Malahide Media Coverage

[tigger1962]

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...h-1914128.html

[Mark Gleeson]

There is a bridge again, the collasped pier is back and there is a new deck bridging the gap.

There is more of the deck to go in and from there the track and signalling equipment has to be restored.

There are works ongoing on the other piers and the weir as well.

The line could be open within the next few weeks, well inside the 3 month target

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/news.asp?action=view&news_id=541

Malahide Viaduct on schedule for November reopening by Corporate Communications

Iarnród Éireann has said that excellent progress is being made in the reinstatement of the Malahide Viaduct, with the line on schedule to be reopened, with full services resuming, before the end of November at the very latest.

Already, major phases of the works are well advanced, including:

- the reinstatement of the weir, the erosion of which lead to the Viaduct accident, is well advanced

- the 4th pier has been reinstated, with new pre-stressed concrete beams now being placed into position: these will shortly be topped with the concrete bridge deck, which is in situ

- reinforcement of the other piers on the Viaduct through piling is underway

When structural work is complete, the track infrastructure will then be reinstated to allow for resumption of rail services.

The company very much looks forward to the resumption of full Northern line commuter and Belfast Enterprise services before the end of November.

The project has taken advantage of expert opinion throughout, in the areas of hydraulics and environmental issues, soil mechanics, and scour prevention, and designs have been independently assessed by consulting engineers, and the Railway Safety Commission.

The Malahide Viaduct accident occurred on the evening of Friday 21st August, when sea-bed erosion caused the 4th pier on the viaduct to collapse.

Iarnród Éireann’s investigation into the accident is continuing, as is that of the Rail Accident Investigation Unit of the Department of Transport.

Alternative services have operated since the accident for commuters who use the line. Full details are available here. http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/travel_alerts.asp?action=view&news_id=501

Iarnród Éireann thanks customers for the patience they have shown and their cooperation with the alternative services, and apologises for the major disruption to rail services during this time.

[Mark Hennessy]

That's pretty impressive to get the thing completed within 3 months.

I would have been in the very skeptical camp (i'm not an engineer) as things never seem to get delivered on time in this country.

Now if only the country weren't bankrupt and the price of 30 odd Interconnectors weren't being spent on NAMA, then we could set these lads straight to work after the viaduct is complete.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...257457201.html

Rail line to reopen just under three months after Malahide viaduct collapse
TIM O'BRIEN

IARNRÓD ÉIREANN intends to reopen its northern line across the Malahide viaduct on November 16th, pending approval by the Railway Safety Commission, the company has said.

In a statement, the company said work was well advanced on the reconstruction of the viaduct and services are on schedule to resume by Monday, November 16th. Train services have been disrupted since a section of the viaduct collapsed on August 21st.

A spokesman said the full timetable on the Dublin to Belfast line would resume next month after almost three months of bus transfers between stations along the route.

Iarnród Éireann has spent more than €4 million rebuilding a weir which had collapsed and reinstituting a pillar on which the viaduct stands. Reinforcement to other pillars was also carried out, and the works have also included replacement of the bridge.

An Iarnród Éireann spokesman expressed satisfaction that despite some initial estimates that the work could take up to a year, passenger disruption will have been kept to a minimum, and the line will reopen within three months of the incident.

He added that work was in its final stages and, providing that it passes the necessary safety assessments, the full normal schedule will resume in three weeks.

Separate investigations into the collapse by Iarnród Éireann and the Railway Safety Commission are ongoing.

A commission spokeswoman said it was “working closely with Iarnród Éireann” on the rebuilding of the bridge, and added: “While we do not yet have all the evidence necessary to provide formal approval for passenger service, it appears from the meetings and discussions held that Iarnród Éireann are moving in the right direction to meet their reconstruction programme.”

The commission is required to carry out safety tests of all new rail infrastructure. However, it is not required to carry out routine safety testing, which a spokeswoman said was a matter for the system operator.

Iarnród Éireann had assessed the Malahide viaduct just four days before the collapse, and no remedial action which might have prevented the collapse of the bridge was carried out.

Fine Gael transport spokesman Fergus O’Dowd said catastrophic loss of life could have occurred, as there was four metres of water in the estuary at the time.

Labour Party transport spokesman Tommy Broughan TD said the viaduct collapse “could have been one of the most horrendous events in the history of our country”, with hundreds of lives lost, and “we could have been attending funerals for weeks”.

Iarnród Éireann said its inspection regime for bridges on the rail network will change following the Railway Safety Commission’s investigation into the collapse.

PHOTO: Repair works under way at the Malahide viaduct at Broadmeadow Estuary, Dublin. A spokesman said the full scheduled services on the Dublin to Belfast line will resume next month after almost three months of bus transfers between stations along the route.
Photograph: Matt Kavanagh

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...breaking20.htm

Train services across the Malahide viaduct on the Dublin-Belfast rail line will be restored in the middle of next month, Iarnród Éireann has announced.

There has been significant distruption to the Northern commuter and Belfast Enterprise services after a 20-metre section of the viaduct collapsed across Broadmeadow estuary, north of Malahide station on Friday August 21st.

The collapse occurred just minutes after a train full of passengers had passed over the viaduct.

In a statement on its website today, Iarnród Éireann said it was pleased to inform customers that work was “well advanced” on the reconstruction of the viaduct, and said ervices were on schedule to resume by Monday November 16th.

It again apologised for the “severe inconvenience” caused to customers.

Up to 20,000 rail journeys a day, split evenly in and out of the city centre, have been replaced by road transport since the viaduct collapsed. Dublin Bus has put extra services on routes from towns in north Dublin affected by the disruption to the rail service.

Iarnród Éireann has worked around the clock and spent over €4 million repairing the pier that collapsed, rebuilding the weir upon which the viaduct stands, reinforcing the other piers and replacing the bridge.

At the time of the collapse, some estimates suggested the repair work could take up to a year.

Separate investigations by Iarnród Éireann and the Railway Safety Commission are continuing.

Additional reporting: PA

[roamling]

Fingal Independent, Nov. 04 2009

http://www.fingal-independent.ie/new...s-1932009.html

Passengers safety has been paramount in repairs
RAILWAY LINE OVER VIADUCT TO REOPEN ON NOVEMBER 16TH

Wednesday November 04 2009

THE safety of passengers has been 'paramount' in preparing the railway line over Malahide Viaduct for reopening on November 16th.

Iarnród Eireann have confirmed that is the date when the line which collapsed into the estuary this summer, will reopen for rail passengers. Deputy Darragh O'Brien TD (FF), has held a recent meeting with Department of Transport officials on the matter where he said that the safety of passengers had to be the 'number one priority' in preparing the line for its relaunch.

Deputy O'Brien said: 'I have raised this very point at every meeting that I have had with Iarnród Eireann and the Department of Transport.

'I have been absolutely assured that the works are being carried out to the highest specification, with safety being the paramount consideration.' Deputy O'Brien also revealed that the reports into the collapse of the viaduct from Iarnród Eireann and the Rail Safety Authority will be made public.

The deputy said: 'I have called for, and I am glad that it has been agreed to, that the reports of the viaduct collapse from Iarnród Eireann and the Rail Safety Authority be made public for all to see.

'Very important lessons in relation to the inspection regime need to be learned. It is only a miracle that we were all not dealing with a catastrophic tragedy.'

Deputy O'Brien said the period that the railway line was inoperable has given rise to a lot of direct city bus routes using the port tunnel from Fingal towns like Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk. The TD believes a demand for these kind of services has been proven and that as many as possible should be retained even after the railway line reopens. Deputy O'Brien said: 'The Port Tunnel is one of the finest pieces of infrastructure in the country and it is not getting used enough.'

He said: 'I would also like to see the retention of the school bus service from many of our towns. For example the direct bus from Donabate to Malahide and Portmarnock Community Schools.'

Deputy O'Brien said: 'I recently met with the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey and separately with the Chairman of CIE, Mr John Lynch, and have formally called for the retention of these services.

'As I have stated previously every cloud has a silver lining. The retention of these buses is one part of this.'

- John MANNING

Interesting enough maintaining the bus corridor is mentioned. As I pointed out before there is interest among previous train users to get the bus if available. Last week households in Lusk also recieved a flyer where a local FF TD asked for responses about the prefered options of travel. There might be more to come.

[Colm Moore]

He said: 'I would also like to see the retention of the school bus service from many of our towns. For example the direct bus from Donabate to Malahide and Portmarnock Community Schools.'

By train is a fraction of the distance, although presumably the bus is point to point. The (slightly expensive) solution is a second station for Malahide.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...e-1925944.html

Bridge not inspected in week up to collapse
By Paul Melia

Wednesday October 28 2009

ENGINEERS did not inspect the Malahide viaduct the week before it collapsed into the sea despite thrice-weekly inspections being required.

Although Iarnrod Eireann had said that inspectors walked the line at least three times a week, yesterday senior management admitted that the track had not been inspected in the 10 days leading up to the near-fatal accident.

On August 21 last, a section of the northern line on the Broadmeadow viaduct in north Dublin collapsed into the sea just moments after a packed train passed over it.

The company said it had been assessed just four days before the collapse and that the bridge was found to be safe.

But yesterday chief executive Dick Fearn told the Dail Transport Committee that while a visual inspection by specially-trained staff had not taken place, a track inspection machine had examined the line the day before.

Responding to a question by Fine Gael transport spokesman Fergus O'Dowd if the line had been walked on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as required, Mr Fearn said the information that it had been was based on the "best available knowledge".

"The actual walking of the line by the track patrolman was done 10 days prior to the accident," he said. "We gave that knowledge (that it was walked days before the accident) at the time, based on the patrolman's roster.

Accident

"What we did confirm, and has been further confirmed, was the automatic track recording vehicle did the line one day before (the accident on August 21). We know the track had no role in this accident. Had the track been walked, the patrolman would not have noticed anything."

He added that the internal inquiry into the collapse was "well under way" and that the Iarnrod Eireann board would be briefed today on its progress.

Mr O'Dowd said the explanation was "utterly unacceptable" and that the three inquiries into the viaduct's collapse -- one by Iarnrod Eireann, another by the Railway Safety Commission and the third by the Rail Accident Investigation Unit -- should be held in public.

- Paul Melia

Irish Independent

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...258659936.html

Rail services to resume across Malahide viaduct from Monday
GENEVIEVE CARBERY

IARNRÓD ÉIREANN is to reopen the viaduct at Malahide, Co Dublin, and resume normal commuter services on Monday, it has confirmed.

Northern commuter and Belfast Enterprise services have been disrupted for almost three months since a section of the viaduct collapsed on August 21st.

In a statement yesterday, the company said major physical works had been completed and that test trains would operate on the line until Sunday.

Iarnród Éireann has spent more than €4 million rebuilding a weir which had collapsed and reinstituting a pillar on which the viaduct stands. Reinforcement to other pillars was also carried out and the works have also included replacement of the bridge and track.

The final details will be reviewed by the Railway Safety Commission tomorrow for approval. However, the works have already been examined by independent structural engineers and the commission.

For at least two weeks, speed will be restricted to 25km/h, to be raised to 50km/h for another fortnight and finally to normal speed of 90km/h. The company said this was normal on all new tracks and would not affect service reliability.

The 5.40am train from Dundalk to Pearse Station will be the first passenger service to use the reopened line as full rail services resume. Iarnród Éireann has warned that replacement bus services will not operate and that strengthened routes 33XC and 33D will be scaled back.

The company has apologised to customers for the disruption and thanked them for their patience.

The collapse was caused by erosion of the weir at sea-bed level which undermined the support of one pier, Iarnród Éireann said. The investigation into the cause of the incident was continuing and would be concluded early next year.

Iarnród Éireann had assessed the Malahide viaduct just four days before the collapse and no remedial action was carried out.

Iarnród Éireann said its inspection regime for bridges on the rail network would change following the Railway Safety Commission’s investigation into the collapse.

[Mark Gleeson]

IT got its kph and mph confused

Irish Rail still work with mph, speed limits will be 25mph, 50mph and 90mph. Not to do with the bridge really, the track takes time to settle

[roamling]

Independent, Sunday November 15 2009

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-n...s-1944151.html

Hundreds of north Dublin commuters will continue travelling by bus instead of train despite the Malahide viaduct reopening, it has been claimed.

Bus chiefs agreed to keep the 33X and 33D replacement services operating after disgruntled rail passengers said they found them quicker and less crowded.

Dublin Bus said the routes would be kept going for the next two weeks and scaled down gradually, but they could become permanent.

Fianna Fail Dublin North TD Michael Kennedy, who campaigned for the continuation of the replacement services, said he believed the demand was there.

"I'm fairly confident from the discussions I've had with the commuters that there's a significant amount of those people that will prefer buses in the future," he said.

"People are showing a preference for the bus because it gets them closer to their homes and they don't have to walk or drive to the station."

Mr Kennedy said passengers felt the train was slower and they were able to get a seat on the bus.

"Hundreds of people have told me they would transfer to the buses," he said.

There was just one 33x from Skerries to Dublin City Centre before the viaduct collapse, increased to 20 after the incident.

Press Association

[roamling]

Competition is king.

PS: and the €2 it costs me to pay for the parking actually pays the bus ticket when using a travel 90 ticket (one way). So if IE has better plan how to manage this let me know... maybe the first step would be to scrap the parking charges and lower the train fare.

[Mark Gleeson]

We got you covered

http://www.railusers.ie/news/news.ph...009&no=14.html

[roamling]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

We got you covered

http://www.railusers.ie/news/news.ph...009&no=14.html

Excellent

[Mark Gleeson]

Irish Times are running it

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...breaking29.htm

[Mark Hennessy]

IT story on the extended 33 bus services that will remain.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...breaking26.htm

Given the fact that the viaduct has collapsed, IE did a good job to get in back open within 3 months, but how many passengers have they lost because of it?

[Mark Gleeson]

No question three months was a serious miracle, though exactly in line with our initial estimate.

Problem is the bus has proven itself to be an excellent option for many (though not all) Irish Rail have to raise their game.

The train is too slow, too expensive and lacks accountability when it goes wrong (note not if, but when). People are entitled to value for money, Irish Rail could provide this if they made the effort to meet the promises given in the past.

[Colm Moore]

Tee hee hee

[Colm Moore]

http://e-edition.metroireland.ie/200...index.html?p=3

[tigger1962]

Speed over the line will be reduced to 25mph for the first two weeks, before being raised to 50mph for another fortnight and then eventually 90mph.

90mph??? don't think i've even been on a train doing that speed over that section!!