The
Un Official Guide to The Slieve Bloom Express
Christmas 03. How it all began. Schedules and Fares. Benefits of using this service Company History
Gary
bringing the 1815 Tullamore off Butt Bridge on 11/05/01
How it all began.
The 06:25 service out of Tullamore commenced on the 11th of January 1999, but at this time the vast majority of Tullamore / Clara commuters were travelling by rail.
November 1999 saw an unprecedented level of rail failures with one of the evening services to Tullamore averaging 33 minutes late for the month of November, and there was a series of occasions where journeys scheduled for 60 / 70 minutes took in excess of three hours! Then in January the fares were increased again, so a crisis meeting of commuters was organised for Thursday, February 24th, 2000 where a number of carriers were invited to attend at a months notice.
Slieve Bloom Coach Tours were first to commit. Iarnrod Eireann, Kearns of Birr and Carrolls of Tullamore all declined. Bus Eireann were forced to pull out at short notice due to circumstances beyond their control.
On the Monday after meeting the commuter group, February 28th, the 06:50 service left Tullamore with 2 passengers and a checker. Uptake was so strong that by September the 07:15 service was on the road and the Slieve Bloom Express was the dominant carrier for commuters out of Tullamore
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Schedules and Fares.
*Fridays only.
** Monday to Thursday.
NOTE: The company has only issued a Tullamore
departure time for the 05:50. Intermediate times are estimated based on the
normal gaps between stops. GER
|
To Dublin Ex Tullamore |
|
|
|
|
Cancelled |
|
|
Tullamore (PO) |
05:50 |
06:20 |
06:50 |
07:15 |
08:00 |
|
|
Durrow (Opp Ch) |
05:55 |
06:22 |
06:55 |
07:20 |
08:05 |
|
|
Kilbeggan (Maxol) |
06:00 |
06:28 |
07:00 |
07:25 |
08:10 |
|
|
Tyrrellspass (Hotel) |
06:05 |
06:34 |
07:05 |
07:30 |
08:15 |
|
|
Rochfordbridge (PO) |
06:10 |
06:45 |
07:10 |
07:35 |
08:20 |
|
|
Milltownpass (Ch) |
06:20 |
06:55 |
07:15 |
07:40 |
08:25 |
|
|
Kinegad |
06:25 |
07:00 |
07:25 |
07:50 |
08:35 |
|
|
Clonard (Ch) |
06:35 |
07:10 |
07:35 |
07:55 |
08:40 |
|
|
Enfield (Texaco) |
06:45 |
07:20 |
07:40 |
08:05 |
08:50 |
|
|
Dublin (O'Connell Br) |
07:40 |
08:15 |
08:45 |
09:00 |
09:45 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
From Dublin To Tullamore |
Cancelled |
|
|
|
|
|
|
UCD |
*13:30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ulster Bank |
*14:10 |
**15:50 |
16:20 |
16:50 |
17:20 |
18:05 |
|
Ha'Penny Bridge |
*14:00 |
**16:00 |
16:30 |
17:00 |
17:30 |
18:15 |
|
Fares
(Actual) |
Single |
|
Travel 10 |
|
Annual |
|
Tullamore .. |
6.00 |
|
40.00 |
|
1800.00 |
|
Durrow |
6.00 |
|
40.00 |
|
1800.00 |
|
Kilbeggan |
6.00 |
|
40.00 |
|
1800.00 |
|
Tyrrellspass |
5.00 |
|
37.00 |
|
1650.00 |
|
Rochfordbridge |
5.00 |
|
37.00 |
|
1650.00 |
|
Milltownpass |
5.00 |
|
37.00 |
|
1650.00 |
|
Kinegad .. |
5.00 |
|
36.00 |
|
1550.00 |
|
Clonard ... |
5.00 |
|
36.00 |
|
1550.00 |
|
Moyvalley ... |
5.00 |
|
36.00 |
|
1550.00 |
|
Enfield |
4.50 |
|
31.00 |
|
1400.00 |
|
To Dublin Ex Geashill |
|
|
Geashill |
06:25 |
|
Daingean |
06:35 |
|
Edenderry |
06:55 |
|
Carbury |
07:00 |
|
Johnstown Bridge |
07:15 |
|
Enfield |
07:20 |
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Benefits of using this service
Fares are paid to a local company who provide employment locally and purchase ancillary services in the greater midland area.
The flagship ticket is a ten journey as opposed to a weekly ticket, which adds significant flexibility.
For Tullamore Commuters this ticket was £10 per week cheaper than Iarnrod Eireanns Giant Hop at its introduction and this gap has widened to £12 Pounds. Iarnrod Eireanns Giant Hop price increase was double that of Slieve Blooms 10 Journey increment. Tullamore commuters in the high tax bracket save in excess of the equivalent of £1000 pounds of gross pay using this service every day. Even greater savings can be had when travelling less than five days a week. Clara commuters boarding at Kilbeggan have a far greater saving and are also cutting their journey times. This is injecting significant disposable income from the employment rich greater Dublin area into the whole North Offaly region where the Celtic Tiger was stillborn.
Commuters using this service enjoy a greater degree of mechanical and industrial reliability. Since the institution of the first service mechanical failures are averaging about one per year on Slieve Bloom. Iarnrod Eireann could have in excess of three in a single month while statistics were being maintained.
Slieve Bloom have lost no days due to industrial unrest since commencing their service. During the summer of transport unrest in 2000 and the flooding of November that same year, there were days when the only commuter services leaving Tullamore were those provided by Slieve Bloom.
Genuine Customer Care. On the morning service to Dublin on the first day of the November 2000 floods, some commuters expressed concern about being able get home should conditions deteriorate during the day. A FREE extra service was laid on at 30 minutes notice to bring home anyone not wishing to spend the day in Dublin.
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Company History
The Slieve Bloom Express is operated by Slieve Bloom Coach Tours Ltd, a sister company of OConnell Coaches Ltd out of Mountmellick. Both companies are privately owned and operate their commuter services without state funding.
They also provide busses for hire for specific occasions. They may be contacted at (0502) 24416