Sunday service on Limerick Junction-Waterford

[dowlingm]

Is there any merit to a suggestion that if IE persist in their position that Limerick J-Waterford can only operate 6 days a week that the "off" day move to Saturday? This would allow weekend workers and students to return to Dublin/Cork/Limerick/Waterford by rail as well as connection to GAA rail services.

In the past it would be understandable that Sunday working would incur higher costs but I thought a lot of those premia have been negotiated away... ?

[doherty jack]

the next sunday service on that line will be on may 6th , Knock special
staff dont want to work sundays!

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by doherty jack

the next sunday service on that line will be on may 6th , Knock special
staff dont want to work sundays!

If rosters were rearranged, they would only need to work every sixth Sunday at most.

[ACustomer]

"staff dont want to work sundays". So if that's true, why do they think they are so special? It's the only line in the country closed all day Sunday.

Closing on Saturday instead would not be a solution as there is probably quite an amount of leisure/shopping traffic on Saturdays: it's not like Dublin-Cork in that the midweek business traffic is probably very minor.

A more general problem is that there are 13 manned level crossing between L Jcn and Waterford: a huge number by contemporary standards.

[dowlingm]

Originally Posted by ACustomer

Closing on Saturday instead would not be a solution as there is probably quite an amount of leisure/shopping traffic on Saturdays

Is there on that line specifically or are you extrapolating from other lines? In any case given loads on that line it doesn't seem like you'd be putting too many out. I just think if it can be done for the likes of Knock specials then surely the godless can have a service too.

[Destructix]

A Sunday service without the 30 minute wait at Limerick Junction would be very popular with college students I would imagine, I was on route Bus Éireann route 55 before (long story) and it was the most uncomfortable and depressing journey I have ever taken in my life.

Because of the direct trains serving Limerick there is no need to have the train waiting in Limerick junction for 30 minutes for the Dublin-Cork services to connect to it. I would like to hear Mark's opinion on the viability of this.

[doherty jack]

they should have a evening sunday service , running from Galway-Waterford two trains , cross them at dromkeen say leave galway at 5pm and waterford 5pm

[dowlingm]

Some connections with Dublin services at LJ and Waterford would have to be retained for Cork/Dublin/Tralee workers/students but the trick would be to massage the waits - at present the presumption is that Limerick-Waterford passenger waits aren't as important as Cork/Dublin but if this was to be marketed then at least one service should get through smartly. The tricky part is that Limerick-LJ is also single track so that might take some choreographing. The other thing to consider is that the student market involves private bus companies who deliver to campuses and their student housing hinterland rather than train stations and also puts downward pressure on pricing whereas rail should be able to attract a premium over buses due to speed and comfort.

[IckyThump]

most students(and alot of them at that) use bus eireann going to/from limerick to waterford.

up to recently the train was €1.50 cheaper than the bus

the train takes 2 hours 30 mins which includes half hour stop over at the junction
the bus takes 2 hours 25 mins

so even though there is a stop over the train is a better choice.

the trains are competing with bus eireann. not private bus companies. bus eireann yes drops at the college(sometimes) but a lot of students also live in town so a train would be ideal.

trains without adverts gets no passengers

[dowlingm]

Originally Posted by IckyThump

the train takes 2 hours 30 mins which includes half hour stop over at the junction

There is a change of train though, yes? I didn't think any trains ran through?

EDIT: just took a look - the online planner indicates only one train 2h30 or below eastbound, two westbound, all are listed as requiring changes although that may be timetabling rather than physical trains.

[Destructix]

You don't change train. It arrives into Limerick Junction then waits for the Dublin and Cork trains then heads to Limerick. If they hadn't got rid of the direct Limerick services 15 minutes could have been shaved off the 30 minute wait.

[dowlingm]

This is what bugs me. When people see a change on the timetable they think "what if the connecting train doesn't show" and chose a "direct" bus whereas they're would have been on the same train anyway just stopped awhile. I believe some of the same stuff happens in Limerick between Ennis and Limerick J trains?

[IckyThump]

well you did change trains until the price increase(havent used it since). the limerick train just travels back and forth from limerick while the waterford train does the same travelling back and forth from waterford.

i dont mind changing trains. if the train is going to stop for a half hour i like to get a cuppa anyway and a bit of fresh air so thats not a problem


ill be getting the train from limerick at 7.55am tommorrow. its usually in the junction for 20 past give or take. it waits for the dublin cork trains and then returns to limerick at 8.45ish. the waterford trains sets off at 8.55am and arrives in waterford at 10.30am

another two trains from limerick do the exact same trip at 12.55 and 18.00

the opposite trains run at 6.40 11.40 and 16.40

[Jamie2k9]

You do change trains at Limerick J.

[Destructix]

When I get some trains back to Limerick Junction to meet the train back to Thurles. The 2700 I traveled on would pull in right at the end of the platform 3 in LJ (near the building where the old shop during the 1980's was) and another 2700 would then go up to the top of platform 3 for Limerick and the train I just got off would be serving Clonmel. Maybe its just a new thing but has happened few times in recent months.

[Traincustomer]

When I was there in recent weeks a unit swap took place which meant the unit I had travelled on off the South Tipp line ended up going through to Colbert.

But I think the swap was only decided after arrival at the junction so everyone had already detrained.

There seems to be a spare 2700 set at Limerick Junction some (all?) of the time.

The train at platform 2 (end of bay platform nearest station) is essentially "trapped" whilst platform 3 is occupied.

[Carrage A]

Maybe it happens the odd time when there is maintence being done on the set that operates the Waterford-Limerick J service.