First Weekday morning of the New Timetable
 

This morning at 7am the electronic display board in the main concourse of heuston was blank and so were the platform displays.

I was 5 minutes earlier than usual but was still in automatic pilot as I headed for platform 7 where the 7:10 to Galway has left from for about the last 3 years. Not sure why but half way there I happened to notice the crusty Cú na Mara's sitting on platform 3 and got over there.

What the hell were they trying at that unholy early hour and did they get the scoreboard working or was there mayhem later????

New Timetable Brings Crush Loading to Hazlehatch
 

I used to be a passenger from Hazlehatch to Hueston on the "old" 7.08 on weekday mornings.

That train is now re-timed at 6.58 ex Hazlehatch with the introduction of the 2007 timetable.

The result is that the unchanged 7.22 to Dublin (the next available option) is now expected to take up its "Normal" heavy loading together with many of those who used to avail of the 7.08.

This morning (16th Jan.) the 7.22 train, which arrived about 10 minutes late, was packed to maximum capacity - the train had to rest at the platform for several minutes longer than usual while already on board passengers shuffled along the carraige isles to let all passengers on the platform board the train.

There was no assistance of any sort (tannoy announcement, identification of any carriage with some capacity etc) from the IE employess on the train.

I am unclear if any passengers were left behind today- but with normal load factor growth this train is soon going to have to leave passengers behind.

IE management readers please note.

That's the 6:30 Carlow-Heuston train and it is a shoter train than before. It's a pushpull set with 4? carriages.

It's been standing room only from Kildare both today and yesterday. The delays boarding at HH today were due to people not moving in along the passageway to make room.

Someone had to bang on the window and try to 'wave' them along.

kevin