Cork - Cobh Line reopens

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/news.asp?action=view&news_id=437

Cork - Cobh Line reopens: normal service resumed by Corporate Communications

Cork-Cobh line customers are advised that the line has now reopened, and full services have resumed, following improvement works that have taken place over recent weeks.

Iarnród Éireann welcomes customers back to the service, and apologises for the inconvenience caused by these essential works.

The works included:
- the upgrading of 11 platforms at 6 stations along the route.
- Laying of cable ducting for signalling, electrical and telecoms.
- The constuction of abutment for the new overbridge at Woodhill, including a retaining wall at the approach of the new bridge.
- Coastal defence work and landslip protection works at key sites along the route.
- the installation of a water main for Cork County Council.
- Signalling adjustments to facilitate the re-opening of the Cork-Midleton railway line.

[Mark Gleeson]

What they don't say

The works are not finished
The stations remain inaccessible
The vast bulk of the signaling work hasn't even started
The existing signaling might be a bit old but the Youghal line was never disconnected and hasn't been modified yet
They where 4 days late in reopening

[finnyus]

hi guys,

the Cork - Cobh line has been reopened since Saturday. It was on the local radio station (96FM) all day about it being reopened, or "In-service trials operating on the Cobh line"

I travelled on the 14:00 from Cork to Cobh yesterday. It was the 2600/2700 "hybrid" set. There still is a bit of a jump/step when alighting from the train at Cobh. The BIG jump at Glounthaune/Cobh Jctn has been removed with the rise in the platform height.

Another thing that was not mentioned on the irishrail website was that the goods yard at North Esk in Cork was disconnected from the Irish Railway network, but that might not be of interest to any passengers, but is a bummer for potential rail freight!

Finbarr
Cork.

[Mark Gleeson]

Heard rumors it reopened on Saturday, however a report of a train running doesn't mean it was in service (they would have to check the trains didn't hit the raised platforms) so we could say nothing.

Cobh looks like a bit of a mess, everything is great for the first 90m of the platform and then it goes back to the mess it was before

Couldn't give a monkeys about North Esk, Port of Cork are planning to move elsewhere anyway

[finnyus]

Mark, to add to your list of items:

There are still no signs for stations at Carrigaloe & Rushbrook. The entrance to Carrigaloe station looks like an entrance to a private dwelling. It is utter madness that they spend money on upgrading the stations and do not put signs in place to direct people to the stations!

Both stations are only meters from the road. Rushbrook can be clearly seen from the road, but still a sign is kind of fundamental!

Finbarr.

[Mark Gleeson]

Usual excuse is street signage in the local authority problem. Really the lack of any serious promotion of the service is killing its prospects. If IE bothered to pay for the signs the local authority (given Cork's support for rail services) would most likely be very helpful

While there is a physical accessibility issue, there is also a perceived accessibility issue, I don't know where the station is, don't know the fares, timetable and so on

Is little Island unstaffed now? Or is it permanently staffed. It curiously has a TVM