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Unread 14-06-2007, 16:49   #2
Mark Gleeson
Technical Officer
 
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Coach C, Seat 33
Posts: 12,669
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Fact is Greystones never deserved a DART service, it was an election stunt, FG lost the seat anyway so it serves them right. Same money would have brought the DART to Skerries which would have been infinitely more beneficial.

What should have happened was a diesel shuttle service from Greystones to Bray with alternate trains extended to Wicklow, fraction of the price

The DART punctuality and capacity problems are traceable to the extension to Greystones opening, I remember it personally and it was hell for the best part of 6 months until extra trains entered service and that was followed by several months of cancellations since the new trains where dodgy and a shortage of drivers.

The track layout in Bray is a problem since it was designed as a terminus not a through station in 1982, there is a pinch point leaving Bray which makes a high frequency service to Greystones quite tricky to run reliably. To implement a proper reliable service to Greystones, would require the following

Rebuild south end of Bray station to elimate the single track section just beyond platform 1.
Add a second track between Greystones and the substation at the level crossing north of Greystones

Before the relay of the track Bray Greystones was 15 minutes its now 10 minutes

Around Bray Head and between Killiney and Salthill speeds are restricted by the nature of the line its very twisty, if you travel in the very front of a DART you will regulary hear a solid tone followed by the brakes applying thats the computer intervening for a overspeed.
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