DART+ (DART Expansion)

Yes, certainly over stations and over the approaches to the new station. That's the plan anyway, no? The approach is all below Sheriff St level anyway. But that's a vast swathe of undeveloped land in the Docklands that could be put to much better use. What would be the point of keeping the existing Docklands station? As an overflow? It's not going to be on the route into the new station so it would need it's own dedicated services.

Not convinced about the coach park. It rarely looks busy. Unless it's an actual interurban bus station to add to or replace Busaras. In which case it would be much better situated adjacent to the Luas/Spencer Dock Station on the plot between Sheriff St and Mayor St.

As an aside, I always thought the Connolly Station car park would have been the best location for a new bus station. Given the stalled Connolly Quarter, maybe that idea's not dead yet :)

I think it'll be a case of seeing the diggers move in and knowing. Part of the Spencer Dock site is owned by Johnny Ronan, he'll be served notice in the next 3 or 4 weeks so there might be something public then.

I was just looking at the Spencer Dock proposals out of curiosity and see that both lines to the north and south of Croke Park (I don't know if they have specific nomenclature) are now linked to the same new station where it was just the southern line connecting to the Docklands station previously (currently).

What does this mean for the operation of routes? Does it mean that more services will be diverted from Connolly and terminate in Spencer Dock to free up capacity in Connolly?

I don't believe that is correct. There will be a link from the GSWR/Drumcondra from the existing junctions that runs under the Northern line. Currently it only connects to North Wall, but it will connect to the eastern two platforms at SD.

I believe the D+ TSS diagrams shows 10 DARTs an hour for D+W and 11 for D+SW. The D+W are 4tph M3-SD via the canal line, 3tph Maynooth-SD via the canal line, and 3tph Maynooth-Bray via Drumcondra. Then for D+SW its 4tph HH-Heuston, 4tph HH-SD via Drumcondra and 3tph HH-GCD via Drumcondra.

I'm fairly sure Glasnevin Junction is being rebuilt for both moves under Metrolink, though.

This is from the Alignment Details document that was submitted to ABP as part of the RO (https://downloads.metrolink.ie/documentsro/Alignment%20Details%20Book%202%20of%202%20Dublin%20City%20Council.pdf)

It shows that an "additional connection between GSWR AND MGWR lines" will be built just to the west of the platforms, so assuming they keep that as planned, both movements would be achievable.

Thanks for sharing, it was driving me mad as I knew I hadn't imagined it!!

I'm convinced that long term/post Metro all Maynooth Darts will go to SD along the canal, and all HH Darts will go to SD via Drumcondra. This will remove conflicts at Glasnevin junction and Connolly, and simplify the stations. At Glasnevin/Spencer, platforms 1 and 2 will ALWAYS be for HH and platforms 3 and 4 will ALWAYS be for Maynooth...

A few trains per hour, Longford and Portlaoise commuters will likely use Connolly via Drumcondra. That's where my money is, if we're taking bets..

I don't expect Portlaoise commuter services to be changed from Heuston. There should be hourly Sligo (in each direction) by then.

I have seen it suggested here that long-term all Maynooth Darts will avoid Drumcondra and travel on to Bray, Dart SW will use Drumcondra and terminate at Spencer Dock, while Dart North will terminate at Connolly. Apparently a short piece of double-tracking is all that is needed to achieve this.