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Sideshoots - associated subjects => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: grahame on April 08, 2021, 19:49:38



Title: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 08, 2021, 19:49:38
Can you place these timetables ... one each, please - how do they look compared to today?

1.
(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ttq1_1.jpg)

2.
(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ttq1_2.jpg)

3.
(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ttq1_3.jpg)

4.
(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ttq1_4.jpg)

5.
(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ttq1_5.jpg)

6.
(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ttq1_6.jpg)

7.
(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ttq1_7.jpg)


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Lee on April 08, 2021, 21:48:04
I think 1. is London Paddington to Reading, Newbury, Bedwyn, Pewsey and Westbury


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: RichardB on April 08, 2021, 22:55:53
Is no 5 Looe?


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 09, 2021, 05:15:35
I think 1. is London Paddington to Reading, Newbury, Bedwyn, Pewsey and Westbury

Is no 5 Looe?

Those are both correct.  And both of those show services which have massively increased since 1967 which is when my timetables date from.   There seem to be, overall, two patterns - a massive increase in service since that day, or closure hence zero service today.


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: stuving on April 09, 2021, 10:02:31
3. Kingswear, Newton Abbot, and Exeter.   Obviously!


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Lee on April 09, 2021, 10:04:26
I think 1. is London Paddington to Reading, Newbury, Bedwyn, Pewsey and Westbury

Is no 5 Looe?

Those are both correct.  And both of those show services which have massively increased since 1967 which is when my timetables date from.   There seem to be, overall, two patterns - a massive increase in service since that day, or closure hence zero service today.

I definitely have 4. and I reckon I might have 3. as well, but I will give everyone else a chance first  ;D

As a side issue, what criteria/percentage etc should we look for to determine whether services have "massively increased" ?

EDIT - stuving nipped in with 3. just as I posted!


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 09, 2021, 11:31:38
As a side issue, what criteria/percentage etc should we look for to determine whether services have "massively increased" ?

Quantitative answer - a doubling of the number of services or something close to it

Qualitative answer - extra service to address major passenger flows that were not addressed by the previous service

Colloquial answer - "Good grief - was it THAT infrequent" when shown the old timetable


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Lee on April 09, 2021, 12:00:20
As a side issue, what criteria/percentage etc should we look for to determine whether services have "massively increased" ?

Quantitative answer - a doubling of the number of services or something close to it

Qualitative answer - extra service to address major passenger flows that were not addressed by the previous service

Colloquial answer - "Good grief - was it THAT infrequent" when shown the old timetable

Well that certainly clears that one up  ;D

As an update, I now feel like the second contestant from Pointless who is about to be asked "Do you want to take us through the board?"

I definitely now have 4 and 6, and I am ready to make an educated guess on 2 as well, given that the longer validity of timetables from that era might just stretch grahame's "1967" far enough to bring my prospective answer into play.

It's 7 that is really taxing me, as there are a number of possibilities in my view.

Excellent quiz though, grahame - Really kept me enjoyably engaged.


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 09, 2021, 12:13:15
... given that the longer validity of timetables from that era might just stretch grahame's "1967" far enough to bring my prospective answer into play. ...

Glad you're enjoying it. 

All are pages from the following document.   These were times of change, though, so it's possible that there may be services in there which didn't see it through to the given end date.

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/allfrom67.jpg)


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Lee on April 09, 2021, 12:17:30
Oooh Breaking News - Rethink needed on 2...


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Kempis on April 09, 2021, 23:00:38
4. Taunton to Minehead?


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 09, 2021, 23:31:32

As an update, I now feel like the second contestant from Pointless who is about to be asked "Do you want to take us through the board?"


As the 24 hours is up ... you can now.  So far we have
1. Reading to Westbury (Lee)
3. Kingswear (Stuving)
4. Taunton to Minehead (Kempis)
5. Looe branch (RichardB)


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Lee on April 10, 2021, 03:11:24
6 is definitely Reading-Guildford-Redhill. The service through to Gatwick Airport wasn't launched until 12 May 1980.

I did originally think 2 might be Yeovil Town-Pen Mill-Junction, but Yeovil Town station closed to passengers on 3 October 1966, putting us the wrong side of 1967 for grahame's timetable. My back up of it possibly being Bodmin-related falls by the wayside for the same reasons - North and General stations both closed to passengers on 30 January 1967.

Really not sure on 7 - Gut says either Plymouth-Bere Alston-Tavistock-Okehampton (closure 6 May 1968 which would be bang on with grahame's timetable) or Ilfracombe (closure 5 October 1970) but I cant definitively plump for either with the required confidence.


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 10, 2021, 07:49:00
You have identified Reading to Redhill correctly (after it was cut back from Tonbridge, but before it was extended to Gatwick). However, you are correct to be hedging your bets on no.s 2 and 7 - not Devon, not Somerset, not even Cornwall.


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: RichardB on April 10, 2021, 10:20:29
You have identified Reading to Redhill correctly (after it was cut back from Tonbridge, but before it was extended to Gatwick). However, you are correct to be hedging your bets on no.s 2 and 7 - not Devon, not Somerset, not even Cornwall.

I've just dug out my copy of the WR 67-68 timetable and have found 7 - let's see if anyone gets it.  Further clue - it's a long way from the far South West. 


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Kempis on April 10, 2021, 10:57:27
I wondered whether 7 could be Wolverhampton and Birkenhead Woodside, but I'm not sure the timings fit.


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: stuving on April 10, 2021, 11:09:44
I reckon 7 is Oxford and Bletchley.


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Lee on April 10, 2021, 12:41:13
Working on the premise that stuving is never wrong, and thus 7 is now solved, that just leaves 2 which I notice everyone is being very quiet on...

I am not much further forward, I must admit. I did think that I might (at a push) have made the Bewdley to Kidderminster and Hartlebury timings work, but even then, where oh where are the intermediate stations?...


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 10, 2021, 12:47:16
Working on the premise that stuving is never wrong, and thus 7 is now solved, that just leaves 2 which I notice everyone is being very quiet on...

You're not wrong - he's right ... it's Oxford to Bicester and Bletchley, with ongoing connections (or through services) shown to Bedford and Cambridge. I could dearly have done with that line remaining open in recent years - far too many journeys from Melksham to Cambridge via Paddington, the tube or 205 but, and out from King's Cross.  Mind you, that did give me the chance to buy one of those lovely take-away curries sold at King's Cross to eat on the onward train.

No-one has come particularly close to No. 2 yet.


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Lee on April 10, 2021, 13:17:01
No-one has come particularly close to No. 2 yet.

That's probably because i am the only one who has offered any answers for 2, and I know I am way out  ;D

The only other shot I have left in my armoury is Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bute Road (now Cardiff Bay) but the journey times are too long so I suspect that is wrong as well.

If so, I think I will have to "do a RichardB" and consult ny own copy of that timetable to put myself out of my misery!


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: eightonedee on April 10, 2021, 13:46:39
A shot in the dark for no 2 - Slough to Windsor?

The reasons - not many branches left with no intermediate stations by then apart from this, and if the western leg of the triangular junction was still in place by then, did a few services start at Maidenhead (without stopping at Taplow and Burnham?)


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 10, 2021, 16:28:49
A shot in the dark for no 2 - Slough to Windsor?

The reasons - not many branches left with no intermediate stations by then apart from this, and if the western leg of the triangular junction was still in place by then, did a few services start at Maidenhead (without stopping at Taplow and Burnham?)

Nope, sorry!


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: RichardB on April 10, 2021, 18:17:48
2 is really good.  I've found that too in the 67-68 timetable and I certainly wouldn't have guessed it.  Let's see if anyone does......



Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Kempis on April 10, 2021, 19:19:09
Could 2 be Cheltenham to Gloucester (Central or Eastgate), with the occasional train from Stratford-upon-Avon?


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 10, 2021, 20:29:13
Could 2 be Cheltenham to Gloucester (Central or Eastgate), with the occasional train from Stratford-upon-Avon?

Yes - it is.  Quite an amazing timetable from Stratford-on-Avon on what I think was the old GWR mainline from Birmingham to the South West - just one train a day to each of Gloucester Eastgate and Central ... passing through Cheltenham Spa without stopping because the station on that line had been closed.


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 11, 2021, 07:22:39
So the completed quiz as follows:

1. Reading to Westbury (Lee)
2. Stratford on Avon and Cheltenham Spa to Gloucester (Kempis)
3. Kingswear (Stuving)
4. Taunton to Minehead (Kempis)
5. Looe branch (RichardB)
6. Reading to Redhill (Lee)
7. Oxford to Bletchley (and connections to Cambridge) (Stuving)

To 'confirm' my earlier comment. In National Rail terms:
1. Massive increase
2. Partly closed; massive increase on parts still open
3. Partly closed; massive increase on parts still open
4. Closed thoughout
5. Massive increase
6. Massive increase
7. Partly closed; massive increase on parts still open


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: TonyN on April 11, 2021, 11:30:06
Any chance you can show us a picture of the whole page on that Stratford-Gloucester timetable. I would be interested to see what the origins/destinations of the trains with footnotes A B J K and L where.


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 11, 2021, 11:56:13
Any chance you can show us a picture of the whole page on that Stratford-Gloucester timetable. I would be interested to see what the origins/destinations of the trains with footnotes A B J K and L where.

Two for the price of one ... both ways.   Sadly, only a very few of the footnotes give any origin or destination - much more work than I have time for today to look 'em all up.

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/67_29_a.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/67_29_b.jpg)


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: TonyN on April 11, 2021, 12:22:11
Thanks. It was really the Leamington trains I was Interested in. Don't waste a lot of time looking at table 51 trains most of the footnotes will be summer only seaside trains.


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Ralph Ayres on April 12, 2021, 12:26:29
I'm intrigued by the last train of the day from Taunton to Minehead being so much quicker on Fridays despite calling at all stations. Does footnote B mean "Class 8 shunter haulage" by any chance?


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: grahame on April 12, 2021, 12:27:34
I'm intrigued by the last train of the day from Taunton to Minehead being so much quicker on Fridays despite calling at all stations. Does footnote B mean "Class 8 shunter haulage" by any chance?

'B' for Bus!


Title: Re: Spot the line, compare the service to today's
Post by: Lee on April 12, 2021, 13:45:15
I'm intrigued by the last train of the day from Taunton to Minehead being so much quicker on Fridays despite calling at all stations. Does footnote B mean "Class 8 shunter haulage" by any chance?

'B' for Bus!

My wife sometimes stops by the forum, and concludes that we must live in another world. I'm so glad I can point her to posts like this that show it simply isnt the case.



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