Bray-Greystones line closures

Ham'nd'egger

http://www.iarnrodeireann.ie/news_centre/general_news.asp?action=view&news_id=465

Iarnród Éireann advises customers that DART services to Greystones, and Gorey Commuter and Rosslare Intercity services, face disruption due to the closure of the rail line between Bray and Greystones. This closure is required due to rockfall close to the entrance of the first tunnel on Bray Head, which has the potential to fall on the rail line.

Bus transfers will operate between Bray and Greystones for all DART services from now until further notice. All other DART services will operate normally, from Howth/Malahide to Bray. Gorey commuter services and Rosslare Intercity services will be part substituted by bus from 16.00hrs onwards. Service details are as follows:

16.40 Connolly to Gorey: train to Bray, bus Bray to Gorey

17.25 Connolly to Enniscorthy: train to Bray, bus Bray to Enniscorthy

18.37 Connolly to Rosslare Europort: train to Bray, bus Bray to Greystones, train Greystones to Rosslare Europort

19.23 Gorey to Connolly: cancelled

20.05 Enniscorthy to Connolly: bus Enniscorthy to Bray, train Bray to Connolly

17.40 Rosslare Europort to Connolly: train Rosslare Europort to Greystones, bus Greystones to Bray, train Bray to Connolly (train continues onward to Drogheda)

Iarnród Éireann apologises to customers for any inconvenience caused. It is expected this disruption may continue for a number of days - further details will be updated as soon as possible.

Alun

Yeah, I walked the Bray-Greystones cliff path yesterday and there's a huge mud and rock fall completely blocking the path up to about the height of the small wall on the edge of the path, and it extends for about 5 or 6 metres along the path. The steel cable netting had held a lot of it back, and there was no sign of anything having gone over the wall, but it looks like it'll take a lot of clearing, and it's not that accessible for large machinery.

Cookie_Monster

I saw the title and thought IE were abolishing the DART route due to cutbacks or something.:D

At least this is only temporary (for now)

dowlingm

*Now* can we talk about moving the line inland and double tracking it? Oops, we spent all the money already on shiny new tracks to Craughwell and Ardrahan.

Never mind, when the money comes back I'm sure a more direct route south-southeast from Bray Station around the west side of the high ground (roughly along the route of R761) rather than east-southeast to the cost is protected - oops, no it isn't! I suppose at least the cost of CPOing an entire housing estate has gone down a bit...

Having mopped up most of the rail passengers in Wicklow/Wexford due to inadequate service, the bus companies are now "on track" to get the rest.

KC61

dowlingm wrote: »

*Now* can we talk about moving the line inland and double tracking it? Oops, we spent all the money already on shiny new tracks to Craughwell and Ardrahan.

Never mind, when the money comes back I'm sure a more direct route south-southeast from Bray Station around the west side of the high ground (roughly along the route of R761) rather than east-southeast to the cost is protected - oops, no it isn't! I suppose at least the cost of CPOing an entire housing estate has gone down a bit...

Having mopped up most of the rail passengers in Wicklow/Wexford due to inadequate service, the bus companies are now "on track" to get the rest.

While I understand your point, let's try to keep some realism here. The cost of such a project would still be huge - way in excess than the cost of the Ennis-Athenry section of the WRC.

SickCert

I shall see extra numbers on the 84X at 630 in the morning.
(providing im not snowed in!!)

loyatemu

dowlingm wrote: »

*Now* can we talk about moving the line inland and double tracking it? Oops, we spent all the money already on shiny new tracks to Craughwell and Ardrahan.

Never mind, when the money comes back I'm sure a more direct route south-southeast from Bray Station around the west side of the high ground (roughly along the route of R761) rather than east-southeast to the cost is protected - oops, no it isn't! I suppose at least the cost of CPOing an entire housing estate has gone down a bit...

its not housing estates you'd need to CPO - its large swathes of the old centre of Bray. its not doable in any way shape or form, that boat sailed 150 years ago...

loyatemu

closed for the remainder of the week, with a much longer closure possible... :mad:

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/travel_alerts.asp?action=view&news_id=467

dfx-

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I saw the title and thought IE were abolishing the DART route due to cutbacks or something.:D

Careful what you wish for:D

cavemeister

At least it was rocks above the track and not below (although, it's only a matter of time) The DART travels very close to the edge of the cliff and once the rocks below fall away through coastal errosion, the line could be closed permanantly.:(

Cookie_Monster

dfx- wrote: »

Careful what you wish for:D

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest.:D

That said I promise I won't wish it on anyone else

Ham'nd'egger

Yet more trouble on the Rosslare line today along with an update on the Greystones section...

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/travel_alerts.asp?action=view&news_id=467

Iarnród Éireann advises customers that disruption to Gorey Commuter and Rosslare Intercity services has worsened, due to a landslip at a rail embankment between Arklow and Gorey. Along with the Bray to Greystones DART, these services had been disrupted since Monday as the line had been closed between Bray and Greystones due to rockfall close to the entrance of the first tunnel on Bray Head. However, a landslip has now occurred at a rail line embankment south of Arklow, and as a result, Gorey commuter and Rosslare-Dublin Intercity rail services are suspended entirely on the line between Bray and Gorey.

DART

Bus transfers will operate between Bray and Greystones for all DART services from now until further notice. All other DART services will operate normally, from Howth/Malahide to Bray.

Gorey Commuter and Rosslare Intercity

Gorey commuter services will also be substituted by bus services from Bray to Gorey. Rosslare Intercity services will be substituted this evening by bus services between Bray and Gorey. Further service details will be updated shortly.

Arklow-Gorey landslip

The landslip has occurred on a high embankment over which the rail line runs, just over 2 miles south of Arklow. As a result, remedial works will be undertaken, and it is estimated the line will remain closed until this Sunday, 8th February.

Bray-Greystones rockfall

A significant amount of rock has fallen near the entrance to the first tunnel on Bray Head. Support wire nets have been damaged, and the area remains high risk, with the potential for further falls from the cliff face. A team of experts are assessing the situation, to ensure materials can be removed without dangers to workers involved, and to enable the line is made safe for the operation of trains as soon as possible. However, given the hazards involved, it is expected that this section will remain closed for a number of weeks.

Iarnród Éireann apologises to customers for the inconvenience caused. Full service details will be updated at this website.

Cool Mo D

Due to coastal erosion, this line will either have to be realigned, or closed, in the next 20-ish years. I think a cost benefit analysis will have to be done to figure out how much money it's worth spending on this line.

DWCommuter

Cool Mo D wrote: »

Due to coastal erosion, this line will either have to be realigned, or closed, in the next 20-ish years. I think a cost benefit analysis will have to be done to figure out how much money it's worth spending on this line.

Realistically it needs to be tunneled as far as the existing long tunnel (1917) near Greystones. But yeah your right its a gonner in about 20 years. I cant see what else they can do to prevent more erosion or it being cost effective to do so. In my opinion the lines contribution in economic terms does not warrant the kind of investment required. Brunel messed it up years ago due to penny pinching. We've realigned, reinforced, but you can't hold back nature forever.

loyatemu

DWCommuter wrote: »

Realistically it needs to be tunneled as far as the existing long tunnel (1917) near Greystones.

2.15 miles of tunnel according to google-maps - thats a spicy meatball by anyone's standards

But yeah your right its a gonner in about 20 years. I cant see what else they can do to prevent more erosion or it being cost effective to do so. In my opinion the lines contribution in economic terms does not warrant the kind of investment required. Brunel messed it up years ago due to penny pinching. We've realigned, reinforced, but you can't hold back nature forever.

lousy Brunel - if I could get my hands on him now!
:pac:

Judgement Day

Cool Mo D wrote: »

Due to coastal erosion, this line will either have to be realigned, or closed, in the next 20-ish years.

Do you have facts to back up this assertion? The line round Bray Head has been open since 1855 and with the exception the construction of the long tunnel in 1917 the line has been trouble free for almost 100 years. The cliffs show no signs of imminent collapse and while I am not a civil engineer I have spent many years in the vicinity birdwatching and there has been no recent change in the stability of the area as far as I can see. CIE/IE have spent a lot of time in recent years working on the base of the cliffs but rock falls in mountainous areas are an occupational hazard. The MER on the Isle of Man has suffered similar problems over the years but the line stays open. It is total nonsense to suggest that the line should be moved West of Bray Head or, indeed, closed. What next - close the Killiney/Dalkey section too - the terrain is almost the same?

The coastal section between Greystones and Wicklow has had erosion problems over the years but again the various railway companies have always managed to keep the sea in check. In recent years new coastal defences have been put in place on this section and it is probably better protected now than at any time since its construction.

Cool Mo D

I am basing this on the fact that there has been a rapidly increasing frequency of rockfalls and near misses on the line, which will make it too dangerous to use long before it falls into the sea. 20 years is a guess, but I doubt it's too far wrong. Trying to fight nature is an impossible battle, and the expense of significantly coastal defences will start to add up. The only way I can see it being done without digging another tunnel is maybe concreting a sort of roof and side wall around it - I really have no idea how feasible that is though.

And the Killiney-Dalkey section is next to the sea yes, but it does not jut out into the Irish sea, or back onto steep cliffs with rocks falling from them.

Judgement Day

Still no evidence to support your claim. Where may I view the statistics about rockfalls on the line which clearly you have seen? I am a regular user of the line and while there are many problems such as breakdowns, crap rolling stock etc I have never been held up by fallen rocks.

Run_to_da_hills

With the line closed this may be a good oppertunity to walk the tunnels.

Alun

The current rock fall isn't below, or directly above, the rail line at all, it's on the bit of cliff above the cliff path. I saw it last Sunday, and to be honest, there was a much mud, soil and grass in it as there was rock, in all probability caused by the huge amounts of rain we had on Friday/Saturday night here. Nothing to do with coastal erosion at all.

dowlingm

Judgement Day wrote: »

Still no evidence to support your claim. Where may I view the statistics about rockfalls on the line which clearly you have seen? I am a regular user of the line and while there are many problems such as breakdowns, crap rolling stock etc I have never been held up by fallen rocks.

hmm...

Judgement Day wrote: »

No facts I'm afraid I did say it was a memory! I do keep extensive archives of newspaper cuttings etc going back to the 1970s but mainly to do with railways not regional airports. It does not take away from the argument that regional airports have little or no future in Ireland.

Glasshouses...

Judgement Day

Not really a like with like comparison. I stated my aviation museum comment was based on a memory (on mature reflection it was a conversation I had with the museum owner) and the other poster referred to the increased frequency of rockfalls I therefore assumed he had evidence for this claim which I consider nonsense. Now I see he has moved the Killiney/Dalkey section inland - it doesn't stick out into the sea and there are no cliffs!! Why don't you comment on the rockfalls instead of trying to be a smart alec? :P

Alun

Meanwhile, back on topic ...

I was up near the start of the cliff path in Bray today and there was quite a bit of activity. A good few trucks parked up in the car park at the base of Bray Head, and a couple of containers. Due to the limited access they had one of those little mini dumper trucks buzzing back and forth along the path removing the rockfall debris, so it's pretty slow going. I asked the guy stationed there turning back people trying to go along the path how long they'd be, and he reckoned another 2-3 weeks. They first need to clear the debris, then get the geologists in to survey the area and possibly remove some more of the cliff if it looks like it's going to fall any time soon, and then replace the restraining netting.

DubOnHoliday

2-3 weeks more driving to bray and shelling out for parking and extra petrol.. not good!.:mad: