Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 15:35 28 Mar 2024
- Man held over stabbing in front of train passengers
- How do I renew my UK passport and what is the 10-year rule?
- Jet2 launches first flight from Liverpool airport
- Easter travel warning as millions set to hit roads
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
28th Mar (1917)
Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore closed (link)

Train RunningCancelled
13:28 Weymouth to Gloucester
15:10 Newquay to Par
15:14 Swindon to Westbury
15:16 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
15:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
16:04 Bristol Temple Meads to Filton Abbey Wood
16:51 Filton Abbey Wood to Bristol Temple Meads
17:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
17:54 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
17:57 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street
19:33 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill
20:56 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington
Short Run
11:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
12:03 London Paddington to Penzance
12:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
13:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
13:10 Gloucester to Weymouth
15:10 Gloucester to Weymouth
15:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
15:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
16:19 Carmarthen to London Paddington
16:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
16:54 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
Delayed
13:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
13:59 Cardiff Central to Penzance
14:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
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 28, 2024, 15:52:46 *
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
[142] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[80] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[56] Return of the BRUTE?
[46] If not HS2 to Manchester, how will traffic be carried?
[43] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[34] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
 
News: the Great Western Coffee Shop ... keeping you up to date with travel around the South West
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: 1 ... 5 6 [7] 8 9 ... 23
  Print  
Author Topic: Metrowest Status  (Read 84580 times)
johnneyw
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 2257


From station to station, back to Bristol city....


View Profile
« Reply #90 on: September 01, 2017, 10:45:49 »

Can anyone tell me if the Vivarail Dtrain has a narrow enough gauge to negate the problems of the tunnels on the Portishead line reopening?

Given the size of the freight traffic through those tunnels, and the lowering of the floor in 2000-2001, I am not sure that gauge is the issue.

Ah, I read that issues with the tunnel meant that significant speed reduction or
expensive tunnel modification was needed, hence the sudden cost increase announced earlier this year. Admittedly, one of my sources was the Evening Post and I am allowing for my own capability to misinterpret information but I was left with the impression that the proposed stock for the Portishead line could not run at the speed required in the tunnels for the 1/2 hourly service.
Logged
johnneyw
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 2257


From station to station, back to Bristol city....


View Profile
« Reply #91 on: February 20, 2018, 22:33:21 »

Interesting interview on the John Darvall Show, BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Radio Bristol today (Tuesday) with the Deputy Metro Mayor Tim Warren. About 40 mins in the discussion reaches Metrowest. He states here that Severn Beach to Westbury is currently being discussed between Tim Bowles, the Metro Mayor and the government and would take presidence over the Portishead line. At about 50 mins the discussion covers the Bristol and Bath tram/ underground options. Worth a listen and is on iPlayer for quite a few days.
Logged
TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6435


The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!


View Profile
« Reply #92 on: February 20, 2018, 23:33:59 »

Interesting interview on the John Darvall Show, BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Radio Bristol today (Tuesday) with the Deputy Metro Mayor Tim Warren. About 40 mins in the discussion reaches Metrowest. He states here that Severn Beach to Westbury is currently being discussed between Tim Bowles, the Metro Mayor and the government and would take presidence over the Portishead line. At about 50 mins the discussion covers the Bristol and Bath tram/ underground options. Worth a listen and is on iPlayer for quite a few days.

I'm sure Severn Beach to Westbury was under discussion way back in the days when the LEP» (Local Enterprise Partnership - about) held the pursestrings and kicked cans down roads. IIRC (if I recall/remember/read correctly), MetroWest had a planned route from Severn Beach to Bath, but some difficulty in working out how to turn it around. Westbury was mentioned as a logical extension to get around that issue, but I thought it was just to delay making a decision so that the new service wouldn't happen before MetroBust and make it look rubbish. I might still be right.
Logged

Now, please!
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« Reply #93 on: February 21, 2018, 18:06:02 »

... I thought it was just to delay making a decision so that the new service wouldn't happen before MetroBust and make it look rubbish. I might still be right.

Surely there was never any intention to make any changes to the Severn Beach line until they had finished that bit of gardening on Ashley Hill?



Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6435


The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!


View Profile
« Reply #94 on: February 21, 2018, 22:01:53 »

They are working hard to fulfill my prophecy! A shame for the inhabitants of the shanty town, but you have to move with the times.
Logged

Now, please!
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #95 on: February 21, 2018, 22:54:43 »

Surely there was never any intention to make any changes to the Severn Beach line until they had finished that bit of gardening on Ashley Hill?

Hmmm ... your image of Ashely Hill differs from mine

Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
johnneyw
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 2257


From station to station, back to Bristol city....


View Profile
« Reply #96 on: February 21, 2018, 23:14:35 »

They look so different out of their orange overalls.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #97 on: February 21, 2018, 23:19:04 »

I'm sure Severn Beach to Westbury was under discussion way back in the days when the LEP» (Local Enterprise Partnership - about) held the pursestrings and kicked cans down roads. IIRC (if I recall/remember/read correctly), MetroWest had a planned route from Severn Beach to Bath, but some difficulty in working out how to turn it around. Westbury was mentioned as a logical extension to get around that issue ...

6 paths out of Temple Meads per hour
:00 to London via Bath Spa
:10 to Portsmouth Harbour
:16 to Westbury (or Frome)
:30 to London via Bath Spa
:40 to Swindon and Oxford
:46 to Yeovil, alternate extensions to Weymouth
No problem turning on the main line and service increase from Bath (where they're putting more businesses than residences) and Wiltshire (where they're putting more residences than businesses).  Turn the :16 at Frome to avoid platform blocking at Westbury, and take the :46 local down to Yeovil - a town of 60,000.  Without a loop south of Chetnole you can't extend the :46 every hour past Yeovil.

Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
martyjon
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1941


View Profile
« Reply #98 on: February 22, 2018, 06:41:55 »

.... Without a loop south of Chetnole you can't extend the :46 every hour past Yeovil.


Maiden Newton  Huh
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #99 on: February 22, 2018, 07:00:13 »

.... Without a loop south of Chetnole you can't extend the :46 every hour past Yeovil.

Maiden Newton  Huh

7 minutes too far south (quarter of an hour round trip).   Real Heart of Wessex problem on going hourly is the spacing of the loops.  Don't get me writing here - this would end up being a really long post; comes in as part of the learning about hourly capacity for everything that uses the Westbury hub.

Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
martyjon
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1941


View Profile
« Reply #100 on: February 22, 2018, 08:16:01 »

.... Without a loop south of Chetnole you can't extend the :46 every hour past Yeovil.

Maiden Newton  Huh

7 minutes too far south (quarter of an hour round trip).   Real Heart of Wessex problem on going hourly is the spacing of the loops.  Don't get me writing here - this would end up being a really long post; comes in as part of the learning about hourly capacity for everything that uses the Westbury hub.




So nothing that a bit of double tracking wouldn't solve then.
Logged
TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6435


The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!


View Profile
« Reply #101 on: February 22, 2018, 09:35:09 »

6 paths out of Temple Meads per hour
:00 to London via Bath Spa
:10 to Portsmouth Harbour
:16 to Westbury (or Frome)
:30 to London via Bath Spa
:40 to Swindon and Oxford
:46 to Yeovil, alternate extensions to Weymouth
No problem turning on the main line and service increase from Bath (where they're putting more businesses than residences) and Wiltshire (where they're putting more residences than businesses).  Turn the :16 at Frome to avoid platform blocking at Westbury, and take the :46 local down to Yeovil - a town of 60,000.  Without a loop south of Chetnole you can't extend the :46 every hour past Yeovil.

Simples! Why didn't the boffins at MetroWest come up with that instead of wringing their hands over where to put a turnback signal? I suppose that turning back on the mainline at Bath is problematic because the tight timescale would upset late-running intercity trains, but what you suggest could be done now with a bit of effort.
Logged

Now, please!
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« Reply #102 on: February 22, 2018, 09:51:03 »

...shanty town...

That's no shanty town! That's Pete Chapman's 'Ennywevvers' glamping site, just there behind the pig farm.

Funny old place, Bristol.
Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #103 on: February 22, 2018, 10:03:59 »

Simples! Why didn't the boffins at MetroWest come up with that instead of wringing their hands over where to put a turnback signal? I suppose that turning back on the mainline at Bath is problematic because the tight timescale would upset late-running intercity trains, but what you suggest could be done now with a bit of effort.

It's a darned sight more carefully worked out than you might think.   Noting plans for another 2000 homes in Frome the other day - which is very much a dormitory town - "up to the railway" says the blurb, 400 metres from the station.  And platform blocking there far less of an issue that it could become at Westbury. Time allowed for a Saltford stop too.  Some other issues to overcome and lots of unknowns as I don't have other timetable plans ahead, but the idea does scream "on existing infrastructure", "meeting current and pent up demand" and "sensible schedules and turn around times".


Edit to correct new house numbers - then correct them back because I was fed a pup!  2000 homes is about 5000 people.

Nice positive slant on the story  - "Garden village could 'devastate' the area south of Frome, warn residents" from  Somerset Live

« Last Edit: February 22, 2018, 13:05:16 by grahame » Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
Bmblbzzz
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4256


View Profile
« Reply #104 on: February 22, 2018, 11:50:09 »

...shanty town...

That's no shanty town! That's Pete Chapman's 'Ennywevvers' glamping site, just there behind the pig farm.

Funny old place, Bristol.
Is that the place you're talking about! I wonder if anyone has ever actually 'glamped' there?
Logged

Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
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 ... 5 6 [7] 8 9 ... 23
  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