A fast 51 min HST run Exeter to Plymouth today

[whole diary]

[RichardB]

I had a meeting in Exeter today and returned to Plymouth on the 06 06 ex Edinburgh, running 66 mins late.

To try and gain some time, the train ran non-stop from St Davids, leaving there at 14 50 3/4 and arriving in Plymouth at 15 41 1/2.   Quite a run.  No consolation for those heavily delayed or who had to change at Exeter for Newton Abbot and Totnes, of course.  Full details thanks to the great Real Time Trains site.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C73287/2014/07/23/advanced

[JayMac]

Think how fast it would have been if there was a Dawlish Avoiding Line thrown into the mix as well! 

[RichardB]

According to the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) report, all the Dawlish Avoiding Lines give a three to six minute time benefit, at a cost of ^1.49 to ^3.1 billion.

A single track route via Okehampton, with dynamic loops, should allow long periods of 100MPH running.  It would be little slower than via Dawlish and it would be much, much cheaper than the Dawlish Avoiding Lines.  A key thing now is to get the cost of the Okehampton route properly evaluated.

Over and above all of this, the top priority is spending on the existing sea wall route.

[JayMac]

According to the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) report, all the Dawlish Avoiding Lines give a three to six minute time benefit, at a cost of ^1.49 to ^3.1 billion.
 
A key thing now is to get the cost of the Okehampton route properly evaluated.

Hasn't that already been done by Network Rail? If not, then their evaluation of route options C1^▸ ((on coaches) National route restriction)-C5 have also not been properly costed.