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Title: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: grahame on February 04, 2018, 09:52:58 'Pop up' railway stations could test passenger demand, say Greens
A story from The Scotsman (https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/pop-up-railway-stations-could-test-passenger-demand-say-greens-1-4681566) Quote ‘Pop up’ railway stations could test passenger demand, say Greens. Picture - Passengers wait for a train at the temporary Workington North railway station which was built in six days in 2009. “Pop-up” rail stations should be built to test passenger demand at new stops, the Scottish Greens have urged. The party said temporary halts would help make the case for permanent new stations. The possible new 'pop-up' stations Its MSPs are lobbying Scottish Government officials to consider the novel approach as part of a deal struck in return for supporting the minority SNP’s 2018-19 budget. Finance secretary Derek Mackay has agreed to consider a new “pipeline” fund of up to £2 million to develop new stations and lines. It was prompted by the Greens’ concern that no new rail projects have been proposed by Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland since it was created 12 years ago. New stations on existing lines which have opened since 2006, such as Edinburgh Gateway and Laurencekirk, had been previously approved. Consultants Allan Rail, run by former Transport Scotland rail official David Prescott, have suggested around 20 possible pop-up station sites across Scotland. Where (if anywhere) might we suggest for such trials in GWR land? Title: Re: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: eightf48544 on February 04, 2018, 11:01:09 Not sure how this would work. A modern simple railway station is a pretty hefty piece of infrastructure requiring a large amount of land. Not at all like a pop up shop or cafe which use an existing building. Or even some of the Great Western Halts which consisted of a dirt path from the road to a couple of sleepers by the side of the track. The famous quiz question halts Fountain Bridge and Waterloo come to mind.
A long time back at a First GW User Group meeting in Bristol we coined the phrase A railway station is not a bus stop. Title: Re: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: johnneyw on February 04, 2018, 18:36:55 Aztec West would be nice as would other suggested Metrowest stations. St Anne's immediately springs to mind.
Title: Re: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: rogerw on February 04, 2018, 20:00:45 Easy access would be a necessity to ensure quick/cheap construction. Unfortunately those two site do not have easy access.
Title: Re: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: johnneyw on February 04, 2018, 20:14:20 Easy access would be a necessity to ensure quick/cheap construction. Unfortunately those two site do not have easy access. Aztec would be difficult. St Anne's site I think has adequate road access still from what I recall after walking by it last year. Could be wrong though. Title: Re: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: grahame on February 04, 2018, 21:02:49 Easy access would be a necessity to ensure quick/cheap construction. Unfortunately those two site do not have easy access. Aztec would be difficult. St Anne's site I think has adequate road access still from what I recall after walking by it last year. Could be wrong though. Aztec would be more of a drop down than a pop up! Title: Re: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: Richard Fairhurst on February 04, 2018, 21:37:27 Difficult in that any pop-up station needs to be predominantly local custom who can walk/cycle there (unless there already happens to be a convenient car park next door), and the line needs to have capacity.
Cullompton might have a case. Slightly outside GWR territory, I could see a few opportunities in South Wales - from St Clears to Caerleon. Title: Re: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: froome on February 04, 2018, 21:46:27 Realistically, sites that might be possible are likely to already be on lists waiting for available funding. With this in mind, it would be fairly simple to do a pop-up at the old Ashley Down station, where the old platform on one side still exists and has a foot/cycle path leading to and from it, and probably at Saltford, where I think the platform still exists in some form and where access (and probably car parking) could probably be negotiated for a temporary trial.
With tongue slightly in cheek I would also suggest Pilning, where some trains could actually pop up and stop from time to time! Title: Re: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: martyjon on February 04, 2018, 22:52:13 Charfield, Stonehouse (Bristol Line), Gloucester (Barnwood on avoiding line), Saltford, Corsham, Wilton Parkway, Devizes Parkway, Langport, Bristol Muller Road (Ashley Hill), Bristol Constable Road (Horfield/Lockleaze), Bristol St. Annes, Bristol Portway (Park and Ride). Plymouth (Laira area/ foot of Hemerdon), Collumpton, Wellington, Norton Fitzwarren, Wantage Parkway, Wotton Bassett, Pilning, Llanwern.
Title: Re: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: Chris from Nailsea on February 05, 2018, 01:19:02 ... Collumpton ... Ah, you got me guessing with that one. ;) Title: Re: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: martyjon on February 05, 2018, 07:43:54 ... Collumpton ... Ah, you got me guessing with that one. ;) Finger trouble !!!! Title: Re: Pop up stations - where should be tried?? Post by: eightf48544 on February 05, 2018, 11:17:09 With tongue slightly in cheek I would also suggest Pilning, where some trains could actually pop up and stop from time to time! In a similar vein Reddish South and Denton plus Brigg line stations could do with pop up trains. I am sure there are many more stations where a more regular reliable train service could cause a Melksham effect. 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 |