Waterford/Rosslare Strand Railway reaches the buffer stops (again)!

Hungerford · 17-04-2010 7:41pm

I was just thinking today... if this flight disruption continues into the medium-term, which appears relatively likely, the lines out of Rosslare are going to become a lot more strategically important.

I wonder if the emergency taskforce will order IE to synchronise its trains to the boat timetables and provide extra services on the Rosslare-Limerick Junction section so that people heading to/from Britain can access ferry services without going to Dublin.

lord lucan · 17-04-2010 9:17pm

Hungerford wrote: »

I was just thinking today... if this flight disruption continues into the medium-term, which appears relatively likely, the lines out of Rosslare are going to become a lot more strategically important.

I wonder if the emergency taskforce will order IE to synchronise its trains to the boat timetables and provide extra services on the Rosslare-Limerick Junction section so that people heading to/from Britain can access ferry services without going to Dublin.

That would make so much sense which means the answer will most likely be No.

DWCommuter · 17-04-2010 9:50pm

Hungerford wrote: »

I was just thinking today... if this flight disruption continues into the medium-term, which appears relatively likely, the lines out of Rosslare are going to become a lot more strategically important.

I wonder if the emergency taskforce will order IE to synchronise its trains to the boat timetables and provide extra services on the Rosslare-Limerick Junction section so that people heading to/from Britain can access ferry services without going to Dublin.

Well considering that many will be a position where they have to take any ferry they can get to Ireland, I'd agree about Rosslare's strategic importance. IE have so far done nothing whatsoever. An opportunity to assist and make extra revenue is there, but the emergency task force probably don't even know a rail line to Rosslare exists. And IE won't be in any hurry to tell them.:D

foggy_lad · 18-04-2010 1:40am

Judgement Day wrote: »

This hot from IRN - where will it end? Talk about innovation and the smart economy - trains that connect with ferries.........:pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

(17/04/10 09:28:43)
IRN Moderator
We understand that the 1255 Rosslare/Dublin train has been altered to depart at 1335 today to offer a connection out of the Irish Ferries service.
This followed an intervention from Junior Minister for Transport, Ciaran Cuffe.

Of course nothing on the Irish Rail website or IE Twitter link!!

is there a junior minister hoofing it back from the uk by cattle boat due to the volcanic ash outbreak?

dowlingm · 18-04-2010 4:16am

@hungerford having read the Emergency Taskforce's statement and the so-called information on Transport.ie, the notion of ferries and trains doesn't seem to be high on their priorities so much as hoping this all just goes away.

Hungerford · 18-04-2010 11:10am

dowlingm wrote: »

@hungerford having read the Emergency Taskforce's statement and the so-called information on Transport.ie, the notion of ferries and trains doesn't seem to be high on their priorities so much as hoping this all just goes away.

Yep. Not even a mention. In Britain, extra services are being put on to meet demand.

Southsider1 · 18-04-2010 12:45pm

DWCommuter wrote: »

Well considering that many will be a position where they have to take any ferry they can get to Ireland, I'd agree about Rosslare's strategic importance. IE have so far done nothing whatsoever. An opportunity to assist and make extra revenue is there, but the emergency task force probably don't even know a rail line to Rosslare exists. And IE won't be in any hurry to tell them.:D

They don't have the foresight to deviate from their usual timetables. As a good example: Last year when the U2 concerts were on in Croker, they decided to run the Dart in both directions at midnight and 00:30. We never knew about it until after as there were no posters. I asked a guy in our local who works in IE why they didn't advertise it - there were NO posters or ads for it consequently very few used it - his reply was that they didn't want to advertise it in case the trains got..... wait for it..... too busy. They'd bring tears to a glass eye!

KC61 · 18-04-2010 1:52pm

Well just to prove people wrong (and I am slightly surprised myself):

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/travel_alerts.asp?action=view&news_id=715

Rosslare-Dublin: schedule change & extra service Sun 18th April by Corporate Communications

Iarnród Éireann advises customers of the following schedule alterations today (Sunday 18th April) on the Rosslare Europort-Dublin rail line.

These changes are to facilitate high numbers travelling on ferry services, as a result of the restrictions on air travel.

17.40hrs Rosslare Europort to Dublin will be deferred to depart at 18.40hrs, and operate one hour later throughout.

An additional service will also from Rosslare Europort to Dublin following the above altered service, and will depart as all ferry passengers are accommodated.

Iarnród Éireann thanks customers for their cooperation with these arrangements.

KC61 · 18-04-2010 1:54pm

The 1255 ex-Rosslare was indeed deferred to 1335 yesterday - perhaps to connect out of the Irish Ferries sailing ex-Cherbourg?

Judgement Day · 18-04-2010 2:13pm

dowlingm wrote: »

@hungerford having read the Emergency Taskforce's statement and the so-called information on Transport.ie, the notion of ferries and trains doesn't seem to be high on their priorities so much as hoping this all just goes away.

Yeah, it's the typical Irish reaction to a crisis - were neutral; take the iodine pills and bury your head in the sand and hope the problem will go away. On a surreal note an otherwise 'seemingly' intelligent panellist on the Marion Finnucane show on RTE today suggested that the Irish Naval service should be drafted into support the ferry companies! Can you imagine, the British had to draft in the S.S.Canberra and the QEII for the Falklands War but we are going to have tubs like the "L.E.Orla" ferrying passengers to Britain and Europe.

Hungerford · 18-04-2010 4:19pm

KC61 wrote: »

Well just to prove people wrong (and I am slightly surprised myself):

At least, it's a step forward. Though I doubt that they will start running rescheduled and extra trains from Limerick Junction to Rosslare to allow people from the South connect to the ferry, particularly given their campaign to destroy the route.

Quick note: reports from the south-east indicate that the evening Waterford to Rosslare yesterday was standing room only. As was the morning service in the opposite direction.

kingstapler · 18-04-2010 4:59pm

Well now, it is good that they are trying to cater for all of the extra passengers, but isn't it a little unfair though, that regular passengers will have their train service distrupted for this. As a few other people said on this board a while back, IE should never change the railway service to suit others, run it as a special maybe but do not change and distrupt the regular train service.

dowlingm · 18-04-2010 7:26pm

KC61 wrote: »

The 1255 ex-Rosslare was indeed deferred to 1335 yesterday - perhaps to connect out of the Irish Ferries sailing ex-Cherbourg?

We can only guess because the timetable said 17 April only and there was no travel alert.

dowlingm · 18-04-2010 7:28pm

kingstapler wrote: »

Well now, it is good that they are trying to cater for all of the extra passengers, but isn't it a little unfair though, that regular passengers will have their train service distrupted for this.

In fairness, this is early days and we can expect some quick and dirty decisions. If ferry traffic is going to stay high obviously we should expect more permanent solutions. That said, the Irish Rail practice of changing the schedule without notice AND WITHOUT ANNOUNCEMENT in ways that you have to be in the know to take advantage of is unacceptable.

steamengine · 18-04-2010 9:07pm

Just an observation - if the present fallout from the Icelandic volcano doesn't point up the strategic necessity of keeping the Rosslare Port railway line open, including the Wexford / Waterford connection, then what more reasons are needed ???

Who would have guessed a white knight would have come galloping on his charger so soon. Hope this point is not lost on IR.

dowlingm · 18-04-2010 9:33pm

steamengine - it doesn't point up anything really to those of us who don't already think this link is strategic. The sister company will claim they can handle long term increases simply by scheduling another bus or two (as the Information Minister has already claimed for the existing Rosslare-Waterford commuter business), but the minute the ash clears the Great Irish Traveller is going to banging on Mick O'Leary's door again, assuming Christophe Mueller's is even still open. It's difficult to predict any long term gains for the ferry mode for now.

What I wonder is how long before a Larne-Stranraer or Rosslare-Fishguard tunnel starts getting play in the papers - or has it already?

steamengine · 18-04-2010 10:41pm

dowlingm wrote: »

steamengine - it doesn't point up anything really to those of us who don't already think this link is strategic. The sister company will claim they can handle long term increases simply by scheduling another bus or two (as the Information Minister has already claimed for the existing Rosslare-Waterford commuter business), but the minute the ash clears the Great Irish Traveller is going to banging on Mick O'Leary's door again, assuming Christophe Mueller's is even still open. It's difficult to predict any long term gains for the ferry mode for now.

What I wonder is how long before a Larne-Stranraer or Rosslare-Fishguard tunnel starts getting play in the papers - or has it already?

MD your points taken - the nub of what I was getting at is - why is this point apparently lost on IE and by association the government ?

Who is to say that this line might not be required again for rail freight in the not too distant future ? The volatility in oil prices might dictate that sooner than later ! Or indeed other unforseen events like the volcano! - it will be interesting to see just how long the fall out from this event lasts and the effects transport wise !

The tunnel - thats a tiny bit futuristic - but rail electrification is something else that we will most likely have to play catch up as well. Noticed on tv the Swiss set up which seems very simple compared to the complex gantry systems we have for the Dart.

Sponge Bob · 18-04-2010 11:56pm

If a Volcano came up right under their arses in Heuston they might notice

foggy_lad · 18-04-2010 11:58pm

or just put it down to the previous night's curry, thay dont pay any attention to anything or anyone.

Hungerford · 19-04-2010 8:48am

Here's something you can't make up.

IE decided that the so-called special from Rosslare to Dublin shouldn't actually be run. They then brought it back to Dublin out of service. Seems to have been a decoy designed to prove there was no demand for such services.

KC61 · 19-04-2010 9:06am

Hungerford wrote: »

Here's something you can't make up.

IE decided that the so-called special from Rosslare to Dublin shouldn't actually be run. They then brought it back to Dublin out of service. Seems to have been a decoy designed to prove there was no demand for such services.

It seems that the regular train (deferred by an hour) coped with the load so that the extra was not needed.

Our man in Havana · 19-04-2010 9:10am

I can report live from the 0730 ex Rosslare. The train is half empty.

dowlingm · 19-04-2010 4:13pm

The ferry companies seem to mostly want passengers with bikes, cars or on coaches but not plain foot passengers. If there's a logic there about yield per passenger or capacity or something I'd love for someone to fill me in.

By the way - I didn't know Holyhead was in England...

By the way folks - mark the calendar - this is a day of days. Someone who wants to travel from Wellingtonbridge to Dublin via Rosslare can actually do so (arr Rosslare Hbr 1829 dep 1851).

KC61 · 20-04-2010 8:06pm

Just to clarify some complete misinformation posted on another thread.

Trains to/from Fishguard to not operate to/from London but from Cardiff or Swansea. Through services stopped some years ago, and now terminate at Swansea.

Arriva Trains Wales operate normally two car DMUs on the service, but these are currently being strengthened I understand.

The Iarnrod Eireann services from Rosslare are either 3-car 22K or 4 car 28K.

Therefore capacities are similar.

Southsider1 · 20-04-2010 8:32pm

dowlingm wrote: »

The ferry companies seem to mostly want passengers with bikes, cars or on coaches but not plain foot passengers. If there's a logic there about yield per passenger or capacity or something I'd love for someone to fill me in.

I asked someone in Stena the same question and he explained that for years the number of foot passengers dropped (advent of cheap flights etc) so they never bothered upgrading foot passenger facilities - gangways etc... So nowadays they transfer foot passengers from terminal to boat by bus (in most but not all ports) directly onto ferry. They generally don't take foot passengers on the overnight sailings as theyt would have to have a coach driver there specially and in general for 10-15 passengers it wasn't worth it. Now, this week, they were caught unawares but have, apparantley, got a coach driver for the overnights.

foggy_lad · 20-04-2010 9:04pm

Hungerford wrote: »

Here's something you can't make up.

IE decided that the so-called special from Rosslare to Dublin shouldn't actually be run. They then brought it back to Dublin out of service. Seems to have been a decoy designed to prove there was no demand for such services.

they sent an empty train off down to rosslare to pick up a load of passengers but then decided to bring it back again empty? you are right this is very hard to believe but probably at the cheaper end of irish rails wasteful decisions

rainbowdash · 20-04-2010 9:24pm

I see on RTE BA are landing 11 planes from the states in Shannon tonight. The line to Wexford could be busy tomorrow, if there are any connections of course.

KC61 · 20-04-2010 10:33pm

foggy_lad wrote: »

they sent an empty train off down to rosslare to pick up a load of passengers but then decided to bring it back again empty? you are right this is very hard to believe but probably at the cheaper end of irish rails wasteful decisions

The existing Rosslare/Dublin train was delayed to connect with the ship. It actually managed to cope with the load without any bother.

A second train was sent down empty in case the first train could not cope. As it turned out it was not required.

Run_to_da_hills · 20-04-2010 10:45pm

rainbowdash wrote: »

I see on RTE BA are landing 11 planes from the states in Shannon tonight. The line to Wexford could be busy tomorrow, if there are any connections of course.

Some of those have already departed and are on their wa to Heathrow.

steamengine · 20-04-2010 10:45pm

Watching Primetime earlier and the interview with the Icelandic president, who basically stated that it is probable that Katla will blow within 5 to ten years and due to its bigger size and its abrasive deposits will have an even more devastating effect on air travel in the northern hemisphere.

The probable upshot of this is that the "strategic importance" of ferries and rail links such as Rosslare etc may now come more into focus as governments realise how quickly air transport can be shut down by these events. In fact the President advised of the importance of contingency plans being put in place by the affected countries over the coming years to cope with such an event.

So there we are! How about that for a turn in events ?

Waterford/Rosslare Strand Railway reaches the buffer stops (again)!

Comments