two year period with no consequent management casualties? And all after a period of 10 years of unprecedented infrastructure investment.

[dowlingm]

A failure of the rail network is Irish Rail's responsibility, but a failure of the Dublin public transport system is not. They are merely a component of it, an important one, but the reality is that the DofT and the NTA are supposed to have a "10,000ft" view and it is they who should have responsibility for ensuring that their contracted operators have disaster plans and contingencies as part of PSO agreements.

Are you seriously contending that other countries have somehow bulletproofed their rail lines against force majeure? Broadmeadow was a failure of Irish Rail but it's hard to see what they could have done in this case. A bridge over a watercourse in an urbanised setting with no alternative flood relief is always going to be difficult to protect.

[James Howard]

To be honest, your response provides a good clue as to why this kind of thing keeps happening in Ireland. The first response of anybody in Ireland is to find some reason a failure is somebody else's fault and then if you can't find some reason why it is God's fault. Nowhere does it figure in anybody's logic to try to make it not happen again.

I don't think you can really call a flood on the Dodder "force majeure". Yes, this was a sudden downpour but it was a 20 year weather event that seems to have eroded a bridge pillar foundation is a manner very similar to the way which caused a catastrophic collapse two years ago. If Irish Rail cannot find a way to protect a bridge spanning a 30-foot watercourse then they may as well give up.

These sort of incidents will keep happening until the powers that be make a clear statement that this is not acceptable. This closure will probably inflict an economic cost of 10 million euro on the city and this is two years after an even bigger closure.

I agree that there is a wider public transport system failure here. It doesn't seem beyond the realms of possibility to provide some kind of bus transfer system to link GCD and Sydney Parade above and beyond relying on the normal scheduled Dublin Bus service. This is a two-week closure and while it may be acceptable at Irish Rail not turn up at work for a fortnight because it is somebody else's fault, this isn't an option for those of us who work in the real world.

Other countries have the advantage of having a rail network so if this sort of thing happens, people can often route around it. As we don't really have a network, it is beholden on the powers that be to ensure there is some kind of alternative. Just saying "take the car for a fortnight" or "find a bus" is fine for a day - for a week or two it isn't.

[Mark Gleeson]

The engineering of the Dodder bridge is very different to Malahide, had it been the same we would be talking about a bridge collapse not damage.

There is no plan and absolutely no one is willing to take some responsibility. Irish Rail despite Force Majeure still has some responsibilities under the PSO contract

Its taken Irish Rail 5 days to get a list of bus routes on its website, which being frank is just a response to what RUI did yesterday http://www.railusers.ie/passenger_in...thside_bus.php

Currently stranded outside Sydney Parade due a delay at Dun Laoghaire since some genius removed the Merrion crossovers

[James Howard]

At least they seem to have gotten their act together today with a peak-time shuttle bus service of sorts

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/...w&news_id=1226

[Mark Gleeson]

But only after we went head to head in the Metro Herald

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...307165700.html

Train service may begin again ahead of schedule
TIM O'BRIEN

IARNRÓD ÉIREANN will this morning carry out test runs on trains across a rail bridge over the river Dodder in south Dublin to see if it can reopen southbound Dart services earlier than planned.

If the results are good it may be possible to reopen the section of rail line between Grand Canal Dock and Sydney Parade by midweek.

This section of line has been closed for over a week after floods damaged the ground in the vicinity of a pier at the Dodder bridge, to the south end of Lansdowne Road station.

The closure has resulted in major disruption for up to 30,000 commuter trips between the city centre and southern suburbs.

Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny said “excellent progress has been made to date” on repair works. “Engineers now plan to operate test locomotives across the bridge [today] and, subject to these tests being successful, the line would reopen in midweek, earlier than originally planned.”

Mr Kenny said the company expected to be in a position to confirm a reopening date and time this afternoon.

In Co Wexford, services are operating from Rosslare or Gorey to Bray with bus transfers between Bray and Dublin Connolly. Commuter services from Drogheda or Maynooth to Dún Laoghaire and Bray are only operating from Drogheda or Maynooth to Pearse station.

Dublin Bus is accepting rail tickets for customers travelling south of Pearse station. Iarnród Éireann said a shuttle bus between Sydney Parade and Grand Canal Dock is in operation from 7am to 10am and from 3pm to 7.30pm.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1106/dart.htm

Flood damaged DART line may reopen by midweek
Updated: 23:10, Sunday, 6 November 2011

Iarnród Éireann has said that it hopes to reopen by midweek a section of the DART rail line that was damaged by flooding.

Iarnród Éireann has said that it hopes to be able to reopen by midweek a section of the DART rail line that was damaged by recent flooding.

The line between Grand Canal Dock and Sydney Parade in Dublin has been closed since 27 October due to erosion on a bridge, which was caused by flooding from the River Dodder.

Repair work had been scheduled to be completed by 11 November however it is currently ahead of schedule, with testing of the line now due to begin tomorrow.

Iarnród Éireann said it expected to be in a position to confirm the time and date of the line's reopening by tomorrow afternoon.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1107/dart.html

Southside DART disruption to end
Updated: 17:55, Monday, 7 November 2011

Disruption to southside DART services due to the Dublin floods is to end tomorrow after 11 days.

Disruption to southside DART services and Rosslare-Gorey rail services due to the Dublin floods is to end tomorrow after 11 days.

The rail line was closed between Grand Canal Dock and Sydney Parade in Dublin due to flood damage at a bridge over the river Dodder near Lansdowne Road.

The area was flooded on the 24 October during torrential rainfall.

Two large trees were swept downstream and were lodged under the bridge, causing debris to build up at and under the bridge.

An inspection was carried out by divers, which showed river bed erosion in the vicinity of a support pier of the bridge.

Iarnród Éireann then closed the structure as a precautionary measure, to allow repair works to be carried out.

The line will reopen at start of business tomorrow.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1108/dart.html

Full DART - Rosslare/Gorey services resume
Updated: 06:34, Tuesday, 8 November 2011

A full DART and Rosslare/Gorey service will operate from today.

A full DART and Rosslare/Gorey service will operate from today, following Iarnród Éireann's decision to reopen a section of track between Grand Canal Dock and Sydney Parade.

The line had been closed since 27 October for repairs in the vicinity of a bridge pier near Lansdowne Road station.

The damage was due to river bed erosion on the Dodder caused by the recent Dublin floods.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...307208611.html

Dodder bridge scaffolding not cause of flooding, insists Iarnród Éireann
TIM O'BRIEN

IARNRÓD ÉIREANN has said scaffolding and sacking the company erected across the Dodder in Ballsbridge, Dublin, was not a critical factor in the flooding of many homes in nearby streets.

The company was commenting after residents produced photographs that appeared to show scaffolding, sacking and debris had formed a substantial barrier across the river.

Damage estimated at millions of euro was caused when the Dodder burst its banks and flooded properties at Ballsbridge Avenue, the Sweepstakes, Dodder View and Herbert Cottages during last month’s torrential downpour.

Now, as the Irish Red Cross Society makes payment from its humanitarian fund to those affected, residents are to hold a public meeting in Crowe’s pub in Ballsbridge tomorrow night to discuss issues raised by the flooding.

Former lord mayor Dermot Lacey, who is organising the meeting, said the meeting was strictly non-political and had been organised in response to residents’ demands.

Many cottages were severely damaged by rising floodwaters with residents – a number of whom are elderly – having to be evacuated. Most are not yet back in their homes.

In the Sweepstake development alone, residents claimed 260 cars were written off when they were submerged by the flood. Amateur photographer John McLoughlin told The Irish Times he had reported to Iarnród Éireann some weeks before the flood that a tree or a large limb of a tree was caught in the scaffolding. He said he asked that it be removed because of the danger of winter floods, but he said it was not taken away.

“In the aftermath of the flooding somebody brought in diggers taking away lorry loads of material which had been caught up in the scaffolding,” he said.

However, Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny said the scaffolding was not the problem. He said a deluge of water had come downriver from high ground as far away as Rathfarnham, due to the torrential downpour. Two large trees and other wood had been swept down to the bridge. But he said the scaffolding “was no impediment to the water”. He had seen the pictures but “what they would appear to show did not represent the waterflow along the river”.

He added: “There was no barrier – there was a clear way for water to flow through.” Proof of this was that “upstream and downstream [of the railway bridge] water levels were the same”.

Among the casualties downriver from the bridge was the swimming pool at Marian College. Headmaster Paul Meany said the pool was expected to remain closed at least until Christmas.

As members of Dublin City Council yesterday prepared for a debate on the local authority’s response to the flooding, Pembroke ward councillor Edie Wynn said she would also be going to tomorrow’s meeting. She said there was huge damage done, particularly to cottages in the area, and local residents were very distressed the flooding could happen so quickly, despite the river having a history of flash flooding.

The city council’s flood risk assessment of the Dodder states: “The river Dodder has a history of flooding and is known as a ‘flashy’ river with a quick response to rainstorms.”

The assessment noted the council’s response was to provide flood walls along a length from the bridge at Lansdowne back as far as Donnybrook. This work is ongoing but not complete.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...reaking47.html

Full Dart service set to resume

ÉANNA Ó CAOLLAÍ

Iarnród Éireann has confirmed that the Dart line between Grand Canal Dock and Sydney Parade line will reopen tomorrow morning.

Full services will resume almost two weeks after the line was closed due to river bed erosion caused by the Dublin floods in the vicinity of a bridge pier at the Dodder Bridge, to the south end of Lansdowne Road Station.

The works to repair this damage were expected to be completed by Friday 11th November. However, according to Iarnród Éireann, "excellent progress has been made to date".

At least two large trees were swept downstream by the Dodder and became lodged under the bridge, causing debris to build up against it.

An inspection carried out by divers showed damage to the ground in the vicinity of a support pier of the bridge and the line was deemed unfit for use.

Services operated from Howth/Malahide to Grand Canal Dock, and from Sydney Parade to Greystones during the works.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...breaking4.html

Southside Dart returns to full service
KITTY HOLLAND

Dublin Dart services are to return to normal this morning, with a full service operating, as the line between Sydney Parade and Grand Canal stations reopens.

The line between the stations had been closed since Thursday, October 27th, due to river bed erosion caused by flooding.

The works to repair the damage had been expected to be completed by next Friday. However, according to Iarnród Éireann, “excellent progress has been made to date” and the line will open ahead of schedule.

At least two large trees were swept downstream by the river Dodder and became lodged under a bridge at Lansdowne Road, causing debris to build up against it. An inspection carried out by divers showed damage to the ground in the vicinity of a support pier of the bridge and the line was deemed unfit for use.

Services operated from Howth/Malahide to Grand Canal Dock, and from Sydney Parade to Greystones during the works.

Lansdowne Road station had been closed and southside commuters were forced to either take a shuttle bus from Booterstown to Pearse Station, running every 30 minutes, or to use Dublin Bus services.

The result had been “utter chaos”, according to the Rail Users Ireland organisation.

Spokesman Mark Gleeson said: “There was no other word than chaos, utter chaos, that southside commuters were being forced to endure. Dublin Bus buses were full, passing queues of people at bus stops and people were having to leave an hour to get into work, rather than the usual half hour.

“We were saved by the fact that the schools were on mid-term break last week. If the schools had been open as well it would have been total bedlam.”

A spokesman for Dublin Bus confirmed there had been a significant increase in passengers on the key number 7, 8 and 46a routes from the south of the city and county towards the city centre.

A spokeswoman for Iarnród Éireann apologised for the inconvenience caused to customers.

[James Howard]

When I saw the original picture of this, I thought that it was quite likely that the scaffolding was most likely to be a large part of the problem here. But I didn't say anything because it was possible it had been put up after the damage.

But if this scaffolding preceded the damage, it is quite patently rubbish to say that this bridge closure was a natural event. This scaffolding quite obviously caught a load of debris which formed an impromptu dam. This almost certainly increased the water flow under the bridge and resulted in the scouring away of the foundations.

I may not be an expert in fluid dynamics but I have dabbled in my time. You can demonstrate this by closing off the top of a hosepipe with your finger. If you restrict the space available for a volume of water to flow, it increases the speed of the flow and this high speed flow can be used to push material around. It is highly likely that this increased speed of flow was at least partially responsible for both the damage to the bridge foundations and the resulting flooding in the area.

Bloody amateurs - do they think we were born yesterday?