Derailment Hits Northern Line Services

Intercity and domestic train services have been facing severe disruption as the northern line rail services to and from Dublin have been badly hit by a freight train derailment.

All commuter services at this morning's peak time were cancelled between Dundalk, Drogheda and Dublin.

Intercity services to Newry and Belfast in Northern Ireland have also been affected with bus substitutions in place along large parts of the route.

Iarnród Éireann has advised customers planning to use northern line services to make alternative travel arrangements as up to 7,000 people may have been affected by the disruption.

However, the company says north line DART services from Malahide and Howth are unaffected and will operate as normal.

Around 11pm last night, some six wagons of a train carrying mineral ore went off the tracks in Hacketstown, 3km south of Skerries. It had been travelling from Tara Mines to North Wall.

An investigation into how the derailment happened is also being launched.

Bus Éireann is this morning assisting Irish Rail in trying to procure buses through Bus Eireann contractors and will keep buses on the affected routes longer than normal to try to facilitate as many passengers as possible.

(BMcC)