The most popular posting in the history of Come Here To Me?
It was the story of Broombridge train station, the sheer state of the place, and the campaign for Broombridge to win the Irish Rail station of the year. There was just something incredibly Irish about Irish Rail even asking ‘hey, which of our stations do you think is the best?’ as opposed to ‘which stations really need a lick of paint?’
At the time we wrote:
Anyone who has been through Broombridge station will know it is beyond the words ‘awful kip’, a station neglected while those around her have been modernised, she continues to crumble, the very station sign telling you where you are difficult to read.
Brrombridge winning the ‘Best Station’ award would draw some attention to the sheer state of the place, and be the best coup for a public vote campaign since the BBC had to award the Wolfe Tones the best song of the last century
It emerged out of a Facebook campaign which caught our attention, and the story seemed to grow legs from there, with our original story posted by Broadsheet.ie and Colm O’Rourke, the man behind the Facebook campaign, interviewed by the Irish Daily Mail.
Thousands of you read the piece, but more importantly a very sizable chunk of you went on to visit the Irish Rail website and vote for Broombridge, something you can still do and should still do by clicking here.
Today I came home to an e-mail from Come Here To Me reader Ado with some great news regarding Iarnród Éireann:
Iarnrod Eireann today started cleaning up the Broombridge train station, new paintwork, signs, markings etc.., Nothing major but they are reacting to the email voting campaign. Well done to all involved.
He went on to note below:
The fact is we, the local Community Council, were informed by IE management in December that no upgrade was planned for Broombridge due to vandalism. A pathetic reason for abandoning our station. It’s IE’s duty to secure their property and maintain it to the same standards of every other station.
Nothing major indeed, but it is a start. Historically overlooked, even during times of renovation, it’s great that thousands of people have taken the time to register their protest with Irish Rail over the sheer state of Broombridge. For many Dubliners, Broombridge is the local train station remember. It’s just not up to scratch.
I wouldn’t be too sure that it’s because of this, the entire Maynooth line is undergoing ‘rejuvenation’ works, most stops along the lines had their signs and markings redone in the last few weeks, some are even getting their electronic timing signs(which have been in place for close to 10 years) finally turned on.
Yep, but on a few occasions in the past poor Broombridge has been ‘skipped’ during such processes.
My favourite comment on the original piece was this one:
(Did have to laugh during the Ryder Cup when all the stations were ‘golfified’ with fake green turf etc all the way from town to Leixlip..except for Broombridge.)
I use Broombridge as a benchmark for where I am on the train home when it’s dark and packed and you can’t see out. You can tell it’s Broombridge because nobody opens the doors, and then you just start counting stops from there.
Alan, the workers admitted that all the other stations had already been ‘upgraded’ but that Broombridge was the last to be done. They were aware of the ‘internet campaign’.
The fact is we, the local Community Council, were informed by IE management in December that no upgrade was planned for Broombridge due to vandalism. A pathetic reason for abandoning our station. It’s IE’s duty to secure their property and maintain it to the same standards of every other station. Coolmine had similar problems years ago until they secured it and foot traffic immediately increased.
Whatever the reason and I personally think its the email voting, the current but limited works are to be welcomed. Again, well done to everyone who voted for Broomer and if you still have not, go for it now!
Shutdown BroomBridge station. Now there’s something I’d vote for.