Great Railway Journeys on CIE

Del.Monte

L1011 wrote: »

The manned ticket office has been moved, the signs telling you that are quite poor. Its also possible it was actually closed; but I have never seen either the old one or the new one (which is only open a few days) closed.

Its now in a new block of offices beside the pharmacy along with a new information desk. You can't see these from the TVM line!

I certainly saw no sign of it and will go in search of it on my next visit.

L1011

The sign pointing to the new ticket office is only printed on one side. That won't have helped in locating it

Also the old office was still intact when you were there, it's now been dismantled

goingnowhere

The office has moved its now on the right not the left of the concourse

Working class heroes

Any reason why you didn't avail of a cheaper online rate? Not part of the plan?

Del.Monte

Working class heroes wrote: »

Any reason why you didn't avail of a cheaper online rate? Not part of the plan?

If that's addressed to me, it was because my travel plans were fluid. One of the advantages of rail travel has always been the ability to walk up at the last moment and get a ticket at the station.

Del.Monte

Never one of my favourite places, but Connolly Station colloquially known as "the Hole" continues to offend many of the senses. Fumes from the many DMUs/Enterprise etc. and visually in terms of the general shabbiness which bedevils the place - graffiti, broken station canopies, drab painting, a complete lack of anything to brighten the place up, poor waiting facilities - including the Enterprise Lounge, poor announcements, lack of anyone in charge especially on the suburban platforms...



Above: on my most recent visit I photographed the former DSER turntable (now disconnected) and adjacent water tower - recently daubed by graffiti artists. The tower should be restored and maintained as an historic piece of railway infrastructure that we won't see the like of again. It speaks volumes about CIE's security that something at the heart of HQ can be defaced like this with all the CCTV etc.



Above: mild graffiti on a DART unit - covering the entire side of one set - but there are far worse examples in traffic.

Graffiti is now widespread on suburban stock both DART and diesel units - again highlighting a serious lack of security at storage sidings. I suspect from viewing YouTube that Bray is one of the black spots. Anyway, it gives me no pleasure to say it, but sooner later there are going to be fatalities involving those who regard the railway as a playground.



Lastly, for now, I must comment on the bilingual virtue signalling (sorry) that Irish Rail persist with. I spotted the above nonsense on Platform.5. at Connolly, and in fact it took a while to find an English translation as there were a cluster of the Irish signs. Apart from providing railway memorabilia for eventual sale on eBay is there any point to this? I cannot ever remember hearing Irish spoken in public since I left school more than 40 years ago, and realistically if the company want to be genuinely bilingual they should go for Polish or Romanian versions of the signs. The emergency signage on the 22000 ICRs are a sight to behold - a masterclass of confusion and surely something which goes against the prevailing Health & Safety obsession of today's world?

railer201

Del.Monte wrote: »

Lastly, for now, I must comment on the bilingual virtue signalling (sorry) that Irish Rail persist with. I spotted the above nonsense on Platform.5. at Connolly, and in fact it took a while to find an English translation as there were a cluster of the Irish signs. Apart from providing railway memorabilia for eventual sale on eBay is there any point to this? I cannot ever remember hearing Irish spoken in public since I left school more than 40 years ago, and realistically if the company want to be genuinely bilingual they should go for Polish or Romanian versions of the signs. The emergency signage on the 22000 ICRs are a sight to behold - a masterclass of confusion and surely something which goes against the prevailing Health & Safety obsession of today's world?

No excuses now - 'Google translate' is your friend.

Níl aon leithscéal ann anois - is é 'Google translate' do chara.

Del.Monte

9.40 ex.Rosslare at Enniscorthy this morning.

Thankfully avoided this abomination this morning but I waved my eldest off from Enniscorthy on it - he was not best pleased. Apart from the crap stock he also has to change to a bus transfer Greystones/Bray due to engineering work. There's no excuse possible for the continued use of commuter railcars on long-distance services.

Jamie2k9

It scheduled for a 22.

tabbey

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

It scheduled for a 22.

They probably used the 2900 set in Rosslare for the weekend, on the basis that few people would use it because of the bustitution up the line.

It is the usual attitude, any poo will do on the DSE section.

end of the road

tabbey wrote: »

They probably used the 2900 set in Rosslare for the weekend, on the basis that few people would use it because of the bustitution up the line.

It is the usual attitude, any poo will do on the DSE section.

not just the DSE. belfast is often inflicted with these heaps of junk.
nothing will be done though, nobody who can change things cares.

Jamie2k9

tabbey wrote: »

They probably used the 2900 set in Rosslare for the weekend, on the basis that few people would use it because of the bustitution up the line.

It is the usual attitude, any poo will do on the DSE section.

No, the ICR was scheduled to operate that service. Perhaps the failure of 17.10 to Sligo on Friday evening may have resulted in a 29000 taking its place or just a failure in Rosslare over weekend.

whisky_galore

railer201 wrote: »

No excuses now - 'Google translate' is your friend.

Níl aon leithscéal ann anois - is é 'Google translate' do chara.

Box ticking exercise. As useless as marking Bus Éireann buses oil and water fillers in Irish.

I've never seen a safety sign in any other workplace in Irish.

Grandeeod

I recently had to travel to Tralee from Portlaoise. I opted not to post around the time I made the rail journey to avoid any ranting and raving.:D:

The online single fare was great considering it was fairly last minute. The seat reservation system worked perfectly.

The ride quality on the MK4s is still diabolical. After only 13 years they are starting to look very poor too.

I was seated at the end of a coach next to the Snack car. The interconnecting door wasn't working which made it noisier and there was a regular stench from the toilet and not when the toilet door was opened by a passenger either. It just pumped into the air every 15 mins or so. It made me wince every time it happened.

The snack car was only serving the basics as it was a mid morning service. The offering looked fairly okay, but the guy serving had no interest. It may be privatized and staffed by Eastern Europeans, but it's no better than a lot of how it used to be 20 years ago. I do have some great memories of snack cars on Irish Rail, but lots of bad ones too. Customer service was non existent.

Arrived 20 mins late into Mallow, but there were a lot of obvious speed restrictions en route. I was actually glad to get off. So the Kerry connection? Well there was a visible train host with a thick Kerry accent on the platform. Looked very much like he had pride in his job. Directed and helped passengers. Is it a touristy thing I wonder??

Once we departed Mallow the host was on the blower introducing himself and offering assistance and the fact that he would be regularly walking through the train. Slight delay crossing a train in Rathmore. The host assured smoking passengers they had a little more time until the ex Tralee service arrived.

The Kerry branch is still a fooking laborious trip. Very slow. Nice scenery for tourists, but when you're on a business mission, you start to lose the will to live. A catering trolley passed through the train, which is a good thing, but he had no Prozac and never passed back my way either.

Arrival into Tralee was 15 mins late. No big deal. The overall experience in a small country like Ireland was, it's too long and from Dublin can be beaten by road, just about. The MK4 Cork train is a shameful thing altogether considering it's meant to be the premier service in the ROI and fairly new.

Conclusion - I'll continue driving when the train is an option.

Del.Monte

I haven't been on the South Kerry road since the last days of the GSRPS fiasco i.e. 1988/89 and even when I was still an enthusiast it was about as inviting as the unending journey to Sligo. Sad to hear it's still as bad and even less interesting than in the days when there was still freight to be seen.

Losty Dublin

Grandeeod wrote: »

Arrived 20 mins late into Mallow, but there were a lot of obvious speed restrictions en route. I was actually glad to get off. So the Kerry connection? Well there was a visible train host with a thick Kerry accent on the platform. Looked very much like he had pride in his job. Directed and helped passengers. Is it a touristy thing I wonder??

Once we departed Mallow the host was on the blower introducing himself and offering assistance and the fact that he would be regularly walking through the train. Slight delay crossing a train in Rathmore. The host assured smoking passengers they had a little more time until the ex Tralee service arrived.

I'll say this; there are lots of really decent people working at railway stations, and who are proud to be there and who are lovely to deal with. Some of those staff in the regional stations and services really do stand out and it is they who do so so much to make rail travel a pleasure.

Del.Monte

Thrill-seeker that I am, I recently took the train southwards from Enniscorthy for a change. One of the most beautiful sections of the the Dublin/Rosslare line and that's saying something!

Arriving at Enniscorthy one is greeted by a range of posters extolling the beauty of the route and welcoming you to Rediscover the Joy of the Train - just kidding!




The day return fare is €12.29 as compared with €9.50 by Bus Eireann and €10 by Wexford Bus - one has to ask why IE makes no attempt to at least match the fares of their competitors. On the marketing front both Bus Eireann and Wexford Bus have their leaflets at various locations throughout the town - IE have no leaflets anywhere. Despite this, on the day that I travelled there were several locals availing of the service.

A pleasant trip along the banks of the Slaney had me in Wexford all too soon. A whistle-stop visit to my bank and a couple of charity shops saw me back in the station with time to spare before the return train at 13.18. The tiny waiting room with its ticket office closed - of course - offers little comfort as anytime anybody moves the automatic doors open sucking any heat out. Whoever thought putting these doors in such a tiny room was a good idea should be shot.




Preferring my own company I chose to go through and wait on the platform - only you can't anymore! Passengers are held back by gates like cattle and not allowed onto the platform until a few minutes before the train arrives. The station appears to have the same level of staffing as always including a stationmaster, ticket seller, and a depotman who sits in the old parcels office doing nothing in much the same way as in the past when the parcels office theoretically dealt with parcels.

Attractive blue signs tell me that I'm on Platform 1 - there is only one platform!

Wexford must surely win the award for having the most palisade fencing of any station on the IE network? As far as the eye can see, the prairie that was formerly the freight yard is covered in the stuff.




As an aside, how come the Rail Gourmet staff seem to have access to the unoccupied drivers cab on the ICRs?

L1011

Automatic doors would be a disability access requirement

thewexman93

Despite some of the negative feedback about the Enniscorthy to Connolly journey written here, I was a passenger on board yesterday for a return trip. First train to Connolly and the last back to enniscorthy.

Pleasent on board experience, train pretty full on the way up, particularly from Gorey to Connolly. Christmas shoppers no doubt. No complains about the rolling stock or the staff or the facilities.

Arrived in Connolly just in time to see the RPSI Santa special standing at platform 2, and then departing minutes later.

Return journey, on board experience again good, bit slower on the way out of the city than on the way in. Was the first time I could hear the on board announcer, because he made sure he spoke slowly and clearly for the benefit of passengers. If only others would do the same. Arrived back in enniscorthy roughly on time, maybe a minute or two late. Nothing to complain about.

Other than the journey times in particular the slowness of this route between arklow and rathdrum, and from greystones to Connolly, this is a pleasant way to travel.

Double tracking bray to greystones and triple tracking from BlackRock to dun laoghaire would make this the best route in the country. Along with a mid morning weekday service from Rosslare.

Jamie2k9

Del.Monte wrote: »

Thrill-seeker that I am, I recently took the train southwards from Enniscorthy for a change. One of the most beautiful sections of the the Dublin/Rosslare line and that's saying something!

Arriving at Enniscorthy one is greeted by a range of posters extolling the beauty of the route and welcoming you to Rediscover the Joy of the Train - just kidding!




The day return fare is €12.29 as compared with €9.50 by Bus Eireann and €10 by Wexford Bus - one has to ask why IE makes no attempt to at least match the fares of their competitors. On the marketing front both Bus Eireann and Wexford Bus have their leaflets at various locations throughout the town - IE have no leaflets anywhere. Despite this, on the day that I travelled there were several locals availing of the service.

A pleasant trip along the banks of the Slaney had me in Wexford all too soon. A whistle-stop visit to my bank and a couple of charity shops saw me back in the station with time to spare before the return train at 13.18. The tiny waiting room with its ticket office closed - of course - offers little comfort as anytime anybody moves the automatic doors open sucking any heat out. Whoever thought putting these doors in such a tiny room was a good idea should be shot.




Preferring my own company I chose to go through and wait on the platform - only you can't anymore! Passengers are held back by gates like cattle and not allowed onto the platform until a few minutes before the train arrives. The station appears to have the same level of staffing as always including a stationmaster, ticket seller, and a depotman who sits in the old parcels office doing nothing in much the same way as in the past when the parcels office theoretically dealt with parcels.

Attractive blue signs tell me that I'm on Platform 1 - there is only one platform!

Wexford must surely win the award for having the most palisade fencing of any station on the IE network? As far as the eye can see, the prairie that was formerly the freight yard is covered in the stuff.




As an aside, how come the Rail Gourmet staff seem to have access to the unoccupied drivers cab on the ICRs?

They have to use up the budget on fencing for something. Some of the carry on from them is disgraceful.

whisky_galore

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

They have to use up the budget on fencing for something. Some of the carry on from them is disgraceful.

The country is destroyed with the indiscriminate use of prison grade fencing, regardless if it's needed or not.
Has everywhere looking like a South African housing estate.

Working class heroes

Man goes on track.
Man gets hit by train.
Man killed.
Man’s family sues claiming IE did not go to sufficient lengths to discourage access to tracks.
Result is fencing erected to ensure same thing doesn’t happen again.

Simple really when you think about it.

whisky_galore

Working class heroes wrote: »

Man goes on track.
Man gets hit by train.
Man killed.
Man’s family sues claiming IE did not go to sufficient lengths to discourage access to tracks.
Result is fencing erected to ensure same thing doesn’t happen again.

Simple really when you think about it.

Man could find any number of ways to access the track, including off the public platform. It's happened before.
Hell why don't we fence off all streets and public roads, where far more people get killed?

Jamie2k9

Working class heroes wrote: »

Man goes on track.
Man gets hit by train.
Man killed.
Man’s family sues claiming IE did not go to sufficient lengths to discourage access to tracks.
Result is fencing erected to ensure same thing doesn’t happen again.

Simple really when you think about it.

Any evidence of cases? Access to track here is very easy.

The fencing here is complexly unnecessary just like in many other sites with various squares and gates constructed. There is a big difference putting up fences for prevent rock throwing off bridges and general access issues.

Although I did hear they put a fence along Wexford quay, clear example of when fencing is actually needed.

Vic_08

British and Irish railways are required by law to restrict access to lines to a far higher standard than is normal in most other countries.

AFAIR it is Victorian era laws dating from the original acts granted to allow the building of lines in the first place. Because of these laws the railways liability to anyone on their lines is high. Add this to our judiciary's love of awarding lottery winning amounts to chancers and scumbags (the LUAS tram surfer for example) when they get a boo-boo then it is no surprise railway lines are surrounded by prison fencing.

Working class heroes

whisky_galore wrote: »

Man could find any number of ways to access the track, including off the public platform. It's happened before.
Hell why don't we fence off all streets and public roads, where far more people get killed?

Oh I agree. But right or wrong, that’s the reason.

Working class heroes

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Any evidence of cases? Access to track here is very easy.

The fencing here is complexly unnecessary just like in many other sites with various squares and gates constructed. There is a big difference putting up fences for prevent rock throwing off bridges and general access issues.

Although I did hear they put a fence along Wexford quay, clear example of when fencing is actually needed.

Yes. Two cases in my town. Two suicide attempts, one “successful. Won’t be linking, you will have to take my word for it.
There is an onus on IE to keep their property safe. The fencing does this. Bit like a building site.

Not saying it’s right or wrong just saying how it is.

Jamie2k9

Working class heroes wrote: »

Yes. Two cases in my town. Two suicide attempts, one “successful. Won’t be linking, you will have to take my word for it.
There is an onus on IE to keep their property safe. The fencing does this. Bit like a building site.

Not saying it’s right or wrong just saying how it is.[/QUOTE}


All I will say there is far more safety issues with members of the public and little action is taken. The fencing here is excessive and to be honest I wouldn't say Wexford station is a hot spot for trespassing or any other activity.

whisky_galore

Working class heroes wrote: »

There is an onus on IE to keep their property safe. The fencing does this.

If there's ways around it, there always is for the determined trespasser, it really doesn't.

man98

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

All I will say there is far more safety issues with members of the public and little action is taken. The fencing here is excessive and to be honest I wouldn't say Wexford station is a hot spot for trespassing or any other activity.

While the fencing is probably excessive here given trains would be well able to stop prior to hitting someone, there is a bit of an issue with trespassing on the site. I've seen what appeared to be a drug deal before while waiting on the platform. That area of the station, as far as I'm aware, is also used as a base for maintenance ops in the area so there is equipment, bus storage and the odd bit of permanent way infrastructure over there - but it can be accessed easily through a service road south of the station, making the fencing pointless (though there is further fencing to protect equipment). The real shame is the sheer scale of fencing along the railway across from Brownswood, visible from the old N11 - it's an absolute scar on the landscape and it's so rural that I don't see any issue with trespassing.