travel from Hazelhatch

davidth88 · 12-09-2006, 06:16

Guys, I am new to this board, so I looked but couldn't see these questions answered anywhere .

I live in Celbridge and have started to use the train service more often, only for ' pleasure ' I don't commute on it.

But a number of questions come to mind .

Why on earth is there no Sunday service , if this is meant to be a ' commuter ' service don't Irish Rail realise people work on SUndays too.

Why is there not a regular feeder bus from Hazelhatch to Celbridge meeting every train ? This wouldn't be rocket science and would relieve some of the pressure on the car park.

I looked into commuting to Park West on this line , and this may have changed , but there were only 2 trains coming home in the evening ( I finish around 16:30 ) . One was at 16:20, the next one I think was at 17:45 ! I can just imagine trying to get on the 17:45 ......How can that be described as a commuter service.

Now I understand that the doubling of the track will help on the last question , however do single tracks preclude Irish Rail from running on Sundays ?

Mark Gleeson · 12-09-2006, 10:58

Outbound trains servicing Park West are 16:13, 17:24, 18:11 and 18:51 for what is said to be the least used station in Dublin thats not bad

The Sunday service issue is nothing more than a refusal by Irish Rail to provide a basic service, we got extermely close to a Kildare Pearse service last December, it then became Kildare Heuston and then nothing, classic Irish Rail promise everything get nothing. We have a verbal agreement given before 150 people that a Sunday service will be provided from December 2006 that said don't hold your breath

I've spent a awful lot of time looking at the timetable situation and its not possible to increase the Kildare local service to beyond 1 an hour, there isn't enough track capacity and it would require twice as many trains, can get a extra train every second hour to Hazelhatch if we play the system

Donal Quinn · 12-09-2006, 11:01

welcome david

the lack of sunday running is pretty mental - IE had the barefaced cheek to claim that there was no demand for it!!!

there is a Kilddare/Newbridge rail users group supported by P11 - i imagine that many of the things that bother you in hazelhatch bother them too

for the record the line is double tracked - not enough when you have so much intercity and commuter though - they are going to quad-track it so both services will have two tracks in effect

as a normal member of P11 (ie not on the board or anything) if you have an interest in working out the amazing lack of logic used in the running of the trains, pay the 10 or 20 euros and sign up - then you get access to the members forums where it will all become clear - eventually!!

PaulM · 12-09-2006, 13:05

This was originally in the NRG / KRUG board. I just figured it would get a better response here.

Derek Wheeler · 12-09-2006, 22:09

Thanks for logging onto the board David.

The issue of Sunday services on this line has been ongoing since the day Hazelhatch reopened in the mid 90s. I live in Naas and have done for over 18 years. I highlighted this back then and was told that "no trains could be provided on Sundays as they were being used on inter city routes". That was true back then as IE did have a shortage and the new trains on the new Kildare route were used to alleviate problems elsewhere on the network every Sunday. This was due to both poor management of resources and lack of investment by Government.

However, that situation, no longer exists, but IE have still failed to provide a Sunday service. The "modern" excuse is no demand, which the dog in the street knows is a lie. IE just didn't bother and decided to forget about the issue. Too much hassle to the overworked fools in head office. The latest info suggests that from this December a Sunday service will be provided to Heuston. However, it could run all the way to Pearse station, serving Drumcondra, Connolly and Tara Street on the way. But IE management believe that this would "confuse" passengers and that most of them want to go to the Jervis centre anyway!!! Yep, thats what was witnessed in public, in Newbridge last March. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

In relation to the connecting bus service, this "wonder" dates back to the opening of the train service. The same "local" operators have been in place for nearly 12 years. If the "service" has ever been reviewed, then its findings have never been released and nothing has been changed. In fact latest versions of the timetable don't even refer to the feeder bus. I guess its left to the "locals" to assume, the same pile of crap turns up for some trains, like it has done for 12 years. Meanwhile, the cars keeping showing up, expecting a parking place, in an unsecured car park, devoid of any regulation or CCTV.

By now you're wondering why? Well its all because IE have this grand plan to build the Kildare Route Project.(none of which is actually in Kildare) It may well improve things, but in the interim, it appears that this forthcoming "holy grail" was an excuse to provide an absolutely diabolical service, on the basis that someday, things might improve.

For the record, the Kildare line stations of Sallins/Naas, Hazelhatch/Celbridge and the much maligned Clondalkin and Cherryorchard are the only commuter stations in Ireland without a Sunday service. FACT.

davidth88 · 13-09-2006, 07:21

Guys,

Many thanks for your responses , I would be interested in joining your organisation.

Something that I forgot to mention, when I was looking into commuting to Park West I walked down to the station to have a look and see how long it would take to walk it.

a) To get to the outbound platform , you have to walk right over the bridge and back , adds about 5 mins to the walk .
It would take nothing to build an entrance on that side I would have thought.

b) Frankly , I wouldn't walk down there on a winters evening , its a scary place .

Now I know they are moving the station to Park West which will be great but I am sure these are some of the contributing factors to this station being unused.

Derek

You mention there are some ' feeder ' buses , how would I find info about these ? I know there is one to the HP/Intel factory but is that open to the public ?

By the way , and on a totally different topic , I drive to Blanchardstown often and I always wonder why when they refurbished Clonsilla station they didn't build a footbridge over the canal, are they waiting for someone to be killed on that bridge first ?

Mark Gleeson · 13-09-2006, 08:29

The connecting bus times are in the current timetable

The level crossing in Clonsilla is to be closed thus no bridge needed

Park West is to be demolished and the new one a few hundred meters west will be staffed

Colm Donoghue · 13-09-2006, 08:35

Mark, how are people gonna get from Lucan to Clonsilla/Blanch if theres a closed level crossing and no bridge?

davidth88 · 13-09-2006, 10:13

To say Park West ( Cherry Orchard ) stn will be demolished is a bit of an over statement , you mean , they will take a fork lift and move the container thats all that is there !

Colm, you beat me to it ! I assume a new bridge is being built ?
I just checked the timetables , indeed the buses are on there , but no clues where they go from in Celbridge .... about as much help as a chocolate teapot

Gobdaw · 13-09-2006, 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

The level crossing in Clonsilla is to be closed thus no bridge needed

I have been given to understand that a footbridge is to be provided at Clonsilla ( a boardwalk cantilevered on outside of bridge parapet) as well as a footbbidge at Coolmine station

stevetee · 21-09-2006, 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek Wheeler

For the record, the Kildare line stations of Sallins/Naas, Hazelhatch/Celbridge and the much maligned Clondalkin and Cherryorchard are the only commuter stations in Ireland without a Sunday service. FACT.

The above statement is not strictly accurate either. Monasterevin, another maligned member of IE bastard station family, has not had a Sunday service since it reopened in 2001. Derek makes the point that Sunday services are not supplied by IE because there is no demand for them which I do not accept at all. IE use exactly the same argument to justify the abysmal service Monasterevin gets during the week, ie the population of the town does not justify extending the service beyond its current (****ty) state. Someone needs to dynamite this pill box view of life beyond the comfortable confines of the Pale. These guys live in a world of their own.

I use trains regulary to bring my kids on Sundays from Monasterevin to see their grandparents in South County Dublin but I have to drive to Kildare station to do so. Despite opening a new train station in the town 5 years ago, there is still no sign of a Sunday service.

Please check the Monasterevin topic for more discussions on these very topics back in June.

Steve

12-09-2006, 06:16	#1
davidth88 New to the board Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 19	travel from Hazelhatch Guys, I am new to this board, so I looked but couldn't see these questions answered anywhere . I live in Celbridge and have started to use the train service more often, only for ' pleasure ' I don't commute on it. But a number of questions come to mind . Why on earth is there no Sunday service , if this is meant to be a ' commuter ' service don't Irish Rail realise people work on SUndays too. Why is there not a regular feeder bus from Hazelhatch to Celbridge meeting every train ? This wouldn't be rocket science and would relieve some of the pressure on the car park. I looked into commuting to Park West on this line , and this may have changed , but there were only 2 trains coming home in the evening ( I finish around 16:30 ) . One was at 16:20, the next one I think was at 17:45 ! I can just imagine trying to get on the 17:45 ......How can that be described as a commuter service. Now I understand that the doubling of the track will help on the last question , however do single tracks preclude Irish Rail from running on Sundays ?

13-09-2006, 10:13	#9
davidth88 New to the board Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 19	To say Park West ( Cherry Orchard ) stn will be demolished is a bit of an over statement , you mean , they will take a fork lift and move the container thats all that is there ! Colm, you beat me to it ! I assume a new bridge is being built ? I just checked the timetables , indeed the buses are on there , but no clues where they go from in Celbridge .... about as much help as a chocolate teapot Last edited by davidth88 : 13-09-2006 at 10:21.

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12-09-2006, 10:58	#2
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	Outbound trains servicing Park West are 16:13, 17:24, 18:11 and 18:51 for what is said to be the least used station in Dublin thats not bad The Sunday service issue is nothing more than a refusal by Irish Rail to provide a basic service, we got extermely close to a Kildare Pearse service last December, it then became Kildare Heuston and then nothing, classic Irish Rail promise everything get nothing. We have a verbal agreement given before 150 people that a Sunday service will be provided from December 2006 that said don't hold your breath I've spent a awful lot of time looking at the timetable situation and its not possible to increase the Kildare local service to beyond 1 an hour, there isn't enough track capacity and it would require twice as many trains, can get a extra train every second hour to Hazelhatch if we play the system

12-09-2006, 11:01	#3
Donal Quinn Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 267	welcome david the lack of sunday running is pretty mental - IE had the barefaced cheek to claim that there was no demand for it!!! there is a Kilddare/Newbridge rail users group supported by P11 - i imagine that many of the things that bother you in hazelhatch bother them too for the record the line is double tracked - not enough when you have so much intercity and commuter though - they are going to quad-track it so both services will have two tracks in effect as a normal member of P11 (ie not on the board or anything) if you have an interest in working out the amazing lack of logic used in the running of the trains, pay the 10 or 20 euros and sign up - then you get access to the members forums where it will all become clear - eventually!!

12-09-2006, 13:05	#4
PaulM Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 826	This was originally in the NRG / KRUG board. I just figured it would get a better response here.

12-09-2006, 22:09	#5
Derek Wheeler Registered user Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kildare Posts: 1,555	Thanks for logging onto the board David. The issue of Sunday services on this line has been ongoing since the day Hazelhatch reopened in the mid 90s. I live in Naas and have done for over 18 years. I highlighted this back then and was told that "no trains could be provided on Sundays as they were being used on inter city routes". That was true back then as IE did have a shortage and the new trains on the new Kildare route were used to alleviate problems elsewhere on the network every Sunday. This was due to both poor management of resources and lack of investment by Government. However, that situation, no longer exists, but IE have still failed to provide a Sunday service. The "modern" excuse is no demand, which the dog in the street knows is a lie. IE just didn't bother and decided to forget about the issue. Too much hassle to the overworked fools in head office. The latest info suggests that from this December a Sunday service will be provided to Heuston. However, it could run all the way to Pearse station, serving Drumcondra, Connolly and Tara Street on the way. But IE management believe that this would "confuse" passengers and that most of them want to go to the Jervis centre anyway!!! Yep, thats what was witnessed in public, in Newbridge last March. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? In relation to the connecting bus service, this "wonder" dates back to the opening of the train service. The same "local" operators have been in place for nearly 12 years. If the "service" has ever been reviewed, then its findings have never been released and nothing has been changed. In fact latest versions of the timetable don't even refer to the feeder bus. I guess its left to the "locals" to assume, the same pile of crap turns up for some trains, like it has done for 12 years. Meanwhile, the cars keeping showing up, expecting a parking place, in an unsecured car park, devoid of any regulation or CCTV. By now you're wondering why? Well its all because IE have this grand plan to build the Kildare Route Project.(none of which is actually in Kildare) It may well improve things, but in the interim, it appears that this forthcoming "holy grail" was an excuse to provide an absolutely diabolical service, on the basis that someday, things might improve. For the record, the Kildare line stations of Sallins/Naas, Hazelhatch/Celbridge and the much maligned Clondalkin and Cherryorchard are the only commuter stations in Ireland without a Sunday service. FACT.

13-09-2006, 07:21	#6
davidth88 New to the board Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 19	Guys, Many thanks for your responses , I would be interested in joining your organisation. Something that I forgot to mention, when I was looking into commuting to Park West I walked down to the station to have a look and see how long it would take to walk it. a) To get to the outbound platform , you have to walk right over the bridge and back , adds about 5 mins to the walk . It would take nothing to build an entrance on that side I would have thought. b) Frankly , I wouldn't walk down there on a winters evening , its a scary place . Now I know they are moving the station to Park West which will be great but I am sure these are some of the contributing factors to this station being unused. Derek You mention there are some ' feeder ' buses , how would I find info about these ? I know there is one to the HP/Intel factory but is that open to the public ? By the way , and on a totally different topic , I drive to Blanchardstown often and I always wonder why when they refurbished Clonsilla station they didn't build a footbridge over the canal, are they waiting for someone to be killed on that bridge first ?

13-09-2006, 08:29	#7
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	The connecting bus times are in the current timetable The level crossing in Clonsilla is to be closed thus no bridge needed Park West is to be demolished and the new one a few hundred meters west will be staffed

13-09-2006, 08:35	#8
Colm Donoghue Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 873	Mark, how are people gonna get from Lucan to Clonsilla/Blanch if theres a closed level crossing and no bridge?