Indeed. Using Bus Eireann added over an hour to my commuting today. I shudder what to think it will be like in a few weeks.

I'm officially irritated. I got caught late at work, but hadn't made a note of the replacement bus timetable, and couldn't get into the flash document thingy on either my phone or my work computer. Why aren't they listed in the online timetable?

I arrived at Connolly at 9:20 thinking there'd surely be a bus to replace the commuter train around that time, only to be told there's nothing between 21:00 and 23:20. So now I'm getting thrown around north Dublin on the 101.

The driver did say that IE will refund my fare. What are my chances do you think?

why not ahve a bus from Dundalk to Connolly
 

Its only day 2 and I'm already fed up of the waiting around in Drogheda to get a train to Dundalk. Why can't they just run buses from Connolly to Dundalk train station, surely the saving on diesel will outweight the cost of hiring the coaches each day ?

I got to Connolly just before 18:00 on Tuesday evening (25th) and got on bus to Drogheda which left at 18:05. Arrived in Drogheda Station at 18:55. Supposed to be a commuter train to Dundalk at 19:00 but staff member said it would be at 19:07. Train arrived on platform at 19:10 and left at 19:11.

While waiting on Dundalk train, a commuter train left Drogheda for Skerries at about 19:00 or 19:05. According to the timetable there's supposed to be a service to Skerries at 17:30 and then 19:30!

I have my doubts about the reliablity of the timetable with regard to commuter trains from Drogheda to Dundalk & Skerries in the evenings.

M1 and 33
 

The traffic on the M1 this morning was very heavy around the Donabate/Lusk Exit, then it got better. I spend about 15 mins extra going from Lusk to Clontarf (I left Lusk at around 7.10am). I would say later the traffic gets heavier later.

My wife went on the 33 from Lusk to Swords (around 7.50 am), she says bus was ok, there seemed to be extra capacity (2 buses at the same time)

bus left drogheda at 7.05 this morning, looked like they needed more buses than yesterday. travelled in convoy to dublin... Was a little slow again at the Swords/skerries offramp but moving... actually got into Connolly at 7.46 by my watch.. 7.50 when i looked at the ifsc clock.. Even though it was a horrible morning..

got 7:16 dundalk to drogheda, bus transfer left almost immediately from drogheda (two busses) neither were full. arrived in connolly 8:35, made the 8:41 southbound dart which was showing to be platform 5, then changed to 6 as it arrived (same thing happened yesterday) and it doesnt wait about so you have to run around to make it.

also, the 19:00 drogheda - dundalk was late leaving drogheda last night, left at 19:11 and arrived in Dundalk at 19:32 - Enterprise had just pulled in (should be departing drogheda at 20:00) so doubt that left on time as i'd say it hardly made drogheda for 20:00?

enterprise arrived 16.05 in drogheda.. presumably will leave soon.. Due to a late work day tomorrow I'm driving dundalk to Howth Jct (I'm lucky to have parking nearby) based on train timetables i don't think i'd like the evening session.. as i plan on leaving howth jct about 7pm..
enterprise leaving...16.15

did you catch this


make of it what you will

I didnt think too much of this, saw it as an oversight but.....

Monday, I arrived into Drogheda via bus from Connolly, at about 19:55 - waiting for the Enterprise. There was a train on platform 2, empty. No announcement and just before 20:00 it left heading north bound - I over heard someone ask an IE official on duty was it going to dundalk and he said yes(which was too late at that stage)... there was about 20 people on platform 1 going to dundalk!! Anyway, Saw it as a once off. was talking to a chap last night who was waiting for the 20:00 enterprise to go to dundalk and a train again on platform 2 left just after 20:00 (no sign of enterprise at this stage). He asked one of the IE officials where it was going and was told dundalk... he said why didnt they announce that and the reply was..... "its in the timetable".... (there is a 19:45 in the timetable so it appears IE expect us to assume that the train times in their new emergency timetable are running 20mins late?) I must say, mornings are fine but evenings, nobody in drogheda station seems to give a rats ar*e..... they dont keep us informed. The best info they can give is, there will be one along soon... Everytime a trian arrives you have to ask, where is that going. 3 days, 3 different replies so far, "nowhere", "back to skerries" and "dundalk" for trains all around the same time give or take 5mins of 20:00...... and they have the freaking cheak to say "its in the timetable!!!"
I know with the 20:00 Enterprise, they say it will be departing at 20:00, when I got there at 19:50ish they told me it would be here in a few minutes. So fine but when in didnt actually depart till 20:50, that was a full hour hanging about....

Experience summed up so far:
There appears to be a gradual recognition by IE that dundalk commuters are annoyed and they appear to be addressing this. Cross border commuters as usual are left hung out to dry, IE wont take responsability nor will NIR.... try doing a days work, board a bus at 17:30 in connolly and not get home till 22:45.........

My wife left Lusk 7.30am this morning. There was a Dublin Bus Conductor supervising the flow of buses and explaining to people when the next buses where due. Buses went smooth.

at least somebody is doing its job...

Translinks Enterprise Notice
 

http://www.nirailways.co.uk/enterpri...nformation.asp

Really? I aint seen any dissable friendly busses opperate from drogheda. Anyone else?

You should cut them a little slack - they have to refuel the locomotive in Drogheda which I don't think they've had to do for a long-time. It must be pretty awkward as the loco is on the wrong end of the train for access to Drogheda depot.

Once they wrangle a third set for the Enterprise, I think that punctuality will improve significantly.

well, when you relly on the now "old 7pm" service to belfast from connolly to get you home for 9:20ish. their contingency (which they say allow "approx" 30mins to your journey).... i dont see how 1 hour 30 mins late is acceptable.

They have refuelling capability in the york st depot, takes a train 4 mins to get there from central and it doesnt have to change lines. Unlike drogheda, the enterprise is getting about 15 -20 mins turn around time in central...... maybe it should unload, go to the depot refuel and the collect from central... might leave a few mins late but its not going to delay it 45mins... sometimes i leave things thinking there must be a logical reason why they are not doing something that seems logical, other times i complain but experiences to date... they never ever do the logical thing.

Most the buses I've been on were not accessible?

Fyi... I drove in this morning, left kilcurry at 08.07 - arrived Howth Jct at 9.10.. no parking near station so I parked at my relations..(about 5 mins walk)

so that wasn't bad but the route i took has at least 4 schools which were not in operation today.. I don't think I could do this again

I'll see how i get on later as I hope to be leaving Howth Jct at 6.30ish.. well dart/train from pearse at 6ish..

Problem is you can't do Dublin-Belfast-Dublin on a single tank of diesel, you need to top up in Drogheda to be sure. It might be 4 minutes to York Road but the Dargan Bridge is in the way and its single track and full of local commuter trains.

The only solution is a third train which would relieve the pressure

Sure they could turn the trains around but then fueling in Belfast becomes difficult, while Drogheda would still be a challenge, though easier

they don't refuel at the 16.20 service!! its a matter of wait until everyone is off the train.. then board... wait a few minutes and its off again!!

but i encountered the same problem monday in drogheda - a train from skerries was due to arrive so the enterprise had to stay in platform 1 (20:00). when the commuter train arrived the enterprise went southbound, changed over line and then came in to refuel. then at about 20:40 the train in platform 3, went back to skerries (at this point the enterprise had refuelled but was waiting for the skerries train to leave) before pulling out southbound again to change back over and come into platform 1.

Now the enterprise is doing Belfast - Drogheda - Belfast... can it not stretch on a tank of fuel now that its cut out dublin?

Fine the route needs a third train but how the hell are we suppose to get through this... leaving dublin at 5:30 an not getting home till 10:45... plain and simple, not acceptable.

Drogheda
 

Roadworks in Drogheda are extending the journey in the evening.
Surely an alternate route could be taken to the station.

Just offering other options, would terminating Enterprise in Dundalk make things any easier? It would cut out a big chunk of time, and possibly the need to refuel at the southern end. Would mean an extra connection, which would be a pain for anyone with luggage, but if a commuter train was waiting cross platform, the transfers could be quick and it could make the timetable workable with two Enterprise sets.