eightf48544
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« Reply #15 on: February 23, 2020, 16:24:27 » |
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I think the main problem with the PPM‡ currently is capacity. Having travelled on it on a Saturday morning to and from Stourbridge Town. With a 10 minute service most trains from Stourbridge T were full and standing and the the trains from the junction weren't empty either.
It would have been interesting to be there to see the return journies in the afternoon.
Also not sure of its climbing ability, Ystrad Mynach to Bedlinog might be beyond its capabilities, although capacity would probably not be a problem
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Reginald25
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« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2020, 16:25:21 » |
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More seriously and current, it would be helpful if a safer walking route were to be established between the two Yeovil stations. I walked from PenMill to Junction along a fast but no pathway road, until a footpath sign pointed to the Junction stn. Returning, I eventually got a taxi, but only by taking one that had dropped someone off, no taxi company could send out a car for a couple of hours then (it was a Sunday).
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johnneyw
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« Reply #17 on: February 23, 2020, 17:57:35 » |
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Just had a look at the current (Dec 2020) PPM‡ newsletter. Looks like there's some interesting R&D going on in conjunction with a local college into a new self powered bogie. I've long felt there have been overlooked opportunities for their technologies, especially when coupled with the accompanying new ligher, cheaper and faster track tech.
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JontyMort
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« Reply #18 on: February 23, 2020, 19:06:14 » |
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One can imagine on current mothballed and freight lines and short light relays (most of these intentionally provocative! and members will rule them out straight away!)
<snip>
Alton to Four Oaks
<snip>
That might need quite a large flywheel, Graham! The big problem seems to be the need to operate the beast on a “one engine in steam” basis - fine for Stourbridge, of course.
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grahame
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« Reply #19 on: February 23, 2020, 19:17:27 » |
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One can imagine on current mothballed and freight lines and short light relays (most of these intentionally provocative! and members will rule them out straight away!)
<snip> Alton to Four Oaks <snip>
That might need quite a large flywheel, Graham! The big problem seems to be the need to operate the beast on a “one engine in steam” basis - fine for Stourbridge, of course. Darn it - make it (Medstead and) Four Marks then. I remember numbers not names.
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Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
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JayMac
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« Reply #20 on: February 25, 2020, 00:34:40 » |
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More seriously and current, it would be helpful if a safer walking route were to be established between the two Yeovil stations.
Certainly would be helpful now that there's no longer a direct bus link between the two stations. There is however a nascent train service. Around 8 services each way on weekdays. 3 on Saturdays, and 1 on Sundays. These are done mostly for operational convenience by South Western Railway, rather than as a planned service between the two stations.
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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Worcester_Passenger
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« Reply #21 on: February 25, 2020, 07:36:58 » |
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Looking at the map, I've wondered why no-one has ever proposed a west-to-south curve to the east of Yeovil Junction to allow the Westbury - Weymouth trains to go into Yeovil Junction and reverse. It'd slow down the overall journey time, but it'd improve the connectivity and cut out the need for a shuttle bus or the people mover.
Or perhaps it has been proposed and there's sound reasons Why Not.
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rogerw
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« Reply #22 on: February 25, 2020, 07:47:48 » |
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I like to travel. It lets me feel I'm getting somewhere.
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grahame
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« Reply #23 on: February 25, 2020, 08:05:38 » |
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It has been proposed in the past as the earthworks are there but there has never been enough money in the piggy bank
Another interesting thought is a low level platform on the Weymouth line ... the whole becoming known as "Somersetshire and Dorsetshire Parkway" perhaps, being on the border. Perhaps the distance to the existing platforms at Junction would be too far, and the "in the lanes" status of the station mean that access didn't work as a Parkway. With trains reversing at junction and a fresh track over the old (goods only) alignment from there to the south, the long single section to Maiden Newton would be just that couple of minutes quicker and perhaps be an enabler for an hourly service? You would need two platforms accessed off the line from Weymouth though. And I do wonder about excursion trains, etc - leave in what would become the avoiding curve, or force them all to run round or be top 'n tail?
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« Last Edit: February 25, 2020, 08:15:39 by grahame »
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Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
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bradshaw
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« Reply #24 on: February 25, 2020, 08:24:47 » |
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The south to west earthworks probably date from the 1860s when the Clifton Maybank spur was put it to the transfer goods shed. There was a signal box at the end of the north curve. Some of this track is still there and used by the Yeovil Railway Centre, as is the transfer shed. However to southern curve was never put in as far as I can see.
In the 1980s there were ‘plans’ to add a station where the two lines cross. However costs escalated as the specification developed and the scheme was dropped.
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« Last Edit: February 25, 2020, 09:53:15 by bradshaw »
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TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
Posts: 6438
The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!
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« Reply #25 on: February 26, 2020, 19:53:43 » |
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Darn it - make it (Medstead and) Four Marks then. I remember numbers not names.
Four Marks, Now!
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Now, please!
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stuving
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« Reply #26 on: February 26, 2020, 20:07:05 » |
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Darn it - make it (Medstead and) Four Marks then. I remember numbers not names.
Four Marks, Now! All Hopwoods?
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TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
Posts: 6438
The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!
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« Reply #27 on: February 26, 2020, 20:31:41 » |
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All Hopwoods?
grahame remembers numbers, not names, so I had in mind Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, etc, to keep a rolling stock theme.
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Now, please!
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JayMac
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« Reply #28 on: February 26, 2020, 22:36:38 » |
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There are now five Marks in rolling stock. Mk5 SLE/SLEP/SLEDs, FOs and RLOs are in use with Caledonian Sleeper. Mk5A TFs and TSs are in use with Transpennine Express.
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« Last Edit: February 27, 2020, 01:00:06 by bignosemac »
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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