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Author Topic: Whiteball Tunnel blockade - January / February 2014  (Read 71440 times)
broadgage
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« on: October 17, 2013, 10:42:47 »

This is mentioned in the thread about catering.
Does anyone have more details such as dates and to what extent services will be delayed, diverted or retimed etc.

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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
grahame
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« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2013, 11:42:10 »

This was mentioned in a question / answer at TravelWatch SouthWest about 2 weeks ago.  Whiteball tunnel needs some major stuff doing as I understand it, and a period of closure that went rather beyond weekends was mentioned.   There's some disquiet over the closure, period, and alternative arrangements that were being suggested - indeed I would expect questions and disquiet for any working weekday closure proposal on the main line - and I'm not sure how set in stone or otherwise the plans are.  The plans do leave through trains from London to Plymouth and beyond, though taking longer via an alternative route, and perhaps not as frequent. It is NOT a question of everyone taking to buses!

I won't start any rumours by giving old data ... others please follow up if you have current dates /  details.
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« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2013, 15:45:11 »

Without quoting rumours and guess work i can confirm that the usual route knowledge exercises for the west of england line have been different to the recent past


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signalandtelegraph
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« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2013, 08:09:26 »

Blockade is from 0305 on 18th Jan to 0500 on 10th Feb.  Re-lining work in Whiteball Tunnel, several plain line track renewal sites and points being renewed at Taunton West and Tiverton Jct.
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BBM
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« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2013, 08:39:40 »

This webpage about the tunnel which I've just found has some photos of lining work in 2009, scroll down to the bottom to see them:

http://www.sampfordarundel.org.uk/sampage60.php
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grahame
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« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2013, 10:47:30 »

Blockade is from 0305 on 18th Jan to 0500 on 10th Feb.  Re-lining work in Whiteball Tunnel, several plain line track renewal sites and points being renewed at Taunton West and Tiverton Jct.


Many thanks - yes, those were the dates I had heard (though I didn't have times).  There were, however, questions as to whether there was a way of easing the pain for places Exeter and beyond.   I'm trying to place that 150 route-learning run that was pictured;  it's to the east of Exeter on the line via Yeovil Junction, but I'm not sure which station!
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« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2013, 11:26:49 »

Pair of 153s at Honiton.
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« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2013, 20:32:42 »

Indeed yes I'm sorry this was indeed Honiton and a Fgw unit was at Yeovil junction during the day on the Tuesday
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ChrisB
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« Reply #8 on: October 21, 2013, 11:29:51 »

FGW (First Great Western) have just emailed the Customer Panel (and I supect most stakeholders) with the following info -

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Service plan details are now on our website and you can click through on: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Taunton-Exeter-2014

I hope that these will help with any queries you may have on the changes.

Public timetables will be available by 9 December. Ahead of this, information will be available on all rail enquiry websites and on ticket purchase sites and customers buying tickets from any outlet will be able to see if there is a coach for part of their journey, or if their train is diverted via Yeovil.

Diverted services will take longer. We have therefore retimed some services to run earlier. These include key peak services, some of which will start their journey as much as 65 minutes earlier.

In the run up to the closure we will be speaking to local and regional media to help publicise the changes, and will have posters and information at stations as well as on board train and on line messages.

They have supplied a contact name & email address - any snags & problems raised here will get fed back.
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Timmer
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« Reply #9 on: October 21, 2013, 16:46:11 »

Good to see early details made available well in advance on the FGW (First Great Western) website.
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SandTEngineer
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« Reply #10 on: October 21, 2013, 17:30:36 »

Yes.  Good work by FGW (First Great Western).  Now lets all have a look at Cross Country for the same info............ Roll Eyes Tongue Cry
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Timmer
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« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2013, 19:14:07 »

Now lets all have a look at Cross Country for the same info............ Roll Eyes Tongue Cry
All the best with that one.
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bobm
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« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2013, 19:33:34 »

Early days yet, but Realtraintimes has the timetable loaded for the first day of the works but it shows no changes so far at either Exeter or Taunton.
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broadgage
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« Reply #13 on: October 23, 2013, 15:53:19 »

No mention of the 18-03, The Golden Hind, in the above link.
May one therefore presume that the 18-03 is expected to run as normal during the work ?

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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
ChrisB
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« Reply #14 on: October 23, 2013, 15:57:08 »

It may go via a diverted route, I guess.

Or it isn't considered a "key service", which I doubt.
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