Dunboyne line times up on journey planner

[ThomasJ]

The times for the new Meath line are now up on journey planner.

Didn't get a chance to look at it in depth but will post later

[Mark Gleeson]

Not quite up, everything either starts or terminates at Clonsilla, no mention of Dunboyne yet

Every 30 minutes all day till after 7pm

[ThomasJ]

strange....

apart from the first few inbound or last few outbound on weekdays it would seem according to that timetable most dunboyne trains will operate non-stop between clonsilla and the city

[Mark Gleeson]

Another classic Irish Rail mess

For reference as is the standard Irish Rail practice stations have to be renamed before opening just to confuse you

Pace has become M3 Parkway (very UK there on the name)

The timetable is great until you realise trains never stop in Broombridge, off peak run non stop Clonsilla Docklands and the last train home is before 10pm and requires a change at Clonsilla

[ThomasJ]

not the greatest of timetables is it?......

last train outbound on saturday 19.20 and no connections to maynooth line services offered after that

last train outbound on sunday 18.10 and no connections to maynooth line services offered after that

last connection on weekday is to the 20.59hrs pearse maynooth

[ThomasJ]

new longford-maynooth-m3 parkway-dublin timetable for september 3rd onwards up on irish rail website

http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey...oth%2010-2.pdf

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Another classic Irish Rail mess

For reference as is the standard Irish Rail practice stations have to be renamed before opening just to confuse you

Pace has become M3 Parkway (very UK there on the name)

Seems it was to be called Pace

[Colm Moore]

I think "Pace M3" or "M3 Pace" would have beeb a better name.

There is Little Pace a few km away, but I don't think people would confuse them.

[brendan]

Originally Posted by ThomasJ

strange....

apart from the first few inbound or last few outbound on weekdays it would seem according to that timetable most dunboyne trains will operate non-stop between clonsilla and the city

I think the biggest mistake in this timetable is that the Saturday and Sunday don't stop at all stations. The gap between trains at the moment is 60 mins on Sundays and typically 45-60 minutes on Saturday. This was a great opportunity to double the weekend frequency to Connolly - but for whatever reason Coolmine to Drumcondra is bypassed

[finnyus]

FROM 3rd SEPTEMBER: Dunboyne (M3) Commuter rail timetable details by Corporate Communications

http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey...oth%2010-2.pdf

Timetable up.

[Alan French]

I wonder why they decided that most trains will run non-stop to Clonsilla. Perhaps they want to market a high-speed service. (They have been told off in other parts of the country for trains being too slow.)

Or perhaps, in striking the balance between speed and number of places served, they reckoned that it's easier to add stops later than to remove them. I think that on balance, more stops will be needed, even if not all stations by every train.

I wonder what the train movements will be like in Connolly at weekends. They typically have about 37 minutes layover, so each train will have to move out of the way before returning to its departure platform. If they use the lower line (via Newcomen Junction) they will have to use platform 7.

[Colm Moore]

Is M3 Parkway a geographical location?

http://www.dublinpeople.com/content/view/3458/57/

...

However, the renaming request was denied on the basis that Iarnród Éireann now restricts the naming of stations to their geographical location, a policy which was developed on the back of repeated requests to rename stations after celebrities and other well-known figures.

...

[ACustomer]

For once IE are on the ball with thier refusal to use anything other than geographical names for stations. Just think of Drumcondra.

[Colm Moore]

http://dublinobserver.com/2010/08/ne...medium=twitter

New station to remain closed on Dunboyne line

A fully complete railway station is to remain closed when services start next week because developers have yet to build an access road.

Rail Users Ireland said it was unacceptable that Hansfield Station in Dublin 15 will not open when train services to Dunboyne start next Friday.

“It is unacceptable, many of the residents of Hansfield bought there homes based on the promise of a railway station and a direct service to Dublin. There needs to be clarity as to what is going on and as to whether Irish Rail or Fingal County Council will step in to build the road,” said Mark Gleeson of Rail Users Ireland.

The unfinished access route

A banner still lines the boundary of Barnwell Hansfield saying: “Looks what’s coming Summer 2010 … Hansfield’s very own Train Station,” with the text “choo… choo… choose Barnwell Hansfield.”

Irish Rail said that the station is “fully complete”, but the rail company said it has yet to be given a timescale for the completion of the access road.

“As the developer has not built the access road, the line will open with Dunboyne and M3 Parkway Stations operational, and Hansfield will open when the developer completes the road,” said Irish Rail spokesman Barry Kenny.

He said the line will be officially opened this Thursday, September 2, with the full schedule commencing on Friday, September 3.

Kenny added: “As the development and access road works have stalled, we do not currently have a timescale from the developer for when this will be delivered. However, we are working with Fingal County Council to ensure that the developer honours their contractual obligation to build the road.”

Fingal County Council said it was in ongoing discussion with Irish Rail to work towards the opening of Hansfield Station.

“It is the responsibility of the developer to ensure that the access road for Hansfield Station is completed satisfactorily, and you would need to speak directly to Menolly Homes and Irish Rail on this matter,” said Ann Murphy, assistant communications officer at Fingal County Council.

Irish Rail confirmed that Menolly Homes and Manor Park Homes are responsible for building the access road. However, the developers have not replied to emails requesting comment.

The “fully complete” Hansfield Station surrounded by fields and a construction sites

Commuter rail services on the 7.5km railway line which has cost €160 million will also serve Dunboyne and a park-and-ride station M3 Parkway near Pace, both in Co Meath. It is the phase one of project to restore a rail link from Dublin to Navan, Co Meath. No bus services to M3 Parkway have being announced.

The timetable for the new rail line was released this week (PDF), with a note that “Hansfield opening date will be advised at a later date.” Train times can also be viewed using Irish Rail’s online timetable by entering dates on and after next Friday.

Trains will run from M3 Parkway, stop at Dunboyne, pass Hansfield until it opens, stop at the current Clonsilla Station. At weekdays trains will run express from Clonsilla to the Docklands Station in Dublin. Only trains on Saturday and Sunday will go to Connolly Station.

Commuters wanting to get to Pearse, Tara Street, Connolly, Drumcondra, Broombridge, Ashtown, Castleknock, Coolmine, Maynooth, or Leixlip stations should switch trains at Clonsilla.

The Docklands Station is around 500m to Luas Red Line stops, just under 900m to the nearest Dublin Bikes station on Custom House Quay and 1km to Connolly Station.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/news.asp?action=view&news_id=880

FROM 3rd SEPTEMBER: Dunboyne (M3) Commuter rail timetable details by Corporate Communications

Iarnród Éireann has confirmed the new Dunboyne (M3) to Dublin commuter rail service timetable details, which will commence on Friday 3rd September.

Please search the journey planner on www.irishrail.ie or download the pdf here. http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/printed_timetable_pdfs/2010/Dublin%20Maynooth%2010-2.pdf

The new line will branch off the Maynooth line at Clonsilla and serve Dunboyne and M3 Parkway Station, a major park and ride station at the interchange with the M3 north of Dunboyne.

Service pattern upon opening will be at half hourly intervals, and the infrastructure will allow for greater frequency as demand increases.

Journey time from Dunboyne to Dublin will be as little as 27 minutes at peak, with a 31 minute journey time from M3 Parkway Station to Dublin.

The service will be operated by Commuter trains, and services will run to and from Docklands Station on weekdays, and Connolly Station at weekends. Docklands Station provides easy access to the entire Docklands area, including the southside via the Samuel Beckett Bridge, and also allows for easy connections with Route 151 on Dublin Bus and Luas Red Line services.

The new M3 Parkway station will feature a 1,200 space car park, the largest park and ride facility in the country. There will be 300 car park spaces at Dunboyne Station.

A third new station will be provided at Hansfield, a developer led station, providing infrastructure for the Hansfield strategic development zone (SDZ). This station will be subsequently opened when a new link road to allow access to the station is completed by the developer.

The Clonsilla to Navan line was closed in 1963. Dunboyne has not been served by rail since 1947 when the station closed.

[ThomasJ]

timetable booklets available from connolly

[chris]

No bus services to M3 Parkway have being announced.

This is pretty prescient. Surely there is a market for connecting buses from Navan, enabling passengers to bypass the tolls.

Heaven forbid, you could even sell through tickets.

Or did they not build anywhere for buses to stop in the car park?..

[Mark Gleeson]

Bus Eireann still haven't got back to us despite two requests

There are several bus bays provided for at Pace/M3

[chris]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Bus Eireann still haven't got back to us despite two requests

There are several bus bays provided for at Pace/M3

Thanks. If BE don't do anything, I hope a private operator does.