Rumours of Waterford station downgrade

[RPI]

I was wondering if anyone had heard what the situation is regarding Waterford station?

There are rumours that it is being converted into a one platform terminus with all bar one of the running lines through the station being ripped out along with all the signalling.

They seem incredible - no other major city terminus has only one platform - but I am concerned that given IE's peculiar attitude to railway operations that they are using the rockfall as a pretext for a substantial downgrade of passenger rail services in the South East.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Jamie2k9]

Word is 16 million required to step back the rock face, x ray showed large fissures in the rock.

Can only see it being done is if the RAUI report say it has to be done, money or no money.

Guess we will have to see what happens on Monday.

[Traincustomer]

What is anticipated to happen on Monday? A meeting?

[Jamie2k9]

The lifting of tracks starts Monday if the rumour is true, take a look on boards.

I'm not to worried about a one platform station but it gives no operational flexibility. Just hope there is no train failures in the station.

The rock face will have to be done at some point so it's being put on the long finger. How do they hope to stop another slide?

[Colm Moore]

Comment from Barry Kenny.

Originally Posted by Barry Kenny

As you know, we've had temporary working arrangements in place since the start of January at Waterford while the cliff face works were continuing.

The cliff works are taking longer than anticipated so we have made the decision to remove a couple of point ends next week to make the temporary arrangements more efficient. This is not irreversible and does not indicate a longer term plan.

As we've said in public already, there are decisions ahead in the shorter term regarding possible operation of all signalling in the station area from Waterford West cabin, and in the longer term about the station as a whole given the increasing frequency of flood disruption over this and recent winters.

However, the shorter term issues are still under consideration, and there has been no detailed analysis of the longer term issues at this point (and needless to say, no funding to address longer term issues either). So as of now, all that is happening is ongoing cliff face works and minor points rationalisation to facilitate the temporary working arrangements in the station area.

[Inniskeen]

Given the greatly diminished scale of operations at Waterford, rationalisation was inevitable. It would appear from reading Barry Kenny's statement that the intention is to modify the track layout so that the only access to tracks east of the redundant overhead signal box will be via the goods yard. The passenger platform will probably be accessed via a single line from Waterford West. It is possible that all arriving trains will have to stop twice between Newrath and Waterford until a more standard method of working is established. I would guess that the ultimate arrangements at Waterford will be similar to those at Sligo, Wexford or Galway - ie a crossing loop immediately on the Dublin side of the station leading to one or perhaps two platforms.

[Jamie2k9]

Given the greatly diminished scale of operations at Waterford, rationalisation was inevitable. It would appear from reading Barry Kenny's statement that the intention is to modify the track layout so that the only access to tracks east of the redundant overhead signal box will be via the goods yard. The passenger platform will probably be accessed via a single line from Waterford West. It is possible that all arriving trains will have to stop twice between Newrath and Waterford until a more standard method of working is established. I would guess that the ultimate arrangements at Waterford will be similar to those at Sligo, Wexford or Galway - ie a crossing loop immediately on the Dublin side of the station leading to one or perhaps two platforms.

It may of happened but not so soon as they only finished do works with all the ponts they are removnign around November.

The statment from Barry dons't say a lot but only more less confirms that evertyuhgn arport from that one bay platform and the central line through the station to belview are being disconnected.

Him saying its "not reversable" is laughable. When have IE ever reversed decisions, it would take this to be discueed in the Dail for it to be given any consideration to be chagned.

As for the short and long term solutions suposedly under consideration, if P5 is extended once the tracks/points are removed to allow a 6 peice operatio. It will say a lot about the short term solutions being considered as it will be it most likely be the short term one. Hence the removal of points I expect.