Grand Canal Dock works
 

I know these are for the signalling upgrade and planned use of GCD as a terminus for Maynooth services, but they seem to be completely rebuilding the platform and trackbed on the 3rd platform - anyone know what the plan is?

GCD could really use better access from the street - I don't use the station myself but there seems to be serious congestion on the bridge everytime a train pulls in.

The third (unused platform) will ultimately become the northbound through platform.

The existing northbound platform will become a turnback platform for terminating services.

There will have to be a remodelling of all the tracks in the area.

they've installed an extra bridge at GCD but it has gates on it and on the station side lands outside the ticket barriers - what is this for (a private access for Google similar to AIB's?)

Asked Irish Rail twice, as of yet they have not gone on the record with an answer

Google is in no way involved.

All very mysterious what's going on behind the hoarding at GCD. It looks likely that the exit barriers on the secondary exit are going to be relocated, possibly adjacent to the ones in the main station building (but that's just speculation on my part).

I've always thought that it would have made much more sense to put the station building at street level, with an underpass rather than a bridge, and ramps up to the platforms. But we'd have to go back to 2001 to find out what the designers were thinking.

James

Good news I can confirm the second bridge will be opened for all passengers in coming months.

It was previously planned as an emergency bridge. The RSC confirmed to us that it will be opened to all passengers as part of the on going works

Even for Irish Rail, putting in a bridge and not letting people use it is an absurd idea. The congestion in the station if a northbound and southbound train arrive at the same time in the morning commute can be quite something.

James

Very odd that it would be planned as an emergency bridge. When the turnback facility is commissioned at Grand Canal Dock it will be very common for two trains to be dis-embarking on the island platform simultaneously. Assuming both trains drop a few hundred passengers there will be considerable conngestion even with both narrow footbridges operational. I suspect that an addutional exit will be required to the north onto Barrow Street.

I've often wondered if it would be possible to have a second exit onto Grand Canal Quay/Clanwilliam Terrace. Could be tricky to fit one in.

James