Trains to start running on Cork to Midleton line next month

[CHANCE]

July date set for Cork to Midleton rail line
By Sean O’Riordan
TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2009
A NEW deadline of July 27 has been set for the long-awaited opening of the €75 million Cork-Midleton commuter rail service.

But senior Iarnród Éireann officials conceded the commencement date was, however, dependent on a green light from the Railway Safety Commission.

The commission is currently examining the track, signalling and stations along the route. Once it has given approval Iarnród Éireann will put trains on the line and start training its drivers on route familiarisation.

Fortunately, it now looks as though there is some light at the end of the tunnel in a long-running saga which at times descended into farce.

Just a few weeks ago Transport Minister Noel Dempsey came down to the new railway station in Midleton to announce the service’s timetable.

But he couldn’t provide people with the actual start-up date. The ministerial photo-session took place in a train at the station. But the train didn’t move, because it wasn’t certified to carry passengers.

On numerous occasions during the past few years both Mr Dempsey and his predecessor at the department, the late Seamus Brennan, have attended photoshoots along the track.

Iarnród Éireann prided itself in the connectivity of the service with the Dublin train. However, the ink wasn’t dry on the timetable when eagle-eyed TD David Stanton noticed a major mistake. The first train out of Midleton in the morning would arrive eight minutes after the Dublin-bound train had left Kent station. As Mr Stanton pointed out, that would be the train most people would have to get in order to be in the capital for an early business meeting. Red-faced Iarnród Éireann officials said they would try and address the situation.

Midleton Chamber of Commerce president Cillian O’Sullivan said his members had also been informed by Iarnród Éireann officials that the first commuter trains would start rolling during the week commencing July 27. "We met with people from Irish Rail last week and informed our members. We would like to see the railway line open as soon as possible," Mr O’Sullivan said.

Businesspeople in Midleton – which is regarded as one of the finest shopping towns in Munster – will be hoping to cash-in on the rail link by attracting customers from Cork city.

It will also make the town increasingly attractive for home buyers, as the train will also connect with Carrigtwohill, Glounthaune, and a large number of factories in Little Island.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, June 16, 2009

[quincytwo]

It will be interseting to see how many people actually use it and a fair test of how public transport can replace the use of private cars.

[SirCharles]

Bloody joke, this thing should have been in place 5 years ago.

[tmacie]

"Midleton – which is regarded as one of the finest shopping towns in Munster" . Wha???? Really????

[juanpablo]

It will be interseting to see how many people actually use it and a fair test of how public transport can replace the use of private cars.

I don't have figures to hand but using the example of the LUAS, a huge % of its users came from users of other modes of public transport. It will be interesting to see whether the Midleton line will cannibalise customers from the towns already frequent & decent bus service or whether it will succeed in taking people out of their cars.

Anyone from Midleton/Carrigtwohill planning to ditch their car for the train on a regular basis?

[quincytwo]

I don't have figures to hand but using the example of the LUAS, a huge % of its users came from users of other modes of public transport. It will be interesting to see whether the Midleton line will cannibalise customers from the towns already frequent & decent bus service or whether it will succeed in taking people out of their cars.

Anyone from Midleton/Carrigtwohill planning to ditch their car for the train on a regular basis?

Good point. if you are working in an industrial estate in Kilkbarry or on southside, no point in getting a train into the train ststion in Cork city and then walking into Merchants quay or Patrick St to get a bus to work.

[jd26]

Well, Kilbarry was supposed to get a station, but funding was withdrawn...

[quincytwo]

Well, Kilbarry was supposed to get a station, but funding was withdrawn...

Well I recognise lack of funding is a constraint, but if you will bear with me for referring to Boyle again, where was the recognition of the lack of funding or of the fact that were greater more achievable priorities when Boyle was promising a rail line between Ballincollig and Mahon two days before the recent election ?

Criticise me as much as you like for persisting with Boyle so much but this type of scurillious auction politics is as bad as anything FF have ever engaged in

[jd26]

I agree.

And as I said, I'm perfectly willing to criticise Green policy, particularly their failure to have any lines they won't cross when it comes to public transport.

A new station on an existing line is about the cheapest public transport investment you can get.

[quincytwo]

I took some trains trips in germany recently and people had no problems bringing bikes on trains there.

[o_2_b_a_rebel]

"Midleton – which is regarded as one of the finest shopping towns in Munster" . Wha???? Really????


Absolutly. Between Market Green and the town centre the place is booming. Great place to get eats too so that helps.

[How bad boy]

I took some trains trips in germany recently and people had no problems bringing bikes on trains there. Are they not allowed???

Oh FFS.
Having had a quick look at the CIE website, it's clear that they are not.

That's fucking ridiculous. A commuter train that can't accomodate bikes? Unless you've got high population densities or excellent connection services, it restricts who can use the train to a significant extent.

Christ on a bike (but not on a train)

[i_didnt_do_nawtin]

bikes on trains are fine but only at off-peak times. they take up a fair amount of standing space.

[How bad boy]

Depends on the type of train used.

[viagogo]

There is a new timetable at a stop at Carraigtwohill with some current services withdrawn. It says there is no bus going through Carraigtwohill from 15.50 through to 18.10 though I have been on buses between these times in the last few days. Am thinking that when the train starts they will withdraw some of the current bus services between Midleton and Cork so people will have to get the train.

[Solitaire]

"Midleton – which is regarded as one of the finest shopping towns in Munster" . Wha???? Really????
It is easily.

[3pointplay]

So when is it gonna open?

[MissRedSocks]

So when is it gonna open?

pointy???

[3pointplay]

pointy???

Was so quite on here last night that i said i would post in here for a craic.:D:D

[Lee Bushwacker]

It will be interseting to see how many people actually use it and a fair test of how public transport can replace the use of private cars.

:cool:
Apart from people who work there who'd want to go to Midleton anyway? :rolleyes:

[rubbish mouth breath]

infrastructure is basic..like eductation and health... awful pity so much cash was wasted over the last few years...batt o keefe took the biscuit down in passage a while back. posing for the cameras in a school that should have been built 10 years ago..

[hans aus dtschl]

I don't have figures to hand but using the example of the LUAS, a huge % of its users came from users of other modes of public transport. It will be interesting to see whether the Midleton line will cannibalise customers from the towns already frequent & decent bus service or whether it will succeed in taking people out of their cars.

Anyone from Midleton/Carrigtwohill planning to ditch their car for the train on a regular basis?

It WILL eat the bus service, naturally.

But thats not such a major issue. It might keep some of the younger people away from buying cars for a few more years than the bus would, and overall it'll increase public transport use over an extended time period. Ideal scenario obviously.

They need to start recognising bicycles as part of the system though. And they need to look into running this train service late at night: Midleton/Carrigtwohill have no late licenses: it'd be a goldmine. Difficult to police, but surely profitable.

[jd26]

They don't even manage to run the DART late at night. I'd have no hope for the Cork-Midleton line getting a late service.

[hans aus dtschl]

Yeah it's cos of the amount you have to pay, in manhours. I reckon it'd be worth a shot, as there's no late licenses in Carrig or Midleton

[jd26]

Another reason is that they use the hours that the tracks are closed at night to get a lot of small engineering jobs out of the way. But that shouldn't preclude running a late on a Friday and Saturday night. You'd still have 5 days a week to do that work.

[markinmanc]

It WILL eat the bus service, naturally.

But thats not such a major issue. It might keep some of the younger people away from buying cars for a few more years than the bus would, and overall it'll increase public transport use over an extended time period. Ideal scenario obviously.

They need to start recognising bicycles as part of the system though. And they need to look into running this train service late at night: Midleton/Carrigtwohill have no late licenses: it'd be a goldmine. Difficult to police, but surely profitable.

Aren't buses being cancelled when the train service starts? If people can't bring bikes on board there's little incentive to ditch the car.

Can you actually get a bus from the train station to the town centre? That and the bike thing shows a lack of joined up thinking.

[jd26]

Midleton train station is considerably closer to the town centre than Kent Station is to Cork City Cente; 6 or 7 minutes walk.

Now, if they wanted to do something easily useful, they could open up an entrance to Kent on the river side, like they've been talking about for 15 years. You could cut 5 minutes off the walk into town.

I don't know what they'll do with the buses. Most Midleton buses are going somewhere beyond (Whitegate, Ballycotton, Youghal). If they slash them, it'll obviously be bad for those other towns.

If we were in Germany, they'd run Youghal/Ballycotton/Whitegate-Midleton Train Station buses, where you can get through to Cork on the one ticket. They get to save costs and keep the service. As this is not Germany, we'll either see services reduced or losses racked up (at the moment, I think we all know what it will be...).

[Cliff Barnes]

Midleton train station is considerably closer to the town centre than Kent Station is to Cork City Cente; 6 or 7 minutes walk.

Now, if they wanted to do something easily useful, they could open up an entrance to Kent on the river side, like they've been talking about for 15 years. You could cut 5 minutes off the walk into town.

I don't know what they'll do with the buses. Most Midleton buses are going somewhere beyond (Whitegate, Ballycotton, Youghal). If they slash them, it'll obviously be bad for those other towns.

If we were in Germany, they'd run Youghal/Ballycotton/Whitegate-Midleton Train Station buses, where you can get through to Cork on the one ticket. They get to save costs and keep the service. As this is not Germany, we'll either see services reduced or losses racked up (at the moment, I think we all know what it will be...).


If this was Germany you would have an electrified line running 19 hours a day and proper ticketing with decent realistic timetable.

Any bets for as to when the drivers go on strike ?

[hans aus dtschl]

If this was Germany you would have an electrified line running 19 hours a day and proper ticketing with decent realistic timetable.

Any bets for as to when the drivers go on strike ?

I predict a strike within a month of the new service.

As for joining a bus service with the midleton railway, so you'd have a youghal-midleton bus, midleton-cork train, etc, here's the issue:


We've effectively got privatized bus and train services now. For all those bleating about the wonders of aircoach: this is the result. Our trains and busses compete for users. Bus Eireann will not feed their rail competitors, because they'll lose some revenue. They're already short money, because they are a private company in the eyes of the government. The upshot is that when they actually operate successfully, within budget, they get less money the next year. To encourage efficiency, obviously.

It's taken years for Bus Eireann to run a number 5 bus through Kent, and it's subsidised by the Irish Rail.

With Bus Eireann dropping their midleton services, maybe another feeder deal has been done, with Irish Rail subsidising them again, but realistically, I reckon they just cut their losses, as they were directed to cut staff, due to the €300m shortfall this year.

And I know I've harped on about it plenty times on here, but I don't understand why we're privatising public services like health and transport. If people were simply held accountable, we'd have efficiency, we don't need to privatize everything.

[markinmanc]

So commuters in Midleton and surrounding areas will ultimately be worse off?
The bus drivers will strike over job cuts, the train drivers will strike for wanting more more to do a new job (driving a train somewhere else), the bus to the station will be cut - and none of it will save money or improve transport.

The Irish way.

[Actin The Sham]

I think they should blow up Midleton. We don't want their spudgobbling muckers knuckledragging their way all over our fine city.

They are only Blaas with shoes.

[Jim Comic]

http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/long-awaited-rail-line-to-finally-open-this-month-96019.html

[Proinsias]

That's actually not too bad for a weekly ticket

[markinmanc]

That's actually not too bad for a weekly ticket

And rather shockingly, it looks and if they planned for future expansion. Looks like the end result isn't too bad after all.

Shame the station hasn't been opened up at the river side yet, but I guess you can't have everything.

In the next boom and bust cycle, maybe they'll extand it to the airport? ;)

[Beaty]

That's good news for house prices in Carrig and Middleton....

Well done, em, Iranroa.........nah. .

S

[farel']

Cul Ard are already selling for 50k more than similar houses elsewhere, due to the proximity to the rail line.

If the Kilbarry station had gone ahead I would have used the train, but there isn't much point me getting a train to kent station, and walking the 2 miles to work....

[Beaty]

Cul Ard are already selling for 50k more than similar houses elsewhere, due to the proximity to the rail line.

If the Kilbarry station had gone ahead I would have used the train, but there isn't much point me getting a train to kent station, and walking the 2 miles to work....

Would keep you fit hun ;-)

S

[farel']

Not in yesterdays rain....hun

[Rebelred]

finally open today.

[Cliff Barnes]

And rather shockingly, it looks and if they planned for future expansion. Looks like the end result isn't too bad after all.

Shame the station hasn't been opened up at the river side yet, but I guess you can't have everything.

In the next boom and bust cycle, maybe they'll extand it to the airport? ;)

A train or a tram to an Airport in Ireland ?

Are you mad ?

They will be selling pizza pie here next.

[quincytwo]

A train or a tram to an Airport in Ireland ?

Are you mad ?

They will be selling pizza pie here next.

There used to be a train track running up that direction, part of the way,was it the bandon line ? until gobshite polticians devided to close it.

[bosco]

There used to be a train track running up that direction, part of the way,was it the bandon line ? until gobshite polticians devided to close it.

The old Bandon line ran from the station (terminus) at Albert Rd, out the path of the current south link road, then along through Togher, north of Spur Hill and out over the Chetwynde viaduct on the Bandon road. You can see where the track ran in a good few places, like under a bridge on Forge Hill and a good stretch behind Eagle Valley.

It would be fantastic to see it redeveloped and put into use; imagine living in the back arse of nowhere like Bandon and being able to hop on the train into the city centre for your daily commute. Or tourists having an alternative to renting a car and skipping the city, instead being able to base themselves in the city and travel to wesht Cork by rail.

Alas, the rights of way were disposed of decades ago, and many parts of the original routing have been built on. That's not to say some creative engineering couldn't make redeveloping the route feasible, but unless some Cork-born Bill Gates type figure decides to donate the funds, it's a non starter.

I'd love to see the remaining portions of the old route cleared and developed into a walkway and cycle route from the Kinsale road roundabout to Eagle Valley, something like the Atlantic Pond - Mahon path. Shouldn't cost too much and would be a great amenity for the poor old neglected southsiders. That sounds sarky but it's not intentional.

[Cliff Barnes]

There used to be a train track running up that direction, part of the way,was it the bandon line ? until gobshite polticians devided to close it.

An entire network of trains to all points in Cork,A light rail system and a tram system for cork city existed over 80 years ago.

Oh and we are SO modern with the INTERNET.......

[jd26]

It used to run out of the City Centre where the South Link is now. At the Kinsale Rd roundabout, the line split in two, with one line going to Macroom and the other to Bandon.

The Macroom line had the South Ring Road built on top of it.

The Bandon line went up the hill a bit. The haltings site on Forge Hill is built on what was part of the alignment. Beyond that is remarkably preserved for an Irish rail alignment. It didn't quite go up to the Airport though. It runs roughly along what is now the southern boundary of the city, the only real exception being Lehenaghmore, which is south of the alignment. After that, it ran behind the back of Eagle Valley and the new cemetery and over the viaduct.

Unfortunately, beyond Waterfall, that alignment isn't so well preserved, with many farm buildings and a few private houses built on top of it.

The main problem with a line to the airport is getting it up the hill. While it certainly can be done (Zurich, Oslo and Lisbon all have railway lines on equally steep gradients), it jacks up the cost. An alternative could be to take an indirect route through somewhere like Grange, which would make the route longer, but keep the cost down. On the other hand, it may also allow any rail service to go through populated areas around Douglas, rather than serving the relatively unpopulated areas round the city dump.

[quincytwo]

The old Bandon line ran from the station (terminus) at Albert Rd, out the path of the current south link road, then along through Togher, north of Spur Hill and out over the Chetwynde viaduct on the Bandon road. You can see where the track ran in a good few places, like under a bridge on Forge Hill and a good stretch behind Eagle Valley.

It would be fantastic to see it redeveloped and put into use; imagine living in the back arse of nowhere like Bandon and being able to hop on the train into the city centre for your daily commute. Or tourists having an alternative to renting a car and skipping the city, instead being able to base themselves in the city and travel to wesht Cork by rail.

Alas, the rights of way were disposed of decades ago, and many parts of the original routing have been built on. That's not to say some creative engineering couldn't make redeveloping the route feasible, but unless some Cork-born Bill Gates type figure decides to donate the funds, it's a non starter.

I'd love to see the remaining portions of the old route cleared and developed into a walkway and cycle route from the Kinsale road roundabout to Eagle Valley, something like the Atlantic Pond - Mahon path. Shouldn't cost too much and would be a great amenity for the poor old neglected southsiders. That sounds sarky but it's not intentional.
It is overly romantic and impractical.
A train takes to from point B and unless you have some other transport to take you around, particularily in rural areas like west cork, you are stranded.
We have the ideal alternative to trains - it is the car.
We have an excellent road link to west cork from the city.
A few bottle necks need to be sorted out.
The cat has granted more freedom to ordinary people than any other mode of transport - Long may it live !

[Tube a Pringles]

It is overly romantic and impractical.
A train takes to from point B and unless you have some other transport to take you around, particularily in rural areas like west cork, you are stranded.
We have the ideal alternative to trains - it is the car.
We have an excellent road link to west cork from the city.
A few bottle necks need to be sorted out.
The cat has granted more freedom to ordinary people than any other mode of transport - Long may it live !

It would take a fucking huge cat to get myself and the family around the place....or are you thinking of He-Man's cat? That was just a cartoon man...!

[Cliff Barnes]

It would take a fucking huge cat to get myself and the family around the place....or are you thinking of He-Man's cat? That was just a cartoon man...!

If the man thinks that a cat can take myself,the missus and 2 young children = all their equipment which is about half of the ammount required for the D-day landings then I for one am willing to give this cat a chance as long as its claws are trimmed and dogs kept away.

[Beaty]

So what's the trip like??

*All aboard*

B

[babybliss]

It would take a fucking huge cat to get myself and the family around the place....or are you thinking of He-Man's cat? That was just a cartoon man...!

If the man thinks that a cat can take myself,the missus and 2 young children = all their equipment which is about half of the ammount required for the D-day landings then I for one am willing to give this cat a chance as long as its claws are trimmed and dogs kept away.

Lads, ye obviously have'nt seen this!! :D

http://curiosidadesnanet.fi les.wordpress.com/2009/01/cat-car.jpg

[Langer Dan]

I think they should blow up Midleton. We don't want their spudgobbling muckers knuckledragging their way all over our fine city.

They are only Blaas with shoes.

Meh, any man who thinks Soho is a fit eating establishment clearly has less culture than a yoplait.

[Minister for Plop Plops]

Meh, any man who thinks Soho is a fit eating establishment clearly has less culture than a yoplait.

what do you know about food ya twat? do you travel around corks restaurants and then come on here offering us all the benefit of your knowledge. only a gowl could come up with self impotant shite like that

[delzer]

The old Bandon line ran from the station (terminus) at Albert Rd, out the path of the current south link road, then along through Togher, north of Spur Hill and out over the Chetwynde viaduct on the Bandon road. You can see where the track ran in a good few places, like under a bridge on Forge Hill and a good stretch behind Eagle Valley.

It would be fantastic to see it redeveloped and put into use; imagine living in the back arse of nowhere like Bandon and being able to hop on the train into the city centre for your daily commute. Or tourists having an alternative to renting a car and skipping the city, instead being able to base themselves in the city and travel to wesht Cork by rail.

Alas, the rights of way were disposed of decades ago, and many parts of the original routing have been built on. That's not to say some creative engineering couldn't make redeveloping the route feasible, but unless some Cork-born Bill Gates type figure decides to donate the funds, it's a non starter.

I'd love to see the remaining portions of the old route cleared and developed into a walkway and cycle route from the Kinsale road roundabout to Eagle Valley, something like the Atlantic Pond - Mahon path. Shouldn't cost too much and would be a great amenity for the poor old neglected southsiders. That sounds sarky but it's not intentional.

mahon is on the southside!

[Actin The Sham]

Does anyone know if they are going to put a park and ride on any of the stations? Also, they should open stations at Tivoli and Dunkettle as well in order to encourage more people from Cork to use the service as a means of getting into the centre, rather than as a conduit for bringing more muckers into town to go shopping in Leaders and go drinking in Reardens.

[jd26]

There's supposed to be a station and P&R facility at Dunkettle.

Two problems though.

The first is that when Irish Rail applied for planning permission, the NRA objected because the land Irish Rail wanted to use as a car park, they wanted to use as a sliproad for the N8. You have to love the coordination between government bodies.

The other problem is that the government have no money anyway. Even Kilbarry, which has gone through the planning process can't get funding.

[shoegirl]

An entire network of trains to all points in Cork,A light rail system and a tram system for cork city existed over 80 years ago.

Oh and we are SO modern with the INTERNET.......

You are correct, there was an extensive tram system in the city that we often forget about.

[shoegirl]

Does anyone know if they are going to put a park and ride on any of the stations? Also, they should open stations at Tivoli and Dunkettle as well in order to encourage more people from Cork to use the service as a means of getting into the centre, rather than as a conduit for bringing more muckers into town to go shopping in Leaders and go drinking in Reardens.

That train won't be much use for drinking in Reardens. The last train home is about 11pm and besides its more than a 20 minute walk. They will stay in McDaids where they are!!