07.10 Dundalk to Bray to operate as 6 carriages from now on

[Rashers]

Following yesterday's overcrowding and delays at Donabate, the same was repeated again this morning. The delays this morning were longer.
Yet again not a single apology from the driver, or any explanation of either the overcrowding or the time spent sitting outside Connolly.
I checked with Connolly information desk, and they advised they received numerous complaints about the overcrowding, and leaving passengers behind at Donabate. And yes, passengers were equally complaining about a complete breakdown in communication.
So this afternoon, I checked with the Northern Suburban office on this.
As we know, since the new Dunboyne line opened, Irish Rail have had to reduce capacity on all other commuter lines to supply the new line with trains.
Originally, the 07.12 Drogheda-Bray service was reduced to 6 carriages, but this led to severe overcrowding, so much so, that the commuter service 20 minutes later had to make additional stops to pick up passengers left behind (this is turn led to delays to this service, as was mentioned in previous posts).
So anyway, effective yesterday, the 'carriage reduction programme' has switched to the 07.10 Dundalk to Bray service. This will continue until further notice, or till enough people complain. I suggested that it might be an idea to put up a notice (especially in Donabate) to let passengers know, and therefore they could try get an earlier/later service. We'll see what happens....

[OisinDunne]

Do we know how many trains are affected by this program?


The 16:43 out of Pearse is also only 6 long.
Is it IR's plan to attack the rush hour?

[Mark Gleeson]

2 coaches were stolen (sorry borrowed) to provide the trains to run the Dunboyne line service. No way around it

[Rashers]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

2 coaches were stolen (sorry borrowed) to provide the trains to run the Dunboyne line service. No way around it

Why open the service with borrowed trains? They already admitted they were operating to full capacity on the Northern Suburban line before this...Crazy stuff, with so many Mark 3 carriages lying idle around the country Surely they could have used one of the Mark 3 sets to operate one of the Kildare line services, and send that commuter train to Dunboyne? Or am I missing something...

[dowlingm]

Mark are all M3 services running as 4 car? I'm hearing on boards that loads are light (albeit that Hansfield and Broombridge are yet to be added)

[sublimity]

Originally Posted by Rashers

Why open the service with borrowed trains? They already admitted they were operating to full capacity on the Northern Suburban line before this...Crazy stuff, with so many Mark 3 carriages lying idle around the country Surely they could have used one of the Mark 3 sets to operate one of the Kildare line services, and send that commuter train to Dunboyne? Or am I missing something...

IE are stubborn sh**s, thats why we aren't seeing the return of mk3s.

[Rashers]

Driver apologised today for the severe overcrowding - first time so far they made an announcement since the problems started last week. Still, passenger left behind at Donabate.....but I assume there are notices up at Donabate station...can someone confirm?

[OisinDunne]

There appears to be a letter from the station manager stating that train will be shorter until further notice.

Was talking to someone in work yesterday who complained to IR.
Their comment was that IR will review "if enough people complain"

What a joke.
The person in IR gets this train in and was complaining herself.

How many people constitutes enough?
How will we ever know when we reach this mystical number?

[Mark Gleeson]

Its been ongoing issue for 4 years anyway

It is like talking to a brick wall, they well know there is a serious problem yet can't figure it out.

I've met the station manager in Drogheda, decent chap but he can't magic up trains from thin air

[Mark Gleeson]

Both were 8 this morning

[ColmmacO]

I have noticed a 6 car 2800 running on the maynooth line the last two mornings. This used to be an 8 car 29k.
Related?

[Mark Gleeson]

Both 8 again today

Seems like the usual game keep moving the 6 coach set around to a different service as the complaints roll in

[motorhead]

if they didnt stop at malahide portmarnock howth juc there would b enuf room cant understand this as all these are served by dart

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by motorhead

if they didnt stop at malahide portmarnock howth juc there would b enuf room cant understand this as all these are served by dart

Quite a few school children do Donabate-Malahide as there is no secondary school on Donabate.

Aslo, while Malahide, Portmarknock & Clongriffen have the DART, it isn't quite enough for their needs.

[motorhead]

yeah but theres 3 darts to 1 commuter train

[motorhead]

anyway the service "provided" by irish rail is third world its never on time i have used trains all over europe lots of seats,modern carriages,bang on time. where as the next thing ie will roll out is something similar to stephensons rocket (it would probably go faster) this is just my own belief but ie couldnt give a flying fiddlers f**k bout the ordinary joe they raise tkt prices for a service well below par think about it when the train pulls in to rush/lusk every morningn at 0658 its 4 carriages long hell its a peek hour train just enough standing room by the time it hits pearse its wall to wall the doors open and its like a human tsunami getting off its a health and safety matter big time sometime someday there will be amajor accident and then like all the other incidents that have happened in our glorious and f**ed country it will be too late suddenly ie will have commitees for this and that and try slip the leash