Clonmel station

[dowlingm]

If a train could be based in Clonmel overnight with local crew operating then the last train out of Waterford to Clonmel to stable for the night could offer additional connections to late Dublin trains. Long shot I know.

If the rumours are true that trains are going to start connecting to Limerick in Thurles then that's a bit of a double whammy for Tipperary town, since they will lose some of their local service and heading over the road to the Junction will mean fewer service choices than hitherto.

[Mark Gleeson]

Saying it for ages but what you need is a train every two hours from Galway to Waterford via Limerick, provides way more opportunities

It looks like Dublin Limerick every 2 hours might be coming back which would make anyone traveling to/from points between Thurles and Heuston change at Thurles for the intermediate stops

[Inniskeen]

Originally Posted by dowlingm

If a train could be based in Clonmel overnight with local crew operating then the last train out of Waterford to Clonmel to stable for the night could offer additional connections to late Dublin trains. Long shot I know.

If the rumours are true that trains are going to start connecting to Limerick in Thurles then that's a bit of a double whammy for Tipperary town, since they will lose some of their local service and heading over the road to the Junction will mean fewer service choices than hitherto.

Thurles as a connecting point for Limerick doesn't make a lot of sense for a number of reasons

Limerick trains would have to use the mainline platforms at Thurles thus re-creating a Malahide style mess on the Cork line. (admittedly at a lot quieter location)

Signalling headways between Thurles and Limerick Junction are of the order of 7-8 minutes thus increasing the interval which would be required between the arrival/departure of Cork and Limerick trains at Thurles as compared to Limerick Junction.

Thurles might make some sense if trains were to split/join although there would still be issues in regard to signalling headways.

[Destructix]

According to staff in Thurles they did hear about this but don't know if it is happening or not. Just got to wait for the new timetables I guess.

Was talking to my cousins partner who works in IÉ. He told me that last week there were a few of track operatives measuring that old siding near platform two in Thurles. Something is happening. Maybe they are building another platform who knows. That would come in handy for the GAA specials they could use that and platform 3 with separate exits and not cause delays for other passengers using the station.

[Mark Gleeson]

Siding be a bit on the short side, plus you have the old shed in the way

Platform 3, aka the Clonmel branch platform is there but is not accessible for passenger services

Clearly neither option is doable currently and timetable is on a matter of 10 weeks away?

[dowlingm]

Presumably Platform 3 only comes into play if we're talking about Limerick-Limerick Junction shuttle transfers being moved from Limerick Junction and not merely transfers between Cork-Dublin/Limerick-Dublin trains heading in opposite direction? The Network Statement quotes Platform 3 as being 122m, mind you they also quoted for Roscrea Platform 2 which is similarly out of service.

[Destructix]

Platform 3 is easily accessible when you are coming into Thurles from Cork/Limerick side of the track and there are always locomotives and ballast tampers on it and that track was recently relaid back in 2006 wooden sleepers were removed, so safety/weight restrictions on using it shouldn't come into it. Only trains I ever seen pulled into it in 23 years going to that station was a 22k.

The GAA specials Dublin vs Limerick last year. A 3 car 22k GAA service came into Thurles (unusually on the opposite side of the track from Dublin because a few sets of 2700's followed by a mk4 a short time later were using platform 2) the 22k train pulled into platform 3 after it let passengers off on platform 1. The 2700 sets pulled into a siding just past the shed.

The chaos and frustration these GAA specials cause for locals trying to get the train. Delayed my train by 15 minutes because the 2700 took 10-15 minutes unbelievably to leave the platform and pull into the siding.

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To add they also need to open the large gates when these GAA passengers leave the train. They nearly stampede you coming out the small gate. Also some passengers are intoxicated and abusive leaving the station.

[Inniskeen]

The only platforms that can be used for passenger services at Thurles are the two platforms serving the main running lines. Signalling alterations would be required to bring platform 3 into passenger use and then only for northbound trains. Southbound departures from Platform 3 would require changes to both signalling and track layouts.

Can't see the Limerick/Limerick Junction "shuttle" being extended to Thurles as apart from the unsuitability of the track and signalling it would generate extra mileage and possibly require additional resources in terms of drivers and sets. All for no obvious gain.

I suppose there might be opportunities to split Limerick/Dublin services into two segments, bringing the service from Limerick into the southbound platform at Thurles and affording passengers the opportunity to change between a slow (Limerick/Dublin service) and perhaps a faster Cork/Dublin service. This could be done in the opposite direction as well, although the Limerick service would have to shunt into the loop to allow the Cork service pass.

As for handling GAA traffic, this is barely a shadow of what it once was and I would imagine that it would be hard to justify investment in facilities without a credible plan to substantially grow this aspect of the business. And you are right, GAA supporters are not always the most desireable company if you are not on the same wavelength.