The rail poster says be happy - a great idea

This week’s column in The Kerryman newspaper.

Michael Commane

Last week I had an appointment in Hansfield. I’d never heard of the place before. Indeed, according to the old Ordnance Survey map I have, which was published in 1978, there’s no sign of it. It’s a new suburb of Dublin  close to Clonsilla. It’s marked on the old OS map as Phibblestown.

Using Google maps, the Ordnance Survey map, a rail timetable and the Transport for Ireland (TFI) app I was planning the best way to get there using public transport. As a result of my planning I’ve been greatly unimpressed with the TFI app, and not for the first time, may I add. It told me it would take close to two hours. I found a way that takes one hour 20 minutes. 

I arrive too early at Broombridge for my train to Hansfield. Broombridge is the last station on the Luas Red Line, where it links in with the Irish Rail network. Little or no shelter from the rain and wind for either train or tram.

It's still dark. I see a man with a bicycle and ask him how long it would take to cycle from Broombridge to Hansfield. He advises I cycle along the Royal Canal, he thought most of it was cyclable. We chat for some time. He tells me he cycles from Broombridge to his job in Dún Laoghaire and does it in approximately 50 minutes. We both agree our chat was most enjoyable; a lovely early morning encounter between two strangers.

The time passes, 10 minutes later the train for Hansfield arrives. There’s no realtime notice board on the platform, so to be sure-to-be-sure I ask the driver if this is the train for Hansfield. He assures me it is.  We chat for a minute or two, I tell him about my rail exploits, all he can do is smile before he tells me to get on the train before her closes the doors.

Eighteen minutes later, as we approach Hansfield after the recorded destination announcement is made, the driver adds: ‘next stop Hansfield'.

I get off with my fold-up bicycle, go to the train cab and ask the driver if he made that announcement especially for me; he smiles and says yes. 

We chat for a minute, he tells me he previously had been a bus driver with Dublin Bus but much prefers this job. 

He’ll be on that train the next day so I ask him if he could get me a timetable.

And then just before we part he asks me my name and shouts his name. Off the train goes. I might see him tomorrow.

What a lovely start to a new day.

The next day while waiting in Broombridge I meet the cyclist to Dún Laoghaire. We get chatting again; it turns out he knows someone I know, indeed, he works with her, a small world.

Paddy is driving again today and guess what, he has the timetable for me. This time we couldn’t really chat as he had an inspector with him in the cab. He’s only driving two years and is about to sit an examination/refresher course for locomotive drivers in the next days.

Off goes the train.

At Broombridge I spot a poster saying: ‘Be Happy’.