Late Night Christmas DART services
 

After a gap of nearly 10 years its back finally

http://www.irishrail.ie/cat_news.jsp?i=4964&p=116&n=237

That's very good of them to treat it as a normal-price journey including being free for pass-holders. Let's hope it goes well so that it can be extended in future.

That is good news!

Doubt they will take free travel passes, will have to check

1 extra train in each direction, no service to Greystones (which was included the last time the night dart ran).

will probably be a 2 or 4 carriage train so the southbound one at least will be jammed.

its something, but its not much...

Maybe no-one used it to Greystones last time which is why it's not included this time?

IE saying on twitter that running past Bray would require extra signalling staff and if it's correct it's a cost they could do without.

Can't see welfare passes being accepted as it's commercially run.

Greystones would require extra signalling staff plus would need to get the train back to Bray

The signalling between Bray and Drogheda is staffed 24 hours anyway

So why not go to Drogheda ?

Lack of demand, higher running costs, need to staff Drogheda station

Possibly the existence of Bus Éireann Nightrider route 101N (Dublin-Balbriggan-Drogheda plus several places in between) may also be a factor.

The proposed late DART operation is itself minimalist and suggests Irish Rail don't expect much demand. Based on the relative usage of the 2330 Pearse/Dundalk and north and southbound DARTS around the same time I would suggest there might be more demand for a northern line service than for DART.

Nonetheless it is a toe in the water and commendable that normal fares and ticketing apply,

If the service is repeated in the future consideration could be given to omitting the Pearse to Malahide DART and instead operating a Pearse to Drogheda service (which could also serve all stations between Connolly and Malahide).

Why would you want to serve all stations from Connolly to Malahide ? Obvious arrangement would be a 0030 to Drogheda, non-stop from Connolly to Clongriffin, followed by a 0035 to Howth serving all stations.

Agreed especially with a diesel, doing an all shacks service would be very slow.

I fully expect any such service to be DART leading, causing an outbreak of apoplexy among rail-watchers watching the diesel stumble along behind. :D

Not sure what the previous post means - or am I taking it too seriously ! Still I suppose fare paying punters shouldn't be so ungrateful as to whinge about operational incompetence. Does that meet your definition of apoplexy ?

Actually the DART should go first, followed by the Commuter, such that there is a good connection at Howth Junction. It would mean that people could get from locations other than the city centre.

Ok, fair enough, then DART goes at 0030, Drogheda train at 0045 not the normal nonsense of DART at 0030, and Drogheda train at 0033.

Don't imagine there would be much pick-up business at the intermediate stations but yes why not provide the option. My initial issue was why stop the Drogheda train at all stations between Connolly and Malahide.

Anyway it is all hypothetical as there is no late Drogheda service, although, of course, the Malahide DART could run limited-stop to Howth Junction or do an all stations service at 0100 instead of having northbound departures at 0030 and 0035.

The lateness of the hour that I posted at can be blamed for me not having thought it through fully!

Indeed a Drogheda train could run non-stop between Connolly and Howth Junction with the Howth-bound DART preceding it to give connectional possibilities from Raheny etc...