Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 11:55 29 Mar 2024
* Easter getaway begins with flood alerts in place
* Attempted murder charge after man stabbed on train
- KFC Nigeria sorry after disabled diner refused service
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 02/06/24 - Summer Timetable starts
17/08/24 - Bus to Imber
27/09/25 - 200 years of passenger trains

On this day
29th Mar (1913)
Foundation of National Union or Railwaymen (*)

Train RunningCancelled
09:30 Weymouth to Gloucester
11:57 Bedwyn to Newbury
12:17 Westbury to Swindon
12:22 Newbury to Bedwyn
12:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
12:52 Bedwyn to Newbury
13:15 Swindon to Westbury
13:21 Newbury to Bedwyn
13:48 Bedwyn to Newbury
14:12 Newbury to Bedwyn
14:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
14:19 Westbury to Swindon
14:57 Bedwyn to Newbury
15:14 Swindon to Westbury
15:22 Newbury to Bedwyn
15:28 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington
15:50 Bedwyn to Newbury
16:15 Newbury to Bedwyn
16:23 Westbury to Swindon
16:54 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
16:55 Bedwyn to Newbury
17:36 Swindon to Westbury
18:37 Westbury to Swindon
20:13 Swindon to Westbury
21:16 Westbury to Swindon
22:30 Swindon to Westbury
Short Run
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
10:55 Paignton to London Paddington
12:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
13:10 Gloucester to Weymouth
13:42 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
13:55 Paignton to London Paddington
14:36 London Paddington to Paignton
15:42 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
16:35 London Paddington to Plymouth
16:50 Plymouth to London Paddington
17:03 London Paddington to Penzance
17:36 London Paddington to Plymouth
18:03 London Paddington to Penzance
18:36 London Paddington to Plymouth
19:04 Paignton to London Paddington
20:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
21:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
Delayed
07:10 Penzance to London Paddington
08:03 London Paddington to Penzance
08:15 Penzance to London Paddington
09:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
09:10 Penzance to London Paddington
10:00 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
10:20 Penzance to London Paddington
11:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
12:03 London Paddington to Penzance
12:15 Penzance to London Paddington
etc
PollsOpen and recent polls
Closed 2024-03-25 Easter Escape - to where?
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
March 29, 2024, 12:07:03 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[124] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[53] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[49] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[48] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
[43] Return of the BRUTE?
[30] 2024 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury...
 
News: A forum for passengers ... with input from rail professionals welcomed too
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: 1 ... 15 16 [17] 18 19 ... 63
  Print  
Author Topic: Class 387 coming to Thames Valley - ongoing discussion  (Read 460244 times)
Gordon the Blue Engine
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 752


View Profile
« Reply #240 on: June 02, 2016, 18:54:39 »

And so do the trams in Nice and I'm sure many other places.  But running a Class 387 on batteries on the main line, for example between Newbury and Bedwyn, is very different. To avoid public ridicule they would need timings and thus performance (ie acceleration and top speed) at least as good as a Turbo: they can't just accelerate up to 45 mph or whatever and then trundle along until the next stop.


   
Logged
John R
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4416


View Profile
« Reply #241 on: June 02, 2016, 21:10:44 »

I would agree. I'm also not convinced about the economics.  Just looking at the Bedwyn service, how many units will need to be fitted with batteries to ensure cover for all services. Most of the time these will be on normal services carting around all that extra weight (not to mention the initial cost).  Might be easier/more cost effective just to string the wires up for the extra distance, particularly since the WoE AT300s will also benefit from the extra distance under the wires.
Logged
Billhere
Full Member
***
Posts: 80


View Profile Email
« Reply #242 on: June 05, 2016, 10:41:00 »

I would agree, but why stop at Bedwyn ? There is a large catchment area at Pewsey, many of whom now drive to Bedwyn and take up even more of the parking spaces at that location to the annoyance of the residents.

They would enjoy a far better service than is currently available.

In which case why not pop on down to Westbury as well, round the corner and down to Bathampton and voila through electrification. No doubt that will be the final aim, but remember thirty years ago the B and H from Southcote Junction was going to be a single line as far as Newbury, with a set of stop blocks under the Black Boys Bridge, everywhere else West being abandoned and track lifted. Only the lack of suitable paths for the stone trains via Swindon stopped it happening.

Bedwyn, what a strange place to stop the outer suburban route. I was told it was the home of Sir Felix Pole one of the top men of the GWR (Great Western Railway) who required his train to London to start there.
Logged
IndustryInsider
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 10096


View Profile
« Reply #243 on: June 05, 2016, 10:50:10 »

I would agree, but why stop at Bedwyn ?

I think an hourly semi-fast service from Paddington to Westbury using one of the new Hitachi units (with some extending on as stoppers to Exeter), is much more likely than Class 387s on batteries, though if Westbury does get the wires then 387s might be a more logical choice then - but that's many years away still.  Alternative hours stopping at Kintbury and Bedwyn has been suggested for that route, with a Bedwyn to Newbury DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) shuttle likely to bump that up to an hourly service from those stations.
Logged

To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
John R
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4416


View Profile
« Reply #244 on: June 05, 2016, 11:27:20 »

I would agree, but why stop at Bedwyn ?
Because that's where the current service extends to.  There's a difference between maintaining an existing service and spending money to deliver a new one that may or may not prove worthwhile. Particularly in the current economic climate on the railways.
Logged
Thatcham Crossing
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 793


View Profile
« Reply #245 on: June 05, 2016, 13:21:57 »

Quote
Bedwyn, what a strange place to stop the outer suburban route.

It often strikes me that it is aswell, the Bedwyn's are both small villages (albeit well-heeled).

Purely historic reasons, and that it has a turn-back siding (albeit no use for anything longer than a 3 coach Turbo - AFAIK (as far as I know)) should not be the basis for designing better services on this route.

5 car bi-modes running a semi-fast service to Westbury would benefit all Stations along the route, including those east of Newbury  Wink
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40692



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #246 on: June 05, 2016, 13:58:09 »

Quote
Bedwyn, what a strange place to stop the outer suburban route.

It often strikes me that it is as well, the Bedwyn's are both small villages (albeit well-heeled).

Bedwyn is also the railhead for Marlborough, population around 18,000 and boasts a rail link bus service from Bedwyn Station into the town. Quite unusually for buses that call at train stations, this one actually waits a bit if the train's late so that it's really much more of a "rail link" than many.

It should be noted that although Pewsey is just as close to Marlborough as Bedwyn, a journey from Marlborough to London via Pewsey involves doubling back on yourself, the train fare is higher and services less frequent.

There are calls for reinstatement of the line from Savernake (between Bedwyn and Pewsey) to Marlborough - see https://www.transitionmarlborough.org/Transport+Group+homepage for a link to the report at https://www.transitionmarlborough.org/tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=52 which makes their case.

Bedwyn Station should not be judged just purely on the local within walking / cycling distance, nor on the operational convenience of the turn back siding.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
John R
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4416


View Profile
« Reply #247 on: June 05, 2016, 14:05:59 »

It also serves Hungerford en route remember, which has a respectable number of passengers. So not completely illogical to end the suburban service there, given the next station is another 9 miles further on, and the one beyond that a further 20 miles.  

I would agree though that any enhancement to the service would be most likely facilitated by use of 5 car bi-modes.  Given GWR (Great Western Railway) are reportedly looking at an additional order of AT300s, this might not be completely out of the running.
Logged
Adelante_CCT
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1314



View Profile
« Reply #248 on: June 05, 2016, 14:35:49 »

Quote from: Thatcham Crossing
5 car bi-modes running a semi-fast service to Westbury would benefit all Stations along the route, including those east of Newbury  Wink

You wouldn't happen to be referring to Thatcham would you?  Wink
Logged
Thatcham Crossing
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 793


View Profile
« Reply #249 on: June 05, 2016, 22:55:08 »

Quote
You wouldn't happen to be referring to Thatcham would you?  Wink

Indeed I would, our current mainly Turbo-operated semi-fasts seem to be getting busier and busier.

In answer to grahame, yes I'm aware of the bus link to Marlborough, but I think the point I (and others) are making that Bedwyn doesn't need to be the terminus for semi-fast services going forward (suggesting it should be somewhere further west) still stands.

That would of course be good news for Bedwyn, which AFAIK (as far as I know) has very little westbound service today.

Logged
Oberon
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 186


View Profile
« Reply #250 on: June 06, 2016, 07:32:07 »

The sensible thing to do would be to reopen Savernake-Marlborough and build a large park & ride railhead-type station at the end of the line. Of course it would be electrified and have a day long semi-fast service to Paddington.

In my dreams..
Logged
ellendune
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4452


View Profile
« Reply #251 on: June 06, 2016, 07:42:49 »

The sensible thing to do would be to reopen Savernake-Marlborough and build a large park & ride railhead-type station at the end of the line. Of course it would be electrified and have a day long semi-fast service to Paddington.

In my dreams..

The proposed Swindon terminators could be the semi-fast services.   Ahh we can dream
Logged
Noggin
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 514


View Profile
« Reply #252 on: June 06, 2016, 11:10:38 »

It might perhaps make sense to extend the Bedwyn services and terminate them at Marlborough? I suspect that operationally and financially it would make much more sense if it were done as part of electrification though (387's to Marlborough), and of course it is always difficult politically to be spending money on areas that the rest of the country sees as 'privileged', even if it is justified commercially, traffic reduction and we all know there's plenty of deprivation in leafy rural areas too.

Electrification from Newbury to Westbury, Westbury to the GWML (Great Western Main Line) (and probably Westbury to Southamption) would appear to have a pretty good business case, if only on the grounds of switching freight haulage from diesel to electric, and getting rid of a few more DMUs (Diesel Multiple Unit).

I suppose the question is how good the business case is against other projects in the South West, and whether it makes it into CP6 (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024) or is relegated to CP7? The cynic in me says that despite an outwardly objective process, a lot of the CP6 programme is going to be aimed at marginal constituencies and keeping England blue. 
Logged
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 12334


View Profile Email
« Reply #253 on: June 06, 2016, 11:20:18 »

Does Marlborough have a station or are you proposing they construct one in the same process?
Logged
IndustryInsider
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 10096


View Profile
« Reply #254 on: June 06, 2016, 11:30:49 »

The cynic in me says that despite an outwardly objective process, a lot of the CP6 (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024) programme is going to be aimed at marginal constituencies and keeping England blue. 

Does Marlborough have a station or are you proposing they construct one in the same process?

No station at Marlborough.  And about 5 miles of new track would have to be relaid.  Fortunately not much in the way of buildings built on the old formation, but there was at least one tunnel that would no doubt be costly to bring back into service.

Sadly, I've got a feeling a lot of the CP6 programme will be about finishing off stuff that was due to be done in CP5 (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019).  I'd be very surprised if any additional route reopening projects not currently at a fairly advanced planning stage (such as Bedford to Cambridge, March to Wisbech, or Bere Alston to Tavistock) made it into the CP6 pot, and even those could well fall back into CP7.
Logged

To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: 1 ... 15 16 [17] 18 19 ... 63
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page