Derailment on northern line

[ThomasJ]

Following last services tonight, the Northern line will be closed and remain closed through the weekend to allow track repairs. It is hoped that full normal services will be in opeation by Monday morning.

Does it take two tracks closed over the whole weekend to allow track repairs? any idea was much damage done to the tracks?

[Mark Gleeson]

RTE have some snaps http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0111/rail.html

Its the facing crossover about 400m from Skerries from what I can see, not quite 3km

That means its single line from Malahide to Balbriggan

[Mark Gleeson]

Another update

Close to full isn't full. No listing of the actual trains running

NORTHERN LINE & BELFAST LINE - LIMITED SERVICES RESUMING by Corporate Communications

Update: Friday 11th January 2008 - 14.00hrs

Iarnród Éireann advises customers that limited Northern Line services are resuming following a derailment of a freight train south of Skerries last night. Please note that Normal DART Services are operating.

Dundalk/Drogheda and Dublin Services: A limited northbound service will operate this afternoon with close to full northbound services operating at evening peak.

Southbound services will be limited.

Dublin/Belfast/Dublin services:

13.20hrs Dublin - Belfast Enterprise service will operate and all subsequent services will operate with minor delays up to:

20.10hrs Belfast - Dublin service will operate by rail to Drogheda with bus transfers from Drogheda to Connolly Station, Dublin.

Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th January.

Following last services tonight (Friday 11th), the Northern line will be closed and remain closed through the weekend to allow track repairs.

Dundalk/Drogheda and Dublin Services: No Northbound/Southbound Commuter services will operate on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th January.

Dublin/Belfast/Dublin services :Northbound Dublin/Belfast services will operate by bus transfers from Dublin, Connolly to Drogheda and by rail from Drogheda to Belfast.

Southbound Belfast/Dublin services will operate by rail from Belfast to Drogheda and by bus transfer from Drogheda and Connolly Station, Dublin. A delay of 30 to 40 minutes delay may occur on these services.

Please note normal DART services will operate.



Monday 14th January

It is hoped that full normal services will be in operation by Monday morning.

Iarnród Éireann apologises for the inconvenience caused.

[Mark Gleeson]

Always find it curious that Translink have a much more honest report of the situation

Enterprise - Cross-Border Line Information 11-Jan-2008 16:09
Translink would like to advise passengers that, following the derailment of a freight train at Skerries on Thursday evening, the railway line between Drogheda and Dublin has now temporarily re-opened for Enterprise services only, however the line will close again over the weekend to facilitate track repairs.

Enterprise services will be affected as follows:

Friday 11th January
All services will operate as scheduled, with the exception of the 2010 service from Belfast Central to Dublin Connolly, which will have a bus substitution from Drogheda to Dublin.

Saturday 12th January
The railway line between Drogheda and Dublin will be closed for repairs. A bus substitution will operate between Drogheda and Dublin Connolly for all Enterprise services.

Sunday 13th January
Iarnroad Eireann are currently advising passengers to expect a bus substitution between Drogheda and Dublin. Confirmation will follow as soon as possible.

Intending passengers are advised to expect delays to Enterprise services during periods of bus substitution.

In addition, we cannot guarantee the availability of First Plus and catering facilities on Enterprise services this weekend.

For further information, please contact the Translink Call Centre on (028) 90 66 66 30 (seven days, 7am to 8pm).

The reason First and catering can't be guaranteed is that they can't swap the locomotives or get them repaired

Advice - Get the normal bus cheaper and faster

[ThomasJ]

Translink would like to advise passengers that, following the derailment of a freight train at Skerries on Thursday evening, the railway line between Drogheda and Dublin has now temporarily re-opened for Enterprise services only, however the line will close again over the weekend to facilitate track repairs.

Are some Drogheda/Dundalk services not running?

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by ThomasJ

Are some Drogheda/Dundalk services not running?

IE say they are but have provided no list

There is a 12 mile single line section to deal with so it will be fun to see how Dublin bound Enterprise trains get through

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

IE say they are but have provided no list

There is a 12 mile single line section to deal with so it will be fun to see how Dublin bound Enterprise trains get through

they're being stopped in Dundalk/Droug....

[Mark Gleeson]

They are running through according to IE and NIR

[Mark Gleeson]

Little bit of media coverage on this from today http://www.railusers.ie/podcasts/aud...FM104_News.mp3

Or subscribe to our podcast feed, details http://www.railusers.ie/podcasts/ for recordings of all radio pieces

[Colm Donoghue]

the 19:15 didn't run, nor did the next train the 20:10
my very pissed off wife is stuck somewhere in the dark on the next train.

[chuggachuggachoochoo]

The 17:50 Pearse - Dundalk didn't run.

Got the 18:15 Pearse - Drogheda - which was extended to serve Dundalk.


We left Pearse at 18:30...

Train stopped a few times along the way. We were stuck between Rush and lusk and Skerries for an eternity. It was 20:00 when we reached Skerries....

No announcements of stops along the way, no updates from driver.

Think it was 20:30 getting into Drogheda

[Rashers]

Did anyone catch Barry kenny at the Right Hook at 6.05pm? Seemed to be his normal Thursday slot, inserted into today. Just a coincidence.
Post the podcast link up here if you can find it!
Thanks

[chuggachuggachoochoo]

We passed an enterprise train stalled near skerries. I would've preferred they didnt rush to put trains back on if the tracks were in a bad way. I've been wondering all the day if the driver of the freight train is okay.

[KSW]

Originally Posted by chuggachuggachoochoo

I've been wondering all the day if the driver of the freight train is okay.

Hopfully he is fine otherwise there would have been something on the news...

[Rashers]

Originally Posted by Colm Donoghue

the 19:15 didn't run, nor did the next train the 20:10
my very pissed off wife is stuck somewhere in the dark on the next train.

Did the 20.33 ex Connolly run? And if so, what were the delays like on that...

[Colm Donoghue]

Despite Irish Rail's press release, DARTS were not running properly.
no dart went near Malahide between 21:30 and 23:00 when the "delayed" train that left Pears about 20:30 and had been waiting between Portmarnock and Malahide since before my previous post arrived into Malahide.

An Enterprise arrived into Malahide southbound at about 22:50 despite tyhe last northbound train leaving Malahide long before 21:30

there was no train on the single line track section for over one hour according to the ticket guy in Malahide.

[ThomasJ]

I got to Pearse tonight and noticed that the 22.22 to Dundalk was cancelled according to the board although that was Pearse, it may have left from Connolly. I wonder did anyone risk the 23.20 ex connolly to Drogheda tonight?

[chris]

Got the 19:00 Connolly-Belfast Central. For once announcements in Connolly were good, and the guy at the information desk accurately managed to tell me when the train would arrive in the station, and that it would only leave 5 mins late.

That's were the good part ends. To Portadown should take 1hr 40mins. It took 4 hours. We were stalled about 100m south of Malahide for well over an hour with no specifics from the driver. When we eventually got moving we hit Dundalk, and then...

"This train terminates here. Please leave the train................There will be another train to take youse to Belfast" This other train took 10 mins to turn up, and was a 3 car CAF set from NI. Was about right for the number of passengers - people maybe dissuaded by media reports?

Say what you want about Translink, but they've got customer service covered. We got an estimated journey time to Belfast Central, genuine apologies (despite it not being NIR's fault). I asked for and got a request stop in Lurgan, and the train was also going to stop in Lisburn. As is usual when these things happen, the conductor asked if any passengers were travelling beyond Belfast, and arranged to have the last train ex belfast to Larne and Bangor kept back.

Now why can't Iarnrod Eireann be like that?

PS My mars bar only cost 50p - I was rather chuffed - that's not bad at all

[coffeedrinker]

I got the 5.06 from Dun Laoghaire to Drogheda yesterday - I got into Drogheda station at about 8.05. Yes 3 hourss!!! I took this train on the basis that IR said northbound trains were running normally during rush hour -I had presumed short delays - but this was stupid!

Everytime we stopped, we were told we would be moving shortly - until the announcements eventually stopped. 'Moving' in my eyes does not constitute moving about 2 inches in about 15 minutes!

IR would have been better off not running trains - as people on my train were standing for most of the journey.

Also, why couldn't Irish Rail have an agreement in place that Bus Eireann would accept tickets yesterday morning?

[packetswitch]

Originally Posted by chris

As is usual when these things happen, the conductor asked if any passengers were travelling beyond Belfast, and arranged to have the last train ex belfast to Larne and Bangor kept back

Seriously? Wow!

PS My mars bar only cost 50p - I was rather chuffed - that's not bad at all

Especially compared to €1.75 with RailGourment (aka RailGimmeMoney) on IÉ....