GWML Franchise

gblandford · Post by **gblandford** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:34 pm

I Noticed on First Great Western web site that one of the many things they would do if they win the new franchise, would be to reopen the middle platform at Taunton. Have any of the other companies annouced what they would do if they win the new super Franchise.

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 11:06 pm

I thought the middle platforms at Taunton have been in use again for the last 18 months at least. When I was down there in August 2003, all the overgrown grass on the platforms had been cut and the platform tidied up, the platform numbers have all been renumbered including numbers 3 and 4 for the island platforms, and those TV monitor display things(can't remember what they're called now) giving the departure and arrival times were also now on those island platforms too. And I'm sure that there were people on those island platforms waiting for trains! I assumed the platforms were back in use again. Seems a bit of a waste of money and very odd for those monitors being on those platforms if the platforms aren't being used.

gblandford · Post by **gblandford** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 8:50 pm

well if that the case it show how long since I was at taunton .

erdavies · Post by **erdavies** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 11:37 pm

When in the UK last November my nephew played me a video he'd made, sometime during 2004, of a trip from, I think, Kingswear to Bristol behind City of Truro. He travels on many of these excursions and spents the whole trip at a carriage door with his camcorder going (he has plenty of spare tapes and batteries). He usually gets 4 or 5 carriages back as this gives the best loco shots when going around curves. He then combines, labels and edits each run onto regular videotape and now has a 'library' of, I guess, 20 to 30. (One of which is a Duchess grossly exceeding the steam excursion speed limit on the WCML.)

When stopped at Taunton with City of Truro, (maybe taking water?) there was not only a crowd on the centre platform but some passengers as well. That became obvious as, after a brief whistle from COT, some of them were running full pelt towards the exit stairs in hope of still getting back on the now slowly accelerating train. I wonder what happened to them?

In any event, that firmly locked in my mind that the center platform was open but, when changing trains there at about 4pm one weekday that November, it did not seem to be in use.

Cheers

arabiandisco · Post by **arabiandisco** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 9:23 am

There are a number of platforms that are semi-open on SWT routes - the Down Fast (p3) at Earlsfield has a face, and all the platform edge markers (not a number that I'm aware of) and New Malden's island platform has a train describer but no regular services that I'm aware of. Salisbury's platform 1 (I think) is in a sort of limbo too.

simont · Post by **simont** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:53 pm

The middle platforms are in use, but most trains, and all expresses, use the outer ones. The middle ones are useful in that they allow trains to overtake.

There are loads of platforms on the network without service, though- most of the fast line platforms between Watford and Milton Keynes, between Clapham Junction and East Croydon, and between Paddington and Reading, for example. And a lot with very few- I was at Wimbledon yesterday afternoon and the platform indicator on the down fast showed the next train as the 00:31, terminating from Waterloo.

allypally · Post by **allypally** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:00 pm

As well as all the middle platforms on the Cross City line in Brum.

salopiangrowler · Post by **salopiangrowler** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:32 pm

What like ally Duddeston, Lichfield TV, Walsall.

Duddestons the worse station on the route with a stroppy ticket sales woman and lack of info. Lichfield being second, pleseant little station poor service (not train). Walsall, the best station on the line thats go as island platform i just wish there were more services.

allypally · Post by **allypally** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 8:16 pm

Should have said XC south, really

Kings Norton, Northfield, they are there, but out of use. Same as the local stations on the Coventry line.

simont · Post by **simont** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 8:23 pm

Although not many stations between New Street and Coventry have more than two platforms, as far as I can recall. International does (and presumably uses them), and there's an extra one at Stetchford, can't think of any more.

salopiangrowler · Post by **salopiangrowler** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 11:58 pm

simont wrote:Although not many stations between New Street and Coventry have more than two platforms, as far as I can recall. International does (and presumably uses them), and there's an extra one at Stetchford, can't think of any more.

Coventry

simont · Post by **simont** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 9:27 am

Well, yeah, obviously- and New Street too. But as I say, between.

birminghamnewstreet · Post by **birminghamnewstreet** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 7:22 pm

simont wrote:Although not many stations between New Street and Coventry have more than two platforms, as far as I can recall. International does (and presumably uses them), and there's an extra one at Stetchford, can't think of any more.

Yes, all platforms at Birmingham International get used.

BR7MT · Post by **BR7MT** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 7:05 pm

http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/2005/4/GW_TL_GN

Looks like GNER were not considered seriously by the SRA.

Regards

Dan

simont · Post by **simont** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 9:10 pm

Stagecoach would be interesting- regional domination. That really would be South West Trains.

I'd like that, actually, SWT seem to be in every respect a good TOC. Plus it kind of makes sense as there's quite a lot of overlap between SWT and what will be the Greater Western franchise.