29K still on Sligo and not even cleaned

[joey]

Was there ever a service ex Dublin on a Sunday between 0900 and 1305?
Given the 0900 is always a 29k it's a long time to wait until 1305 for the next, or either sit 4 hours on a bus departing at 1100

[berneyarms]

Originally Posted by joey

Was there ever a service ex Dublin on a Sunday between 0900 and 1305?
Given the 0900 is always a 29k it's a long time to wait until 1305 for the next, or either sit 4 hours on a bus departing at 1100

No, there has never been an 11:00 ex-Dublin on Sundays. I can't imagine demand would be that high.

Also, traditionally you would have (and still do have) an extra train already in Sligo from Friday night, that is used to operate one of the Sunday services from Sligo, (there being no 05:45 from Sligo on Saturdays).

If you had an 11:00 from Dublin on a Sunday you would have one train too many in Sligo.

The 8 piece 29K is always on the 09:00 from Dublin on Sunday mornings, as it is needed for the busiest train from Sligo - the 18:00 return.

[joey]

Move the 0900 to 1100 then

[berneyarms]

Originally Posted by joey

Move the 0900 to 1100 then

While that might suit you, I imagine that a first arrival at 2pm into Sligo would not be universally popular.

That is far too late.

It's not just you that the trains have to suit.

[James Howard]

The 09:00 is too early for the only morning train down from Dublin given that there is pretty much no public transport that will get you into Connolly for that time. I can't imagine there are too many takers for it at the moment.

An 11AM first departure would make a lot more sense particularly if you could use the 0745 and 10 AM bus departures on a return rail ticket. The CIE group could offer a much better service if it were possible to mix and match journeys between bus and rail even if it was at the more expensive cost of the train ticket. If it would make life easier, they could even limit it to off peak.

[Jamie2k9]

Sligo line has one of the best Sunday schedules on the network better than Belfast, Westport, Waterford etc.

The reason why there is no 11.00 is because there is no demand, the type of passengers traveling to Sligo on a Sunday are leisure and 13.00 is right to meet hotel check out times. You need to have an early departure ex Dublin and it won;t change.

Couple of the factors is the availability of units/drivers in Connolly for an 11.00 service, the majority of Sligo services are operated by Sligo based sets/drivers on Sundays.

When a service is added in most cases an corresponding service is required, perhaps there is scope to move the 09.05 to 10.05 but it really depends on numbers traveling on it currently.

[joey]

A later departure on a Sunday morning rather than the 0905 is bound to appeal to more commuters. The wait until 1pm makes that a busy train and late back to Sligo. Given the bus leaves 1100 from busaras and takes a full four hours a 1005 departure would be more appealing. And I reckon numbers would improve given the numbers on last Sunday's 0905 and it was a full 8 car 29k set. If the 1800 ex Sligo is so busy and the need is for an this size of train surely maximising it on the down run would make sense. it can pass at kilucan with the up 0900 from Sligo

[berneyarms]

Originally Posted by James Howard

The 09:00 is too early for the only morning train down from Dublin given that there is pretty much no public transport that will get you into Connolly for that time. I can't imagine there are too many takers for it at the moment.

An 11AM first departure would make a lot more sense particularly if you could use the 0745 and 10 AM bus departures on a return rail ticket. The CIE group could offer a much better service if it were possible to mix and match journeys between bus and rail even if it was at the more expensive cost of the train ticket. If it would make life easier, they could even limit it to off peak.

Well the first trains out of Heuston are all early on a Sunday.

08:00 to Galway and connection to Westport (next train 11:35 to Galway and 13:35 to Westport)

08:30 to Tralee, with connections to Limerick and Cork (next train 10:00)

09:10 to Waterford (next train 14:10)

Is there something special about the Sligo line that makes it any different from the Westport or Waterford lines? People will get to the station if they want to use the train.

It's not just people travelling from Connolly, though. What about people making intermediate trips?

Changing the 09:05 service really would be a retrograde step.

[James Howard]

Originally Posted by berneyarms

Is there something special about the Sligo line that makes it any different from the Westport or Waterford lines? People will get to the station if they want to use the train.

There is nothing special about the Sligo line except for me in that I live on it. I very occasionally take a Sunday morning train home after a Saturday night out and I'm lucky enough that I can take the Luas in as otherwise it would be a very expensive taxi ride into town.

It would be a lot better if all routes' first Sunday departures were aligned better with the first runs of the main bus routes into town - particularly when there is a gap of several hours to the next train. Whether that could be achieved by earlier running of the first bus or later running of the first train is not relevant to me. The present situation where the train leaves before the first bus into town is pretty typical of the poor integration of public transport in Ireland.

Most normal people don't want to take the train, they want to get somewhere and they will do so by whatever means is most convenient. Dublin Bus and Irish Rail could serve their customers better by allowing the two modes of transport to join up on a Sunday morning. As far as I can see, you can't even get a DART in to take the first Sligo departure.