Great Western Coffee Shop

Journey by Journey => Plymouth and Cornwall => Topic started by: Lee on February 04, 2007, 13:24:49



Title: St Ives branch line - engineering work, closures, incidents (merged topics)
Post by: Lee on February 04, 2007, 13:24:49
From the FGW website :

19:40 St Ives to Penzance due 20:05
This train will be cancelled. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

19:16 St Erth to St Ives due 19:29
This train will be cancelled. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

18:45 St Ives to St Erth due 18:58
This train will be cancelled. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

18:16 St Erth to St Ives due 18:29
This train will be cancelled. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Lee on February 10, 2007, 10:58:35
From the FGW website :

21:50 St Ives to Penzance due 22:13
This train has been cancelled. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

Customers travelling from St Ives to Penzance should travel the alternative road transport service.

21:32 St Erth to St Ives due 21:45
This train has been cancelled. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

Customers travelling from St Erth to St Ives should travel the alternative road transport service.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: grahame on February 15, 2007, 04:57:34
There seems to be a lot of this around at the moment.  What's going on?

1. Are the operations staff more prone to be sick at the moment because, let's face it, it can't be fun having less happy passengers complaining at worse timetables, higher fares and unreliable services?

2. There are fewer relief staff available to cover for sickness - services are being run without the backup that was previosuly available to render them reliable?

3. Is it simply that we're seeing these report more in the electronic age and there were always issues such as this and at the same level too?

4. Are safety or operations practices leading to a less reliable service (I saw a quote - NOT St Ives - about a service that was delayed due to staff no longer staying away at the far end of a line overnight, and then having taxi problems getting to the train left unattended to start it up in the early hours)


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Conner on September 22, 2007, 16:47:37
Hi
I went to St.Ives today with my family from Camborne. We checked the timetable and saw that the 11.02 from Camborne got into St.Erth one minute after a St.Ives train was meant to leave. Thinking we might make it so we got on this service and as we pulled into St.Erth we heard the 150 branchline power up and pull away leaving us to wait 30 mins. But what was so stupid was hearing a member of staff, about to begin a shift on the St.Ives branch who had been onboard our service say that it was 10 mins early at Truro. If FGW accounted for this apparently regular early-running they could but the train back an extra 5 mins and make an extra connection. I also noticed that the 10.00 service from Plymouth which was meant to make a connection with the 11.41 to St.Ives hadn't turned up by the time we left. An absolute shambles with connections.
Trains we travelled on:
Ex TPE 158/7 6.48 BTM-Penzance
150 St.Ives Branch
Un-Refurb HST with 2 MTU powercars 14.00 Penzance-Paddington


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: grahame on September 22, 2007, 17:21:24
The standard rule of thumb is that connections are NOT usually held, and that is stated to be because (a) it would lead to knock-on delays and (b) it would inconvenience the people, usually in the majority, who don't rely in the connection.   I suspect that reason (c) - unstated - is that late trains incur penalties and they are to be avoided if at all possible.

There is something of an exception made into last connections of the day.  (Which im my local area means that the 07:00 Westbury to Swindon will NOT be held if the commuter connection from Frome is late, as there's a train later in the day at 19:35, but that 19:35 WILL be held even though it's a train that runs in marginal time with few passengers.  Funny Old system, isn't it?

To be fair to FGW (why do I so often find myself talking in their defence now that I'm learning more about ralway operation?), they got something of a mess of a draft timetable for the December '06 to December '07 service which they put right in many areas (the easy ones) and they're planning to put more of these issues right this coming December.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: devon_metro on September 22, 2007, 17:50:47
As far as i can see the 1000 from plymouth was only about 2 mins late/


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on September 23, 2007, 20:08:27
Hi
I went to St.Ives today with my family from Camborne. We checked the timetable and saw that the 11.02 from Camborne got into St.Erth one minute after a St.Ives train was meant to leave. Thinking we might make it so we got on this service and as we pulled into St.Erth we heard the 150 branchline power up and pull away leaving us to wait 30 mins. But what was so stupid was hearing a member of staff, about to begin a shift on the St.Ives branch who had been onboard our service say that it was 10 mins early at Truro. If FGW accounted for this apparently regular early-running they could but the train back an extra 5 mins and make an extra connection. I also noticed that the 10.00 service from Plymouth which was meant to make a connection with the 11.41 to St.Ives hadn't turned up by the time we left. An absolute shambles with connections.
Trains we travelled on:
Ex TPE 158/7 6.48 BTM-Penzance
150 St.Ives Branch
Un-Refurb HST with 2 MTU powercars 14.00 Penzance-Paddington
The reason the St Ives wont wait for any connections is that it runs at half hourly intervals all through the day to provide a "clock face" time table, the timings are so tight that a 2 minute delay can have a knock on effect all day. As the service is regular then it is not deemed unreasonable to have to wait 29 minutes for the next train, also, if the train leaves St Erth late on the down, then it will be late leaving St Ives on the return and could miss an onward connection to London etc.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Lee on September 25, 2007, 10:41:29
What do you think about the rather strange summer timetable service pattern , which has round - trip services calling at Carbis Bay in one direction but not the other , plus a limited service for Lelant? (link below.)
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Documents/Custom/Book%20B%20StErth%20StIves%20web.pdf

Also , I note that the official explanation from the Office of Rail Regulation for the following drastic falls in passenger numbers is "Changes in St Ives Summer Park & Ride Trains."

St Ives
2004 / 2005 - 220300
2005 / 2006 - 171281

Carbis Bay
2004 / 2005 - 66298
2005 / 2006 - 23737

Lelant
2004 / 2005 - 8697
2005 / 2006 - 1653


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on September 25, 2007, 16:18:40
What do you think about the rather strange summer timetable service pattern , which has round - trip services calling at Carbis Bay in one direction but not the other , plus a limited service for Lelant? (link below.)
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Documents/Custom/Book%20B%20StErth%20StIves%20web.pdf

Also , I note that the official explanation from the Office of Rail Regulation for the following drastic falls in passenger numbers is "Changes in St Ives Summer Park & Ride Trains."

St Ives
2004 / 2005 - 220300
2005 / 2006 - 171281

Carbis Bay
2004 / 2005 - 66298
2005 / 2006 - 23737

Lelant
2004 / 2005 - 8697
2005 / 2006 - 1653
The figures were cocked up because when the new AVANTIX machines were introduced then they recorded one park and ride ticket (which was for up to five passengers) as one passenger, (the ticket would be printed as Park ride 3/5 as a ticket type but only show as "adult one") a problem which in Wessex trains own passenger numbers was compensated for, the journeys for individual stations on the line can't be worked out properly any more because there is just a flat fare which is a rover ticket and doesn't show as starting from any particular station.

Lelant was very little used other than by walkers and is only 5/10 minutes walk from Lelant Saltings where every train stops but most of the locals were too busy trying not to pay for a ticket when the trains did stop there and hence the passenger numbers were never really known. Most (not all) local people who travel on the St Ives branch seem to think that just because they're local then they should go for free so the service was modelled around tourist's who account for around 90% of journeys on that branch.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Lee on September 25, 2007, 16:27:26
That's a very interesting answer indeed. Quote from Andrew Griffiths (18/05/2007) reffering to Severn Beach Line fare increases due to the new zonal fare system :

"On the St Ives branch, 4 miles long, the flat fare return is ^4 - more than twice the cost per mile of Severn Beach.  When introduced it represented a much steeper increase than on the Beach (where some fares have come down, of course) and the result was a 20% increase in journeys."


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on September 25, 2007, 19:27:33
That's a very interesting answer indeed. Quote from Andrew Griffiths (18/05/2007) reffering to Severn Beach Line fare increases due to the new zonal fare system :

"On the St Ives branch, 4 miles long, the flat fare return is ^4 - more than twice the cost per mile of Severn Beach.  When introduced it represented a much steeper increase than on the Beach (where some fares have come down, of course) and the result was a 20% increase in journeys."
The St Ives fare isn't that clever though, a "ranger" which is the only ticket which is availiable between St Erth and St Ives is ^4, no single tickets etc, yet a Penzance to St Ives Cheap day single is ^2.90 and Cheap day return ^3.00 so it's actually cheaper to buy a ticket from Penzance to St Ives than from St Erth!


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Lee on December 28, 2007, 10:11:32
From the FGW website :

Line problem between Penzance and St Ives.
Train services between Penzance and St Ives are being disrupted due to a train fault.Engineers are working as fast as possible to restore services to normal. Short notice cancellations can be expected.

Replacement road transport is in operation for services in the area.



Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Conner on December 29, 2007, 09:30:55
29/12/2007
Line problem between Penzance and St Ives.
Train services between Penzance and St Ives are being disrupted due to a member of train crew being unavailable.Short notice cancellations can be expected.

Replacement road transport is in operation between Penzance and St Ives.

That is two days in a row the St.Ives branch has been caped, is this a repeat of last years shocking situation?



Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: John R on December 29, 2007, 11:30:41
It's an interesting headline, isn't it. "Line problem", would to most people imply its a problem with the track or signalling, ie Network Rail's fault. Whereas plainly it isn't.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Lee on December 29, 2007, 11:35:13
It's an interesting headline, isn't it. "Line problem", would to most people imply its a problem with the track or signalling, ie Network Rail's fault. Whereas plainly it isn't.

As well as coming up with the headline mentioned, FGW have listed a different reason for each days disruption.

I am not suggesting that FGW are being in any way misleading, of course. It could be (as FGW claim) that two entirely different events have conspired to cause two days disruption to services on the same section.....


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: FarWestJohn on January 08, 2008, 13:54:28
Transport briefing today:

Cornwall weighs up case for 5-car trains to St Ives
Filed 08/01/08 

Trains on the Cornish branch line to St Ives could be lengthened to five-car formations as part of a package of measures being considered by Cornwall County Council.

The local authority has appointed JMP Consulting to develop a business case for a new park and ride facility, designed to address a shortage of car parking spaces, and measures to relieve overcrowding on trains to the resort during the summer months.

See for complete write up: http://www.newsnow.co.uk/cgi/NGoto/250863347?-10958


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Lee on January 08, 2008, 15:07:34
Fair play to them.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Andy on January 08, 2008, 15:30:33
I've got a plan!

Redouble the main line along Long Rock into Pz station
Reopen Marazion station.
Run 5-car shuttles along the St Erth-St Ives branch to connect with main line services and in between, extend the shuttle to run St Ives-St Erth-Marazion-Penzance.   


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: FarWestJohn on January 08, 2008, 15:51:47
FGW have the re-doubling of the line from Long Rock to PNZ on their wish list but I have never seen a date given for it to happen. I seem to remember seeing it somewhere in a Network Rail planning document.

The existing unit can only just cope with a half hourly St.Erth to St.Ives frequency. To extend the service to PNZ would require extra rolling stock to be obtained and paid for - and we all know what the answer to that is.

There is also a very good number 17 [sadly First] half hourly bus from, St. Ives to St.Just via St.Erth and PNZ which is fairly quick.

The existing departure boards at PNZ do not even show the nest train from PNZ  to St.Ives with a change at St.Erth. It is almost as though first ignores this traffic. If it was not for the Council support and interest I get the impression FGW would be quite happy to lose the ST.Ives branch.

Very different from Redruth where the departure boards show Platform 3 which is one of the bus stops outside the station for the T34 bus to Helston and the Lizard known as ' The Helston Branch Line'.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Conner on January 08, 2008, 16:18:16
I don't see Long Rock getting doubled any time soon as there isn't enough space and I don't think there is that much demand as it is so close to a terminus and a small section. Not like the Burngallow section which could take 30 mins for a train to get through after being stopped because of it.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Lee on January 08, 2008, 17:27:21
FGW have the re-doubling of the line from Long Rock to PNZ on their wish list but I have never seen a date given for it to happen. I seem to remember seeing it somewhere in a Network Rail planning document.

Network Rail Business Plan 2007 (see quote below) :

Long Rock - Penzance re - doubling comes under "Route enhancement aspirations" (Page 20 of the link below.)
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/BusinessPlan2007/PDF/Route%2012%20Reading%20to%20Penzance.pdf

Lowest priority , dont expect anything to happen soon.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: smokey on January 08, 2008, 18:01:27
FGW have the re-doubling of the line from Long Rock to PNZ on their wish list but I have never seen a date given for it to happen. I seem to remember seeing it somewhere in a Network Rail planning document.

The existing unit can only just cope with a half hourly St.Erth to St.Ives frequency. To extend the service to PNZ would require extra rolling stock to be obtained and paid for - and we all know what the answer to that is.

There is also a very good number 17 [sadly First] half hourly bus from, St. Ives to St.Just via St.Erth and PNZ which is fairly quick.

The existing departure boards at PNZ do not even show the nest train from PNZ  to St.Ives with a change at St.Erth. It is almost as though first ignores this traffic. If it was not for the Council support and interest I get the impression FGW would be quite happy to lose the ST.Ives branch.

Very different from Redruth where the departure boards show Platform 3 which is one of the bus stops outside the station for the T34 bus to Helston and the Lizard known as ' The Helston Branch Line'.

Farwest you make a valid point about the departure monitors, Penzances does ignore the connection for St Ives, and whilst Redruth mentions the bus to Helston, St Austell shows buses, FGW ones (run by Truroian) to Eden Project,  and Bodmin Parkway show buses to Wadebridge and Padstow but these are NOT connections but (bus) services that start at these Stations.
The whole information system Ex-Wessex fails to show connections, indeed even the Ex FGW systems fail to show connections.
Unless the announcement is made Manually, all Train Running Information made by the Auto systems FAIL to say Change at Cfor D, E for F etc.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on January 08, 2008, 18:44:33
FGW make a fortune from the St Ives branch between St Erth and St Ives, the fare on the branch is a flat fare of ^4 which is a St Ives line rover, in the summer months the trains run from Lelant Saltings to St Ives completely full as a four car, every half hour! the service is modelled around the majority which is park and ride traffic from Lelant Saltings therefore connections take a second priority,when I last saw some figures it showed something like 93% of passengers on the branch are travelling between St Erth/Saltings/Carbis Bay and St Ives with a tiny percentage using the mainline connections! If you don't believe me then take a trip on there at about 1100 one weekday this August!


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: devon_metro on January 08, 2008, 18:46:19
Have to agree, they are almost empty leaving St Erth, although it didn't fill it that much from the P&R


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on January 08, 2008, 18:47:38
Have to agree, they are almost empty leaving St Erth, although it didn't fill it that much from the P&R
It will be empty this time of year, but summer is another story!


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: smokey on January 08, 2008, 19:07:28
I beleive the St Ives branch has the Highest Summer/Winter loading Ratio of Any Train Service in Britain today, (talking Network Rail of Course).

It's something Manic like 450! Vacman you agree?


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on January 08, 2008, 19:53:49
I beleive the St Ives branch has the Highest Summer/Winter loading Ratio of Any Train Service in Britain today, (talking Network Rail of Course).

It's something Manic like 450! Vacman you agree?
I think it's more than that, around 80% of daytrippers to St Ives in summer arrive by train, I bet there aren't any other towns in Britain that can compare to that!


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Andy on January 09, 2008, 07:06:30
FGW have the re-doubling of the line from Long Rock to PNZ on their wish list but I have never seen a date given for it to happen. I seem to remember seeing it somewhere in a Network Rail planning document.

The existing unit can only just cope with a half hourly St.Erth to St.Ives frequency. To extend the service to PNZ would require extra rolling stock to be obtained and paid for - and we all know what the answer to that is.

There is also a very good number 17 [sadly First] half hourly bus from, St. Ives to St.Just via St.Erth and PNZ which is fairly quick.

The existing departure boards at PNZ do not even show the nest train from PNZ  to St.Ives with a change at St.Erth. It is almost as though first ignores this traffic. If it was not for the Council support and interest I get the impression FGW would be quite happy to lose the ST.Ives branch.

Very different from Redruth where the departure boards show Platform 3 which is one of the bus stops outside the station for the T34 bus to Helston and the Lizard known as ' The Helston Branch Line'.

Fair points, qprule, and a reality check that the last thing most companies are thinking about is maximising the potential service (to the community or the environment) that railways can offer.

I'm not sure that the bus is as attractive an alternative during the summer months when the bottlenecks into St Ives and Penzance can be quite something.

It is a shame that the St Ives connection isn't better publicised at Penzance. There may be little through traffic between St Ives branch & "up country" services but I'd have thought that there is some potential for local tourist St Ives-Penzance traffic. Still, if the line is at capacity now with a four-car unit, there wouldn't be much use in encouraging more users, I suppose.

(ps - it's a smart marketing tool but the "Helston Branch line" name irritates me every time I see it - because it isn't the REAL one  :'()
 


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: FarWestJohn on January 09, 2008, 13:48:41
Strange you should say that about the branch line connection direction.

I regularly travel from Truro to St.Ives and that always seems to be the busiest direction. In the morning especially in the summer there are lots of day trippers who come down from the Plymouth direction and go to St.Ives and then out on the coast path.

With the timekeeping of main line trains it is hardly worth using the train from St.Ives to PNZ with a change at ST.Erth even with the summer traffic the bus is still miles quicker. If the main line timekeeping was reliable this would be a different matter.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: oooooo on January 09, 2008, 16:18:48
What bugs me about the current winter SIV service on a Sunday is its pretty much hourly. Why on earth cant you run it hourly PNZ to/from SIV on a Sunday, would surely capture much more trade (if actually marketed), faster than bus and far more scenic..... (even if not possible in the summer)


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on January 10, 2008, 09:46:14
What bugs me about the current winter SIV service on a Sunday is its pretty much hourly. Why on earth cant you run it hourly PNZ to/from SIV on a Sunday, would surely capture much more trade (if actually marketed), faster than bus and far more scenic..... (even if not possible in the summer)
And cheaper!


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Conner on January 10, 2008, 16:03:30
What bugs me about the current winter SIV service on a Sunday is its pretty much hourly. Why on earth cant you run it hourly PNZ to/from SIV on a Sunday, would surely capture much more trade (if actually marketed), faster than bus and far more scenic..... (even if not possible in the summer)
And cheaper!
Much cheaper. The bus costs a small fortune down here.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on January 10, 2008, 16:44:19
Bus from SIV-PNZ is ^4.00 return, train is ^3.00 CDR.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: smokey on January 10, 2008, 16:56:19
Not just cheaper by Train but a Direct Penzance-St Ives train is around 20minutes, the Bus is around 30minutes, some buses take just under 40 minutes.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on January 10, 2008, 17:19:38
Not just cheaper by Train but a Direct Penzance-St Ives train is around 20minutes, the Bus is around 30minutes, some buses take just under 40 minutes.
But there's only 2 direct trains per day! 0835 and 2150!


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: smokey on January 10, 2008, 18:28:53
Mr Vacman you can't count,

Direct trains M-F are,

Penzance to St Ives
06.37 and 08.57

St Ives to Penzance
08.18 and 21.50

However I would agree that there should be several more through trains between St Ives and Penzance. Indeed in the Summer how about a through train from Plymouth to St Ives Yes it would have to go (out) via Penzance but SO. And of course a return working.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on January 10, 2008, 18:33:19
Mr Vacman you can't count,

Direct trains M-F are,

Penzance to St Ives
06.37 and 08.57

St Ives to Penzance
08.18 and 21.50

However I would agree that there should be several more through trains between St Ives and Penzance. Indeed in the Summer how about a through train from Plymouth to St Ives Yes it would have to go (out) via Penzance but SO. And of course a return working.
Two trains in each direction if you want to pick nits, or two direct journey opportunitys.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Shazz on January 10, 2008, 21:28:48
So, 2 trains in each way, per day....

even i got that from what he was saying.

Mr smokey you can't read  :P


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on March 21, 2008, 22:31:46
Today 150121 worked the St Ives branch, this is the first time a 150/1 has visited the line I believe??


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on March 21, 2008, 22:50:38
I'm a great fan of 150/1s!  http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1753.msg12093#msg12093  ;D


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Conner on March 21, 2008, 22:55:27
And I was lucky enough to get on it. ;)
That is something I can say, it worked really well IMHO, hoovered up all the tourists and they were pretty comfortable and pleased with 2+3 seating.
Where does it mean it will go tommorow?


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: hymek on March 21, 2008, 23:00:44
hi vacman been down st. ives today overheard train crew saying how good and easy it was to work, also seen seasonal guy back there already. :D


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: hymek on March 21, 2008, 23:08:52
And I was lucky enough to get on it. ;)
That is something I can say, it worked really well IMHO, hoovered up all the tourists and they were pretty comfortable and pleased with 2+3 seating.
Where does it mean it will go tommorow?
train crew seemed to think it will be there over easter.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: hymek on March 21, 2008, 23:19:26
sorry did the last post wrong will start again. 150/1 should be there all over easter. i see they still not got the fares sorted yet! :-\


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on March 21, 2008, 23:28:05
Hello again, hymek!

Please don't worry about getting one of your posts wrong!  You can always edit them yourself - or ask one of the moderators for help, if you get into difficulty!

Good to see that a 150/1 is down in Cornwall for the Easter, though.  :D


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Conner on March 22, 2008, 08:58:23
i see they still not got the fares sorted yet! :-\
I guess you mean that they only sell an all line rover which is quite expensive.
Best way to do it is to go from Hayle, only ^2.50 instead of ^4.00 as long as the trains connect that is a brilliant money saver.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on March 22, 2008, 12:03:23
i see they still not got the fares sorted yet! :-\
I guess you mean that they only sell an all line rover which is quite expensive.
Best way to do it is to go from Hayle, only ^2.50 instead of ^4.00 as long as the trains connect that is a brilliant money saver.
Most of the locals know about that little loophole, the train crew tell them about it, good on em.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on March 22, 2008, 12:04:14
Mind you, whilst the St Ives is a 150, the Falmouth is a 153! they swapped em around for the busy easter weekend!


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: jester on March 22, 2008, 12:30:07
It certainly did a great job, plenty of space for luggage, prams etc.,and made excellent time connection wise.



Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Conner on March 22, 2008, 17:05:10
Mind you, whilst the St Ives is a 150, the Falmouth is a 153! they swapped em around for the busy easter weekend!
Nah! Falmouth was 150 today aswell.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: devon_metro on March 22, 2008, 21:55:21
The 150/1 was working on the Devon Metro today. Sighted at NTA working the 2024 NTA-EXD


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Conner on March 22, 2008, 21:57:17
The 150/1 was working on the Devon Metro today. Sighted at NTA working the 2024 NTA-EXD
I saw it between Torre and Torquay on the 12:20 Exmouth-Paignton while on a 142 bash.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on March 23, 2008, 21:58:17
Mind you, whilst the St Ives is a 150, the Falmouth is a 153! they swapped em around for the busy easter weekend!
Nah! Falmouth was 150 today aswell.
It wasn't on friday! St Ives was 153 saturday morning, then control realised that it gets slightly busy at Easter so they swapped it for a 150 mid afternoon!


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Conner on March 23, 2008, 22:26:26
Mind you, whilst the St Ives is a 150, the Falmouth is a 153! they swapped em around for the busy easter weekend!
Nah! Falmouth was 150 today aswell.
It wasn't on friday! St Ives was 153 saturday morning, then control realised that it gets slightly busy at Easter so they swapped it for a 150 mid afternoon!
Assumed St.Ives was 150 Saturday, didn't see it but did see 150 on Falmouth, how did they magically materailse a 150?


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: cornishman on March 24, 2008, 00:22:04
could have been the taken off the 14.44 plymouth service, or control found one inside an easter egg! ;D


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on March 24, 2008, 00:40:00
could have been the taken off the 14.44 plymouth service, or control found one inside an easter egg! ;D
I think the 142's came out of a Kinder egg!! :D :D


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: cornishman on March 24, 2008, 00:55:47
well on that note vacman it must be time for bed and dream of the 151 back on the st. ives easter monday. ;) :D


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on March 24, 2008, 01:19:19
Eggsactly!   ;) :D ;D

Welcome to the forum, cornishman!


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: Conner on March 24, 2008, 08:24:44
could have been the taken off the 14.44 plymouth service, or control found one inside an easter egg! ;D
Makes sense as that is even more stupid as a 153 on that would prevent people getting connections at Plymouth as that is the main use of that service which gets quite busy.
A typical FGW thing to do then.


Title: Re: St Ives Branch line
Post by: vacman on March 24, 2008, 23:51:02
I believe St Ives was booked to be a 150 from easter sunday onwards, hence the cock ups on friday/saturday.


Title: St Ives Line - engineering work, closures, incidents (merged topics)
Post by: cornishman on May 27, 2008, 23:07:08
FGW gets it wrong again >:( every train full and passengers left behind anybody else down there today.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: devon_metro on May 27, 2008, 23:12:26
Care to explain?


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: cornishman on May 27, 2008, 23:18:36
2x150 sat sun mon 150x1 today half term all week.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: jester on May 28, 2008, 00:17:41
Yeah it was just great! train was full on the return at 8p.m believe it or not!


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Btline on May 28, 2008, 11:07:52
Any more news about 5 car trains.

When I was at St Ives a few years back (Wessex), trains were packed all the time.

Then came the 06 timetable....


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: vacman on May 28, 2008, 20:42:04
Any more news about 5 car trains.

When I was at St Ives a few years back (Wessex), trains were packed all the time.

Then came the 06 timetable....
The 06 timetable was identical to the 05 timetable, half hourly at xx25 and xx56 from St Ives also exactly the same as it is now, the half hourly service was never dropped, I think you may be mistaken btline.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Btline on May 28, 2008, 21:34:11
I just remember viewing the planned cuts from the FGW website after the FGW/Wessex merger. Having seen how busy St Ives was a year or so before, I looked at the proposed timetable and it said at the top:

"a reduction in trains from X to Y in accordance with the department for tarmac's specification" etc

I was surprised, I also remember reading news articles/ other sites slamming the cuts.

From what I remember, all branch lines in Cornwall were to receive cuts.

Therefore, I assume that the cuts were reversed in the timetable re-think. Thank goodness for that!

Well done all those campaigners who fought. St Ives traffic would be a nightmare....


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: RichardB on May 28, 2008, 23:30:32
Let's just say FGW realised very quickly that the Wessex approach to the St Ives Bay Line is the right one.

The feedback this week proves that.  Keep it coming.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: vacman on May 29, 2008, 17:08:49
The spec timetable proposed cuts in the winter timetable, but in favour of running more through services to Penzance, which would actually be better during the winter, but the summer service was always to be near half hourly, as it is now, I still think that after 1800 every serivce should run direct between St  Ives and Penzance, the service is only houly in the evenings anyway so there'd be no reduction in service..... over to you richard  ;) Oh, there should be a later service to Falmouth aswell, I know Richard was involved in the introduction of the FO late train that used to run to Falmouth, could it happen again?


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Btline on May 29, 2008, 19:09:53
If you ran more trains to Penzance, the InterCity trains would no longer need to call at St Erth.

"Change at Penzance for: Marizon, St Erth, Lelant Saltings, Lelant, Carbis Bay and St Ives."

That's also because most people on the line drive.

It would speed up the Cornish services.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: devon_metro on May 29, 2008, 19:20:35
There is no chance I would go to Penzance only to return to St Erth to go to St Ives!


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Btline on May 29, 2008, 19:23:50
There is no chance I would go to Penzance only to return to St Erth to go to St Ives!


I'm not saying it would be popular - but that is what they would do!

It all depends on whether St Erth has enough usage.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: devon_metro on May 29, 2008, 19:29:34
There is no chance I would go to Penzance only to return to St Erth to go to St Ives!


I'm not saying it would be popular - but that is what they would do!

I disagree


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: swlines on May 29, 2008, 19:42:31
How would it speed up services! The slack present in all the schedules will still be included so at max there would be a gain of maybe 1 minute??

Damn iPhone keyboard.....


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Btline on May 29, 2008, 20:43:38
How would it speed up services! The slack present in all the schedules will still be included so at max there would be a gain of maybe 1 minute??

Damn iPhone keyboard.....

I suppose....


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: vacman on May 29, 2008, 21:09:35
If you think most people drive from St Ives then you really know nothing about the town and the branch! the reason why the St Ives branch is so busy in the summer is because people physicly can't drive into the town after about 1000! it would be better to run more trains to Penzance in winter, but not summer as any less than half hourly on the branch would not cope, and before anyone says about half hourly St Ives to Penzance, then yes, great idea, but we'll need another 2x150's to do it as any less than 4 car won't cope in summer.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Btline on May 29, 2008, 21:14:48
If you think most people drive from St Ives then you really know nothing about the town and the branch! the reason why the St Ives branch is so busy in the summer is because people physicly can't drive into the town after about 1000! it would be better to run more trains to Penzance in winter, but not summer as any less than half hourly on the branch would not cope, and before anyone says about half hourly St Ives to Penzance, then yes, great idea, but we'll need another 2x150's to do it as any less than 4 car won't cope in summer.

I don't think anyone in this thread so far has thought that. ???

But you are right, I have seen the huge queues at St Ives as well. That is why the P&R is so well used. Some people whp never use the railway, use it then!

It is a shame they knocked down the station and cut it back to make way for a car park... >:(


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Karl on May 30, 2008, 00:26:42
Morning

According to some info I've got, the buildings at
St. Ives were made history circa 23rd May 1971.

The station composed of a single line with double
platform's (as per PLT 1 at Horstead Keynes "Bluebell
Railway"), with the middle platform having another
line, making that one assesable both sides.  The
station also had a goods shed with sidings (behind the
platforms), plus a single road engine shed beyond the
low viaduct at the St. Erth end; all these obviously on
the land side of the bay.

Also this line was intially part of Beechings Axe,
but lets not forget Barbara Castle as well.  I
think it did acually close for a couple/few years
but 100% sure?

Also I believe there is a 'heritge scheme' involving
St. Erth station, as per whats happened recently at
Penmere.

Regards

karl.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Karl on May 30, 2008, 01:12:23
Found a pic of the old station, bay I mentioned as
per 'Hostead Keynes', isn't quite as long as I intially
thought.  Its adjacent to the coaches in the bacground.

Link:

http://www.urban75.org/photos/stives/st-ives-station.html

Regards

Karl. 


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Timmer on May 30, 2008, 07:18:21
Many thanks for finding the picture of St Ives station as it was Karl. Wow it was quite a station once upon a time to what it is now.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Lee on May 30, 2008, 09:08:49
Also this line was intially part of Beechings Axe,
but lets not forget Barbara Castle as well.  I
think it did acually close for a couple/few years
but 100% sure?

I believe that St Ives survived without a "closure break" (correct me if I am wrong) but I am reminded of your neck of woods and Falmouth Docks station, which was closed on 7 December 1970 when Falmouth Town station was opened.

Falmouth Docks station was reopened on 5 May 1975.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: John R on May 30, 2008, 11:01:00
There was a temporary closure for 3 months in early 73 between St Ives and Carbis Bay, which may have been whilst they vandalised the station at St Ives as shown in the pictures below. No complete closure though.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Btline on May 30, 2008, 11:23:48
I can understand the track rationalisation. I think it was the right thing to do, to keep costs down and preserve the branch's future.

But to cut the station back further away from the town, and to take the building down was bad.

The car park is not even "for BR passengers only," it is public.

Any car parking created by track rationalisation should have been for the exclusive use for BR passengers, thereby attracting more.

But I suppose BR made a bomb from what they did! And arguably, the branch is as busy as ever now.

Does anyone have a timetable for St Ives in the past (perhaps the 30s, or 50s)? How long has it had 2tph? i think the Cornish Riviera had a few coaches coming to St Ives.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Lee on May 30, 2008, 13:44:05
Wessex Trains Press Release on the introduction of a half-hourly train service on the St Ives Bay Line (21/03/2005, link below.)
http://www.atoc-comms.org/dynamic/toc-press-story/124454/Trains-every-half-hour-to-st-ives

SRA archive link (20 January 2005, last updated 26 July 2005)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/strategyfinance/strategy/community/pilot/stivestosterth


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Btline on May 30, 2008, 13:56:58
Wessex Trains Press Release on the introduction of a half-hourly train service on the St Ives Bay Line (21/03/2005, link below.)
http://www.atoc-comms.org/dynamic/toc-press-story/124454/Trains-every-half-hour-to-st-ives

SRA archive link (20 January 2005, last updated 26 July 2005)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/strategyfinance/strategy/community/pilot/stivestosterth

Thanks, v interesting.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: John R on May 30, 2008, 15:17:28
Summer of 69 it had 13 trains on a weekday including a 2hr+ gap in the middle of the day. 8 trains on summer sundays.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Andy on May 30, 2008, 18:01:49
In Summer 1957, there were 17 trains to St Ives, 16 to St Erth; on Saturdays that increased to 21 & 17.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Btline on May 30, 2008, 18:28:04
So even before the mothballing/axing of the railways, St Ives did not have the service it has today!


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: vacman on May 30, 2008, 23:38:55
St Ives was due to close in 1966 or 67 (after the initial Beeching wave), I'm led to believe it was meant to close at the same time as Wadebridge, Padstow, Tavvy and Looe but St Ives and Looe were reprieved at the last minute, i.e. only a couple of weeks before scheduled closure, Barbera Castle reprived the line. The line was shut partly in 73 I believe whilst a new pipeline was built under the line near St Ives, although, I cannot be sure of any of the above but i've heard about it from many people.


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on May 31, 2008, 00:03:17
Thanks for that useful background information, vacman.

(Like me, you're probably too young to remember the 1960's  ;) :D ;D )

Seriously, though: what would Wadebridge, Padstow and Tavistock be like now, with the benefit of rail links that hadn't been ripped up??  As we've seen, it's far easier to close a branch line than it is to reopen it.  ???

Talking of Cornwall branch lines closed in the Beeching era, I see that the restoration of the branch line to Helston is doing well: see http://thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144143&command=displayContent&sourceNode=144131&contentPK=20734573&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: cornishman on May 31, 2008, 00:52:40
the half hourly timetable was the best thing that happened to the branch perfect for moving large passenger numbers all thats needed to make it right is to sought out the fares ;)


Title: Re: st ives branch
Post by: cornishman on May 31, 2008, 01:04:58
word of warning to anyone traveling on the st ives on saturday the new postcard type timetable is wrong they have just copied the mon to fri times which are different to saturdays.


Title: St Ives Line - engineering work, closures, incidents (merged topics)
Post by: Lee on September 23, 2008, 09:48:37
From the FGW website :

09:22 St Ives to St Erth due 09:35

This train has been cancelled.This is due to animals on the line earlier.

09:41 St Erth to St Ives due 09:55

This train has been cancelled.This is due to animals on the line earlier.


Title: Re: Animals On The St Ives Line (23/09/2008)
Post by: plymothian on September 23, 2008, 11:00:13
Reminds me of something Victoria Wood joked once about trains on the Thurso line having to stop for deer, every so often there'd be the crush of antler on sleeper and 10 minutes later a range of venison sarnies would appear on the buffet trolley.


Title: Re: Animals On The St Ives Line (23/09/2008)
Post by: vacman on September 23, 2008, 20:26:13
Train hit a dog and injured it's leg, the traincrew picked up the dog and took it to Penzance where a vet was called, last I heard the dog had it's leg amputated but was recovering as well as could be expected!


Title: Re: Animals On The St Ives Line (23/09/2008)
Post by: Lee on September 23, 2008, 20:31:11
Well done to the traincrew involved from me.


Title: Re: Animals On The St Ives Line (23/09/2008)
Post by: chrisoates on September 24, 2008, 01:08:30
Train hit a dog and injured it's leg, the traincrew picked up the dog and took it to Penzance where a vet was called, last I heard the dog had it's leg amputated but was recovering as well as could be expected!

Was trying to work out what could have been hit as cattle are not common on that route - paragliders get in the way sometimes but dogs commonly race the train up and down the incline past West Cornwall Golf course at Lelant.
 


Title: Re: Animals On The St Ives Line (23/09/2008)
Post by: Chris2 on September 24, 2008, 16:48:42
Train hit a dog and injured it's leg, the traincrew picked up the dog and took it to Penzance where a vet was called, last I heard the dog had it's leg amputated but was recovering as well as could be expected!

Well done to the traincrew for picking up the dog from me.


Title: Re: Animals On The St Ives Line (23/09/2008)
Post by: willc on September 25, 2008, 01:14:38
If it had been Norway, the dog might not have made it to the vet...

Trains operating out in the wilds there used to carry rifles in the driver's cab in case they struck an elk (moose to our North American cousins) or reindeer in the north of the country. The idea was that they could finish the animal off if it was injured and unable to move, since there was no way to get a vet out to do the job in the back of beyond.

The guns were removed on security grounds a couple of years ago, because of a switch to DMU and EMU operation of almost all pasenger trains (in case a passenger somehow got into the cab and grabbed a gun), but the train drivers' union protested about the decision and there was a nasty incident last year when a herd of reindeer was hit by a freight train, which prompted a rethink.

On the Nordlandsbanen (Trondheim-Bodo) and Rorosbanen (secondary route between Trondheim and Oslo), both particularly prone to animal strikes, rifles have now been put back in the cabs, but the driver has to pick up a rifle bolt when signing on for duty and is only allowed to fit it to the gun when needed to deal with an injured animal.

Having lived in Norway for a while in the 1990s, I almost saw a demonstration of the system in action on the Rorosbanen, in the east of the country, when the DMU I was travelling on had a near-miss with an elk. The first I knew was when the emergency brake went on. When we had pulled up, the driver reversed back, just in time for us to see a rather dazed elk picking itself up from the snow and stumbling off into the trees.




Title: St Ives Line - engineering work, closures, incidents (merged topics)
Post by: Lee on October 25, 2008, 12:29:32
From Monday 24 until approximately 1600 on Friday 28 November 2008 buses will be replacing trains between St Erth and St Ives (link below.)
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=3326


Title: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: chrisoates on January 12, 2009, 19:19:35
Live updates has started listing the current shortforming (1 coach).
This is silly as it's 4/3/2/1 according to seasonal demand and has been 1 unit for a while.

Doing this all day/every day makes live updates a bit hard to read.

Also having 1 unit isn't going to inconvenience anyone.



Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: devon_metro on January 12, 2009, 19:42:36
The people in Swindon wouldn't have a clue whether or not the St Ives branch is busy in winter  :D


Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: grahame on January 12, 2009, 21:08:59
The people in Swindon wouldn't have a clue whether or not the St Ives branch is busy in winter  :D

Surely ... with the St Ives Festival on 1st February to celebrate the founding of the town by St Ia, it will be seriously busy.  Between the parade and the hurling, the use of a "153" would be seriously stretched, and London - Penzance trains will be extended to serve Carbis Bay and St Ives stations - something which would not have been possible under the old multiple franchise arrangements and before the introduction of selective door opening  ;D


Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: chrisoates on January 12, 2009, 21:35:02
The people in Swindon wouldn't have a clue whether or not the St Ives branch is busy in winter  :D

Surely ... with the St Ives Festival on 1st February to celebrate the founding of the town by St Ia, it will be seriously busy.  Between the parade and the hurling, the use of a "153" would be seriously stretched, and London - Penzance trains will be extended to serve Carbis Bay and St Ives stations - something which would not have been possible under the old multiple franchise arrangements and before the introduction of selective door opening  ;D

Feast Monday so it's the 2nd.

I don't think the Signaller at St Erth would be very amused if a sunday morning 8+2 came up from Penzance with it's left turn indicator blinking - no diagrams till after midday.

 



Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: eightf48544 on January 12, 2009, 21:53:15

I don't think the Signaller at St Erth would be very amused if a sunday morning 8+2 came up from Penzance with it's left turn indicator blinking - no diagrams till after midday.


Who is this signaller at St Earth, I thought signallers stood on the back of the bridge of warship in war films saying "Aye Aye Sir"  and being first to be killed when the shell lands and aren't they usually Cockneys?

Do you mean the the signalman on duty in St. Earth signal box?

When my grandmother was Mayor of Southampton in 1951 she was "Mr. Mayor" and woe betide anyone who forgot to address her in that way.


Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: willc on January 12, 2009, 22:02:18
But in these modern times, signaller is what Network Rail calls them.

Seriously though, I'm sure the local management are sensible enough to do a little judicious diagram swapping to provide some extra capacity for the branch that day, or perhaps borrow one of the Falmouth 153s.


Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: John R on January 12, 2009, 22:02:33

I don't think the Signaller at St Erth would be very amused if a sunday morning 8+2 came up from Penzance with it's left turn indicator blinking - no diagrams till after midday.


Who is this signaller at St Earth, I thought signallers stood on the back of the bridge of warship in war films saying "Aye Aye Sir"  and being first to be killed when the shell lands and aren't they usually Cockneys?

Do you mean the the signalman on duty in St. Earth signal box?

When my grandmother was Mayor of Southampton in 1951 she was "Mr. Mayor" and woe betide anyone who forgot to address her in that way.


Now if you're going to be pedantic, you ought to get it right yourself.


Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: grahame on January 12, 2009, 22:03:42
... with it's left turn indicator blinking ...

Ugh?  I thought that they approached with power off (coasting) if they wanted to go the way the points were already set, or with power on if they wanted the point to change just ahead of them. New economy measure that's been introduced to save the need to have signallers.


Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: eightf48544 on January 12, 2009, 22:22:24
... with it's left turn indicator blinking ...

Ugh?  I thought that they approached with power off (coasting) if they wanted to go the way the points were already set, or with power on if they wanted the point to change just ahead of them. New economy measure that's been introduced to save the need to have signallers.

An interesting concept just like trams. Presumably drivers would have to drive on sight. Might slow them down a bit!


Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: smokey on January 13, 2009, 18:06:29
But in these modern times, signaller is what Network Rail calls them.

Seriously though, I'm sure the local management are sensible enough to do a little judicious diagram swapping to provide some extra capacity for the branch that day, or perhaps borrow one of the Falmouth 153s.

Sorry but you forget, you are talking FGW Swindon here, there great mightyness would look at St Ives passenger numbers and supply a single 153 EVEN if the whole population of Cornwall was going to St Ives on Feb 2nd.


Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: chrisoates on January 13, 2009, 21:04:59
Found out the reason today - it's now diagrammed as a 150 even though it's really a 153 so live updates will be full of nonsense for a while yet.




Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: Lee on January 13, 2009, 23:15:31
The issue of Class 150's on the St Ives line is also discussed in the topic below.
http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=4120.msg32955#msg32955


Title: Re: St Ives branch short formed
Post by: vacman on January 13, 2009, 23:51:58
Found out the reason today - it's now diagrammed as a 150 even though it's really a 153 so live updates will be full of nonsense for a while yet.



Was a 150 all last week, the feast day in ST Ives doesn't make the train busy, infact, previously it was no busier than any other day, it's busy in town because it's a baker day for the local schools so all the kids go into town!


Title: LELANT STATION
Post by: dooby13 on December 03, 2009, 10:59:32
New to the forum so apologies if this topic has been covered before.

Just wondering why so few trains now stop at Lelant station.  They all used to stop on Sundays, now only a couple do, meaning when I leave St Ives on a Sunday late afternoon, I have to get off at the Saltings.  The platform is lit up, but then you have to walk through 2 pitch black car parks trying to avoid the puddles.  Surely it would make sense to axe the Saltings stop on Sundays in the winter and just use Lelant station, it's not like there is a car park attendant at the former anyway.

Personally I think all trains should stop at Lelant, does anyone think this could be a possibility when they eventually build the St Erth P&R, and hopefully do away with the Saltings stop?

Thanks in advance


Title: Re: LELANT STATION
Post by: slippy on December 03, 2009, 12:11:50
Fairly sure its all to do with the tight timings over the branch in order to keep the 'clock face' timetable. Maybe OK this time of year but in peak summer it is a struggle to keep time so ommiting Lelant Village seems to be the sacrifice to keep the timetable more robust.

Agree that when park and ride moves to St.Erth the Village should get a much better service with far less need for the Saltings.


Title: Re: LELANT STATION
Post by: jester on December 03, 2009, 12:47:25
You could always try writing to the local 'Customer Panel' member,- Ian Dunn for Penzance to Redruth. These people are based in the local area and can be a voice at meetings for these type of things.


Title: Re: LELANT STATION
Post by: Lee on December 03, 2009, 14:50:54
Welcome to the forum, dooby13


Title: Re: LELANT STATION
Post by: RichardB on December 03, 2009, 15:29:43
Slippy is absolutely right - it is all about the tightness of the timetable and, yes, the position will improve once the Park and Ride moves to St Erth.   That's either for Summer 2011 or, more likely, Summer 2012.   The plan then is also to move to five coach trains in peak Summer.


Title: Re: LELANT STATION
Post by: Andy on December 03, 2009, 16:12:20
Is 5 coaches the maximum that St. Ives platform can hold nowadays?


Title: Re: LELANT STATION
Post by: RichardB on December 03, 2009, 17:04:25
Andy, I think the issue is more the branch platform at St Erth.


Title: Re: LELANT STATION
Post by: Andy on December 03, 2009, 18:24:09
Thanks, RichardB. I hadn't thought of it but now you come to mention it, I see what you mean!


Title: Re: LELANT STATION
Post by: Lee on December 03, 2009, 19:14:24
Slippy is absolutely right - it is all about the tightness of the timetable and, yes, the position will improve once the Park and Ride moves to St Erth.   That's either for Summer 2011 or, more likely, Summer 2012.   The plan then is also to move to five coach trains in peak Summer.

What would you and your partnership consider to be the optimum Lelant/Lelant Saltings service level once the Park and Ride moves to St Erth?


Title: Re: LELANT STATION
Post by: RichardB on December 03, 2009, 23:53:40
What would you and your partnership consider to be the optimum Lelant/Lelant Saltings service level once the Park and Ride moves to St Erth?

Lee, I'd see a minimal service at Lelant Saltings, hourly at Lelant and Carbis Bay served by all trains. 

It's still all being discussed.  Carbis Bay is a definite for all trains though.


Title: Re: LELANT STATION
Post by: dooby13 on December 04, 2009, 11:43:39


Cheers to one and all.

Your info and advice is much appreciated.  I look forward to a hopefully improved service at Lelant in the next few years, as it's a quality little station, especially in the summer when refreshments can be purchased in the garden there.  It's good preparation for the killer Station Hill!

Thanks again folks  :)


Title: Re: LELANT STATION
Post by: vacman on December 06, 2009, 22:23:43
The reason that the winter sunday service has been reduced at Lelant is due to the sunday service being increased to half hourly, it only used to be hourly on winter sundays.

One improvement that needs to be done is to have a later train on summer sundays, the last few years it's been around 1930, whereas it's around 2200 mon-sat!


Title: Train driver forced to stop for man on line, St Ives (6 April 2010)
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on April 06, 2010, 20:05:15
From FGW Live Updates:

Quote
Line incident

Line problem between St Erth and St Ives.
Train services are being disrupted due to a trespass incident between St Erth and St Ives. Short notice cancellations can be expected.
Replacement road transport is now in operation between St Erth and St Ives in both directions.
Last Updated: 06/04/2010 19:49

Service incidents

19:41 St Erth to St Ives due 19:56
This train has been cancelled. This is due to a trespass incident.
Replacement road transport is now in operation between St Erth and St Ives.
Last Updated: 06/04/2010 19:51

19:55 St Ives to St Erth due 20:10
This train has been cancelled. This is due to a trespass incident.
Replacement road transport is now in operation between St Ives and St Erth.
Last Updated: 06/04/2010 19:50

20:11 St Erth to St Ives due 20:24
This train has been cancelled. This is due to a trespass incident.
Replacement road transport is now in operation between St Erth and St Ives.
Last Updated: 06/04/2010 19:50

20:25 St Ives to St Erth due 20:39
This train has been cancelled. This is due to a trespass incident.
Replacement road transport is now in operation between St Ives and St Erth.
Last Updated: 06/04/2010 19:51


Title: Re: Line incident between St Erth and St Ives (6/4/2010)
Post by: ReWind on April 06, 2010, 20:45:01
This was a very near miss, according to an inside source.

Could of been much worse than just trespassing.  Hope the driver is Ok.  :'(


Title: Re: Line incident between St Erth and St Ives (6/4/2010)
Post by: vacman on April 07, 2010, 17:09:10
problem with the St Ives line is that some of the locals regard the line as a public footpath! Network rail are forever replacing the fence near Hawks point due to ramblers breaking it, they have now put up huge green metal fencing down one side of the line!


Title: Re: Line incident between St Erth and St Ives (6/4/2010)
Post by: STATION MASTER on April 09, 2010, 09:20:51
yes it was a near miss but what made it worse was it was the drivers second one of his shift. >:(


Title: Re: Line incident between St Erth and St Ives (6/4/2010)
Post by: old original on April 10, 2010, 20:43:50
There should be a railway bye-law permitting train crew to carry firearms. A bit of tourist target practice wouldn't go amiss....


Title: Train driver forced to stop for man on line, St Ives (6 April 2010)
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on May 03, 2010, 11:07:39
From the BTP press release (http://www.btp.presscentre.com/Media-Releases/BTP-APPEALS-FOR-WITNESSES-AFTER-TRAIN-MAKES-EMERGENCY-STOP-TO-AVOID-TRESPASSER-ST-IVES-eb5.aspx):

Quote
BTP APPEALS FOR WITNESSES AFTER TRAIN MAKES EMERGENCY STOP TO AVOID TRESPASSER - ST IVES

British Transport Police (BTP) officers are warning Cornwall residents to stay clear of railway lines and not to use the tracks as a shortcut after a train driver was forced to make an emergency stop to avoid hitting a trespasser.
Officers have today released a CCTV image of a man they want to identify and speak to in connection with the incident which happed near St Ives on Tuesday 6 April.
The driver of the 1525hrs St Ives to St Erth service was forced to apply the emergency brake after seeing a man with a dog that was not on a lead trespassing on the line between St Ives and Carbis Bay.
The train^s rear facing CCTV camera captured a photograph of the man who scrambled up a bank and made off after the train had come to an emergency stop and the driver had spoken to him.
PC Bob Edwards said: ^This was incredibly dangerous behaviour that could have had far worse consequences and I am urging anyone with any information that could help our investigation or who recognises the man pictured in the CCTV image to get in touch.
^BTP officers work closely with First Great Western, other train operating companies and Network Rail to educate people about the dangers of going near railway lines because trains can^t swerve and they can^t stop suddenly.
^People who use the railways as a shortcut are not only risking a court appearance, they are also risking their own lives, as well as those of passengers and rail staff on board trains.^


Title: Re: Train driver forced to stop for man on line, St Ives (6 April 2010)
Post by: ReWind on May 03, 2010, 19:47:44
I believe this is related to this topic!

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=6557.msg65143#msg65143


Title: Re: Train driver forced to stop for man on line, St Ives (6 April 2010)
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on May 03, 2010, 19:54:44
Thanks, Rick, for making that perfectly allowable connection!  :-[

I've now merged these topics, for continuity.

C.  ::)


Title: Re: Train driver forced to stop for man on line, St Ives (6 April 2010)
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on May 03, 2010, 20:12:36
The suspect, from that BTP press release:



Edit note: Images now removed due to expiry of copyright permission. CfN


Title: Re: Train driver forced to stop for man on line, St Ives (6 April 2010)
Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on May 03, 2010, 20:25:35
to be honest im guessing he would be easy to catch if hes local dog walkers tend to stick to a set route hes probly been going this way for years and this time may have been 5 mins later or something like that... if btp waited here i bet he would come back


Title: Re: Train driver forced to stop for man on line, St Ives (6 April 2010)
Post by: Branch Line Connor on May 04, 2010, 16:42:42
Hopefully he will hand himself in, doubt it though


Title: Re: Train driver forced to stop for man on line, St Ives (6 April 2010)
Post by: Nemesis on May 20, 2010, 09:13:51
Greetings Brethren

I was on this train and I can tell you that I overheard the driver tell the guard that the trespasser was abusive when spoken to and stuck two fingers in the air.  What is the world coming to?


Title: Re: Train driver forced to stop for man on line, St Ives (6 April 2010)
Post by: LiskeardRich on May 20, 2010, 14:03:06
this was covered in the cornishman last week complete with the BTP's photo of the offender. it was on page 2 of the paper as well so hope the bloke seen himself and handed himself in!


Title: Re: Train driver forced to stop for man on line, St Ives (6 April 2010)
Post by: moonrakerz on May 20, 2010, 18:45:57
  What is the world coming to?

If the train had hit and killed him, I expect his dog would have sued FGW !



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