Overcrowding on the Tarka Line

[whole diary]

[John R]

The following has been posted on the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Rail website.  It's of interest not only because of the subject, but because it also refers to the strengthening of the peak commuter trains from December. Hopefully me reproducing it in full won't be a problem, as they clearly want it to be in the public domain.

Given that commuter traffic does tail off slightly during half term, if this is a particular issue for the line then I wonder whether a unit could have been reallocated for the week (and now they know, for subsequent half terms).

In view of the many problems faced by passengers and prospective passengers on the Tarka Line during the half term holiday (27th - 31st October) the Association have sent the following communication to the relevant people at First Great Western. So far, no response has been published.

Subject: HALF TERM PERFORMANCE ON THE TARKA LINE

Firstly can I say that the Tarka Rail Association (TRA) are fully aware of the shortage of rolling stock and we greatly appreciate the efforts that have gone into the SX strengthening of the 0700 and 1657 trains from December and for the rolling stock allocations at weekends in an effort to resolve some of the worst overcrowding problems.

However, the recent half term week was a catalogue of poor or non-existent service and we wish to raise this complaint on behalf of passengers.  There were a number of cancellations and short formations.  The main problems that have been brought to our notice by passengers have related to the 0843 and 0943 departures from Barnstaple.  Passengers have:
A)   Been diverted onto coaches or taxis
B)    Been standing all the way from Barnstaple to Exeter ^ ie for over an hour and on one occasion there were observed to be in excess of 80 persons standing from Crediton on a Class 143 Pacer
C)   Decided not to travel or travel by car instead.

Furthermore, people have expressed concern at the safety implications of the overcrowding as well as very strongly worded general dissatisfaction with such travelling conditions, especially on those occasions when not even an apology was given.  The fact that the conductor was not able to get through the train to issue tickets gave rise to even greater anger for those travelling to the City centre who were faced with queues at the barriers to purchase tickets.  Indeed on one occasion there was only one person present to do this.

Whilst 70% of journeys on the line are to and from Barnstaple, the remainder are from intermediate stations.  If a train leaves Barnstaple full and standing, it means that passengers from these stations stand little chance of boarding, let alone getting a seat.  This is a real problem for older or less mobile passengers.

We are also concerned for those passengers who have connections to make at St Davids, especially train specific reservations on SWT^▸ (South West Trains) and XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services as well as FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

This situation generates bad publicity for the line and puts people off.  It arises to a greater or lesser degree in all school holidays.

As stated above, we are fully aware that at present there are no additional diesel multiple units available for FGW to lease, but we do consider that resources should be temporarily reallocated during school holiday periods to enable key trains to be strengthened.  After all Barnstaple Station is the railhead for the whole of rapidly growing North Devon where there is clear evidence of year round heavy demand during school holidays, whether from local people or from the very many visitors who come in what has become a year round tourist season.

We look forward to this matter being given careful consideration and look forward to, hopefully, a positive response.  In the meantime, we will be putting this representation on our website.

John Phillips
Chairman

[Chris from Nailsea]

The following has been posted on the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Rail website.  It's of interest not only because of the subject, but because it also refers to the strengthening of the peak commuter trains from December. Hopefully me reproducing it in full won't be a problem, as they clearly want it to be in the public domain.

No problem at all, John R.  In fact, purely for completeness, I'll add a link to their original item: http://www.tarkarail.org/page7.html 

[Rapidash]

It's an issue on the entire DM these days, even outside of summer. I regularly get the 0913 (x2 143), which is is always rammed by the time it leaves Newton Abbot. I also get the shuttle at 0934 (x1 153) which is also rammed pretty quickly. The less said about any service out of Central between the hours of 1500 and 1800 the better!

Only another two years and we'll have the Bristol 150s and 158's bouncing around the place!

[TonyK]

Only another two years and we'll have the Bristol 150s and 158's bouncing around the place!

If only...

[Rapidash]

Only another two years and we'll have the Bristol 150s and 158's bouncing around the place!

If only...

A man can dream . I honestly don't know when the Thames Valleys are meant to be meant to wired up. And then you get the 165's!

Always nice to get brand spanking new 30 year old stock, isn't it 

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

I don't think the class 165s are 30 years old. I think they are about 21 to 22 years old.
The ride on a class 165 is very good. It is just the high density seating was intended for suburban journies out of PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) to a max of OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) and is not ideal for longer journeys. 165s were built to make best use of the  higher standard Brunel lines and although they are OK for Bristol area and some other lines (i.e. to Weymouth) there are a number of lines where they would have trouble. I remember in the days of Thames Trains that when they went to Eastleigh for maintenance, the door steps had to be removed as they would have otherwise fouled some platforms on route. I wonder how they would cope in the far west. Is that why the above blogs talk about class 150s & 158s in the far west as the 165s would displace the 150s etc in the Bristol area?

[Rapidash]

I was going by the wiki - first ones built in 1990, so 24 now! And when they turn up in a few years, they will indeed be closer to 30 than 20. Poor buggers.

According to the RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy) for the West, once the TV's are leccified there will be a cascade, with the 165/6's headed to Bristol and the Brizzle units head down here (150's doing Paignton - Exmouth and the 158's on Barnstaple - Axminster). I have read elsewhere that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) were doing works throughout Devon and Cornwall that would give the Turbos route clearance down here as well.

[stuving]

According to the RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy) for the West, once the TV's are leccified there will be a cascade, with the 165/6's headed to Bristol and the Brizzle units head down here (150's doing Paignton - Exmouth and the 158's on Barnstaple - Axminster). I have read elsewhere that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) were doing works throughout Devon and Cornwall that would give the Turbos route clearance down here as well.

The recent Western Route Study says (p 33):

The planning assumptions which have been used for analysis purposes as part of the Western Route Study are that Class 165 and Class 166 DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) rolling stock will be redeployed to the Bristol area facilitating the redeployment of DMUs from there to the Exeter area.

But that is an assumption - it does look logical, but NR can't decide it, and the actual decision will not have been made yet. And they are clearing all these routes for class 165/166 anyway, as it say is the CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) Enhancements Delivery Plan (p 101):

Group 2 ^ additional routes to Exeter (clearance required by mid-2017)

• Exeter St Davids to Plymouth.
  
• Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple.
  
• Exeter St Davids to Axminster.
  
• Newton Abbot to Paignton.
  
• Castle Cary to Cogload Junction.
  
• Frome Loop and Hawkeridge Curve ^ Westbury.
  
• Routes to and from Laira depot.

ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) have worked through the numbers in much more detail in this year's Long Term Passenger Rolling Stock Strategy for the Rail Industry. This includes quite a bit about the impact of emission regulations (NRMM Stage IIIA and IIIB) and other factors that reduce the potential service life of DMUs. That pushes up lease costs (or amortisation) and reduces the willingness to buy new DMUs, so that they conclude that:

It is possible therefore that no more than 100 new self-powered vehicles may be required to be built in the 30 years to 2043. Alternatively if environmental legislation were to be strengthened, then up to 1,500 new self-powered vehicles may be required.

More specifically, they foresee:

67. Assuming that the current policy of a rolling electrification programme continues in CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024), the analysis suggests that no new diesel vehicles (or other self-powered vehicles) would be required to be built in either CP5 or CP6. Many older diesel vehicles would be withdrawn over this period, firstly those HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) which are being replaced by IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) (although some might be used on other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) including open access operators), and then by 2024 around 500 (50%) of the shorter-distance Type A 75 mph DMUs procured by British Rail in the 1980s. This might include many of the Class 14x ^Pacer^ vehicles which will be replaced by electrification in the North of England and in South Wales. There will be a smaller percentage reduction in the number of 90 mph and 100 mph Type B DMUs. These were built after 1989, and many of these will be redeployed to provide additional capacity on non-electrified routes.

Of course there are lots of uncertainties - not least that there will be two general elections (at least), even before 2023.

[Super Guard]

As the 165/6's would be based maintenance wise in Bristol, I was told by an appropriate manager that should one appear on something like a BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)-PNZ service, that chances are it would be set-swapped for a 15x en-route, probably by Exeter.  Traction knowledge of drivers and guards(?) could also be an issue the further west of Exeter they go.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the (Warminster - next trains)-Letters-North-Devon-s-rail-link-updated/story-24588457-detail/story.html" target="_blank">Western Morning News letters page:

WMN Letters: North Devon's rail link must be updated

There will have to be some form of priority for the railway improvements sought (WMN, November 7 and 12), but it should include North Devon^s fragile 40-mile rail link with the outside world, especially as this region is still suffering the aftermath of the Beeching closures of the 1960s, followed by drastic ^rationalisation^.

All this left most of North Devon relying on various means of road transport to reach the surviving rail-head at Barnstaple.

Faced with all this, the very least North Devon rail users deserve is a fast, comfortable and reliable rail service to Exeter, featuring the following improvements:-

1. Action to prevent the frequent flooding which the line suffers.

2. Re-instate at least two of the ^passing loops^ (eg Umberleigh).

3. Increase length of trains to cater for the vast catchment area now served solely by Barnstaple station.

4. Reduce unnecessary delays such as stopping at little-used stations and the antiquated movement of stopping trains outside Eggesford Station so that the train crew can close the level crossing barriers!

North Devon was once served by a direct train service to/from London (Waterloo), which First Great Western won^t re-instate.

Could a portion of existing South West Trains^ Waterloo-Exeter service be extended, non-stop, to Barnstaple?

by A E WIlkinson
Bideford

[Super Guard]

From the (Warminster - next trains)-Letters-North-Devon-s-rail-link-updated/story-24588457-detail/story.html" target="_blank">Western Morning News letters page:

WMN Letters: North Devon's rail link must be updated

There will have to be some form of priority for the railway improvements sought (WMN, November 7 and 12), but it should include North Devon^s fragile 40-mile rail link with the outside world, especially as this region is still suffering the aftermath of the Beeching closures of the 1960s, followed by drastic ^rationalisation^.

All this left most of North Devon relying on various means of road transport to reach the surviving rail-head at Barnstaple.

Faced with all this, the very least North Devon rail users deserve is a fast, comfortable and reliable rail service to Exeter, featuring the following improvements:-

1. Action to prevent the frequent flooding which the line suffers.

2. Re-instate at least two of the ^passing loops^ (eg Umberleigh).

3. Increase length of trains to cater for the vast catchment area now served solely by Barnstaple station.

4. Reduce unnecessary delays such as stopping at little-used stations and the antiquated movement of stopping trains outside Eggesford Station so that the train crew can close the level crossing barriers!

North Devon was once served by a direct train service to/from London (Waterloo), which First Great Western won^t re-instate.

Could a portion of existing South West Trains^ Waterloo-Exeter service be extended, non-stop, to Barnstaple?

by A E WIlkinson
Bideford

...NR^» (Network Rail - home page) are never going to spend money to automate this when the "delay" is probably a whopping 30 seconds going towards Barnstaple.  There is no delay going towards Exeter, as the token exchange is happening at the same time.

[grahame]

...NR^» (Network Rail - home page) are never going to spend money to automate this when the "delay" is probably a whopping 30 seconds going towards Barnstaple.  There is no delay going towards Exeter, as the token exchange is happening at the same time.

As a single change, you're probably right - but are we going to go tokenless at some stage in the future?  Even unlikely lines such a Dovey Junction to Pwheli no longer use tokens.  It then starts to make a difference.

Can I see a rough parallel? Extension of electrification from Newbury to Westbury as a stand alone option came up with a laughably low BCR^▸ (Benefit Cost Ratio); as could have been predicted seeing at it was premised on the existing train service pattern. However, I would expect that we'll see a much higher figure - and potentially electric trains - once it forms part of a further west scheme.

[DavidBrown]

...NR^» (Network Rail - home page) are never going to spend money to automate this when the "delay" is probably a whopping 30 seconds going towards Barnstaple.  There is no delay going towards Exeter, as the token exchange is happening at the same time.

But the token exchange is just as, if not more antiquated, as the level crossing. It often takes over 5 minutes to sort them out, not including any time taken waiting for passing trains which itself is massively delayed by the same process.

[polymath]

Press release from the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Rail Association:

RELIEF IN SIGHT ON ^FULL & STANDING^ TRAINS

Regular users of two of the most heavily used Tarka Line services between Exeter and Barnstaple can soon breath a sigh of relief.Starting on December 16, the 07:00 southbound departure from Barnstaple (dep. Umberleigh 07:09,Eggesford 07:30; Copplestone 07:43, Crediton 07:55) will carry an additional coach providing over 70 extra seats.

The notoriously overcrowded 16:57 northbound departure from Exeter St. David^s will
also be strengthened with additional rolling stock.

In making the announcement Tarka Rail Association (TRA) chairman, John Phillips, noted that several organisations have had a hand in addressing the problem. ^It^s not a simple matter of saying ^why don^t they just put on more coaches^ he explained. ^The fact of the matter is there are no more coaches! And there won^t be for another two or three years, when electification on other parts of the rail network frees up additional diesel rolling stock for the South-West.

First Great Western, the current franchise holder, has done wonders with the limited equipment that the Department for Transport makes available to them. Finding these additional coaches is no small achievement, but the result of innovative scheduling and the fine-tuning of complex service rotas.^

John also credited his Devon County Council and the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership colleagues for their ^polite persistence^ in insisting that some way had be found to provide a measure of relief to the Tarka Line^s fare-paying passengers, and for the Partnership in particular for negotiating the use of the extra coach on the morning train.

CONTACTS
Peter Craske, TRA Press Officer                    01837-849071
pcbcraske@gmail.com

John Phillips, TRA Chairman                        01363-84221
j.phillips142@btinternet.com

[phile]

This thread has already been posted under heading "Overcrowding on the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Line", the link:-

     www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php.topic=149