[30-7-2007] Connolly Utter Chaos

[ThomasJ]

There are on dart or commuter trains operating north of tara street due to overhead fault between connolly and clontarf road with the exception of maynooth which are using the midland line south bound services are going from tara street

[Mark Gleeson]

Heard what must have been the longest PA ever in Pearse

y 2007 - 16.40hrs

There is major disruption to northside DART, and Northern and Maynooth line commuter services, Belfast and Sligo Intercity services this evening.

This is due to overhead line damage north of Connolly Station, where a DART is also blocking lines.

No DART services will operate north of Tara Stret Station until further notice.

No Northern Commuter services will depart city centre until further notice.

Docklands to Clonsilla services are operating normally, but no Maynooth commuter services will depart city centre until further notice.

Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann will honour rail tickets on affected routes.

Belfast and Sligo Intercity services are also disrupted.

Iarnród Éireann apologises for the inconvenience caused. Further details will be updated on this website as soon as they become available.

[ThomasJ]

All north bound darts are cancelled from connolly for rest of the day

[Mark Gleeson]

Any passenger for Maynooth line would be advised to head to Docklands.

Given the situation it is likely inbound Maynooth line trains will have to divert there, however and it is a big however there is no reason what so ever that the evening Bray Maynooth/Longford trains cannot operate as normal except operating via the Midland line

It is likely the power is off on all DART platforms in Connolly as a result of the incident and it is likely those passengers on the effected train may have to walk back to Connolly

[Mark Gleeson]

Not a very usefull notice, no estimates on when these Docklands Maynooth trains will operate

No info on the Bray Maynooth/Longford trains

DART, Northern Commuter, Maynooth Commuter: Major disruption by Corporate Communications

30th July 2007 - UPDATE 17.00hrs

There is major disruption to northside DART, and Northern and Maynooth line commuter services, as well as Belfast and Sligo Intercity services this evening.

This is due to overhead line damage north of Connolly Station, where a DART is also blocking lines.

No DART services will operate north of Tara Street Station until further notice.

No Northern Commuter services will depart city centre until further notice.

Docklands to Clonsilla services are operating normally, and a limited Maynooth commuter service will also operate from Docklands Station. Drumcondra Station will not be served by these services.

Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann will honour rail tickets on affected routes.

Belfast and Sligo Intercity services are also disrupted.

Iarnród Éireann apologises for the inconvenience caused. Further details will be updated on this website as soon as they become available.

[Mark Gleeson]

Southbound DART services are moving, there is one just arrived Pearse and one in Tara Street ready to roll

Should note also baring a miracle of inteligence on IE's part no trains to Gorey or Rosslare this evening

[Mark Gleeson]

Just to show IE can't deliver up to date information, real time system for Connolly currently says:

Really quite impressive for a station which is all but closed

[ThomasJ]

An announcement has just been made at connolly that the 17.28 is next at platform seven it has now arrived and will call at all stations to maynooth except Drumcondra drogheda and dundalk will resume in next ten to fifteen minutes according to connolly

[Mark Gleeson]

8 car 29k just left Pearse heading for Tara Street which totally contradicts the notice on the IE website

Gorey train just arrived Pearse which is good news

[ThomasJ]

Sligo are longford are now departing the main station is Drumcondra back in action you should see the ticket stiles at connolly the staff cant cope

[Brian Condron]

Just got a report from the better half, Clontarf station is closed, everyone is being told to use buses.

[Derek Wheeler]

Disaster. Absolute disaster. Witnessed the chaos in Connolly. Looked very badly managed.

[ThomasJ]

A bit of advice for people catching north bound buses across the road from connolly in to the terminus there is a massive number of passengers at the stop and packed buses are flying by not stopping

[Mark Gleeson]

Services are back running Killester Howth/Malahide but of course IE are not telling us

DART, Northern Commuter, Maynooth Commuter: Major disruption by Corporate Communications

30th July 2007 - UPDATE 17.40hrs

There is major disruption to northside DART servicesthis evening.

This is due to overhead line damage north of Connolly Station, where a DART is also blocking lines.

No DART services will operate north of Tara Street Station until further notice. These services are not expected to resume this evening.

Dublin Bus will accept rail tickets for commuters travelling to the Northside.

Commuter, Sligo and Belfast Intercity resumed

Northern Commuter services and Maynooth commuter services are now operating, but will be subject to delays.

Belfast and Sligo Intercity services are also operating again, with minor delays.

Iarnród Éireann apologises for the inconvenience caused. Further details will be updated on this website as soon as they become available.

[Mark Gleeson]

IE can't get there times right

Services north of Killester resumed sometime before 17:50, so why is a notice posted after 18:22, timed as 18:15 only telling us now

Northside DART: Major disruption by Corporate Communications


30th July 2007 - UPDATE 18.15hrs

There is major disruption to northside DART services this evening.

This is due to overhead line damage north of Connolly Station.

No DART services will operate between Tara Street and Killester Stations until further notice. These services are not expected to resume this evening.

Dublin Bus will accept rail tickets for commuters travelling to the Northside.

Commuter, Sligo and Belfast Intercity resumed

Northern Commuter services and Maynooth commuter services are now operating, but will be subject to delays.

Belfast and Sligo Intercity services are also operating again, with minor delays.

Iarnród Éireann apologises for the inconvenience caused. Further details will be updated on this website as soon as they become available.

[Mark Hennessy]

Ah the fun never ends on IE!

I left work at 1655 and walked right into the chaos (as usual).

Everyone at Blackrock was told to make alternative arrangements but I got a northbound dart at 1720.

Arrived into Pearse at 1745 to find an utter mess, all of the info boards had delay written and the 2 IE workers down in the foyer were consumed with people around them.

There was zero mention of a Maynooth service but I did hear on the radio that the dockalnds was serving Maynooth.

On the RTE news at 6, Barry Potter was saying the Maynooth services were running, but no one was told this from my time in Pearse.
By my reckoning the 1723 to Maynooth from Blackrock left Pearse at 1800 because I passed it on the bus at Louisa Br.

I should have stayed in work

[Redsoxfan]

The 18.05 to Longford left Platform 3 instead of Platform 7 (is Platform 3 'The Midland Line')-it looked as if the 18.00 was cancelled. The 18.05 called at all stations to Maynooth (incl. Drumcondra).

What exactly happened to cause this disruption?

Does anyone else find it extremely hard to make out what the girl who makes announcements in Connolly is saying?

[Mark Hennessy]

Northside DART, Northern Commuter: Major disruption by Corporate Communications

30th July 2007 - UPDATE 20.45hrs

Northside DART services and Northern Commuter are suspended this evening due to an overhead line fault.

All services are suspended from 20.45hrs to allow staff repair the overhead line damage, to ensure normal services operate tomorrow morning.

No DART services will operate between Tara Street and Killester Stations until further notice. These services will not resume this evening.

Dublin Bus will accept rail tickets for commuters travelling to the Northside.

Northern Commuter services are also suspended. Dublin Bus will honour rail tickets to/from Balbriggan, and Bus Eireann will honour tickets for areas north of Balbriggan. Alternative bus transfers for commuters travelling north of Balbriggan is also being arranged.

20.10hrs Belfast-Dublin will terminate in Malahide, with bus transfer to Dublin.

Maynooth commuter services and Sligo Intercity services are also operating.

Iarnród Éireann apologises for the inconvenience caused. Disruption earlier affected all services on Northside DART, Northern and Maynooth commuter and Belfast and Sligo services from 16.40hrs to 17.40hrs, and all Northside DART services since 17.40hrs.

Services are expected to operate normally in the morning (31st July).

Fingers crossed we don't all have the same fun in the morning

[Terrontress]

I got the Drogheda train. The only work I could see was a guy in a reflective jacket with a pole. Looked a bit like a scaffold pole. Other than that, no sign of any work going on.

It's on the RTE website but there's no mention of what caused it.

[Derek Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Terrontress

I got the Drogheda train. The only work I could see was a guy in a reflective jacket with a pole. Looked a bit like a scaffold pole. Other than that, no sign of any work going on.

It's on the RTE website but there's no mention of what caused it.

Why would they tell you what caused it? "Technical fault", "overhead line damage", "DART blocking the line". Thats all you need to know. You're only a passenger. But IRN and the IRRS will know what caused it, because its in their interests to know. But you are still only a passenger and we are still only a passenger representative body. Shame on you for even daring to look for a reason to the utter chaos that ensued.

No doubt Barry Kenny will be on every radio station tomorrow morning, apologising. If he isn't then shame on him too. Perhaps an apology in the papers would be useful aswell.