29K still on Sligo and not even cleaned

[joey]

29K ex dublin on a sunday at 9am and the return at 1pm from sligo.

[Jamie2k9]

9am down is scheduled on 18.00 back to Connolly, 13.00 is normally a 22 perhaps it wasn't on your particular week but it is usually.

[joey]

29k this morning back from Dublin. It's a long jaunt on a commuter train back to Sligo. Particularly when there Is a four car set of 22k stationed at Longford all weekend.

It's ok saying go for a later train but the next one is 1pm, was there ever a 1100ex Dublin on a Sunday?

[maloner]

The last train out of Connolly is 19:05 - a tad early even for the early birds... why are there no later services to Mullingar if not Sligo?

[Mark Gleeson]

That's a long story, other than to say politicians wanted to keep the 1805 express to Longford

[James Howard]

Although I no longer use it due to the discomfort level of the 29K, the 1805 to Longford is far more important to Mullingar and Longford commuters than a potentially later service. Most normal people do not finish work in time for the 1705 so the 1805 is the peak evening commuter service. There would be hell to pay if it was cancelled and saying "politicians want to keep" it means that for once in their life politicians in the area might actually be doing their job.

We already lost the admittedly useless 1817ish service from Connolly so a two hour gap in the evening Longford commuter service would be completely unacceptable and would be the best way Irish Rail could go about killing the viability of the Longford commute.

A much better idea would be to discontinue the 1715 stopping service to Longford which is of little use beyond Maynooth. The train could turn around in Maynooth and be back in Connolly in time to run a 2005 (or 2105) to Longford. All this would cost would be a couple of hours of driver time and would massively improve the service. It could potentially fill in for an existing later Maynooth service which might allow them to let another driver off earlier so it wouldn't even cost that.

[berneyarms]

It was the 18:17 that was the issue at the time - politicians insisted on its continuing to Longford instead of turning back at Enfield and operating a later service.

Cost cutting subsequently saw that service curtailed to Maynooth.

There was never a question of the 18:05 being curtailed.

[maloner]

a 2005 (or 2105) to Longford/Mullingar would be fantastic.

I agree on the comments regarding the important earlier commuter services. If you want to go for dinner or a pint right now you are totally snookered if you miss the 17:05 - my vote would be for the 21:05

Originally Posted by James Howard

Although I no longer use it due to the discomfort level of the 29K, the 1805 to Longford is far more important to Mullingar and Longford commuters than a potentially later service. Most normal people do not finish work in time for the 1705 so the 1805 is the peak evening commuter service. There would be hell to pay if it was cancelled and saying "politicians want to keep" it means that for once in their life politicians in the area might actually be doing their job.

We already lost the admittedly useless 1817ish service from Connolly so a two hour gap in the evening Longford commuter service would be completely unacceptable and would be the best way Irish Rail could go about killing the viability of the Longford commute.

A much better idea would be to discontinue the 1715 stopping service to Longford which is of little use beyond Maynooth. The train could turn around in Maynooth and be back in Connolly in time to run a 2005 (or 2105) to Longford. All this would cost would be a couple of hours of driver time and would massively improve the service. It could potentially fill in for an existing later Maynooth service which might allow them to let another driver off earlier so it wouldn't even cost that.