International travel log - Dublin to Melksham via Rosslare and Fishguard

[whole diary]

[grahame]

International Travel has been dumbed down and priced up. As a public transport land traveller, I feel that I'm third fiddle to passengers with their private cars and to freight, with facilities reduced to the discomfort of those of us who travel in this - perhaps the most sustainable of ways, and what should be the way of the future to encourage greener, friendlier travel.

Chapter 1 - leaving Ireland via Rosslare

I'm headed back to Melksham in England from Ireland today. Past form would have been an early train from Dublin, pulling in at Rosslare Harbour station and then walking up and through security (which I appreciate has had to increase over the years) to join the 9 O'clock ferry.  Similar transfer at Fishguard Harbour into the London train taking me directly back to Wiltshire.  But don't think that things will have been maintained or better these days.

The first train doesn't even leave Dublin until 09:33 and that gets to Rosslare long after the morning ferries have left.  So it's an afternoon train to a B&B in Rosslare Harbour.  But don't leave it until the last train from Dublin at 18:35 as these days that peters out at the stop before Rosslare  - you need to catch the 17:33 from Connelly which dawdled down to Greystones behind the DART stopper, runs leisurely along the open quayside at Wexford and eventually pulls into Rosslare Europort at 20:42 or there abouts.

So that's "Rosslare Europort" and not "Rosslare Harbour". The station at the harbour is gone - its trackbed making way for more lorry parking, and the train pulls up to a platform on the very edge of the facility. Ah well - a short walk to the terminal?  Actually not - the station is in high security fences and passengers walk between spiked fences taking them south when the can see the ships to the east, dumping them out in a car park (of course!) outside the complex, with a zebra crossing then taking them over a roundabout on the main drag into the port (mind those heavy lorries thundering by!) away from, rather than towards the ships.  The occasional sign directing pedestrians to the terminal helps re-assure you that you are not completely wrong.

I'm going to take a break on this walk - for I have arrived in Rosslare after the last ship of the day has sailed.  A set of steps up the hill leads me to the Coastguard lookout, and behind it my pre-booked B&B in the village.  Well - I use the term "B&B" colloquially - "we don't do breakfast", and the shop and takeaway are closed because it's out of season.  At least in the evening I can walk on further and buy myself some supplies at the petrol station on the main road, or if I've arrived (as I confess I did) a train or two earlier, eat at one of the hotels on the main road.  But I digress.

Up at the crack of dawn for the 07:30 ferry - that's 06:30 checkin recommended, 06:00 from the B-minus-B to walk down the steps (if I can find them in the dark), around another quadrant outside the port, and across the car park to the terminal building. Checked in at the Stena desk - quick and easy. "Do I go upstairs to board?" I ask. "Oh no - we don't do that any longer. We take you on by bus now".  And the crowd grows.   It looks like school parties, off to Wales (or England?) for a half term trip.

Time tics by.  07:00; getting a bit tight for loading if we're to get away on time. 07:20 and I approach the desk - "Have I missed the call - are these people for the Irish Ferries boat?".  "Oh no - they're all ours.  I'll make sure you don't miss the call".  Eventually went outside at 07:30, queueing for half an hour for the single bus (and a relief minibus) and on board at perhaps 10 past 8. These transfer buses are never pleasant - everyone has so much baggage although there *is* still a checking facility.  And then that "do I queue for the lift or trek up 5 flights of stairs to the passenger area?

Delighted to settle in the restaurant area, and to find "Internet at Sea" is available and free, and it's 08:30 we pull out.  Only at that stage do we have our first announcement telling us that we're late because the ship arrived in late after a rough crossing.  Yeah, well - it would have been nice to know what's being going on and about the delay while waiting the last two hours - but then we're just foot passengers and so why should anyone care?  We're now back amongst the VIPs (car passengers and freight drivers) so we can share warmth, comfort, and be kept properly informed.

Chapter 2 - Some notes on the Rosslare transfer

* Train to ship connections ... are physically challenging these days, no matter what time of day it is.  Perhaps there's not a current need for a high volume system like they've had in the past, but why not use one of the transfer buses to meet each train and take people to the terminal, and vice versa (say) 15 or 20 minutes before the train's due to leave?

* Schedules.  The trains are very thin - just 4 a day during the week and 3 at the weekend - and are timed to suit passengers from the South East of Ireland into and out of Dublin.  Any convenience and connection with ships seems co-incidental.  The first 20kms from Dublin takes no less than an hour; only 2 intermediate stops from the city to Greystones, but the local "stopper" train takes priority, with routine (and timetabled) signal checks all the way.

* Information systems. In the trains and on the ship, good.  On Irish rail stations and in the terminal - awful.  The reliability posters about the last 4 weeks of trains showing 100% of long distance stuff ran are re-assuring but no clue as to whether a train is on time or late, or even where the next train is going; Dublin itself a different topic, but on the way down the coast I broke my journey at Dún Laoghaire, Wexford and Enniscorthy and at none of those was there any "next train" indication, nor any indication of whether it would be along on time. Timetables "valid from 2018" were on display and within a few minutes they were correct

* Sharing transfer buses.  The Stena boat was supposed to leave at 07:30, the Irish Ferries one an hour or so later.  Why oh why did we all have to queue for the Stena transfer bus onto the ship when another vehicle painted in Irish Ferries colour sat, door open and waiting for its customers an hour later on the next bus stop.  How about a bit of mutual co-operation for the passenger?

* Carbon friendly - ha, ha.  150 metres (if that) as the seagull flies from the queue outside the terminal to the staircase up from deck 3 to deck 7 on the ship.  Around 700 metres on the diesel bus and perhaps 5 or 6 round trips - when a gate could have been opened to let the able bodied simply walk across!

Chapter 3 - Arrival into Wales and on to England

An hour late into Fishguard and there, too, the passenger walkway into the terminal is out of use - the moveable span linking the ship to shore is gone, but the ramps and all the rest of the infrastructure remain as a historic memento.

The dreaded "will all vehicle owners go to their vehicles.  Foot passengers remain in the passenger accommodation" announcement. But better than elsewhere; rather than waiting until the last vehicle driven by VIPs (people in private cars and trucks) had left, we were lead down to buses after only a few minutes.  Further, the school party/ies, who were going on by coach (it turned out) were dealt with separately.  Getting down to the car deck, some three coaches were waiting and no queues.  Quick loading and we reversed off the vessel and (still in reverse) into the terminal.  I really dislike the dumbing down of loading onto ships to a bus transfer to and from the bowels of the ship, but Fishguard has done it better than any others I have seen.

There's a new customs area at Fishguard - thank you, Brexit - but a lack of staff or interest. And immigration facilities. Just a single official on duty, watching people as they passed through but nothing more into the waiting hall in the terminal - quayside to the right, rail track to the left.  The restaurant, revamped in recent years (lead up to Covid?) was closed and looks like it's not operational now. But at least plenty of warm, dry seating and a display screen telling us that the train to Cardiff will be on time.  Although the ship was an hour late, no worries as the schedule allows an hour and 50 minutes from the ship docking to the train leaving at 12:50 - a good job because the next train from Fishguard isn't until 19:08 (that's right - over six hours later!)

The train pulled in pretty well on time at 12:30 bringing people headed for Rosslare, and returning people joined.  A consist of 2 x 153, and my first opportunity to travel on the DDA^» (Disability Discrimination Act - about) compliant units with Transport for Wales.  153362 as a disabled loo to make it compliant, and 153914 has been made compliant by taking out the none-DDA loo and replacing it with a luggage area.   The consist worked well - luggage area stuffed and between the two carriages there was just enough seating.  The engines roared and the speed was not great up as we climbed from Fishguard; 153s always felt underpowered, so no big surprise.

A very pleasant, comfortable seat, well ventilated change.  I made the mistake, if you like, of choosing a table seat / bay of 4 and was joined by a mother and her two young (kindergarten aged?) children sitting opposite us.  And I was kicked in the knees all the way from Fishguard to Bridgend, where I "bailed". Really very good kids otherwise, and the seats are designed for adults.  The train was bury all the way, even fuller from Port Talbot Parkway which we left 5 minutes early (!!) only to sit at Pyle when I suspect the driver or train manager had realised they were ahead of time.  My drop back at Bridgend was because Real Time Trains had shown me that the London express - running late - was just behind us, and that allowed me to make a same-platform change to a train timetabled ahead of the one I was supposed to catch onwards from Cardiff.

And so - Bridgend to Swindon on a 10 car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train).   Busy for a mid-afternoon train, but far quieter per carriage than the train from Fishguard.  Seeing crowds on the platform at Bridgend, I walked to the back and joined the rear set there - how full the front as, I can only guess. And so to Swindon, where an arrival late but ahead of my originally planned train let me connect down to Chippenham arriving there at about ten past five.

 With an invite to an informal party for one of the Town Hall team at The Bear as I arrived home, I took the last bus if the day from Chippenham Town Centre to the stop in Melksham right opposite The Bear.  At Chippenham, the barrier refused my SailRail ticket (which I had collected from the machine at that very station on Sunday!).  And after a wait for the bus for half an hour, I noticed as we pulled out that the next train was just pulling in.  "Designed to fail to connect" is perhaps my final memory of the trip.  And thank goodness these days for my laptop so I can be doing things during those waits!

Chapter 4 - Concluding the trip from Dublin

Passenger numbers travelling overland by public transport between homes in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) to place in Ireland are pathetic. Which is really sad because it's such a green and logical way to go.  But it can be characterised as a disjoint, unmarketed and somewhat inconvenient way of travelling in its present form.

There are 147 railway stations in Ireland, and 2,576 in England, Wales and Scotland - giving 378,672 journey options.  But (for sure) my Melksham to Athlone and M3 Parkway to Chippenham are not in themselves major flows.

Infrequency of service can be accepted over longer journeys; lack of decent rail co-ordination to connect with the ferries cannot.  I can leave Dublin just after lunch and get the early evening ferry to Fishguard, but then the train only gets me as far as Carmarthen that night.  Or I can leave Dublin on the last train of the day to Rosslare at 17:33, spend the night there and be up at the crack of dawn for the 07:30 ferry.

In the opposite direction, from Melksham I can make Fishguard for the afternoon boat, but by the time that gets in to Rosslare the last train has left and I'm stuck until 06:30 or so the next morning.  Or I can leave Melksham later in the day, get the last train into Fishguard and get the boat in the early house - 3.5 hours and perhaps worth taking a cabin, but up early to get off and a reasonable train connection - assuming the ship is on time - to Dublin.

I rarely put on rosy tinted spectacles to campaign for a return to the past for the past's sake. But yet we can learn from the past.

Extend 5 carriages of a late GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) train to Fishguard to connect with the 23:45 ship to Rosslare - arrive there at (say) 22:30.  Set off back at midnight (the ship has got in at 22:15) and that becomes the first London train of the day off Swansea.

Extend 5 carriages off a morning London to Swansea train through to Fishguard - current timing of the arrival and departures from Fishguard are about right, but it will save a change for people, add capacity that was creaking at the seams yesterday, and provide decent long distance facilities for long distance passenger - not rural local branch "dogboxes".

Return one of the trains which overnights in Rosslare up to Dublin.  At 19:45 from Rosslare, that would have you in Dublin by 22:45. Then run it south again at 04:15 - yes, early I know - to be in Rosslare by 07:00. That's five hours ahead of the current first train of the day (09:33 from Dublin!) and must, surely, help local traffic too.

And while we look at these opportunities ... the distance from Pembroke Dock Ferry Terminal to Pembroke Dock Railway Station is only about 1km, which is less that the distance you're taken on the bus at Holyhead from the train to the ship - are there SaiRail opportunities there too, especially now that the ships don't arrive and leave Rosslare within a few minutes of each other.

[grahame]

Rosslare Europort - railway station on the left, passenger terminal ahead, ships ahead left, steps in the foreground up to the hotels and B&no-Bs and walk around the outside to the right when you're transferring between ship and train


Queuing for the Stena bus to take pesky foot passengers out to the ship


The trains to Dublin are slow - would you believe they pass through the streets of Wexford at walking page. At least there is no longer a man walking with a red flag in front of them!


Bus interchange at Chippenham.  The last bus to Melksham left just as the train from Swindon pulled in - thank goodness I had been there 30 minutes early!


The train for Rosslare pulls into Enniscorthy - without any indication of the time it goes / whether it's on time at the station. There were several rail staff around, but hidden in the back, with one removing red flags from the rail line to re-open it for the train!


The Dart, on which I started my journey from Dublin, arrives in Connelly


Fishguard Harbour - the incoming train


Class 153 with virtually every seat taken from Fishgaurd.  Fine for a local line (and they do have power points and WiFi these days) but is this really appropriate for a journey of some 2 hours to Cardiff?


Breakfast on the ferry - fine, but a LONG queue for service with lots of passengers and just one coffee machine in action (just half the counter operating) and with two staff more duplicating and passing task back and forth in series than working in parallel.


There is some lovely coastline to see from the train from Dublin - for example the cliff section between Bray and Greystones.

[grahame]

Waiting in the terminal and not knowing why we were late boarding - and far more people than seats!


A longer train (thank goodness!) arrives at Bridgend.  Far better to make a same-platform change there than to try and connect via the subway at Cardiff Cental


Ships to the left, train to the right - the passenger terminal at Fishguard that could take far more passengers!


The NOT welcoming walkway at Rosslare.


The luxury of being able to walk between the terminal and ship at both Rosslare and Fishguard has gone.  Instead, you are stuffed onto buses ...


Almost Home - Swindon


"Can we all fit on here?" - a crowded platform for an already-filled 2 car train to Cardiff.  I bet the international traffic loved the squeeze!


Approaching Fishguard Harbour - the passenger walkway has gone leaving just the ramps to no-where and buses from the car deck to get passenger off and on.


Rosslare Harbour may be proud of its past - it should be ashamed of its foot passenger facilities in the present


Wexford, Enniscorthy and Rosslare; three more picture shared without further comment to round off my journey

[Worcester_Passenger]

I would echo most of your comments.  I did the (daytime) Fishguard - Rosslare crossing as part of a return trip to a meeting in Dún Laoghaire, just before the start of lockdown in 2020. The following is lifted from my diary notes - square brackets are added comments:

On the way out, a local from Shrub Hill to Bristol Parkway. A coffee there, then an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) to Swansea. Another coffee there [that says something about "connections"]. And from Swansea to Fishguard it's a Pacer.

Check-in at Fishguard I've recorded as being "very casual". No X-rays. Instead two Stena employees search our bags, not very thoroughly. [It's not half-term, so there's only one minibus load of foot passengers.]

Ominously, the ferry sets off late. I ask "Guest Services" when we'll get in. Their best guess is 17:25 instead of 16:25.  The train north up the coast leaves at 17:30.

And when we get to Rosslare, we’re docked by 17:25 but it takes ages to clear enough of the vehicles to allow a van to come and collect the dozen or so foot passengers. This van has enormous problems with a buggy.  And then at Immigration, an Irish Customs officer opens the back and asks our nationalities. “Irish” and “British” being the only responses, he welcomes us to the Republic.

The van drives us round to the terminal, where it again takes ages for the luggage trolley to turn up.  A cup of tea in the terminal while I wait for Bus Eireann’s service 40. It departs at 19:00 to Waterford via Wexford. I get off at Wexford for the 20:30 Expressway coach to Dublin.  There’s nowhere to eat in Wexford.

In Dublin, the driver drops me on Stillorgan Road  at Mount Merrion Avenue. A taxi stops almost immediately.  The hotel rings me up ["where are you?"] while I’m in the taxi.  I finally arrive about 22:45, some 2½ hours late.  And Room Service has finished.

On the way back, I spent the night in Rosslare. Later, I found that a better plan would have been to have caught the 13:58 train south from Dún Laoghaire to Rosslare, arriving at 16:32 in time for the Stena sailing at 18:10, into Fishguard at 21:25. There, there is a train connection (depart 22:13), but it only goes as far as Swansea (arrive 00:06) [now only as far as Carmarthen].  The serious alternative would be to spend the night at the Fishguard Bay Hotel, next to the Harbour station.  Tempted to go back to the Fishguard Bay Hotel [at one time, the other hotel operated by the Great Western Railway].

[Anyway, I actually did the 16:58 departure.] It’s a four-car outer-suburban dmu, of the class 29000, and it’s full. It’s only after Wicklow that I get a seat. But there is an unexpected trolley. It’s very empty after Wexford.

The exit at Rosslare is claustrophobic [agree completely!] – between high security fences and then across the tracks.  There’s a very steep [scary] set of steps up to the village and the Hotel Rosslare.

The latter is a modern building.  The ground floor mostly a bar.  I have fish and chips and a pint of Guinness.  The bedroom is OK, albeit very functional.  A fine view of the lorry check-in down at the bottom of the steps.

In the morning, woken by the alarm at 06:15, and out of the hotel, without breakfast, just before 07:00.

A long walk to the terminal, this time using a [safer] sloped path rather than the steep steps.

At the terminal, we find my booking without recourse to the reference number.  I’m given a hand-written international rail ticket.

Another van takes us onto the ferry.  Our luggage travels on the ferry in its own little van.

We set off about 15 early. A very welcome bacon sandwich. A copy of the Irish Times. More sleep.

At Fishguard we’re allowed to walk off the ferry via a side access. Into the terminal about 11:20. No Special Branch.  The Harbour Café is closed, but it’s warmer than the terminal space. [That looks as if it has been seriously improved since 2020.]

Another Pacer turns up as the 12:30 arrival and 12:43 departure, this time to Cardiff.

We arrive in platform 0 at Cardiff at 15:09 and have to descend the dreadful stairs to the concourse.  Then a 175 to Hereford, depart 15:23, on its way to Holyhead.  A 170 at Hereford, into Foregate Street at 17:22.

Even later, I look up the same in the 1908 Bradshaw. The daytime boat was much later out of Rosslare at 12:20, on account of trains from Dublin and Cork. The "Irish Boat Express" left Fishguard Harbour at 16:00 (with a Dining Car), stopped once, at Landore (outside Swansea) and got to Cardiff at 18:40. There, there’s a good connection into a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) "Birmingham Express" that leaves at 19:05, runs via Hereford (and Kidderminster), and gets to Foregate Street at 21:16. That’s 5:16 from Fishguard to Worcester, by comparison with 4:39 nowadays, for 201.9 miles.

[froome]

About 40 years ago I used to travel to Ireland quite a lot - probably every other year to visit friends or just explore the country. I always went by ferry, usually from Fishguard, and it was very simple, just make your own way on and off at both ends and set off straight away with minimal fuss.

The first time I made that journey was when I was a student (50 years ago now) and decided to go to Ireland (for the first time) in January with a tent. I arrived in Fishguard in the evening in a howling gale and pouring rain, and was told by the staff at the port that it was gale force 11 in the Irish Sea so the ship wouldn't be able to travel that night, but we (there were about 2 or 3 other passengers also waiting) would be welcome to spend the night on the ship. So we did, and I was given a berth, lay down to sleep, only to be woken a little while later by the ship rocking all over the place. Presumably it had calmed down enough to allow it to set off, but the gale was still blowing a hooly on the Irish Sea. It eventually arrived in Rosslare in the early morning gloom to a landscape of flooded fields.

The last time I went to Ireland was about 15 years ago, on a quick trip to Dublin from Holyhead, when all the problems described by Graham were manifest for a foot passenger, and the sight of Dublin itself was a shock - huge new development which abruptly stopped where the money had run out, and dereliction.

I would still like to travel to Ireland again one of these days, and travel by ferry, but I suspect if I did, I would choose to travel to Northern Ireland from Stranraer and travel south from there, as I think that is still a relatively simple crossing compared to those to the Irish Republic. But no doubt Brexit has changed all that, so I would expect to be disappointed. 

[Worcester_Passenger]

I would still like to travel to Ireland again one of these days, and travel by ferry, but I suspect if I did, I would choose to travel to Northern Ireland from Stranraer and travel south from there, as I think that is still a relatively simple crossing compared to those to the Irish Republic. But no doubt Brexit has changed all that, so I would expect to be disappointed. 

Alas no, not a simple crossing any more. Both ferry operators have moved from Stranraer to Cairnryan (about five miles north). And if you want to use the train, there's a connecting coach from Ayr to Cairnryan.

There is an overnight crossing between Birkenhead and Belfast. But going to Birkenhead they get you up at an ungodly hour of the morning.

At one time there was a similar crossing between Dublin and Birkenhead.  On one occasion I was the only foot passenger, and in Dublin was driven on board in the little minibus.  Less good at the Birkenhead end, where they needed to clear the lorries before the minibus could come and collect me.

[Robin Summerhill]

There are many factors to talk about here, not all of which will necessarily be welcomed by my readership! 

It is certainly the case that facilities for Irish Sea passenger crossings and onward travel arrangements were more comprehensive and better  integrated than they are today, but there is a reason for that. And that reason is exactly the same as why we no longer have trains to Shepton Mallet or Dulverton or Brecon; they became unviable because there were not enough bums on seats

Whether we like it or not, most of those who want to make the journey overland will use road transport, whilst the rest will main;y go by air. The remark in a post above about a crossing having a dozen or so foot passengers says it all. Ever since the private car came to prominence in the 1950s and 60s the figures have been moving the same way and, in reality, things are unlikely to go back to the old ways.

Changes to travelling habits will have to be made due to climate change, but there is an elephant in that room. The simple fact is that no politician advocating forcing people to change their behaviour by restricting the use of private transport or aviation, or wishing to ban it, is going to be re-elected so it just won’t happen.

I regret the passing of the era of foot passengers as much as anybody else on this forum, but applying practical thought tells me that this is the way it now is. Carbon neutral or carbon free road and air transport are going to be the ways that politicians will move forward.

Think about it – if electric planes can ever become technically or financially viable, routes across the Irish Sea or to European destinations will be prime contenders. Graham tells us above that he left Dublin mid-afternoon (Presumably Connelly depart 1333 or 1633) and, after an overnight stay in Rosslare, finally got to Chippenham (nearly home!) by 1710 the following day. If he had left Connelly at 1333 and gone north in a taxi to the airport, he could have been at BRS^▸ (Business Rates Supplement) by close to 1710 the same day and home shortly afterwards. Most ordinary travellers would think there was no contest here.

Having said all that, there is one way that the railways might be able to claw back some traffic although it would need investment in new equipment. The motorail concept has fallen from favour except with Eurotunnel, and this could be introduced for services going to passenger ports. There are plenty of places on the network where the railway still owns enough land to build loading and unloading platforms, the precise location of which need not necessarily be adjacent to existing railway stations. On-board electric charge points could be provided, as could catering facilities. These would of course need to be sensibly priced, because if not travellers could simply drive themselves all the way. Whether such an idea could ever get off the ground is a matter for others to decide, and I won't be asking for any royalties 

[grahame]

There are many factors to talk about here, not all of which will necessarily be welcomed by my readership! 

You are so right on many of the factors, Robin - and whilst they may not be welcomed, they must be acknowledged and dealt with as appropriate.  There is no way a product with a capacity and running expense for 300 foot passengers per crossing is justified for less than 30.

The irony of the journey from Rosslare on Friday morning is that there WERE around 300 foot passenger to be loaded by a bus that looked like it was on its final contract before being written off ... at the Fishguard end, 3 coaches to pick up the school(s) party - say 50 seats each, a local coach from Fishguard taking another 30 or so, and 120 occupying virtually every seat on the 2 x 153 trains.

Whether we like it or not, most of those who want to make the journey overland will use road transport, whilst the rest will main;y go by air. The remark in a post above about a crossing having a dozen or so foot passengers says it all. Ever since the private car came to prominence in the 1950s and 60s the figures have been moving the same way and, in reality, things are unlikely to go back to the old ways.

Indeed - they are unlikely to go back to the old ways. But yet the same can be said for the railways as a whole postCovid and you'll note that where business traffic has been lost, leisure traffic has been gained.  There is incredible beauty and interest on the journey from Briton Ferry via the Swansea District line to Fishguard, and from Rosslare to Dublin.  But it's a tourism and leisure opportunity that is marred by the lack of connectivity and facilities at Rosslare especially, and by the total lack of information / promotion which I suppose is understandable because of the awfulness at Rosslare.   The £49.30 fare from my home station to Ireland is good but, my goodness, finding and booking it is not easy!

Changes to travelling habits will have to be made due to climate change, but there is an elephant in that room. ....

Yes, hence we are looking at a modern market with (for example) the trains at both ends also doubling up as the regional trains into Dublin and London; speed is not of the essence - what point in shaving 10 or even 30 minutes off the train when you have considerable port time, and a traffic that's not uncomfortable with the leisurely journey.

Graham tells us above that he left Dublin mid-afternoon (Presumably Connelly depart 1333 or 1633) and, after an overnight stay in Rosslare, finally got to Chippenham (nearly home!) by 1710 the following day. If he had left Connelly at 1333 and gone north in a taxi to the airport, he could have been at BRS^▸ (Business Rates Supplement) by close to 1710 the same day and home shortly afterwards. Most ordinary travellers would think there was no contest here.

Actually, Robin, he did not tell you that.  He says he arrived on one of the trains you mentioned at Rosslare, but the actually left Connelly at 09:28 and changed at Dun Laoraige, Wexford and Enniscorthy in that order to arrive in Rosslare Europort station on the train that had left Dublin at 13:33.   You may say I'm not ordinary (!) but it gave me a chance to take a very brief look at the old port for Holyhead, and to have a couple of hours in Wexford and Enniscorthy to see and learn a bit about them.   This is the leisure and tourism aspect that you get when you don't fly.

Having said all that, there is one way that the railways might be able to claw back some traffic although it would need investment in new equipment. The motorail concept has fallen from favour except with Eurotunnel, and this could be introduced for services going to passenger ports. There are plenty of places on the network where the railway still owns enough land to build loading and unloading platforms, the precise location of which need not necessarily be adjacent to existing railway stations. On-board electric charge points could be provided, as could catering facilities. These would of course need to be sensibly priced, because if not travellers could simply drive themselves all the way. Whether such an idea could ever get off the ground is a matter for others to decide, and I won't be asking for any royalties 

That is an interesting thought! Looking forward, like perhaps I have done in a different way, to new traffic.  A few of the sort-outs I have already suggested (and that's not a return of the expensive walkways), decent information and promotion and easy booking and a very great deal could be done.

Leave London on the 08:48 to Pembroke Dock  arrive 14:15. 
Ship leave 15:15, 18:45 into Rosslare.
Train leave 19:45, 22:45 into Dublin.

Leave Dublin at 06:00, 08:45 into Rosslare Europort
Ship leaves 09:45, 13:30 into Pembroke Dock
Train leaves 14:30, London at 19:20

[Robin Summerhill]

 Couple of points Graham

First, apologies for guessing your return journey incorrectly between Dublin and Rosslare! The reason I brought it up at all was simply to illustrate the time difference between rail and air travel over the route Dublin to Melksham, and how air travel beats surface transport hands down on that metric alone. And to the vast majority of passengers, that metric will be the one of most importance

Secondly, as you say, the leisure market is increasing as a proportion of overall rail travel. But by its very nature, what “leisure” actually means to different people will vary. For example, the idyllic scenery of west Wales and south east Ireland will be of little interest to someone attending an international rugby match or going shopping and sightseeing in Dublin. Getting off the already ambling train to enjoy visiting some market towns on the way will not appeal at all to those attending a family wedding, funeral or other domestic event. There is a sizable leisure market in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) for people visiting London and many will go by train, but very few who would want to go on a train that stopped at all stations!

You say that your return sailing from Rosslare may well have had 300 foot passengers, but you also said that many of them appeared to be a school party. But they are a one off; they would not be there on Monday and neither would anybody else, other than the usual dozen or so

In one way people like us are lucky; retired, comfortably off with rarely any need to get anywhere particularly quickly. By no means is everybody in the same situation. We must always remember that when making proposals for the future

[grahame]

I agree with most of that Robin, which is why I look forward to future markets and not back to past ones, except to learn from them and perhaps restart things which fit and sensible for the new markets.

However - school party around 150, with around a further 150 not in that party.  A far cry from the pitifully low number which, yes, I have seen on other crossings at times as well.

"Who would want to use this?"  Tourists (both international ones and people from both UK^▸ (United Kingdom) and Ireland).  People who are climate conscious. People for whom the convenience of near-to-home to near-to-destination through booking works.  People with lots of luggage.  Price conscious people when you start to add up the price of extra legs on flying.

It's a huge shame that trains don't run from Rosslare to Waterford and on to Limerick Junction (for Cork and for Tralee), Limerick and Galway any longer.