Daily seat Lottery - Connolly to Mullingar not 17.05 but 18:05

[Ballymore]

Yes I seen that when it was published. By the way has any one actually had 'contact' with this mysterious Mullingar Commuter Group - I've been on the train about 4 years now and have never seen a survey or been approached to join or anything. Is there a secret handshake / password that you have to know or is it those 4 or 5 lads doling out the beer most nights in the front carriage on the 18:05? Mmmmm I wonder......

[Ballymore]

I found this website when I was looking for a place to complain to Irish Rail and also to see how other commuters were dealing with the hassles of commuting. I have just got a reply from IE with reagrd to my initial complaint about the unacceptable overcrowding on Jan 21st.


"Thank you for your email of 22nd January regarding your journey on the 18.05 hrs. service from Connolly on 21st January, 2008.
Due to faults on two railcar sets on the day in question, services to Maynooth and Longford ran as smaller trains than normal, causing a spill over to the 18.05 hrs. train resulting in heavy loadings on this train also. I would like to apologise for the discomfort that this caused.
As with commuter railways throughout Europe, passengers may not be guaranteed a seat for the whole journey at peak times. I would like to assure you that we are making full use of our available carriage fleet to maximise the number of services operated. We have also increased the frequency of service on the Sligo route and these services will serve Mullingar station."

[John J]

Originally Posted by Ballymore

By the way has any one actually had 'contact' with this mysterious Mullingar Commuter Group - I've been on the train about 4 years now and have never seen a survey or been approached to join or anything.

I signed two petitions back when I used that service... one in 2005 to get an extra express service between 17.00 and 19.00 (which possibly contributed to what has become the 18.05)... another in the middle of last year which I think was a general complaint regarding delays, heat, lack of evening services, overcrowding etc.
Don't think there's any formal "group" though.

[Ballymore]

I see, I was just wondering as they have often been quoted in local press. The mystery lives on the phantom 'Mullingar Commuter Group'.

[zag]

I know someone who 'set up' his own group when he was unhappy with the way some other group he belonged to was operating.

He was quoted in the papers regularly as something along the lines of "North Dublin Concerned Citizens Against Animal Cruelty" despite the fact he was the only person in the organisation. You may well find that the Mullingar Commuter Group operates on a similar basis.

z

[Ballymore]

You might be right, maybe the next quote in the newspapers will be from the 'Continuity Mullingar Commuter Group'

[Mark Gleeson]

Just like to confirm that according to the internal Irish Rail timetable the 18:05 service is rostered to be 4 coaches in length only

[plant43]

I think the real root question here should be: why are you commuting from Mullingar to Dublin?