Overtaking on Hazelhatch to Parkwest 4 track.

[Inniskeen]

The facility is little used. I have often travelled outbound from Heuston and encountered no traffic on any of the other 3 lines both before and after the recent timetable change.

The following overtaking moves are scheduled

Outbound (Daily including Sundays)
1900 Heuston/Cork overtakes 1855 Heuston/Newbridge

Inbound (Excluding Sundays)

0505 Cork/Heuston overtakes 0725 Kildare/Heuston
0615 Cork/Heuston overtakes 0743 Portlaoise/Heuston
0635 Galway/Heuston overtakes 0743 Portlaoise/Heuston
0710 Waterford/Heuston overtakes 0832 Newbridge/Heuston (not Saturday)
1730 Cork/Heuston overtakes 1950 Newbridge/Heuston

Inbound (Sundays)

1330 Cork/Heuston overtakes 1535 Kildare/Heuston
1530 Cork/Heuston overtakes 1735 Kildare/Heuston

Imcidentally the 1610 Heuston/Newbridge severely delays the 1625 Heuston/Limerick while the 1715 Heuston/Newbridge delays the 1725 Heuston/Limerick by about 12 minutes. Both of these stopping trains could easily be re-scheduled to leave Heuston at 1620 and 1720 respectively and be overtaken by following faster services. Both could probably terminate at Hazelhatch without undue inconvenience to Sallins and Newbridge passengers who have several alternative service options in any event. Such an arrangement would also allow sets return to Heuston within a much shorter time-frame and thus facilitate additional services without requiring additional resources.