19:05 Connolly - Sligo

[Mark Hennessy]

So new timetable, new issues that never existed before.

The 19:05 ex Connolly is now scheduled to reach Maynooth at 19:35, whereas last Friday the same train was scheduled to arrive at Maynooth at 19:28.

So far, less improvement.

Now one of the new services ex Sligo, possibly 17:00 is due to arrive Maynooth at 19:34taking up one of the platforms.

The other platform is also taken up with the train that is the 19:50 Maynooth Pearse.

This evening, we arrived outside Maynooth at 19:27 as per the experience from the last number of months on this service.

We waited 11 minutes before an announcement was made about the delay and eventually crawled into the station at 19:47 12 minutes late (19 mins late according to last Fridays timetable) due to the late arrival of the train ex Sligo.

I forsee this being the norm from now on alas and as its my usual commute home, i'll gladly help Irish Rail compile the punctuality stats for my portion of the journey.

[Mark Hennessy]

Tonights events

1929: Arrive at red light, 600 metres from Maynooth station.
1934: Automated announcement on board saying we are delayed, "Irish Rail are doing everything to rectify this"
1944: Manual announcement from sheepish sounding driver saying he can't get in contact with anyone, does not know how long we will be.
1950: Arrive into station 15 mins late (21 mins later than same journey last week).

Marko, any reason at all why the train that sits empty on P2 for 29 minutes cannot move down into one of the two sidings?
At least this will allow the train to pass in the station?

With the timings in the new timetable, it just will not be possible for the 1905 train to ever be on time according to published timetable.

[Mark Gleeson]

The timetable actually calls for the current situation of the sit outside Maynooh

No reason why the 19:50 set can't roll back into the sidings

Its going to be like this for at least the next 2 weeks I'm afraid

Just struck me Maynooth is not wheelchair accessible on the second platform is it? that possibly is the reason for the madness

[Mark Hennessy]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

The timetable actually calls for the current situation of the sit outside Maynooh

No reason why the 19:50 set can't roll back into the sidings

Its going to be like this for at least the next 2 weeks I'm afraid

Balls!
Thanks for the info Mark.

Just struck me Maynooth is not wheelchair accessible on the second platform is it? that possibly is the reason for the madness

It may be possible to exit a train and exit Platform 2 but it is not possible to board a wheelchair from P2 generally.

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

The timetable actually calls for the current situation of the sit outside Maynooh

No reason why the 19:50 set can't roll back into the sidings

Its going to be like this for at least the next 2 weeks I'm afraid

Just struck me Maynooth is not wheelchair accessible on the second platform is it? that possibly is the reason for the madness

Yeah me too, I haven't seen a Sligo train depart Platform 2 at Maynooth? Can they or is it rules?

[seamus kilcock]

Once again the passenger who has misplaced faith in the timetable might not have made this train from Maynooth for Pearse last Tuesday 22nd inst.
The 1013 ex Maynooth departed 1012. Departed Drumcondra 1046 - public timetable shows 1050 departure. Departed Connolly 1052;
timetabled for 1056. Pearse timetabled arrival 1102. ATA Pearse 1056;

My return journey was on the timetabled 1328 ex Pearse.
ATD 1331 - 3mins late.
Maynooth arrival timetabled for 1416; ATA 1412 - 4 mins early!
7 minutes quicker than timetabled!
Obviously the timetable is a work of fiction. However a train leaving a station up to 4 mins early is inexcusable.

[Ballymore]

I had to stay at work a little later than usual yesterday and I got the 19:05 instead of my usual 18:05, it was one of the new trains which I was delighted with and I settled down into my comfortable relatively spacious seat with my book as is the norm.

I think we even left on time and I was basking in the glory of this 'proper service' from IE when we stopped suddenly outside Maynooth for about 10 - 15 minutes. Unusually we got 3 apology messages - the first 2 being from an automated message notifying us that this train has been delayed but assuring us that everything possible was being done to rectify the situation. The driver then announced that the delay was caused by the late arrival of a Sligo train at Maynooth and that so far he had been unsuccessful in contacting either central control or Maynooth station to see when we would be moving.

Imagine if there had been a real emergency...........New trains old failings.

[John J]

Looks like it was the same craic tonight...

The train passed me at 20.40 about 5 miles beyond Mullingar so it would still have been running 15+ minutes late by that stage. There must have been a considerable delay at Maynooth.

Interestingly, I was able to catch the 19.10 Connolly-Leixlip, then drive the rest of the journey on the back road (obeying speed limits) and still beat the 19.05 train to Mullingar.

Double-track to Enfield would resolve the problem. Some may argue we can manage with single-track but doubling would also allow more commuter services to run to Enfield. Of course this is unlikely to happen any time soon. This is despite the growth Enfield & Kilcock have experienced in recent years. and the busy trade experienced by both Bus Eireann and private coach operators.

[Ballymore]

Double tracking in lots of areas would allow more train services and would encourage people to use the rail network rather than the roads in their cars surely.

[Mark Hennessy]

Seems like Irish Rail have will not be fixing this situation anytime soon.
I heard people discussing last nights delay on the platform this morning which was allegedly longer than Monday and Tuesdays delay.

So 3 in a row this week, ill be on this train tomorrow evening to report.

[Mark Gleeson]

Hell I'll come with you to check this mess out

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by Mark Hennessy

So new timetable, new issues that never existed before.

The 19:05 ex Connolly is now scheduled to reach Maynooth at 19:35, whereas last Friday the same train was scheduled to arrive at Maynooth at 19:28.

So far, less improvement.

Now one of the new services ex Sligo, possibly 17:00 is due to arrive Maynooth at 19:34taking up one of the platforms.

The other platform is also taken up with the train that is the 19:50 Maynooth Pearse.

This evening, we arrived outside Maynooth at 19:27 as per the experience from the last number of months on this service.

We waited 11 minutes before an announcement was made about the delay and eventually crawled into the station at 19:47 12 minutes late (19 mins late according to last Fridays timetable) due to the late arrival of the train ex Sligo.

I forsee this being the norm from now on alas and as its my usual commute home, i'll gladly help Irish Rail compile the punctuality stats for my portion of the journey.

Was at Clonsilla the other night and the 19:20 Docklands Clonsilla arrived into platform 2 a few minutes late. Rather than head down to the sidings, it remained on the platform to run the 19:52 Clonsilla Connolly. The gates closed at 19:53 and a few minutes later an inbound Sligo intercity train flies passed clonsilla. Then it is the turn of the 19:52 to depart about 5 minutes late and then the 19:29 Pearse Maynooth which was stuck outside Clonsilla because the 19:52 was using platform 2.

Add a bit of agro from motorists due to the gates being closed that long and 3 trains passing during that time.

[sorry for posting off-topic just thought i'd point out the trouble some of the new timings are causing]

[Mark Hennessy]

This train was on time this evening.

Bravo Irish Rail, 20% punctuality for this train this week.

[Mark Gleeson]

We had some fun on Friday night alright

Usual not in any hurry Irish Rail, leaving the now obligatory 2 minutes late from Connolly and a very cautious bit of driving resulting in the train arriving outside Maynooth at 19:33 where we sat for only 2 minutes until the 17:00 ex Sligo flew past

The whole show in Maynooth between 19:20 and 20:00 seems designed to cause delays

The 18:22 Pearse Maynooth terminates in platform 2 in Maynooth so everyone has to cross the footbridge, platform 2 is not accessible (accessiblity -1)

The 17:00 Sligo Dublin arrives into platform 1 at 19:34, and a pile of people cross over to platform 2, again not good since its not accessible, (accessiblity -2)

The 19:05 Dublin Sligo is sitting outside Maynooth waiting and finally gets into platform 1

The 19:50 Maynooth Pearse departs from platform 2 which forces the 19:00 Pearse Maynooth due in at 19:50 to sit outside Maynooth (accessiblity -3)


What should happen is

The 18:22 Pearse Maynooth terminates in platform 1 and crosses to the siding

The 19:05 to Sligo uses platform 2, while the 17:00 from Sligo uses platform 1 (accessiblity -1)

The 19:50 service draws forward into platform 1 collecting the passengers off the 17:00 from Sligo and the 19:00 ex Pearse terminates in platform 2 allowing a perfect no one getting in each others way (accessiblity -2)

So the solution is more reliable and reduces the number of accessibilty issues

[constellation]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

The 18:22 Pearse Maynooth terminates in platform 2 in Maynooth so everyone has to cross the footbridge, platform 2 is not accessible (accessiblity -1)

Just a minor point and it is over a year since I was last in Maynooth. I do remember a "press button for assistance" next to a gate that could be opened remotely on platform 2. It is awkward for someone getting on a train at platform 2 unless you know in advance that your train is leaving from platform 2 (no guarantees from IE, of course). However, it is possible to get out if you are exiting from a train on platform 2. I s'pose it depends on the definition of accessibility.

[Mark Gleeson]

But if you just got off the 17:00 from Sligo and want to get to platform 2 its one hell of trip

I wouldn't define Maynooth to be accessible

[constellation]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

I wouldn't define Maynooth to be accessible

Maynooth is an odd station. I don't know why they didn't go the whole hog and include lifts when they built the new station. I wonder if IE can point to the current setup and claim to be following the letter of the law (as opposed to the spirit of the law)?

[ThomasJ]

Mark, re. platforms used at Maynooth, I got the 16:10 Pearse Longford to Maynooth at Clonsilla yesterday and I noticed that this train too arrived at platform 1 (ticket office side) at Maynooth yesterday. This was even though there was nothing on platform 2. Is this normal for outbound Longford trains to do this as well as outbound Sligo trains?

[Mark Gleeson]

On single track lines the side with the station building is favoured for use if there is no other train

[awhooley]

Couldn't alot of these waiting problems be resolved by double tracking the line After Maynooth? (this might sound like a stupid question), but are there any plans to actually double the line as far as at least Mullingar?