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1  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Problems with IET trains from April 2021 on: January 28, 2024, 23:55:42
According to this, Unite accepted the pay offer:-

https://www.cityam.com/400-rmt-workers-at-hitachi-to-strike-on-saturday-until-1-february/

A Hitachi Rail spokesperson said: “We are disappointed at RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)’s decision to carry out industrial action.

“We believe the combination of last year’s pay increase, and this year’s pay proposal, is fair and highly competitive in the current economic environment. As demonstrated by Unite members accepting the same offer this week and ending their planned industrial action.
2  Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Somerset Summary - rebuilding for the future on: December 30, 2023, 20:21:27
If the Devon Metro was to terminate at and start from Axminster, there might well be a need for the bay platform to be re-instated to provide an interchange with the Waterloo-Exeter trains which pass there already. The smaller stations between Honiton & Pinhoe might be served only by Devon Metro trains, enabling the Waterloo to Exeter service to be speeded up and the crossing allowance at Pinhoe to be expanded. The main service might still call at Cranbrook but not Whimple or Feniton.

There may well be other options to avoid spending more capital money though! Such as extending Devon Metro onto Chard Junction (using existing loop) or further.

Too many trains and minimum infrastructure = delays and cancellations.
3  Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Somerset Summary - rebuilding for the future on: December 29, 2023, 11:24:45
At present, the main Waterloo-Exeter services cross at Tisbury loop and Axminster and Pinhoe with only a few minutes allowed at each location.

To create stops at Chard Junction would incur 3 or 4 minutes delay to each train making the above passing places impossible as timings are already (too) tight. I would also need to understand where the passenger demand comes from. Certainly people from Chard can easily drive to Axminster or Crewkerne - little difference to Chard Junction. The impact on other passengers through extended journey times needs to be considered.

I could see an argument for Devon Metro trains to be extended to Yeovil Junction/Pen Mill and that a reopened Chard Junction might be part of that. However the substantial costs remain and need to be justified.
4  Journey by Journey / South Western services / Re: South Western Railways - reductions west of Salisbury on: January 29, 2022, 00:13:08
Graham said:-I am not, I hope, a total profit of doom. There are modernisation options that are "left field" and could be operated - a 30 minute local service Exeter to Yeovil Pen Mill by GWR (Great Western Railway) for example, with onward (London) service from Yeovil Junction with SWR» (South Western Railway - about)? No-one mentioned this so far?  I wonder if there are crayonistas in the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) just as there are here (heck, I'm one today!) only they owe their income to their crayoning to the satisfaction of their bosses upstairs and at the treasury.
 
There is a similar rumour locally, but that GWR service runs from Exeter to Reading via Yeovil Junction & Pen Mill. SWR start/terminate at Yeovil Junction.

Also hear that from May, Salisbury to Waterloo services will divert after Basingstoke to terminate at Reading with only core Exeter trains running to Waterloo. Whether this applies to the services starting at Yeovil I do not know.

Not sure which, but one of the new GWR Exeter to Axminster trains runs on as a route learner to the Yeovils and Castle Cary.

I do wonder if the eventual intention is for Paddington to become the sole station for the West Country?

I agree with Graham that questions should be asked now, rather than in a couple of years time!
5  Journey by Journey / South Western services / Re: South Western Railways Waterloo - Bristol services axed on: October 07, 2021, 21:20:17
Absolutely correct - signed.
6  Journey by Journey / South Western services / Re: South Western Railways Waterloo - Bristol services axed on: September 28, 2021, 23:40:56
Heard (rumour or fact?) that a number of units are to be stored to save money. If true, does that mean that the implied increase in the units (for leisure travel) on the core Waterloo-Exeter route will actually occur. Remember that the Honiton/Axminster shuttles are also possible reductions in 2022.
7  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Bridge strike Plymouth 30 August on: August 30, 2021, 23:54:38
Another example of how useful a diversionary route via Tavistock and Okehampton would be....Not all about the seawall!
8  Journey by Journey / London to Swindon and Bristol / Re: Why was Swindon's original Platform 4 demolished? on: July 30, 2021, 23:32:11
Doing nothing is not an option! Most of us have sat in a polluting queue for an hour or so on so many occasions. How inefficient, frustrating and environmentally damaging.

What are the alternatives? Even electric cars will run out of power and their drivers will continue to blow their tops if the situation continues.

Lovely to think that public transport will sort the issues but unlikely in my lifetime!

Another British example of inquiries, planning and considering followed by more inquiries and now....

9  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Spot the line, compare the service (3 of 3) on: April 19, 2021, 18:46:26
No 2 - Exeter St Davids/Central to London Waterloo? with Restaurant service.
10  Journey by Journey / Shorter journeys in Devon / Re: Okehampton on: March 24, 2021, 15:12:57
As one of my colleagues commented, its interesting (and great) that concrete sleepers are being used and not steel. Perhaps shows that the possibility of extending to Meldon (for the quarry) or Tavistock (and Plymouth) are being considered. I understand steel is used where traffic is less heavy and slower. Good to see the relaying is being done to a high standard.
11  Journey by Journey / Heart of Wessex / Re: Should Heart of Wessex step up to hourly, clock face? How can it? on: February 02, 2021, 16:13:43
The idea of using the formation of the never constructed South Chord has been around for as long as I can remember. Railtrack even got as far as getting an Act of Parliament to enable its construction before abandoning the plans due to viability concerns.Therefore since 1864 to the current day, no one has yet found the case to undertake the work.

The costs of infrastructure alterations can be enormous (signalling, new track, new bridge to start with). Will be millions and then you must ask where the numbers of interchanges going to come from? How many passengers (apart from summer weekends and holidays) will wish to take the train to/from Weymouth/Dorchester towards Exeter. Majority of the year will be very few I suspect. I should also declare an interest as Chairman at Yeovil Railway Centre.

Also, don't forget the extra time involved for the other passengers and staff to run up to the Junction, reverse ends and then down to Pen Mill. At a rough estimate 8 minutes a trip.

It is apparent that the extension of some services formerly terminating at Yeovil Junction (from Waterloo/Salisbury) and now going onto Yeovil Pen Mill usually contain 0 -5 passengers, even before Covid-19 struck.

There are other options to consider:-

a) a mention above of a new two level station located where the two lines cross. A possibility, but difficult in reality. The current Yeovil Junction station can also serve the diversions (both SWR» (South Western Railway - about) & GWR (Great Western Railway)) going down to Pen Mill. To reach a 'joint station', vehicles and pedestrians would entail crossing that spur, either by a level crossing (not in favour with HMRI (Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate)) or via a bridge (more capital expenditure on top of the new station and possibly signalling changes. A separate platform on the spur would also be required.

b) a platform on the Heart of Wessex line with a footpath to the Junction - again a possibility but getting on for 1/2 mile walk (in the dark and rain/ice?).

c) Should the new proposed stations at Langport/ Somerton and Wellington be built, consider a round service from Exeter up to the Yeovil stations, reverse at Castle Cary and run back to Exeter via Taunton (and vice versa). Two units and staff required for a basic service (add on to the Exeter metro?). Connecting the two largest towns in Somerset and also timed correctly forming an interchange with the Weymouth train at Pen Mill.

d) Run an Exeter service up to Yeovil, Westbury then onto Swindon/Reading? (calling at Melksham of course!). Timed correctly this would enable passengers to interchange at Yeovil Pen Mill onto a Weymouth service.

e) Run two units from Weymouth to Yeovil Pen Mill and then split - one to Westbury (and beyond) and the second to Exeter (and vice versa). Some signalling alterations may be needed at Pen Mill to enable two trains to join.

I am sure there are other ideas!

There will be a Dorset Connectivity Strategic Study issued by Network Rail in due course (as part of a series of Studies - one of which already issued was the West of England line).





12  Journey by Journey / London to the West / Re: flooding Tiverton to Exeter on: December 29, 2020, 23:27:05
What is interesting, is that services to Barnstaple resumed after a few hours, whereas in previous flooding events, this line has been closed for as long, if not longer that the Western main line.

Possibly the water has been diverted away to good effect. No ballast to replace this time?

13  Journey by Journey / South Western services / Expansion of SWR services to Swindon and Okehampton? on: November 22, 2020, 21:35:14
This image is from another forum - I have no idea if its genuine but if so, might explain opening of Yeovil depot to provide space at Salisbury?

Certainly Okehampton line is now receiving replacement rails (Class 70 and Class 66 top and tail engineering train on the branch in the last few days) and sleepers and inspection of structures. I read that a regular service is due to start within a year.

There are also rumour regarding use of Meldon stone on HS2 (The next High Speed line(s)) but not so sure about that!
14  Journey by Journey / Wales local journeys / Re: Train fire near Llanelli - late on 26th August 2020 on: August 31, 2020, 18:44:15
As 66 004 in the photo seems to be on the wrong end of the train or on the wrong line, I presume it was sent up after the incident to rescue the undamaged wagons at the rear of the train.

The Class 66 was used to move the undamaged wagons from the rear of the train (as you suggest). The train engine was a Class 60 which I believe was used to move the few undamaged wagons from the front. Brave driver to uncouple as well as carry out all the protection duties required.
15  Sideshoots - associated subjects / Heritage railway lines, Railtours, other rail based attractions / Re: West Somerset Railway - heritage line, Bishops Lydeard to Minehead - merged topic, ongoing discu on: July 26, 2020, 19:11:52
There are several reasons why 53808 would not have run on the WSR in the near future, none of which relate to having too many engines or weight restrictions relating to the track. In fact 53808 is/was the ideal engine to handle incoming excursions off the main line.
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