Great Western Coffee Shop

from last May's timetable change the 0743 Penzance-Paddington was revised to stop at St Germans and Saltash vice Par, despite there being regular passengers to/from Par and it being the only train from the West to connect with the first Newquay train, and yet on several occasions i've been on this train there's never been more than 3 or 4 passengers from St Germans and Saltash.

I think that the residents of these two towns should start campaigning Virgin cross country to stop trains there instead of slowing up London services.

I guess I should try to answer this one.

In December 2006 we (Saltash and St Germans) lost our only off peak morning East bound train. We were obviously dissapointed especially as it was popular. We jointly requested the 0743 to stop at both stations to provide a replacement service. We were very pleased that FGW were able to reinstate stops on this service at an almost identical time (0935) to the service we lost.

It is unfortunate that Par was removed, not least because that means that people travelling from Par to Saltash cannot, but I am not entirely sure that is the whole reason for dropping the stop.

I believe that part of the problem is the single line section between Bodmin and Liskeard, and that the rescheduled Gunnislake to Newquay service could have clashed at that point so FGW wanted to get the 0743 through sooner. The Newquay train was moved half an hour later as it now runs the Gunnislake to Plymouth (commuter train - now two units) before continuing on to Newquay. So if the Newquay train had remained at an earlier time from Plymouth then the Par stop may have been left. Someone please correct me if I am wrong!

Anopther knock on effect on this is that the 0643 from Penzance from May arrives a little later into Plymouth, again because it is delayed in Cornwall by the Gunnislake - Newquay train occupying the single line on the Royal Albert Bridge.

Saltash Rail Users Group would like to see the Newquay service run a little ealrier, which could allow the Par stop to be reinstated on the 0743 and would allow the 0643 to run marginally earlier into Plymouth than it does now. An 0849 arrival into Plymouth is just a little to late for most commuters.

In terms of passenger numbers, I cannot speak for St Germans, but clearly these changes take time to bed in and for passengers bumbers to return. I have have passenger counts for that particular train and there are often betweenn 15 - 25 paople boarding at Saltash, this morning there were 16 boarding and 7 getting off!

I must confess that I dont often go up on that train so maybe i've only seen it on quite days, but on the subject of Virgin (soon to be Arriva) stopping trains at St Germans and Saltash I know that voyagers are allowed to stop at these stations as they've done it before, also, most Virgin services seem to wait at Plymouth for ages, maybe it's something to look at? if the 0930 from Penzance were to stop at these two stations then you could have a late morning service. FGW may not like this as they would have to share the revenue from these stations.