Kildare to Connolly from late 2016.

[Broithe]

 

Trains direct from Kildare to Connolly and Grand Canal Dock from late next year.

 

[Old Blarney]

With the planned reinstatement, yes reinstatement of a regular Passenger Trains service through the Phoenix Park Tunnel, will this also mean Platform 10 is also brought back into use by these trains? Drumcondra, Connelly, Tara Street, Pearse and Grand Canal Dock Stations are all mentioned but not, Platform 10. To me it would make sense that trains also call here, despite the distance of this platform from the main concourse at Heuston Station. The connecting bus service could terminate at Platform 10.

[snapper]

With the planned reinstatement, yes reinstatement of a regular Passenger Trains service through the Phoenix Park Tunnel, will this also mean Platform 10 is also brought back into use by these trains? Drumcondra, Connelly, Tara Street, Pearse and Grand Canal Dock Stations are all mentioned but not, Platform 10. To me it would make sense that trains also call here, despite the distance of this platform from the main concourse at Heuston Station. The connecting bus service could terminate at Platform 10.

 

There are no current plans to restore service to P10, the lack of crossovers means that trains coming from Kildare heading to Connolly cannot serve P10. They can only do it when going in the other direction

[jhb171achill]

Will they reopen Cabra, I wonder? It would make sense to maximise the potential of this by stopping the trains at somewhere along this route. Maybe somewhere in the broad area of Liffey Junction, in which area there is a huge lot of modern housing...

[craven1508]

i would love to see irish rail return to sending gaa specials to connolly, [via the tunnel]

this was a regular practise up until 8 years ago.

[Weshty]

So just what work is required that will take 14 months before the new service is operational?

[snapper]

So just what work is required that will take 14 months before the new service is operational?

 

Resignaling the city center, Connolly to grand canal. Altered track layout and new turn back facility at grand canal dock.

[mpc84]

An article from the Indo in relation to this: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/renovation-work-on-138yearold-phoenix-park-railway-tunnel-commences-31459736.html

[thewanderer]

Evening folks,

 

Earlier today Minister Paschal Donohoe along with David Franks CEO Iarnrod Eireann and Anne Graham CEO National Transport Authority launched the €13.4m upgrade of the Phoenix Park Tunnel line. This will allow Commuters on the Kildare to Dublin Heuston line to have the option of direct trains to Drumcondra, Connolly, Tara St, Pearse and Grand Canal Dock Stations from late 2016.

 

Photos of the launch event are now available at http://smu.gs/1NhOk5Z

 

[Junctionmad]

Great pity it doesn't include hueston . I remember the old shuttle to DL pier

[Mayner]

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry it has taken IE 25 years to finally implement its 1990 proposal to introduce a suburban rail service between Grand Canal Dock and Clondalkin.

 

The Heuston-Kildare Arrow service seems to have been introduced as a lower cost option with minimal signalling and infrastructure costs compared to completing Grand Canal Dock for its intended purpose as an interchange between the DART and Southern and Western suburban service.

 

A second platform opposite Platform 10 would open up Heuston & the Phoenix Park and apartments and businesses in the Island Bridge area as a destination.

Terminating Northern Line outer suburban services at Connolly would improve line capacity over the Loop Line Bridge.

[Old Blarney]

"There are no current plans to restore service to P10, the lack of crossovers means that trains coming from Kildare heading to Connolly cannot serve P10. They can only do it when going in the other direction"

 

"A second platform opposite Platform 10 would open up Heuston & the Phoenix Park and apartments and businesses in the Island Bridge area as a destination.

Terminating Northern Line outer suburban services at Connolly would improve line capacity over the Loop Line Bridge."

 

Why is it that IE is failing to incorporate these alterations in there current upgrade plan for the Kildare to Grand canal Dock service? Perhaps questions need to be asked and sound answers sought from Irish Rail on this matter.

[thewanderer]

Considering it is being funded by the NTA I suggest the questions are directed at them.

 

However, why this obsession with Heuston? Platform 10 isn't the best place to be dumped at and is a long walk from the main station. Providing access from Conyngham Rd to Platform 10 is rather difficult with the River Liffey to bridge and an access road to apartments in the way. It is something I would love to see, but it would drive up the cost by a large margin.

 

You will still have the option of services to Heuston with the current Portlaoise - Heuston service. The GCD service will be additional services. Therefore nobody loses out.

[Mayner]

Considering

 

You will still have the option of services to Heuston with the current Portlaoise - Heuston service. The GCD service will be additional services. Therefore nobody loses out.

 

The NTA providing targeted funding for specific services seems to be an improvement on the old system.

 

Is it feasible to provide cross platform interchange between services using the slow and fast lines at Adamstown?

 

It would make sense to route long distance commuter trains over the fast lines between Hazlehatch and Clondalkin with Adamstown or Park West as an interchange point between Heuston & Grand Canal Dock services.

[hurricanemk1c]

All the infrastructure to do the interchange at Adamstown is there, with Hazelhatch completely in use (although no trains booked to call on the Fast lines, you can walk along the platforms no bother, as they form the access to the station). I would suggest the Hatch rather than Adamstown, as you are using all of the four track to the full potential and staff are 'reasonably' current on bay platform operation at Hazelhatch, with the ballast cleaning work north of Newbridge (at the time).

 

Whilst in different circumstances, 'The Wanderer' had an interesting experience when a Portlaoise local service was routed up the Fast lines......

[josefstadt]

Cross-platform interchange between fast and slow services is not possible at any of the stations on the four-track section as the lines are served by separate platforms. The only cross-platform interchange would be between the slow lines and the bay platforms at Adamstown and Hazelhatch.

[hurricanemk1c]

Apologies - missed the 'cross' bit of Mayner's post. If you want a cross-platform interchange, then all services would have to be routed (that will connect) via the Slow lines from Hatch-Parkwest, as stated above. And since there is no funding for a crossover for Heuston P10, I doubt any crossover on the 4 track will be funded

[thewanderer]

The actual timetable has yet to be determined so at the moment this is all pie in the sky thinking.

 

What I think would be best would be (off peak):

 

1 tph Portlaoise - Heuston as is now.

1 tph Newbridge - Grand Canal Dock new service at 30 minutes past the hour from the Portlaoise service. This then gives Newbridge - Park West 2tph to the City, either Heuston "or around the house" to Connolly and beyond.

 

Maybe they will decide to run the Portlaoise - Heuston service fast from Hazelhatch to Heuston? On one hand it would still mean only 1tph from Adamstown in to Park West and that isn't all that attractive, but the city centre terminus is more attractive. As I said nothing has been decided yet and until then only it is all speculation.

 

The Wanderer.

[jhb171achill]

Mr Wanderer, can you roster the necessary ICRs? ;-)

[josefstadt]

Other factors which have to be revealed are whether there will be an increase in line speed (currently max 30m.p.h.) and the running time from Islandbridge Jct to Connolly (and beyond). At the moment empty trains are allowed between 15 and 20 minutes from Islandbridge to Connolly.

[jhb171achill]

As long as it's under a fortnight journey time, it will beat the rush hour traffic.