Glounthaune Midleton track laying underway

Victor · 11-10-2008 2:42pm

dowlingm wrote: »

presumably the 13 staff would be doing something else if not working on Midleton, so what would they be "losing out" on exactly? Overtime? Or is it the notion that they would be eventually declared surplus and all line maintenance handed over to outside firms?

Thats unlikely as they plan to re-lay Cork-Dublin - they are looking for input from the industry at the moment (I don't think it has gone to tend yet.). While that will need an outside contractor, it'll keep IÉ staff busy as well.

Traffic wrote: »

From irishrail.ie Cork to Cobh line Upgrade works Deferred until further notice by Corporate Communications

Upgrade works due to commence on the Cork - Cobh line this evening, 3rd October have now been deferred until further notice. Scheduled train services will operate as normal on Cork - Cobh line

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/news.asp?action=view&news_id=437

Major Improvement Works on Cork - Cobh Line - Tuesday 14th Oct. to Wed. 19th of November 2008 by Corporate Communications

As part of our ongoing investment in railway infrastructure, major improvement works are planned for the Cork - Cobh line from Tuesday 14th October until Wednesday 19th of November.

As a result, all Cork-Cobh rail services will be suspended to facilitate this work and a special revised timetable for a substitute bus service (Check Times Here)will be provided on the route during this time.

Customers should note that bus journey times may vary due to traffic congestion.

The works will include:
- the upgrading of 11 platforms at 6 stations along the route.
- Laying of cable ducting for signalling, electrical and telecoms.
- The constuction of abutment for the new overbridge at Woodhill, including a retaining wall at the approach of the new bridge.
- Coastal defence work and landslip protection works at key sites along the route.
- the installation of a water main for Cork County Council.
- Signalling adjustments to facilitate the re-opening of the Cork-Midleton railway line.

Iarnród Éireann would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused during these essential works.

Typewriter · 30-10-2008 12:33am

Level crossing will be installed on Midleton line at water rock next week.

Typewriter · 07-12-2008 8:39pm

I stopped by Carrigtwohill today and took some photos of the new station still being built.

Enjoy.

Edit: Have a look on eiretrains.com to see what this place looked like last year.

Judgement Day · 07-12-2008 11:29pm

Nice pics. Shame about the 'architecture'. Someone in CIE/IE must have shares in the company that makes the awful, souless galavanised fencing that dominates today's railway landscape! Why does the trackbed appear wide enough for double track? It is hard to believe that this no expenses spared piece of tracklaying is intended for a two-piece railcar set rather than a TGV.

Victor · 08-12-2008 8:00pm

There will be passing loops at each station.

dowlingm · 08-12-2008 9:37pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

Someone in CIE/IE must have shares in the company that makes the awful, souless galavanised fencing that dominates today's railway landscape!

I agree with you to a point, however as always when it comes to the interface between CIE and the localities they serve I blame the local authorities here a bit.

IE's mandate is to secure the track from incursion in a cost-effective manner - the days where the railway companies were permitted to enhance the public realm with their infrastructure, such as the architecturally significant hotels and stations, are sadly gone.

If I were Midleton UDC, for example, I would offer IE whatever the monetary difference was between galvanised paling and either attractive wood/wood composite fencing or a living wall sound barrier of equivalent security.

Amtmann · 08-12-2008 10:57pm

dowlingm wrote: »

I agree with you to a point, however as always when it comes to the interface between CIE and the localities they serve I blame the local authorities here a bit.

Totally agree.

Zoney · 09-12-2008 10:46am

Well, it is pretty miserable, but presumably at some stage in the future they can paint the railings if there's a bit of cash going spare or some unspent money in some budget or something. The dark green colour that IE use in the stations is quite nice, although maybe they've switched away from that now?

The architecture (if it can be called that) is indeed fairly austere, but there is a nice clean simplicity to it as well, and the new towers and bridges used for the wheelchair access across the tracks are reasonably elegant for what is just a couple of lift shafts and a footbridge. Although I think that dark green paint is usually used - don't know that it will look like much if the sides of the bridge are left unpainted.

What I find remarkable is that apart from the modern spartan concrete and steel finish, and indeed the photos of the carpark on one side, it looks just like the station platforms out in the middle of the countryside that you'd see in any books of old Irish railway photographs.

Typewriter · 10-12-2008 1:00am

Victor wrote: »

There will be passing loops at each station.

Yeah the loop at Carrigtwohill will be 1km long.

I really think that they should have made the platforms at least 1m wider. I can imagine people with prams and buggy's having space problems not to mention people in wheel chairs.

Amtmann · 10-12-2008 1:10am

Sorry, when is this opening?

Also, the station at Dunkettle. Any idea when construction will start on that?

Typewriter · 10-12-2008 1:17am

Furet wrote: »

Sorry, when is this opening?

Also, the station at Dunkettle. Any idea when construction will start on that?

It was supposed to be open in April 2009 but CIE are kinda broke at the moment (with all the lay-offs and all) so they have the money to complete the line but not the cash to run the the promised new train services. So as far as I've heard it will not open till 2010.

Edit: oh yeah the station at Dunkettle was supposed to be built last month when the line closed for upgrades on the cobh line but the nra blocked this as they said they needed the land for upgrading the Dunkettle interchange. so as far as i know CIE are still trying to find a viable site and Dunkettle station & park & ride will not open til well after the Midleton line does.

Amtmann · 10-12-2008 1:21am

green_jesus wrote: »

It was supposed to be open in April 2009 but CIE are kinda broke at the moment (with all the lay-offs and all) so they have the money to complete the line but not the cash to run the the promised new train services. So as far as I've heard it will not open till 2010.

So, the entire project Midleton to Dunkettle was supposed to be done by April? That'll be fantastic when it does eventually get done. Where exactly in Dunkettle will the new station be? I'd imagine there'll have to be a hugely improved bus service to take people from there to the city centre.

Amtmann · 10-12-2008 1:28am

green_jesus wrote: »

Edit: oh yeah the station at Dunkettle was supposed to be built last month when the line closed for upgrades on the cobh line but the nra blocked this as they said they needed the land for upgrading the Dunkettle interchange. so as far as i know CIE are still trying to find a viable site and Dunkettle station & park & ride will not open til well after the Midleton line does.

That's a bit of a disaster.

Typewriter · 10-12-2008 1:29am

Whoops sorry, check last edited podt above.:o

Typewriter · 10-12-2008 1:31am

Tis, especially as the NRA have no immediate plans to upgrade Dunkettle in the near future.

So everybody loses.

invincibleirish · 10-12-2008 2:09am

*Inevitable post calling for some kind of co-ordination for planning at a regional level*

Dan Boyle, where are you?

Typewriter · 10-12-2008 5:10pm

Just saw this on PROC...

http://www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com/~peoplesr/forums/showthread.php?t=146974

dowlingm · 11-12-2008 11:19pm

it's a bit of an odd spot for a p&r though - you're really only targetting people coming down the N8/M8 because people on the N25 should be P&Ring from Midleton/Carrigtwohill and that site isn't easily accessed from the N8 IIRC.

A feeder bus and cycle lanes from Glanmire village to the P&R should handle demand from the housing estates rather than encouraging people to drive 2-3km and clog up even an upgraded local road but unfortunately we don't do joined-up transit in Ireland...

Typewriter · 27-12-2008 1:57am

Just saw this link to photos taken over Christmas over on Irish Railway News.

Its looking good.:D

Chris_533976 · 27-12-2008 12:28pm

http://finbarrsrailwayphotos.fotopic.net/p55565645.html

Gonna be a bumpy ride by the looks of it. Look how straight its laid.

KC61 · 27-12-2008 7:19pm

The track has yet to be stressed and tamped - it has only been laid at this stage.

parsi · 28-12-2008 1:42am

Saw another batch of concrete sleepers down the docks this afternoon - are they heading for Middleton ?

KC61 · 28-12-2008 2:52pm

They could be for the Western Rail Corridor as well or other relaying on the branch lines.

Carrigman · 28-12-2008 5:54pm

Another view of the track taken this afternoon at Ballyadam ,Carrigtwohill. The view is east towards Midleton. The land to the right is the now abandoned Amgen site. The N25 is slightly further up to the right outside the frame and runs parallel to the railway at this point.

Regards,

John

Typewriter · 15-02-2009 9:33pm

I stopped by Midleton yesterday afternoon and the track now goes all the way up to the Midleton station platforms!:D The level crossing has been fully installed at mill road and the station itself is practically finished. I wasn't near Carrigtwohill so I don’t know if the loop has been installed. I could only take this pic from my mobile phone (I was in a rush) so you can't see the new track. but it's great to see that they are putting a pedestrian bridge at the station so trains can run through for any future extension to Youghal (not like the closed end platforms of Howth on the DART line in Dublin).

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dowlingm · 15-02-2009 11:52pm

where would you like the DART to go after Howth? Next stop is Holyhead...

L1011 · 15-02-2009 11:59pm

dowlingm wrote: »

where would you like the DART to go after Howth? Next stop is Holyhead...

Beat me to it! I suspect he's just using it as an example of what they could have done rather than suggesting they go on further... I hope!

GerardKeating · 16-02-2009 12:12am

dowlingm wrote: »

where would you like the DART to go after Howth? Next stop is Holyhead...

They could have continute to the summit, along the course of the old tram line and back around to sutton cross

Typewriter · 16-02-2009 12:30am

dowlingm wrote: »

where would you like the DART to go after Howth? Next stop is Holyhead...

I was using the station layout at Howth as an example of how they could have completed Midleton.

Although the line at Howth did used to go further down onto the pier. :cool:

dowlingm · 17-02-2009 5:56pm

GerardKeating wrote: »

They could have continute to the summit, along the course of the old tram line and back around to sutton cross

There's a hint in there - convert the Howth DART to light rail

Free up paths for more northern line services and make the Howth Dart phase 1 of a LUAS along the intended route of "metro" west...

@greenjesus - given that Midleton has been deemed worthy of suburban service since the 80s, it's probably not unrealistic given the subsequent growth in East Cork to think that the terminus should have been shifted to outside Midleton, at a green field P&R about 3km to here.

An improvement/straightening/grade separation of the minor road nearby which links the N25 with the R627 would remove Youghal and Dungourney commuter traffic from Midleton town, whose station would just service local commuters and those coming from the northwest and south of Midleton town. A remote terminus/stabling could also reduce the impact of morning startup noise compared with one in Midleton itself, as well as reduce the need for car parking which in an urban setting often conflicts with people using the station car park for local parking needs.

Glounthaune Midleton track laying underway

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