Trains parked/shunted far from end of platform at Heuston
 

Minor thing but why is it that sometimes when you catch a train out of Heuston do carriages recently unhooked from the locomotive that brought it in get shunted up a good 50-100 metres more than what I would have thought necessary? Occasionally as well you can be sitting on a train (normally with say 15-20 mins still before departure) and they will move the train up a short distance further away again. It is a very small point but bugs me sometimes especially if you are walking to platform 1 or 6,7,8 where you have enough walking to do as it is.

I am sure there is an obvious reason and it only happens say once every 15-20 journeys but I would still like to know why. Has anyone else ever noticed this? :confused:

Rules are that the locomotive should stop about 20m before the stop blocks

Occasionally the last coach is removed either to add to another train or because it is defective. The train is then moved forward about 20m to clear the rear coach

This will all end in 2008 when fixed sets come in

Usually what happens is that on arrival the loco is unhooked and moves forward to give the gap. Its when this dosnt happen (ie he stops too close to the buffers) that they pilot has to move the carriages. Also, you may be experiancing a brake test before they pull off when you mention the movement 10/15 mins before departure.

Usual reason is that the train has to be moved in order to fuel the van

Would they re-fuel the van whilst at the platfrom? Is that what those things with the long hosepipes are for between the tracks in Heuston?

The vans are nearly always at the Cork end refueling is not done at the platform. Water does not require uncoupling

Push pull operation Dublin Cork is going to massively reduce these incidents

and IC railcar too, I presume

'Would they re-fuel the van whilst at the platfrom?'

Yes they do.

'Is that what those things with the long hosepipes are for between the tracks in Heuston?'

The hosepipes between the tracks are for retention tanks (mk3a for example) and for filling toilet tanks and dining cars.

There are extra hosepipes located at the cork end of the platforms for fuelling the vans. They are located where a van on a 9 piece Mk3 set would be.
When a van on a shorter train needs to be fuelled it has to be moved to reach the fuel pipe.

'The vans are nearly always at the Cork end refueling is not done at the platform.'

OK so when are the vans refulled ???