Reopen the railways

[Eamonnca1]

A lot to unpack in the All Ireland Rail Review. Some ambitious goals there, which is nice to see. Plenty of fodder for the "it will never happen" crowd but that's inevitable.

People have got to understand that a lot of these dormant routes remain untouched. Most of the tunnels, cuttings, embankments, viaducts, and even a lot of the bridges are still intact. A lot of the cost of building a railway is flattening the land, and this was already done for us over 150 years ago. Reopening lines like Portadown-Armagh and Portadown-Derry via Omagh are entirely achievable. It wasn't so long ago that there wasn't many miles of motorway in the south, now there's a whole network of them. Governments are well able to deliver big infrastructure projects when they put their minds to it.

Time to think big again, and this time do it for rail. There's not enough room in cities for cars and the days of building everything around them need to come to an end.

Yes of course we are. In the north alone we can point to such fantastic infrastructure projects such as Not the A5, Not the North South interconnector, Not the expansion of waste water treatment and Not Casement Park.
We are in such a strong position to deliver this. In reality we'd get more use out of the 35b if we just set fire to it.

By the time they complete all the archaeological digs, toad surveys and evacuation plans, trains will be obsolete again anyway.

There's an entire network of motorways radiating out from Dublin that wasn't there 30 years ago.

In the North there's the Broadway underpass where a surface-level roundabout used to be, the A1 at Newry which is looking more like a motorway in all but name compared to what was there in my day, the Dungiven bypass that was opened lately, and plenty more. There's always plenty of money for roads. Ever notice that?

[Eamonnca1]

There are 3  airports in the north , with a railway running  close to each.  City airport stop involves a  quarter mile walk and  along side a busy road.  The other 2 has no stop

If they can't   even  sort those 3 stops out,  how will a line to Derry from portadown (and other s) ever  get built?

The line by Derry airport is so close to the runway that trains have to wait when there's a plane coming in.

Sydenham rail halt used to be close to the terminal at the Harbour airport, but they moved the terminal without moving the station.

I remember being able to see the tails of the planes from the train on the Knockmore line.

Connecting the north's airports to the rail network is one of the simplest jobs.

[Eamonnca1]

This report does more harm than good. Instead of having a set of achievable goals and a clear plan for getting there, it is mainly a crayon exercise. There aren't enough trains on the lines that are there and they don't control the gurriers on them. For all the Green party propaganda they have done nothing to advance the likes of the Dublin metro, all they do to block roads and build half baked cycle paths.

Most of the closed routes are not intact, the land was sold off and built on etc and the pathways to the stations in the towns are long gone, there are even GAA grounds built on them.

Most of the routes remain untouched. The only thing built on the Portadown-Armagh line is a handful of farmer's sheds and some easily-moved businesses where the station used to be.

The Portadown-Derry route is mostly clear, even the tunnel into Dungannon is still there. There's a housing estate built on the line to the west of the old station site, but the old line to Cookstown is also mostly clear and could easily become part of a new alignment.

Getting these lines reopened is an entirely achievable goal.

[Eamonnca1]

Any chance of it coming through south derry. Magherafelt be ideal spot. Instead of having to drive to dungannon or ballymena, or just.... Driving as we do now

The old Derry Central line into Magherafelt doesn't seem to be on the list, but it wouldn't be impossible to open it in the longer term. The route is mostly clear apart from the approach to the old Magherafelt station that's largely built over. A new Magherafelt station would need to be in a new location, I think. But that's a bit far down the list of priorities for now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7SlH8Q_yR8

[trailer]

A lot to unpack in the All Ireland Rail Review. Some ambitious goals there, which is nice to see. Plenty of fodder for the "it will never happen" crowd but that's inevitable.

People have got to understand that a lot of these dormant routes remain untouched. Most of the tunnels, cuttings, embankments, viaducts, and even a lot of the bridges are still intact. A lot of the cost of building a railway is flattening the land, and this was already done for us over 150 years ago. Reopening lines like Portadown-Armagh and Portadown-Derry via Omagh are entirely achievable. It wasn't so long ago that there wasn't many miles of motorway in the south, now there's a whole network of them. Governments are well able to deliver big infrastructure projects when they put their minds to it.

Time to think big again, and this time do it for rail. There's not enough room in cities for cars and the days of building everything around them need to come to an end.

Yes of course we are. In the north alone we can point to such fantastic infrastructure projects such as Not the A5, Not the North South interconnector, Not the expansion of waste water treatment and Not Casement Park.
We are in such a strong position to deliver this. In reality we'd get more use out of the 35b if we just set fire to it.

By the time they complete all the archaeological digs, toad surveys and evacuation plans, trains will be obsolete again anyway.

There's an entire network of motorways radiating out from Dublin that wasn't there 30 years ago.

In the North there's the Broadway underpass where a surface-level roundabout used to be, the A1 at Newry which is looking more like a motorway in all but name compared to what was there in my day, the Dungiven bypass that was opened lately, and plenty more. There's always plenty of money for roads. Ever notice that?

Dungiven bypass - late and over budget... 30m over budget
Underpass at Broadway was part of a larger project to connect M2 and M3 at the end of the Westlink. Unfinished and the traffic jam merely moved up the road.

But granted yes they have built a few roads, over budget and late.

Above all though, we don't even have a functioning government to sign this off!!

[Tony Baloney]

Not before time but I'll probably have a old person travel pass by the time I'm on a train going through the likes of Cavan and Donegal.

You'll be dead and buried.

[Eamonnca1]

A lot to unpack in the All Ireland Rail Review. Some ambitious goals there, which is nice to see. Plenty of fodder for the "it will never happen" crowd but that's inevitable.

People have got to understand that a lot of these dormant routes remain untouched. Most of the tunnels, cuttings, embankments, viaducts, and even a lot of the bridges are still intact. A lot of the cost of building a railway is flattening the land, and this was already done for us over 150 years ago. Reopening lines like Portadown-Armagh and Portadown-Derry via Omagh are entirely achievable. It wasn't so long ago that there wasn't many miles of motorway in the south, now there's a whole network of them. Governments are well able to deliver big infrastructure projects when they put their minds to it.

Time to think big again, and this time do it for rail. There's not enough room in cities for cars and the days of building everything around them need to come to an end.

Yes of course we are. In the north alone we can point to such fantastic infrastructure projects such as Not the A5, Not the North South interconnector, Not the expansion of waste water treatment and Not Casement Park.
We are in such a strong position to deliver this. In reality we'd get more use out of the 35b if we just set fire to it.

By the time they complete all the archaeological digs, toad surveys and evacuation plans, trains will be obsolete again anyway.

There's an entire network of motorways radiating out from Dublin that wasn't there 30 years ago.

In the North there's the Broadway underpass where a surface-level roundabout used to be, the A1 at Newry which is looking more like a motorway in all but name compared to what was there in my day, the Dungiven bypass that was opened lately, and plenty more. There's always plenty of money for roads. Ever notice that?

Dungiven bypass - late and over budget... 30m over budget
Underpass at Broadway was part of a larger project to connect M2 and M3 at the end of the Westlink. Unfinished and the traffic jam merely moved up the road.

But granted yes they have built a few roads, over budget and late.

Above all though, we don't even have a functioning government to sign this off!!

So? Big public works projects often go over budget and run late. They still built it, didn't they? You can drive on it now. Does it matter that it was late and over budget?

[AustinPowers]

Not before time but I'll probably have a old person travel pass by the time I'm on a train going through the likes of Cavan and Donegal.

The senior citizen  pass will  be no more , in a  few years

[Blowitupref]

You'll be dead and buried.

Maybe the same for my grandchildren not born yet also?

The senior citizen  pass will  be no more , in a  few years

Why is that?

[armaghniac]

Not before time but I'll probably have a old person travel pass by the time I'm on a train going through the likes of Cavan and Donegal.

You'll be dead and buried.

We'll all be gone and Mayo will have won the All Ireland in a close final with Antrim.

The senior citizen  pass will  be no more , in a  few years

Why is that?

All the old people will have died?

[AustinPowers]

They've been   trying to get rid of the free travel Pass  for years. It's only a matter  of time  before it goes

Same  with the free tv license . Those pensioners  are costing too much , so they are.

[armaghniac]

They've been   trying to get rid of the free travel Pass  for years. It's only a matter  of time  before it goes

Same  with the free tv license . Those pensioners  are costing too much , so they are.

The trend is to cut costs for public transport, not increase it. Pensioners often use service at off peak times when there is space.

[armaghniac]

A lot to unpack in the All Ireland Rail Review. Some ambitious goals there, which is nice to see. Plenty of fodder for the "it will never happen" crowd but that's inevitable.

People have got to understand that a lot of these dormant routes remain untouched. Most of the tunnels, cuttings, embankments, viaducts, and even a lot of the bridges are still intact. A lot of the cost of building a railway is flattening the land, and this was already done for us over 150 years ago. Reopening lines like Portadown-Armagh and Portadown-Derry via Omagh are entirely achievable. It wasn't so long ago that there wasn't many miles of motorway in the south, now there's a whole network of them. Governments are well able to deliver big infrastructure projects when they put their minds to it.

They'll be able to reopen the stop the Athletic Grounds in Armagh

[Tony Baloney]

Not before time but I'll probably have a old person travel pass by the time I'm on a train going through the likes of Cavan and Donegal.

You'll be dead and buried.

We'll all be gone and Mayo will have won the All Ireland in a close final with Antrim.

The senior citizen  pass will  be no more , in a  few years

Why is that?

All the old people will have died?

Mayo winning Sam is a bit far-fetched.

[Blowitupref]

They've been   trying to get rid of the free travel Pass  for years. It's only a matter  of time  before it goes

Same  with the free tv license . Those pensioners  are costing too much , so they are.

Upsetting pensioners is never the smartest idea for any government.