... Would have gone further to Brockenhurst, but that stop is now removed, permanently. Not enough passengers. ...
Silly question - how could Cross Country passenger numbers
ever build up again if the train has been permanently removed? Looks like it could be an opportunity being taken to "Bring Back Better" but not sure whether it's the passenger's definition of "better", or someone else's.
From a statically insignificant sample of one, faded somewhat by a year of lockdown, I can recall catching a Cross Country service at Brockenhurst with a perfectly reasonable number of passengers joining ... mid morning into Southampton. Mind, it brings up the old question that keeps coming up with Cross Country - is it there to provide long distance journeys, or fill ins for journeys not involving London? Some joiners at Brockenhurst that morning had heavy luggage but I suspect most were not going all that far. Question - what sort of service is Brockehurst and the IOW connection left with - is it appropriate?
Are CrossCountry restoring Winchester calls?