JJ
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@Pot Noodle wrote:
Is it not a Northern Ireland contractor doing the work
The Contractors are Grahams- Same people who built the Luas William Dargan Bridge in Dundrum
Here’s a couple of pictures of the new Spencer Dock bridge showing progress and a view of the structure now the scaffolding has been removed. The best views of this bridge will be from the linear park or in the canal itself.
JJ@PVC King wrote:
It is encouraging to see that the O’Connell Street stop will only be 50-100m from the Abbey St Luas stop.
The montage however is useless as it fails to display the impacts of signage or else there won’t be any and tourists won’t be able to find the entrance. I have to say I find the whole thing most uninspiring (sorry) why can’t there be two exits one on each side of the street instead of dumping people into the median where they will have to fight there way through crowds blocked by trees and a statue.
Does nobody on the project have any grasp of moving large numbers of people around? I can see the engineer CVs I designed the Ballyragget bus stop; it had to cope with LARGE CROWDS FOR THE LEINSTER FINAL AND THE SEMI AND THE FINAL!!!!
Actually the montage is of the west side only and there are entrances on both sides of the street. The montage shows a glass rooflight in the median ( you can see the statue of O’Brien in the background) Oddly though there is only one entrance in Westmoreland street on the west side! ( more info was on display at the open day~)
JJGuidance in this document is of use here maybe.
Buildings for Everyone 2002 is a guide to making buildings and the environment accessible and usable by everyone. It costs €45 (€22.50 for people with disabilities or organisations of people with disabilities) and is available from:
The National Disability Authority (NDA),
25 Clyde Road,
Dublin 4.Tel: (01) 608 0400
Website: http://www.nda.ieMight be available in library or good bookshops also.
Handrails shold extend 300mm beyond end of stair or ramp and should return to the wall horizontally or turn downwards. Some guides recommend that it extends all the way to the floor but I generally use 150mm as a guide.
Hope that helps.
JJLuas Cherrywood extension Railway Order inquiry was held the week before last and summing up was on last Monday so the inquiry has now closed. Not sure if its still possible to make submissions to the inspector.
jjI went along to the inquiry ( too much time on me hands:rolleyes: )and heard the evidence on this so I’d like to offer a perhaps slightly more informed view of the situation rather than what seems to be repeats of unreliable media reports.
The RPA stated their reason for avoiding the Harcourt Line as the low density residential development in its vicinity and the lack of access to the stops. The current development in Ballyogan Road area coupled with the proposed new developments make this area more effective at generating both levy income for the costs of construction and more patronage( remember this has to generate enough patronage to pay for itself-no handy CIE type subsidy !)
The gates to Glencairn are not being moved. An adjacent random rubble stone wall to a field is to be demolished. The decorative wall is untouched though the tracks pass in front of them.
Ger Hannon from RPA gave evidence of at least four meetings with the residents over a couple of years and had copies of numerous e-mails and maps/plans sent by him to them.
Oh and the alternative route around Clonlea would involve demolition of eight houses.
The Development Plan from Dun Laoghaire indicated a roadway alignment requiring demolition of Clonlea house long before the Luas came along-which the residents has raised with the council when it was updated but they had not formally objected to it. The development plan also has the property on its protected structures list so there was a contradictory requirement. A lot of discussion focussed on the text taking precedent over the maps in the development plan.
In any event the inquiry inspectors report will be out in a month ot two and we will all be able to read his decision.
Cheers,
jj@Sarsfield wrote:
Where can I get me one of those cards? I have an opinion I’d like to share.
see http://www.rpa.ie/metro/ndp_ppp/funding
Route diagram and comments forms can be sent electronically.
JJI have not seen any details of the proposed ped bridge near Castleforbes street but its position is indicated on a number of the local area plans featured on the Dockland web site http://www.ddda.ie
JJ@Thomond Park wrote:
Great images Greg,
In relation to the image of Roches conference centre one aspect I would like to see clarified is if the large block to the rear of the riverfront structure is part of the conference centre or was it part of the speculative element of the original Spencer Dock proposal?
The block is a hotel from my memory of the plans I saw a while back. Theres also the prospect of the new Luas, the Point Depot rebuild and the Point Village and tower, the linear park along the Canal, the Spencer Dock CIE station, and another pedestrian bridge near Castleforbes street…..oh and the Abbey relocation. Blimey, I’m tired already !!
jjThe designers are Roughan and O’Donovan who also designed the Dargan Bridge for the Luas and the Boyne Bridge. I don’t know if they had a consultant architect involved.
Looking at the way the road rises in the distance I assume the view is looking towards the city.
JJ
Walked past this afternoon and noted that the Clock is still there. The two panels on either side are bare with no adverts however the panels over the roadways on north and south quays are still in place including our friend above “Butty Bridge”
JJ@Devin wrote:
This is interesting. Luas running without overhead wires doesn’t seem so far-fetched if the same type of tram does so elsewhere. I don’t see why it is so unlikely to happen, as a few people have said.
Edinburgh is in the process of getting a Luas like system. The use of the third rail system has recently been ruled out there on grounds of cost and lack of reliability. The only city to use the system to date has been Bordeaux where its had problems.
Theres some new alternatives such as dynamos and batteries which can allow short sections to operate without overheads but these are relatively untested so I can’t see them being considered..
Personally I think the overall improvement in the street that will ensue will more than make up for the visual impact of the cables.
JJ
@murphaph wrote:
Hi all,
Does anyone know where I might get an online picture of the old bridge that passed over Adelaide Road carrying the railway over the road and into Harcourt Street Station? Apparently it was a fairly wide structure carrying multiple tracks. It’d be interesting to see what it looked like.Try the Irish Railway Records Society. Their offfices are behind Heuston Station. They have a great photo archive. http://www.irrs.ie/
The book illustration referred to above shows a view from the roadway below with a crane demolishing the bridge. Theres also a picture of the next bridge on the line over the canal ( Charlemont Bridge )
jj
I have heard that the RPA are holding an open day this Friday at the Fitzwilliam Hotel about the Luas link options. RPA Staff will be there to answer questions and take comments. Its on all day as far as I know.
jj@aj wrote:
i cant see them using cut and cover not in o`connell st anywaycan you imagine the the disruption and uproar it would cause
I was fortunate in having the opportunity to see some of the feasibility study plans for the metro stations a few years back ( was it really so long ? )
The station was located north of the spire and took up the whole width of the median. This would have to be built using cut and cover.
Theres also the linked Luas lines which are most likely to follow the old proposed alignment which would mean that the median south of the spire and the roadway would be disrupted. If full four way connections are made then O’Connell St./ Abbey Street junction will be dug up as well.
The latest plan envisages continuing Luas northwards on O’Connell Street up to Parnell Square so effectively that s the whole place B*&&^%^erd up. If you believe the timescales published this week the works could begin within two years.
And talking of Parnell Sq aren’t there plans to upgrade that whole area soon. Probably just in time to rip it up for new Luas lines.
Planning me ….. :rolleyes:
jjI walk past there regularly. The old railings were badly corroded and in danger of collapsing. They form part of the protected structureso i ‘m pretty sure they are being restored and will be reinstated.
JJ@Thomond Park wrote:
Thanks for those images Andrew they certainly provide some clarity to the situation, has anyone seen the images for the Monastery Road overbridge?
I have not yet seen images but I was told today that the engineers are Roughan and O’Donovan ( Boyne Bridge and Taney Bridge ) and that its some sort of double pylon cable stay. I’ll try to get hold of drawings.
JJ@Thomond Park wrote:
The RPA managed to drive the cost of Luas from 300m to in excess of 800m taking yet more from the rail budget and are talking about 100m for a 1kms route to link the lines they decided wasn’t necessary to do in 1997.
Sorry Thomond Park whilst I agree with your other comments expressed in your post I have to challenge you on perpetuating this old myth and maybe starting a new one.
The RPA did not drive the cost of Luas up as you state. As has been well publicised the Luas design was changed by governement ministers and the final cost is in line with the actual approved tender figures. What was costed back ion the late 90’s is very different to what was finally approved and built. It is certainly arguable that the final cost was too high and perhaps the monies could have been better spent elsewhere.
The same applies to the “Link” between teh lines. The RPA’s predecessor who designed the original Luas lines ( CIE as it happens ) included the link. Again it was the government ministers who decided it was not a necessary part of the system following intense lobbying from business interests in the city centre and Oh yeah the great idea to build an underground section in the city centre. They were the ones who insisted it be removed. CIE actually had to recind the Railway order application as a result. Lets make sure the correct culprits are identified and blaimed.
On the actual subject of Irish Rails designers I know some of them personally having been tutored in college by their Chief Architect many years ago. I have some sympathy for them as they are forced to work to awful budgets but I find their detailing crude and harsh, its possible to use cheap materials but still achieve a reasonable aestethic. A lot of the new stations feel intimidating and unfriendly and easy maintenancea and vandalism resistance seem to be winning out.
jj
