Invisible from space - what projects would you promote?

[whole diary]

[Rhydgaled]

That being the journey time that seems to be necessary to beat road transport.

Are you sure that the time is the key factor - what about other issues when driving ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8EKe08BP0E

That advert is great . Am I sure that the journey time is the main reason pepole are driving? No. Frequency might be more important, I don't know. When I asked my father why he was driving to Port Talbot for a recent trip to London, his first reaction was to blame the need to change train to reach London from west of Carmarthen. I don't think RailFuture's suggestion of running hourly Paddington trains through to Carmarthen over the Swansea District Line is sensible though, because the 9-10 coaches you need in London is overkill west of Swansea. That point on train length is another reason why I think we need 'Project 70' actually. We need through trains to/from Cardiff, but on the current Manchester services passengers making a long treck to Pembrokeshire are swamped by passengers for Swansea etc. Really the Manchester-Swansea train needs to be longer, with a seperate 2-car (or possibly 3-car) service from Cardiff for the exclusive use of passengers for Llanelli and points west.

On travel to Cardiff though, Dad said he'd drive all the way, citing cost and a very vauge 'convenience'. What would be more convenient? A faster service, enhanced frequency of through trains or what?

Am I sure the train is slower than driving? Yes; very much so. The SWWITCH rail strategy report by AECOM has similar figures for journey time (although it doesn't propose doing anything about it as far as I can recall). That report also states that faster and/or more frequent services could raise modal share from 1-8% to perhaps 10-20% (using northern England as an example).

[TonyK]

I don't see GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) being particularly phased by the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) competition into Bristol Temple Meads, so I'm less convinced that it would be beneficial.

I use it occasionally, on cost grounds.

[Noggin]

- Full Bristol suburban electrification including Weston, Severn Beach, Portishead and Yate
- Redoubling of Severn Beach line and full Henbury loop reopening
- Heavy rail branch to Bristol Airport via Yatton (with south arm of triangle to serve Weston and beyond)
- Temple Meads redevelopment
- Conversion of Bristol Metro Bus to tramway

[initiation]

- Heavy rail branch to Bristol Airport via Yatton (with south arm of triangle to serve Weston and beyond)

That would be one big climb up 180 m.

Agree with all your points, particularly redevelopment of BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) and electricification.

Redesign of platforms between BTM and Weston to take 5 carraiges at each station AND (probably more critically) so that exits aren't just at one end. E.g Yatton & Nailsea, carraiges close to the single entrance are busy while those further away aren't.

New station at Long Ashton, but to achieve this I think we need passing lines at stations to avoid slowing down the long distance trains.

[John R]

Redesign of platforms between BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) and Weston to take 5 carraiges at each station AND (probably more critically) so that exits aren't just at one end. E.g Yatton & Nailsea, carraiges close to the single entrance are busy while those further away aren't.

That will be expensive at NLS given it is on an embankment. The arborted ramp scheme is the best we can hope for, which would have improved capacity  on the down side when evening trains arrive and queues build up at the stairs.

My perception is that 4 car local trains are perfectly adequate on the line when supplemented by the long distance services. These latter services do tend to have longer dwell times by virtue of the fewer doors and passengers who don't move down inside straight away, although these will be shortened once the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) with their slam doors are replaced.  I don't think you could justify a platform extension for the few HST/IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) that use the station unfortunately, even as a daily user of the station. I'd rather put the money towards more adequate shelters on the up platform. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Redesign of platforms between BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) and Weston to take 5 carraiges at each station AND (probably more critically) so that exits aren't just at one end. E.g Yatton & Nailsea, carraiges close to the single entrance are busy while those further away aren't.

Hmm. With thanks for your suggestion, initiation, I'm not sure that it's worth the cost of building another entrance / exit to the 'up' platform at Nailsea & Backwell. And while it would be great to have a second, preferably ramp access on the 'down' platform, that seems to have been swallowed up in the abyss of 'there is no funding for such developments'. 

New station at Long Ashton, but to achieve this I think we need passing lines at stations to avoid slowing down the long distance trains.

There used to be a station at Long Ashton, but I can't see any case for that being reinstated: the 'park and ride' at end of the new South Bristol Link road is ... erm, just across the road.

My personal preference is for a re-opening of the station at Flax Bourton - but that turned out to be an April Fool story. 



Edit note: Written while JohnR was already posting - my apologies for any overlap of our comments. CfN.

[JayMac]

A station to serve Langport and Somerton please!

Apologies for quoting myself, but one potential station site has gone. Housing is being built on most of the former railway land where Langport East station once stood.