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Title: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on January 31, 2018, 18:42:48 From The Gazette and Herald (http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/headlines/15910801.Devizes__39__52_year_wait_for_train_station_could_end/)
Quote MORE than 50 years of waiting for a train station in Devizes may come to an end after a new working group said it has found the ‘perfect’ location for it. Despite only forming in December, the Devizes Development Partnership wants to have the Devizes Parkway station built by 2022 and that it should be by the old Clock Inn pub along the A342 – three miles from Devizes. The group, made up of rail experts, town and Wiltshire Councillors, put forward its plans to Great Western Rail Service representatives last week in discussions to improving train services across the county. [continues] Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: bobm on January 31, 2018, 21:09:11 By chance I was in Devizes yesterday and had half an hour to spare so took a walk down Station Road to see what remains of the original railway.
(http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/devtun.jpg) The railway used to run under the town centre and emerge shortly before the station. I didn't have time to explore the other end of the tunnel which hasn't been "commercialised". Much of the station site is now a car park - and for the first time I saw a car charging point actually being used.. (http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/devele.jpg) Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: JayMac on January 31, 2018, 21:25:51 Elon Musk has penetrated deepest Wiltshire I see.
Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: paul7575 on January 31, 2018, 22:37:47 By chance I was in Devizes yesterday and had half an hour to spare... Left to your own Devizes, as they say... :DPaul Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on February 01, 2018, 05:59:01 Very interesting to hear the case / background (including the third party and funding support routes) for this station at the Trowbridge DfT consultation.
The recast of the Berks and Hants regional services (as opposed to the hell-for-leather London to Plymouth+ expresses) provides a solid base of trains that could stop on a sensible pattern (frequency still for discussion ;) for future years). Traffic at Devizes would supplement traffic from other stations all along from Newbury to Taunton making for a better case for more rather than less trains all along, with excellent connections made off the train coming in regularly from the Reading direction via both Trowbridge and Warminster, as well as helping to secure a clock face service with connections for arrivals at Westbury via Trowbridge and Warminster headed for the West Country. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Bmblbzzz on February 01, 2018, 11:08:14 Elon Musk has penetrated deepest Wiltshire I see. The most rural places I've seen Teslas are a village, or hamlet, called Hoarwithy on the banks of the Wye between Hereford and Ross, where it was parked in an open-sided "garage" scooped out of the earth bank of the roadside, and Whittington near Cheltenham, where I had the unusual experience of being overtaken by an almost silent vehicle as I laboured up a steep country lane. And non-Tesla plug-ins all over the Cotswolds. But to address the subject of the thread, it all sounds good and I'm sure Devizes is too big not to have a station; but what's the likelihood? Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Red Squirrel on February 01, 2018, 12:50:57 But to address the subject of the thread, it all sounds good and I'm sure Devizes is too big not to have a station; but what's the likelihood? What do we want? A station, soon! What are the chances? Negligible! Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on November 20, 2019, 18:49:11 From This is Wiltshire (https://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/18048052.general-election-hopefuls-back-rail-link-devizes/?ref=rss)
Quote General election hopefuls all back rail link for Devizes All four candidates responded positively to a question about the possibility of a rail link on the outskirts of Devizes. Mr Kruger revealed that the only person he had spoken to who was against the idea of a parkway style station at Lydeway was a secretary at Devizes School. Ms Schneider Ross said it was wrong that the 8.10am train from Pewsey to London had recently doubled in price. She said the whole rail/bus network infrastructure in the area was not good enough. Ms Waltham also pointed out there was no direct bus service from Devizes to Marlborough and Ms Dawnay agreed a station was needed. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Phil on February 05, 2020, 08:02:30 I see Mr Kruger is still trying:
(https://mcusercontent.com/99957200705b8762f88977054/images/810c7dbf-b965-41e2-aed6-6ac74aeb09d5.png) Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Reading General on February 05, 2020, 18:07:48 By chance I was in Devizes yesterday and had half an hour to spare... Left to your own Devizes, as they say... :DPaul Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: rogerw on February 20, 2020, 19:22:39 Mr Kruger was interviewed on BBC Wiltshire this afternoon on the drive time show. He was giving the impression that the proposal was to open the closed line to Devizes. He was very vague on details but stated thet there would be a bus service and cycle route between the station and the town centre. He also stated that the station would bring people from elsewhere. Full interview available on iplayer
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0824sdx (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0824sdx) about 46 minutes in Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Red Squirrel on February 20, 2020, 19:43:29 I think it's clear he's talking about Patney and Chirton, or 'Devizes Parkway' as he has it. What I find puzzling is his reference to connecting Devizes with Bristol - it's hard to see a quick route from there.
Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on February 20, 2020, 20:19:34 I think it's clear he's talking about Patney and Chirton, or 'Devizes Parkway' as he has it. What I find puzzling is his reference to connecting Devizes with Bristol - it's hard to see a quick route from there. It's Lydeway - where the A342 crossed the railway at what used to be "The Clock" Pub now, I believe, a caravan park. All the stuff about relaying lines - no. Re-opening a Beeching closure - no; new location. Lydeway is closer to Devizes than Patney and Chirton, which is in the middle of a remove area with a thin web of narrow lanes unfit for station traffic. Remember that Mr Kruger is a spin doctor. To Bristol - aspiration is for decent connections from Bedwyn and Pewsey (and Devizes Parkway) at Westbury onto trains to Trowbridge (the county town), Bath and Bristol for commuters. Really not good at the moment. And also for the semifast IET to be up to hourly. All very sensible; everyone looking at the same case towards the same goals. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on June 29, 2020, 05:02:34 From the Wiltshire Times (https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/18547304.mp-promises-devizes-community-chance-say-station-plan/)
Quote MP promises Devizes community chance to have say on station plan As lockdown rules have started to ease, I’ve been able to get back out into the Constituency and start to think again about local projects and priorities. One of these is the ambition to open a new train station to serve Devizes and the surrounding areas, and on Friday I met with members of the Devizes Development Partnership to visit the proposed site for the new parkway, in Lydeway. Last month we got the good news that the proposal for the Lydeway station had been successful in the first round of funding under the Department for Transport’s Restoring Your Railway fund. This means money will soon be made available to investigate the realities of opening the station and create a detailed business plan - which is the next step in the process. On Friday we discussed the overall vision for the station, what it could eventually look like and how it can best serve local people. It’s very exciting to discuss these things and I hope they will soon be a reality, but this is very much the beginning of the process. As well as the business case development, there will also be a full programme of community engagement for residents and potential users of the station to make their voices heard, and a plan to raise the capital funding needed for the works. The local MP is Danny Kruger - pictured in a socially distanced group at a crossing in the article Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: infoman on June 29, 2020, 09:00:02 Could I ask where is the planned new station "facilities" are planned car park taxi rank bus/s turn round?
Will it be a single sided access station or access from both sides Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on June 29, 2020, 09:15:56 Could I ask where is the planned new station "facilities" are planned car park taxi rank bus/s turn round? Will it be a single sided access station or access from both sides From devizes.org.uk (https://www.devizes.org.uk/index.php/devizes-parkway.html) Quote (https://www.devizes.org.uk/images/devizes_parkway/6181-SK02_Schematic_Layout_Larger_Scale__A1-Copy.jpg) I'm seeing buses, car parking, and an airstrip. Nothing marked for taxis, kiss and ride, or cycles (but that could be due to scale). All facilities on northern side with footbridge (ramps) to access a platform on south side. Plans can obviously be revised as subsequent iterations; MP is talking of community engagement and this being the beginning of the process. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: rogerw on June 29, 2020, 09:44:49 The airstrip is an existing facility. Not sure how much it is used
Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Oxonhutch on June 29, 2020, 12:03:37 Seems like an awfully long access road to accommodate an easily relocated grass airstrip, or are there noise/braking/sighting issues that place the station site so far from the main road? An interesting rail-air interchange ;D.
Would TonyK like to comment on a 400 capacity carpark in the airstrip undershoot/overshoot? Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Robin Summerhill on June 29, 2020, 15:34:41 Seems like an awfully long access road to accommodate an easily relocated grass airstrip, or are there noise/braking/sighting issues that place the station site so far from the main road? An interesting rail-air interchange ;D. A quick look at the OS (and some knowledge of the area) shows that there is a quite steep but short cutting in the vicinity of the bridge. Siting the station as proposed would save digging lumps out of that to provide platform and road access/parking space. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on June 29, 2020, 17:15:36 Seems like an awfully long access road to accommodate an easily relocated grass airstrip, or are there noise/braking/sighting issues that place the station site so far from the main road? An interesting rail-air interchange ;D. A quick look at the OS (and some knowledge of the area) shows that there is a quite steep but short cutting in the vicinity of the bridge. Siting the station as proposed would save digging lumps out of that to provide platform and road access/parking space. Agreed - it does make sense. The original Berks and Hants line from Newbury via Hungerford and Pewsey ran to Devizes (opened 1862) then in 1900 a cutoff was opened from a new station at Patney and Chirton (where the minor road crosses the railway on the right of this map), falling and through a cutting before bearing off to the left. (http://www.wellho.net/pix/k95oI8vtsX.jpg) There would indeed be a fair chunk of digging out to get platforms down onto the line near the A342, and as the cutting was not built until after the end of broad gauge, the cutting is only standard gauge width - no extra slack . Even the selected site is only halfway from the A342 to Patney and Chirton Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on July 07, 2020, 11:04:05 Quote TWSW understands that, subject to any last minute changes, ITV West will broadcast a news item on the Devizes Gateway station this evening. It was filmed about two weeks ago. The program starts at 6 p.m. "This" being 7th July 2020 for anyone who comes back to my quote out of context at a later date. Link to https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/18471455.devizes-wins-government-cash-train-station-project/ Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Celestial on July 07, 2020, 12:27:01 Hopefully it will be opened by the Wurzels in due course, with a cafe selling hot meat pies and cider.
Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: chuffed on July 07, 2020, 15:56:37 The Wurzels belong to Somerset ! Why not try raking in a few Moonrakers instead?
Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Western Pathfinder on July 07, 2020, 16:48:59 I doubt there's room for more than one Space Shuttle.🤔
Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: infoman on July 07, 2020, 18:03:27 ITV West covering the story on tuesday evening,available on channel 33 at 19:00pm as well.
Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Celestial on July 07, 2020, 20:33:25 The Wurzels belong to Somerset ! Why not try raking in a few Moonrakers instead? But they did immortalise Devizes, I think more because of the opportunity for rhyming with it than it's rather loose association with the West Country proper.Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: PhilWakely on July 07, 2020, 20:55:39 The Wurzels belong to Somerset ! Why not try raking in a few Moonrakers instead? But they did immortalise Devizes, I think more because of the opportunity for rhyming with it than it's rather loose association with the West Country proper.That doesn't surprise me - but then again, I never get surprises! ;D Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on July 07, 2020, 20:56:14 The Wurzels belong to Somerset ! Why not try raking in a few Moonrakers instead? But they did immortalise Devizes, I think more because of the opportunity for rhyming with it than it's rather loose association with the West Country proper.I was thinking more of a limerick with prizes and sizes. The piece on ITV was a good one - and excellent to see that they found only people who thought it was a good idea on Devizes Market (mainly because it IS a good idea). Nothing like local unanimous support to make the civil servants and ministers feel comfortable helping it move forward. Good for Devizes (and so unlike elements of the local sentiment at some others places including one I was discussing with a member on the phone this afternoon). Interesting to hear "we don't have public transport" from one exponent of the scheme and "buses to Trowbridge or Swindon are a real downer" from another. The second was right and the station WOULD be used (and probably abstract very little). Perhaps the first is too upper class to lower herself to a bus. A third person commented that using public transport for her means driving to Great Bedwyn. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: martyjon on July 08, 2020, 11:02:40 Reading the Wiltshire Times article I had to smile at the statement "within five years", if the progress on Portway Parkway is anything to go by you might want to add a zero to the five but then being Wiltshire it could happen because it's not Bristol !!!!
Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on July 08, 2020, 11:38:21 Reading the Wiltshire Times article I had to smile at the statement "within five years", if the progress on Portway Parkway is anything to go by you might want to add a zero to the five but then being Wiltshire it could happen because it's not Bristol !!!! It's within the election cycle, with a conservative council, a conservative MP who's part of the inner circle, at a time of a conservative government, on a line with a service that could stop there, a strong local sentiment, ticks climate change and integrated transport boxes, and has what looks to me like a good business case. The ducks might be in a line. Mind - it would be the first (re)opening in Wiltshire since 1985. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Red Squirrel on July 08, 2020, 12:51:15 Reading the Wiltshire Times article I had to smile at the statement "within five years", if the progress on Portway Parkway is anything to go by you might want to add a zero to the five but then being Wiltshire it could happen because it's not Bristol !!!! It's within the election cycle, with a conservative council, a conservative MP who's part of the inner circle, at a time of a conservative government, on a line with a service that could stop there, a strong local sentiment, ticks climate change and integrated transport boxes, and has what looks to me like a good business case. The ducks might be in a line. Mind - it would be the first (re)opening in Wiltshire since 1985. All sounds very hopeful. Remind us, grahame: Which Wiltshire station re-opened in 1985? Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on July 08, 2020, 15:38:04 All sounds very hopeful. Remind us, grahame: Which Wiltshire station re-opened in 1985? Me? ... Errr ... Lets Kid Someone I know. How does Anyone Manage to remember from so long ago? Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Phil on August 28, 2020, 18:42:17 Presumably the train which narrowly avoided hitting a person in Devizes earlier today was being transported by road at the time? Note the phrase IN Devizes.
http://www.terrascope.co.uk/images/Devizes_train.png (http://www.terrascope.co.uk/images/Devizes_train.png) Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: bobm on August 28, 2020, 20:09:05 Well it is in the Devizes parliamentary constituency.
Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: GBM on August 29, 2020, 08:47:21 Yup, on the rails!
https://www.wiltshire999s.co.uk/man-taken-to-hospital-after-narrowly-avoiding-being-hit-by-train-in-devizes/ The man was reportedly walking in the middle of the track, only jumping out of the way of the oncoming Great Western Railway (GWR) train with just seconds to spare. Continues.. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on August 29, 2020, 09:37:00 Yup, on the rails! https://www.wiltshire999s.co.uk/man-taken-to-hospital-after-narrowly-avoiding-being-hit-by-train-in-devizes/ The man was reportedly walking in the middle of the track, only jumping out of the way of the oncoming Great Western Railway (GWR) train with just seconds to spare. Continues.. Quote A man was nearly hit by a train whilst walking on the railway line near Devizes this morning. Emergency services were sent to the scene at around 7.40am following a call from a railway control room reporting that a train had narrowly missed colliding with a person in Urchfont. A spokesperson for the British Transport Police said: “We were called at 7.40am to reports of a person on the tracks in Lydeway. A couple of miles from Devizes ... about a mile from Urchfont. Lydeway is half a mile away. ///responded.kickers.professed is more accurate I suspect - the location from which the picture illustrating the article was taken, and where the A342 crossed the railway line. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Marlburian on August 29, 2020, 09:42:21 Presumably the train which narrowly avoided hitting a person in Devizes earlier today was being transported by road at the time? Note the phrase IN Devizes. http://www.terrascope.co.uk/images/Devizes_train.png (http://www.terrascope.co.uk/images/Devizes_train.png) A frequent type of error on local news websites staffed by deskbound junior reporters with no knowledge of their patch. I recall an incident at Hampstead Norreys being attributed to Newbury, eight miles away. Another annoyance is league tables of "Reading's most expensive streets", where the top entries are in Wargrave, Shiplake and other "desirable" villages. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on January 12, 2021, 09:57:10 From the Gazette and Herald (https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/19004080.say-new-rail-station-devizes/)
Quote It?s full steam ahead for ambitious plans for a new station to serve the Devizes community. The Department for Transport is funding a study into the potential for a new rail station called Devizes Gateway, about 3.4 miles from Devizes Market Place, close to Lydeway, to serve the Devizes area. A new survey has been launched to garner people's opinions. No?l Woolrych, Devizes Development Partnership Director, said: ?It is expected that there would be an hourly service: east to Pewsey, Newbury, Reading and London and west to Westbury, for connections to the South West, Bath, Bristol and Salisbury etc. "This work is being led by the Devizes Development Partnership (DDP) and Wiltshire Council, in conjunction with Danny Kruger MP, who are keen to hear the views of local people. Please complete the survey below - noting that Devizes Gateway is unlikely to be open before 2025 so please answer on the basis of how you would travel if COVID-19 did not exist." There are links in the article ... however, following one of them I got the following sign-up request and I'll leave to individual members to follow the links and decide if they're happy with this, which appears to be the newspaper building up a mailing list?? Quote Newsquest.co.uk requires you to enroll this device to access message links Your IT department has enabled Targeted Threat Protection for all users. This is a service that protects you from email attacks and provides live security training. Enter your email address and we'll send you an authentication code to verify your identity. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: TaplowGreen on January 13, 2021, 07:40:03 The railway will no longer be leaving the town to its own Devizes.
(.....I'll get my coat) Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on January 15, 2021, 03:20:56 From the Gazette and Herald (https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/19012974.adelaide-devizes-market-towns-railway-rediscovered-australia/)
Quote From Adelaide to Devizes: Town's railway rediscovered in Australia A new station on the outskirts of Devizes will soon offer people the chance to revisit what was once an integral part of the market town. Devizes railway station ? on the branch line between Holt Junction to Patney & Chirton Junction - operated between 1857 and 1966. The Reading-Hungerford line was quickly extended in 1862 westward via Pewsey to Devizes, reaching the station through a tunnel under Devizes Castle, in what proved to be the busiest period for the Devizes station. The line was entirely closed in 1966, and now there is little trace of what once was a bustling rail community. Tracks were pulled up, station buildings demolished and the line's tunnel beneath Devizes Castle bricked up at one end. But now, the chance to experience the railway of Devizes in its heyday is possible thanks to Caleb Jenkins over in Adelaide, Australia. The modeller has painstakingly pieced together a detailed layout of what used to be a bustling and lively set of rails in the market town. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on January 25, 2021, 18:18:01 The last weeks ... new year, no-one going out, best shows on TV worn out over Christmas ... there has been a lot of online activity, with people reading social media and papers online and based on what they have (skim)read been making comments and asking questions. Although there are background information sites for some of these projects, they tend not to be "FAQ formatted" for the new reader, even if the project newcomer goes to the site. So there are some daft ideas that come up, but spiced in there are some which merit addressing - either because they could actually make sense or because they've not been addressed elsewhere
"A station three miles out of the town wouldn't be near enough for anyone to use of it and it would be a waste of money - why not run the train into the town where it used to go then loop back to the main line?". Hmmm ... (http://www.wellho.net/pix/viadvq.jpg) As a corollary, why (when the line through Urchfont and Lavington was built) didn't it branch off to the west of Devizes anyway along the proposed new route? Answer - heavy gradients just outside Devizes not suitable for long distance expresses. Twisty bits in Devizes an issue too. In modern day, Gradients not an issue (but 120 years ago they would have been) and if the train is string and restarting, the sharp corner not a problem. Big problem ... cost. Around 10 times the cost of even a quite substantial station as proposed ... also the trackbed though Devizes has been reclaimed from the railway in part. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Lee on January 25, 2021, 19:10:44 Also not sexy enough politically, in an area where a hatstand with a blue rosette on could get elected - Certainly not an East-West Rail or Ashington in terms of Central Wales Line "Look at the marginals on that" territory.
Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: infoman on January 29, 2021, 18:16:44 ITV west did a feature on Devizies Parkway on friday evening local news,maybe at the expense of Corsham re-opening.
Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on January 29, 2021, 19:19:41 ... maybe at the expense of ... Different line, different catchment areas, different constituency, different services, different case ... there probably will be trade-offs in terms of unitary council officer's time and perhaps some budget elements, but the headline should not be a tradeoff between the two. Last new station in Wiltshire 84 years ago, only one station re-opened since then and that was 36 years ago. Either would be a miracle in this county ... though there are effective players involved and a miracle could happen. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Robin Summerhill on January 29, 2021, 20:42:12 "A station three miles out of the town wouldn't be near enough for anyone to use of it and it would be a waste of money - why not run the train into the town where it used to go then loop back to the main line?". Hmmm ... It could have been worse – they could have suggested taking the line back downhill again by repurposing Caen Hill flight ;D These sorts of comments are frequent amongst the ill-informed or non-informed on general comment boards, and indeed in person too. I used to have an arguing partner in South Africa who actually came from Bognor and went over there for the UK winter like me. One day we were having a discussion about some SPAD or other that had happened in the UK and got into the national press. He came up with what he thought was the perfect solution – “Simple innit? What they need is something that puts the brakes on if a driver passes a red signal.” This was the same geezer who one day was complaining about the squeal of the wheels of trains entering Fish Hoek from Simonstown on a tight radius cure. Said he “they should put a bit of oil on that...” Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Clan Line on January 31, 2021, 14:25:42 https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/19050560.2-000-respond-devizes-station-survey/ Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: Clan Line on February 15, 2021, 12:33:39 https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/19090536.connecting-rail-services-bedwyn-devizes---views-sought/ Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on March 17, 2021, 06:48:52 From the Gazette and Herald (https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/19164721.station-track-cash-boost/)
Quote Long-awaited plans for the return of rail to Devizes have taken a major step forward with the backing of £34,000. The team behind plans for the Devizes Gateway station are pulling together an ambitious business case to be submitted by the end of this year - which will determine the rail future for the town. Investigations by Atkins are underway into the current transport challenges facing the town and how a station could combat them, but also into if the currently proposed location for the station, in Lydeway near Urchfont, is the most practical site. The station will bring a “game-changing transformation” and economic growth to the town, say the Devizes Development Partnership (DDP) however, they have stressed this will not change the fabric of town that is often referred to as the hidden gem in Wiltshire’s crown. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: infoman on July 20, 2022, 18:11:54 An update on the new Devizies station on ITV West local news at 18:08pm on Wednesday 20 July
Available on ITV plus one Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: grahame on April 01, 2023, 08:51:07 A new station at (or nearish to) Devizes has go itself caught up in the need for a fourth platform face at Westbury which (surprise) cannot be justified based only on the extra station / traffic at Devizes. It strikes me as the same issue that the study of specifying from Newbury to Westbury came up with when the costs were loaded onto the two electric trains a day that would terminate at Westbury, and in contravention of the need to look at the whole picture including the net zero agenda.
More in another thread (I will copy elements here) and on Facebook (here) (https://www.facebook.com/MelkshamTUG/posts/pfbid02Vd7rdz1Gq6QpVnAYoLF5sdDdQc9diFUhi7e1TcDKMVmF5vy9a3xA1VxcMBNgt5Lkl) Quote Westbury is a bottleneck and needs a fourth platform to cope not only with more trains from the Devizes direction, but also for a better service from Swindon via Melksham, and a better service to Weymouth. More trains start this May from Bristol and on to Salisbury and it's creaking at the joints. To put the cost of what looks like a platinum solution onto poor little Devizes was never going to work economically. Better to extend the platform out to the track that's there and tell the freight operators to run to time. Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: bradshaw on April 01, 2023, 09:23:47 Devizes Parkway study released by Network Rail
This report simply concludes that it is not economic as a standalone station due the impact on the wider railway. The implication is that it has to be oart of a larger scheme to introduce a stopping service along the B&H, and beyond, which will need reinstatement of the platform at Westbury https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/western/devizes-gateway-feasibility-study/ See also Paul Clifton on Twitter https://twitter.com/paulcliftonbbc/status/1641718630227296257?s=61&t=VlafMC5gF9tidw36b1Y8JQ Title: Re: Devizes 52-year wait for train station could end Post by: IndustryInsider on April 01, 2023, 09:53:00 A very comprehensive and well written report. Hopefully it will pave the way (eventually) for a platform 0 at Westbury and reinstatement of the Bedwyn<>Paddington service to extend to it and serve a new station at Devizes as well as better serve Pewsey.
It’ll be quite a wait though I fear. This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |