Bicycle on Dublin-Rosslare train

blorg

Does anyone know 100% whether this is possible?

I know this wasn't possible in the past; there are threads from 2008 and 2006 saying it isn't and Dublin-Rosslare is not mentioned on Irish Rail's Bicycle Information page.

However the 2010 printed timetable has a bicycle logo beside the 10:25 on Sunday indicating "Limited Bicycle accommodation, check irishrail.ie/your_journey/bicycle_information.asp" (where of course it does not mention Rosslare!)

I called Connolly and the guy who answered asked me what size my bike was, strange question I thought (!) I said it was a normal adult bike, and he said I could take it.

I suspect they have the bike cupboards on this service now but I sort of just want confirmation from someone who has done it as I will be royally fecked if I turn up to the station and I can't take the bike. I know I will have to pay €8 for a bike ticket and can only buy this at the station.

Run_to_da_hills

You would want to enquire / book in advance. the 22,000's can only accomodate three bicycles in total if they are in 3 car formation.

blorg

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

You would want to enquire / book in advance. the 22,000's can only accomodate three bicycles in total if they are in 3 car formation.

I enquired on the phone with Connolly and the guy who answered said yes, I just wasn't 100% convinced AFAIK you can't book bikes in advance; it is whoever turns up for the train first (e.g. buying the ticket is not a reservation.)

steamengine

Oh dear !!! How times have changed - I remember bringing my 350cc motorbike to Cork in the late sixties. No problem at all, loads of room in the guard's van !!! Progress ??? :rolleyes:

Judgement Day

It's worse than that, if even the CEO (Dick Fearn) wishes to send an internal staff letter from Connolly to a station on the Rosslare line it either has to go by An Post or a private courier!!! CIE - Can Ireland Endure - not for any longer. :mad:

blorg

Cork still has a guard's van although they are smaller than the old-style ones, I doubt you would be allowed bring a motorbike

I'm asking here just as there is a mix of information and would like confirmation as to that yes it is possible and if possible any information on how it works (e.g. is it bike cupboards, I haven't used them before.)

steamengine

Judgement Day wrote: »

It's worse than that, if even the CEO (Dick Fearn) wishes to send an internal staff letter from Connolly to a station on the Rosslare line it either has to go by An Post or a private courier!!! CIE - Can Ireland Endure - not for any longer. :mad:

That rather begs the question - why so ???

Judgement Day

steamengine wrote: »

That rather begs the question - why so ???

No Fastrack/No Guards and the Checker isn't insured/programmed to deal with mail or anything apart from tickets. It is all part of a grand conspiracy by appalling management and unions who are determined to wreck the railways and get the lump. Two ends of the same problem. We need somebody to do like Ronald Reagan did with the US Air traffic controllers - i.e. sack the whole lot of and advertise for staff who think that they should do an honest days work in return for an honest days pay.

steamengine

Judgement Day wrote: »

No Fastrack/No Guards and the Checker isn't insured/programmed to deal with mail or anything apart from tickets. It is all part of a grand conspiracy by appalling management and unions who are determined to wreck the railways and get the lump. Two ends of the same problem. We need somebody to do like Ronald Reagan did with the US Air traffic controllers - i.e. sack the whole lot of and advertise for staff who think that they should do an honest days work in return for an honest days pay.

Kind of guessed the reason wouldn't be logical - thanks !!! It's hard to credit really that company mail, capable of being hand delivered by a company employee, can't be delivered for some inane reason !!! :eek:

Mec-a-nic

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

You would want to enquire / book in advance. the 22,000's can only accommodate three bicycles in total if they are in 3 car formation.

Is this the reason why:- bikes are parked in the carriage in a gap where seats were?

Run_to_da_hills

steamengine wrote: »

Oh dear !!! How times have changed - I remember bringing my 350cc motorbike to Cork in the late sixties. No problem at all, loads of room in the guard's van !!! Progress ??? :rolleyes:

I bought a parts bike in City Spares (150cc Villiers Francis Barnet) from Connolly to Sandycove on the pre Dart network. Had a battle getting past the station master who tried to refuse me butalready had it cleared by booking office
and was told it would be fine if there was no fuel in it.

Another time I took racer on the 7A bus from town when I got a puncture. I was able to remove both wheels and tuck it under the stairs.

kildarecommuter

Judgement Day wrote: »

No Fastrack/No Guards and the Checker isn't insured/programmed to deal with mail or anything apart from tickets. It is all part of a grand conspiracy by appalling management and unions who are determined to wreck the railways and get the lump. Two ends of the same problem. We need somebody to do like Ronald Reagan did with the US Air traffic controllers - i.e. sack the whole lot of and advertise for staff who think that they should do an honest days work in return for an honest days pay.

Surely management decided this not the unions. I doubt any of the Unions in Irish rail sat down and planned lets get rid of Fastrack, freight or bicycles !

Victor

Folks, can we stay on topic?

blorg wrote: »

Does anyone know 100% whether this is possible?

Short of a screw-up, yes it is possible.

On Dublin Connolly-Rosslare, only those services mark Intercity will be able to carry bikes, on a Sunday, that is the 1025, 1345 and 1830 ex-Connolly. I imagine all of these operate from Platform 5.

Your best bet is to get to the train as early as possible to get your bike in place before the rack is filled with luggage. The accommodation is one double rack and and one (theoretically two) in a cupboard. If its an expensive bike, I'd ask for it to be put in the cupboard and lock the wheel to the frame so it can't be wheeled away easily, just in case. The bike spaces are in the same carriage as the wheelchair space and it should have a wheelchair logo on the outside. It will be an end carriage.