What services would YOU like to see?

anamorph · Post by **anamorph** » Tue May 06, 2003 10:41 pm

Ok let's see....

There are lots of strange services on the railways for lots of reasons..
I'll name some "Here" and ask what you'd like to see where you are...

Dunbar: No local services from Edinburgh since early 80's: if you want to travel from say Drem (About 12 mins journey time) you first have to travel into Edinburgh, and get a GNER service... making a time of about 1 hour...
NO local Bathgate-North Berwick services, North Berwick-Glasgow services now run to Glasow Central via Carstairs, avoiding the largest urban conerbation outside Edinburgh or Glasgow (Livingston).

In short, Edinburgh is the Hub, and rightly so, but it seems odd that seemingly useful services do not exist...

here's a typical diagram for the one service I know of by heart (apart from the Glasgow-Livingston South-Edinburgh local which makes 17 stops)

BATHGATE-EDINBURGH-NEWCRAIGHALL-EDINBURGH-DUNBLANE-EDINBURGH. This service leaves from Waverley, (could be a 150,156,158,170, or combination of either) then runs as follows: Haymarket-Uphall-Livingston North-Bathgate-Livingston North-Uphall-Haymarket-Edinburgh-Brunstane-Newcraighall-Brunstane-Edinburgh-Haymarket-Linlithgow-Polmont-Falkirk G'ston-Larbert-Stirling-Bridge of Allen-Dunblane-Bridge of Allen-Stirling-Larbert-Falkir G'ston-Polmont-Linlithgow-Haymarket-Waverley. Then does the whole thing again...

So, what are the odd services where you are, and what would you like to see introduced?

Me? well, lots more locals, and a Paddington-King's cross circular taking in the midlands-S&C, Carlisle, Edinburgh and the ECML, and a reverse...

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Tue May 06, 2003 10:55 pm

Well, where I am..........

A Henbury-Temple Meads service operating running directly via Filton Junction and then straight down non-stop to Temple Meads. Of course, it wouldn't be financially service to run this service, simply calling at those 2 stations alone, so calling at Filton Abbey Wood, Stapleton Road, and Lawrence Hill would still be great. The Henbury line is still there, and it wouldn't cost that much to re-open a simple station there with just a couple of bus shelters. Doubt it'll happen though.

Henbury-London Paddington calling at Bristol Parkway, Swindon, and London Paddington only. All service operated by FGW Class 180 Adelente's, with an average journey time of just 1 hour 15 minutes.

Doubt very much any of these services will get introduced. Far more chance of the 1st one being introduced though.

salopiangrowler · Post by **salopiangrowler** » Tue May 06, 2003 10:59 pm

Id like to see the Shrewsbury - London Euston back. We do have a direct link to london but it goes via Hereford and Bath and ends up in Waterloo about 5 and a half hours later, and thats just one 158 unit. Id also like to see the Penzance Inverness summer service back that used to run through shrewsbury up until 1985 because it was so much quicker than going through birmingham plus during the steam days it was probably LNER to Carlisle LMS to shrewsbury and GWR to penzance after 1968 it was more or less a 47 all the way and between 1977 and 1985 was a HST! we also had a second summer scottish train which was plymouth - Aberdeen but that never stopped at shrewsbury and only ran for 3 years also solid HST.

ianm42 · Post by **ianm42** » Wed May 07, 2003 10:51 am

Long ago, before I knew better, I travelled from Exeter to Weymouth using the advertised connection at Yeovil. Despite being rail connected, you have to get a taxi from Yeovil Junction to Yeovil Pen Mill which is about 5 miles away by road. Its probably not worthwhile running a shuttle service for the small number of people considering this journey, but a footpath alongside the track could make it a walkable distance.

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Thu May 08, 2003 11:12 pm

Bristol Temple Meads-Gatwick Airport service. Calling at Bristol Parkway, Swindon, Didcot Parkway, Reading, Guildford, and Gatwick Airport only. When the train arrived at Gatwick, it would then operate the same route as the Thames Trains route, but avoiding stops at all those many stations enroute. With a running time of approx 2 hours, this would be a great new service and a much better and faster alternative for travellers along the GWML to travel to Gatwick.

For instance, say I wanted to travel from Bristol-Gatwick Airport this Saturday arriving at around 2ish. What I'd have to day is get the 1040 FGW service to Reading, arriving at 1151. There would then be a 1202 Virgin service to Brighton which would call at Gatwick, arriving at Gatwick at 1332. This would only leave me 11 minutes to change at Reading, so if the FGW service was running say just 5 minutes late I may well miss the 1202 Virgin service, bearing in mind I would be carrying a lot of luggage too mind. So if I missed that one then, I'd then have to wait about until 1234 and catch the Thames Trains service, arriving at Gatwick at 1349. A journey time of 2 hours 52 minutes, and 3 hours 9 minutes respectively. Whereas with my suggestion, the journey time would be only be around 2 hours. Good idea or what?

The service could even be extended to Brighton from Gatwick Airport, with a total journey time of approx 2 hours 30 minutes!

anamorph · Post by **anamorph** » Fri May 09, 2003 7:58 am

I have to say (Although there are still too many services running late)
that the Edinburgh Settle Journey went as smoothly as could...

2 mins early to Carlisle (despite a couple of slacks), 4 minutes early to Leeds, 5 minutes early to York, 6 Minutes early into Edinburgh.
Record went to the last train of the day - 2118 Waverley to Bathgate, due at my stop (Uphall) at 2137. left Haymarket on time at 2123, arrived 2131. actually 7 mins early (this meant the train had to wait so it didn't arrive in Bathgate too early) Average speed 65mph from Haymarket-Uphall - not bad at all. 8 minutes from Haymarket!
The limit on the ECML diversion at Prestonpans is now a 60mph limit, when it's raised to 125mph, that should cut another couple of minutes off the journey time to and from Edinburgh to the south...
So all in all, know probs with timekeeping yesterday....

anamorph · Post by **anamorph** » Fri May 09, 2003 8:11 am

Deltic, here is a valid journey for you: depart Bristol Parkway at 1100 on the 1L48 FGW to Paddington, arriving at 1227. Get the tube to VIctoria, catching the 1302 1C20 to Portsmouth harbour, arriving Gatwick 1340.
that's the shortest time i can find (although not direct)

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Fri May 09, 2003 9:20 am

Ah right, the tube would be quite an ordeal though at lunch hour! By the way, not really going to Gatwick this Saturday, just using that as an example.

doownyl · Post by **doownyl** » Fri May 09, 2003 1:37 pm

Hi

'Fraid this:

Calling at Bristol Parkway, Swindon, Didcot Parkway, Reading, Guildford, and Gatwick Airport only

would not be possible; a reversal at Redhill would be necessary.

(Would be good for me, though - I live there!)

anamorph · Post by **anamorph** » Fri May 09, 2003 1:39 pm

He he I thought you were going to fly out for E3 to "Appropriate" MSTS 2 !!!

saddletank · Post by **saddletank** » Fri May 09, 2003 2:33 pm

Any poxy train that runs on time would be nice. And fares that don't require a second mortgage

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Fri May 09, 2003 4:12 pm

doownyl wrote:Hi

'Fraid this:

Calling at Bristol Parkway, Swindon, Didcot Parkway, Reading, Guildford, and Gatwick Airport only
would not be possible; a reversal at Redhill would be necessary.

(Would be good for me, though - I live there!)

It would still be possible though wouldn't it. What's the problem with the reversal required at Redhill? The train operating the service could be a FGW Class 180 Adelente, and when it arrives at Redhill, the driver would then swap with the other cabin and head towards Gatwick.

Ah, I see what you mean though. Redhill could be added to the stations it calls out.

Excellent idea for a new train service though, doubt it'll happen of course though.

ThinLizzy · Post by **ThinLizzy** » Fri May 09, 2003 4:56 pm

Wessex trains 31's doing Portsmouth and Southsea to Salisbury
Portsmouth and Southsea
Fratton
Fareham
Eastleigh
Chandlers Ford
Romsey
Salisbury

doownyl · Post by **doownyl** » Fri May 09, 2003 5:38 pm

Excellent idea for a new train service though, doubt it'll happen of course though

I quite agree (in both excellent idea, and unlikely to happen).

However, Vermin do have advanced plans for an hourly Gatwick-Manchester service via Redhill and Guildford from Summer TT 2004. This would possibly be more useful than a Bristol service (?). It will require a complete recast of Table 148 (in NRT) though - I assume Thames will be left with all-stations only.

I remain sceptical, however; unless the Princess improvements in a few weeks work beautifully, I doubt it'll ever happen.

We shall see.

Joe

southcoasttrains · Post by **southcoasttrains** » Fri May 09, 2003 9:02 pm

Thames Trains from Guidford to Gatwick have to call at Redhill as the train revereses to Gatwick, but Thames Trains mostly drive to Redhill where a South Central driver takes the train to Gatwick then into the sidings for 30 minutes then taking the train back to Redhill. This is because the Thames Trains drivers can get plenty of rest. I found this out from a South Central driver at Gatwick once.

On Sundays Thames Trains run services from Gatwick as far as Oxford at some points of the day so you could take the FGW to Didcot and change.

Virgin are now doing 1 service in and out of Brighton between mondays and saturdays and twice on Sundays as the EWS depot is apparently closing at Three Bridges so Virgin will have less stock.

Service I'd like to see come back is the cross country services back into Ashford. Think about it, off the Eurostar and you could go to the West Country without messing around on the tube in London. I'm not sure where these services went but they Went from Ashford - Dover - Ramsgate - Sittingbourne - Chatham - Bromley South - Kensington Olympia.