2013 Heuston & Regional Draft Timetable

[Inniskeen]

It was logged as marginally early, but on time is also a fair description. Mind you despite leaving Greystones late it would have been anything up to ten minutes early but for the DART in front. DART imposes a twenty minute time penalty on diesel services between Greystones and Connolly and in effect makes a credible service from Wicklow and points south almost impossible.

[Jamie2k9]

Looks the new timetable got off to a very good start with most Cork to Dublin services running either on time or early. The exceptions were the 0920, 1320 and 1720 ex Cork which were 5, 13 and 14 minutes late respectively.

Galway, Westport and Waterford to Dublin trains likewise generally ran on time or early, the principal exception being the 0605 from Waterford which was 7 minutes late.

06.05 Waterford-Heuston 08.11
Monday - 08.20
Tuesday - 08.50
Wednesday - 08.16
Thursday - 08.20
Friday - 08.17

Two major problems:
Waterford-Thomastown = 21 mins, timetabled to take 19 because the signiling records they use are nowhere near Thomastown same as the Realtime on website. They are just north of Ballyhale. Most trains make the time up between Thomastwon-Kilkenny as they have 2-3 mins to play around with but the 06.05 does not.

2 speed restrictions:
One betwen Thomastown-Lavistown of 40mph one there less than a week, the other being on the Dublin line at lavistown 25mph which has being in place since October and that was cleared for higer speed heading to Dublin so no mainly its a crawl from Kilkenny until it passes there which makes it very hard to complete Kilkenny-Muine Bheag in 14 minutes and other services have all 15 which works. Didn't expect it to take months to fix the alignment problem.

If Lavistown isn't fixed soon then they will have to revert to an 06.00 departure as its the only way to get in on time.

Between this and 18.35 shambles not a good week, I wonder if they will have a 6 car this evening given its a Friday know IE i expect not.

[Jamie2k9]

Mark any chance you could get IE to give you passenger loadings on the 18.30 to Galway since it started. It was literally empty leaving Heuston last night. It needs to serve Newbridge as I only realised that IE are in breach of their safety notices on the 18.35 to Waterford. Can't wait to hear there response to me on that one.

[Mark Gleeson]

As far as we are aware Irish Rail is operating all service within all current safety rules

Standing limits are not defined in any Irish or EU law or regulation and the NTA make no reference in its contracts

[Jamie2k9]

As far as we are aware Irish Rail is operating all service within all current safety rules

Signs say that bikes, baggage etc should not be blocking doors or emergancy exits and there was a few of bikes in every halway and plenty of bags blocking doors. If you can ask to view the CCTV over the last few days and you will see.

[Jamie2k9]

Irish Rail have interduced their latest attempt to drive passengers away from Waterford line. As of today 18.05 dropped to 3 carrages. Only a hardful of seats free leaving Waterford. This service operates at capacity everyweek with between 360-400 every Sunday. So forcing around 200 passengers onto a 3 carrage in the hope of stopping them from using the service in future. This is due to bad planning of the timetable which leaves a train shortage in Waterford on Mondays.

Told a mate in Kilkenny who is waiting for the train and he asked whats going to happen and he was told if you can get on, then get on if not don't.

Something has to be done...

RUI don't mean to sound rude but its time you get some answers from Irish Rail, not saying you havn't being talking but you need to get them fast.

[Jamie2k9]

Well we arrived late as usual, anything up to 200 passengers standing. From either drivers door through the train people standing, sitting on floor, tables, toilets and baggage all over the place. Anybody who was sitting couldn't get up and go toilets without causing lots of bother. Trolly service was unable to operate at all. A good few passengers got off in Carlow and payed for the Bus to Dublin while staff at the station spend 8 minutes trying to squeese everybody on the train. Air condition may as well of being off, heat was unreal and would only of being a matter of time before somebody would of fainted.

Bus Eireann will do good business next week from students. Irish Rail had a few pictures to tweeted but of course the twitter account goes into ignore mode.

[Jamie2k9]

Irish Rail station manager in Waterford claims there was a mechanical fault on the 14.10 in Heustion and a spare train couldn't be found (imagine that...!) to operate the service at full capacity. Now no staff know anything about this alleged mechanical fault on Sunday evening and no steps were taken to deal with passenger numbers.

Now I find this very hard to believe as an extra 3 car set appeared in Waterford yesterday evening which wasn't there the previous Sunday when there was no mechanical fault on the 14.10 service. From the timetable point of view it was impossible for this second 3 car set to be in Waterford unless Irish Rail decided to run thie service empty to Waterford...

I put the question of why there was not a bus service in place to deal with the expected numbers but didn't get a definite answer and added that Mayo passengers received one. I also said that if this was the Cork line there would be no problems funding a replacement train and it would not of being allowed to operate at reduced capacity. Also no real answer.

Plenty of covering up of the situation and slightly conflicting stories form both ends. Overall he wasn't happy with what when on and there will be some words in Dublin over it during the week and asured people who he had being talking to over the issue that it was a one off and will not happen again.

[plant43]

1835 was 3 carriages again this evening, plenty of bikes and luggage in the hallways.

My guess is that Irish Rail are trying to "encourage" Newbridge commuters onto the 1825 or 1855 train.

[ACustomer]

The problem of the 1835 being only a 3-car set is evidence of really bad management: for a start it's advertised as 1st and 2nd class, which should imply a 6-car set.

Since the cancellation of the 1650 ex Waterford, the timetable is very unbalanced. The 1315 from Dublin arrives in Waterford at 1525, followed by 4 other arrivals (the Down 1510, 1640, 1735 and 1835). There is only one departure from Waterford after 1525, the 1820. Which raises the question: how does the 1315 from Dublin get back: attached to the 1820 from Waterford, which is the return working of the 1510 ex Dublin (?) - which only can happen the the 1510 is a 3-car. Failing this, the only way it can get back is the next morning, but that implies that at least one of the 1640, 1735or 1935 must be a 3-car.

Of course there is the possibility of an ECS return - which I think can be ruled out.

[Jamie2k9]

Since the cancellation of the 1650 ex Waterford, the timetable is very unbalanced. The 1315 from Dublin arrives in Waterford at 1525, followed by 4 other arrivals (the Down 1510, 1640, 1735 and 1835). There is only one departure from Waterford after 1525, the 1820. Which raises the question: how does the 1315 from Dublin get back: attached to the 1820 from Waterford, which is the return working of the 1510 ex Dublin (?) - which only can happen the the 1510 is a 3-car. Failing this, the only way it can get back is the next morning, but that implies that at least one of the 1640, 1735or 1935 must be a 3-car.

THe 13.05 service up is where the problem lies on Mondays. THe 13.15 down service operates it everyday expect Mondays.

Saturdays
13.15 3 peice - operates 07.10 on Mondays
16.40 6 peice
17.35 3 peice (only on sat)
18.35 3 peice

Sundays
09.05 operated by 16.40 set
12.40 operated by 09.10 down set
15.10 operated by 17.35 and 18.35 sets
18.05 operated by 14.10 sets
17.45 and 18.40 service are 6 peice.

IE wanted to cut costs by splitting the 14.10 service as it would save them running the 07.25 down on Monday as a 6 peice and splitting them in Waterford.

There is some very simple solutions to the problems but simple and IE don't mix very well.

13.15 is 6 peice on Fridays and 3 car set runs empty to Heuston. That could stay in Waterford until Monday (its not as if there ICR's are streched).

18.25 up on Saturday is split and 3 car peice left to operate the 13.05 on Monday.

Run the 17.35 or 18.35 as a 6 peice.

Then all problems would be solved but there will be a extra stock movment no matter how IE look at it and no getting around it. If IE want to stop wasting money then why are they running an empty 3 car set to Heuston on Fridays and another example is the 06.30 from Galway being a 6 peice on Saturdays to get it back to Heuston.

[Jamie2k9]

Irish Rail have confirmed that the 18.35 will be restored to 6 carriages soon. About time but it took plenty of people to complain and the delay the other day had passengers standing for over 2 hours and only good part after a long period of time stopped in Celbridge the driver opened the doors so people could get some air. Now part of the decision could be loadings on the 07.10.

[Mark Gleeson]

No they haven't, not as of 08:05 this morning. There is a lot of rumor ongoing

We are awaiting a new version of the Waterford line PDF timetable which will clarify the situation

[ACustomer]

The 1835 Down Waterford is advertised as offering 1st and 2nd class accommodation, which implies a 6-car set. So the present timetable is misleading. Should this be an issue for the NTA: advertising a level of service which appears to have no basis in reality?

[Mark Gleeson]

The issue was raised with Irish Rail some days ago.

A new version of the PDF file is due very soon which will sort the situation out. If the 6 car set is provided, the timetable stays the same, if not the PDF changes.

For other reasons all the PDF's has to be changed anyway

NTA contract makes no reference to provision or advertising of first class

[Jamie2k9]

Mark they have confirmed to me in an email and on there FB page saying we hope to restore the 18.35 to 6 carrages soon, not saying Frist class etc but the current suituation can't contuine.

Here is the comments on FB and I received:

We are hoping to restore the size of this train to six carriages very soon and will let customers know as soon as this is confirmed.

[Mark Gleeson]

That's hardly an absolute confirmation, now is it? Its full of conditional statements

We are hoping
very soon
soon as this is confirmed.

Its the usual PR spiel and we have learned a long time ago to disregard

The official line we have this morning is no change at this time, if there is a change we will be formally told.

[James Howard]

What is wrong with Irish Rail? They have millions of euro worth of assets sitting idle and they have a popular service on which they could be using said assets. Instead of doing this, they are driving away business.

[Mark Gleeson]

The company is effectively bankrupt.

There is a 6 million per annum cost associated with the routine overhaul of the ICR fleet, but cutting the fleet size a saving of 3 million was achieved as a once off in 2012.

The 21 stored coaches are not certified for use as they have reached time/mileage limits.

We have discussed several problem trains with Irish Rail management, 18:35 is top of the list for resolution

[karlr42]

Will the stored coaches ever get overhauled? Or is this a timebomb as more sets are stored when they reach limits and there are no longer enough sets to operate the timetable?