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Unread 13-05-2009, 15:48   #1
comcor
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Default Cork-Midleton line opening next month

At least it is according to the front page of the Evening Echo

Quote:
Cork to Midleton rail line to open next month
THE long-awaited 100 million rail line from Cork to Midleton is on course to open next month. The 14 kilometre track is due to open at the end of June, according to Iarnród Eireann.

Work is almost complete on both new stations at Midleton and Carrigtwohill and large car parks will be created over the coming months for each site. More than 100kms of cabling will be laid adjacent to the tracks.

A 10m car bridge to service a small number of homes at Tivoli will also be completed this month. The line is expected to transform east Cork into a commuter haven. Trains will run every 30 minutes at peak times between Midleton and Cork.

The project has been hit by delays since it was first proposed in 2004. However, Iarnród Eireann says it is now firmly on schedule.

Mayor of Midleton, Cllr Ken Murray, said the town would be the envy of the rest of the country when the rail line opened.

“People are pleasantly surprised at the scale and infrastructure of the project. We appreciate that we have been very lucky and that no other town will get something like this in the coming years.

“We will make the most of it. Midleton will be able to come out of the economic slump quicker than other towns in Ireland because of this project.
Imagine that announcement being made during an election campaign...

I have to say, having seen the road bridge being constructed over the railway line and the Lower Glanmire Road in Cork, I'll be very impressed if it's ready next month.
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Unread 13-05-2009, 15:50   #2
Mark Gleeson
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Bridge won't be complete

The line is handed over for testing at the end of month and opening day is quoted as Monday June 29th

Last edited by Mark Gleeson : 13-05-2009 at 20:50. Reason: Edit correct dates!
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Unread 14-05-2009, 08:15   #3
Thomas Ralph
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Well, June 29th is "next month"
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Unread 14-05-2009, 08:46   #4
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Has the Cork-Cobh re-signalling been done yet? Is it to be left until after opening, with the inevitable disruptions? Smacks of a rushed pre-election job if they do not have absolutely everything complete.
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Unread 14-05-2009, 08:48   #5
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I thought it was just the Midleton section that will have the CTC

Last edited by sublimity : 14-05-2009 at 08:51.
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Unread 25-05-2009, 12:51   #6
finnyus
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Default Midleton - Cork timetable

Today (25 May 2009), Noel Dempsey, Minister for Transport launched the Midleton - Cork train timetable on board 2709 @ Midleton station.

The timetable is as follows:

Midleton - Cork
Journey time: 23mins

Mon - Sat, 20 services:
07:15, 07:45, 08:15, 08:45, 09:15, 09:45 - every 60 mins @ 45mins past the hour - 18:15, 18:45, 19:45, 20:45, 21:45, 22:45

Sun, 8 services:
08:45, 10:45, 12:45, 14:30, 16:45, 17:45, 19:15, 20:45

Cork - Midleton
Mon - Sat, 20 services:
06:45, 07:15, 07:45, 08:15, 08:45, 09:15 - every 60 mins @ 15mins past the hour - 17:45, 18:15, 19:15, 20:15, 21:15, 22:15

Sun, 8 services:
08:15, 10:15, 12:15, 14:00, 16:15, 17:15, 18:30, 20:15

The timetable was available on an A4 handout @ Midleton station this morning.

Finbarr.
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Unread 10-07-2009, 09:02   #7
finnyus
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Default Long-awaited rail line to finally open this month

Long-awaited rail line to finally open this month
By Sean O'Riordan
Friday, July 10, 2009

AFTER months of speculation Iarnród Éireann has announced it will open the €75 million Cork-Midleton rail line on Thursday, July 30.

A spokesman for the company said to mark the launch of its new service, travel on trains operating on that day will be free.

From July 30 to August 3 inclusive, trains will operate on an hourly basis only.

The full schedule of services - 21 trains in either direction on weekdays - will come into effect on Tuesday, August 4.

During weekdays trains will run half-hourly at peak times and hourly off-peak. A total of 17 trains will operate each way on Saturdays, and eight trains will operate each way on Sundays.

Iarnród Éireann has put the infrastructure in place to expand services in the future to every 15 minutes, if the demand exists.

Drivers started testing trains on the line yesterday. Two drivers were involved and further drivers will be trained on the track right up to the opening day.

The journey time will be less than 24 minutes each way and all trains will serve the new stations at Midleton and Carrigtwohill, as well as Glounthaune, Little Island and Kent Station, Cork.

Each train consists of two-carriages, with capacity for 320 passengers, including seating for 129 passengers. Platforms have also been built to accommodate future expansion to four-carriage trains.

As well as offering a strong commuter service, the new Midleton timetable will provide excellent connections to the Cork-Dublin Intercity service.

The company has revised its timetable from Midleton after it was noticed that the first train leaving there wouldn't connect with the first train leaving Kent Station for Dublin.

Midleton-based TD David Stanton spotted that the first train leaving his home town would arrive seven minutes after the Cork-Dublin train had departed.

A spokesman for Iarnród Éireann said an alteration had been made to the timetable so the first train would now leave Midleton at the earlier time of 6.45am to allow for connectivity.

The last train will depart Midleton for Cork at 10.45pm.

The first train leaving Kent Station for Midleton will depart at 6.15am and the last will go at 10.15pm.

The company also announced ticket prices: a single adult fare will be €4.40, while a return ticket is €6.50.

Adult weekly tickets cost €26, a monthly ticket comes in at €92, while the annual ticket is €920. "Monthly and annual customers are reminded that employees of companies registered with the Taxsaver scheme are entitled to tax relief on the cost of commuter tickets of up to 51%. Full details are available on www.taxsaver.ie," the Iarnród Éireann spokesman said.

Car parking charges will be introduced at both Midleton and Carrigtowhill station.

The charges will be €2 per day, €8 per week and €30 for four weeks.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, July 10, 2009
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Unread 10-07-2009, 09:29   #8
Mark Gleeson
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We shall see, the date keep slipping, was June, then July 27th and now 30th and even then its without the full timetable.

I can see all the usual problems, there won't be enough trains, Cork is struggling to meet the current timetable. Will there be enough staff?
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Unread 10-07-2009, 11:12   #9
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Went to have a look at the station in Carrigtwohill yesterday. Seems all ready to go just for a bit of tidying up etc.

Charging for parking though won't encourage people out of their cars I'm afraid.
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Unread 10-07-2009, 11:32   #10
finnyus
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Default Midleton line to open on July 30th by Corporate Communications

Midleton line to open on July 30th by Corporate Communications

Iarnród Éireann has confirmed that the new Cork-Midleton line will officially open to the public on Thursday 30th July.

A day of celebration is planned, involving the local community and businesses, and travel on the new service will be free on that day.

An initial introductory service will operate from Thursday 30th July to Bank Holiday Monday 3rd August inclusive, before the full commuter service begins on Tuesday 4th August.

Physical work on the new line has been completed, following a €75 million investment in the infrastructure under the Government’s Transport 21 programme, part of the National Development Plan 2007-2013. Finishing works on station facilities are continuing, and driver training on the line is underway.

A total of 21 trains each way will operate daily between Cork and Midleton, with services running every 30 minutes at peak times, and every hour at off-peak times, Monday to Friday. Seventeen trains each way will operate on Saturdays, and eight trains will operate each way on Sundays.

Monday to Saturday Timetable

From Cork: 06.15, 06.45*, 07.15, 07.45*, 08.15, 08.45*, 09.15, 10.15, 11.15, 12.15, 13.15, 14.15, 15.15, 16.15, 17.15, 17.45*, 18.15, 19.15, 20.15, 21.15, 22.15

From Midleton: 06.45, 07.15*, 07.45, 08.15*, 08.45, 09.15*, 09.45, 10.45, 11.45, 12.45, 13.45, 14.45, 15.45, 16.45, 17.45, 18.15*, 18.45, 19.45, 20.45, 21.45, 22.45

* = Mon-Fri only



Sunday Timetable

From Cork: 08.15, 10.15, 12.15, 14.15, 16.15, 17.15, 18.15, 20.15

From Midleton: 08.45, 10.45, 12.45, 14.45, 16.45, 17.45, 18.45, 20.45



Journey details – Commuter service, and Intercity connections

Journey time between Midleton and Cork will be 23-24 minutes, and all trains will serve the new stations of Midleton and Carrigtwohill, as well as Glounthaune, Little Island and Kent Station Cork.

As well as offering a strong commuter service, the new Midleton timetable will offer excellent connections to the Cork-Dublin Intercity service, maximising the benefit of this new infrastructure.

The infrastructure also offers the potential to expand services in the future to every 15 minutes, as demand increases.

Each train will be a two-carriage commuter train, with capacity for 320 passengers, including seating for 129 passengers. Platforms have also been built to accommodate future expansion to four-carriage trains.

Fares for Midleton customers to Cork will be:

Adult Single: €4.40

Adult Return: €6.50

Adult Weekly: €26.00

Adult Monthly: €92.00

Adult Annual: €920.00

Monthly and annual customers are reminded that employees of companies registered with the Taxsaver scheme are entitled to tax relief on the cost of commuter tickets, of up to 51%. Full details are available on www.taxsaver.ie

Car park charges at Midleton and Carrigtwohill Stations will be:

€2 per day

€8 per week

€30 per 4 weeks



Midleton line project

The €75 million investment in the Midleton line includes:

- upgrading track on the previously disused Glounthaune to Midleton line, through provision of a single track with a passing loop at Carrigtwohill

- providing a new signalling system

- provision of two new stations at Midleton and Carrigtwohill, including extensive car parking facilities (340 spaces and 180 spaces respectively), lifts and footbridges

- the replacement of a range of level crossings with bridges

- other infrastructure work including bridge, boundary and drainage works
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Unread 10-07-2009, 13:34   #11
PLUMB LOCO
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Maybe it's just the pessimist in me but I think the capacity being offered will be vastly in excess of traffic offering. A train from Midleton station (not exactly conveniently located) will land you at Glanmire Road in Cork (also not conveniently located), whereas the bus will bring you from Midleton Main Street to Parnell Place bus station much closer to the city centre and while the reopened line may generate some additional business for Dublin/Cork intercity services its value as a commuter line is dubious. The unmanned stations will soon succumb to vandalism and the whole project will become yet another white elephant. A full re-opening to Youghal could have been undertaken years ago, for a fraction of the price, and would have been a more worthwhile project altogether. I genuinely hope that I am proved utterly wrong!
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Unread 10-07-2009, 13:59   #12
comcor
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I'd say the bus service will be substantially scaled back once the railway opens.

Also, Parnell Place isn't that much closer to the city centre than the Horgan's Quay side of Kent Station - if only they'd open an entrance onto Horgan's Quay.

The price of commuter tickets is actually substantially cheaper on the train. The bus prices are €158.00 monthly and €1,896.00 annually.

I'd be interested to know how much a rail-bus weekly commuter ticket costs. On the Cobh line, it only adds about €5 per month to get a city bus add on, so hopefully it will be similar for Midleton.
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