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Author Topic: Rugby or the Community? Protests about GWR service changes at Sandy Park  (Read 21171 times)
Bob_Blakey
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« Reply #15 on: November 11, 2017, 08:51:40 »

I can't see where Wikipedia gives a Sandy Park capacity figure of 20,600 but if it does it is incorrect; the current capacity is, near as damn it, 13,000. 20,600 is the intended capacity when the stadium is completely rebuilt as an all-seater venue and this will only be done in stages over the next ?10-15 years.
I suspect nothing major will now be done until the hoped for full 4-carriage (2x150/2) train service arrives in mid 2018 to see if that improves the crowding situation. I think we all know that it won't!
Aside from that, and in the absence of any other significant enhancements to the overall Avocet (Branch line from Exeter to Exmouth) Line infrastructure, I think the quickest & cheapest solution would be reinstatement of the second track between Exmouth Junction & DIG together with an additional platform at DIG and any necessary signalling upgrades - perhaps changing Exmouth Junction to a double lead ladder arrangement would help - so that an EXD» (Exeter St Davids - next trains)<>DIG shuttle could be run in relative isolation. Again, under the current railways financial regime, not a cat in hells chance.
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Bmblbzzz
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« Reply #16 on: November 11, 2017, 12:38:13 »

Sorry, that was me misinterpreting this sentence:
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In the summer of 2012 the club announced a five-year plan to redevelop the ground to hold 20,600,
In fact I'm not sure it was even that sentence I saw originally, but something along those lines. 12,500 is the current capacity it gives.
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« Reply #17 on: November 11, 2017, 15:34:51 »

Although it would require an extra unit and crew, why not simply run from Exeter St Davids, Exeter Central to St James. Then onto Exmouth Junction and reverse (as do some service trains).

No infrastructure costs and one unit could operate a half hourly (football) shuttle
service, not interfering with the Exmouth (Rugby) trains.
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Phantom
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« Reply #18 on: November 15, 2017, 14:14:15 »

There is just as big if not bigger problem serving Ashton Gate for Bristol City and Bristol Rugby coming up from the WSM corridor

The nearest station that serves the Stadium is Parson Street

On a Saturday there are services at all the intermediate stations starting from WSM at 11:10 / 12:10 / 13:10
The last two services are nearly always full and standing by Worle and are often turning people away by Yatton

What makes it worse there are services at 11:39 / 12:39 / 13:39 that stop at the same stations EXCEPT Parson Street and Bedminster which could be used as an additional service

The return journey is much worse, with only a 17:30 / 18:30 THEN 22:24 !!!
It has become almost impossible to get on the 17:30 service now with people often left behind at Parson Street, and with the Christmas shopping etc on the horizon the coming weeks are even worse than normal with trains pulling in full
Again there are stopping services half hour after from BTM (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) to WSM etc that don't stop


Then the worst part of all - for Sunday matches when Bristol rugby play a large number of their fixtures
The FIRST train on this route to stop at Parson Street is 17:25 - which is AFTER the game has FINISHED!!

With Bristol City regularly getting crowds now in the 20k and the rugby 7k it is mind blowing that GWR (Great Western Railway) haven't looked into this more as the potential customer base to tap into is massive

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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #19 on: November 15, 2017, 17:19:34 »

With Bristol City regularly getting crowds now in the 20k and the rugby 7k it is mind blowing that GWR (Great Western Railway) haven't looked into this more as the potential customer base to tap into is massive

... and - taking this discussion even further off-topic (and I can, because I'm an admin! Grin ) - the incredible amount of road traffic on the A369 from Portishead into Ashton Gate, Bristol, on football / rugby days / evenings also shows how the reopening of the Portishead Branch Line for passenger services would be so very useful.

CfN  Roll Eyes

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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
grahame
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« Reply #20 on: November 15, 2017, 17:53:32 »

With Bristol City regularly getting crowds now in the 20k and the rugby 7k it is mind blowing that GWR (Great Western Railway) haven't looked into this more as the potential customer base to tap into is massive

... and - taking this discussion even further off-topic (and I can, because I'm an admin! Grin ) - the incredible amount of road traffic on the A369 from Portishead into Ashton Gate, Bristol, on football / rugby days / evenings also shows how the reopening of the Portishead Branch Line for passenger services would be so very useful.

CfN  Roll Eyes


The problem you have taking big 'event' crowds is that you need a lot or resource for very rare use.  You can cover up to the amount of rolling stock you use on a weekday peak perhaps, but that's unlikely to be anything like enough, especially as the rail industry and working hours soften that peak from what it used to be.

I am minded of a web site visitor graph from a few years back - our web site when we appeared on TV.    If we had to pay for a fixed flat line resource, just look at what a huge area (cost) would be under that line, but above the actual!

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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #21 on: November 15, 2017, 18:00:49 »

To be fair, I wasn't suggesting that the Portishead line should be reopened for use only on Ashton Gate home days.  Grin

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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
devonexpress
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« Reply #22 on: November 29, 2017, 18:38:04 »

GWR (Great Western Railway) are doing the best they can. Asking people to walk from Exeter Central to St James Park is sensible. However maybe South Western Railway could also stop their on match days if time could be built into their schedule? Probably unlikely. The problem with SJP is that its just before a big junction with the line to Exmouth/Salisbury/London or the sidings so any train that gets delayed here can hold up everything. Network Rail could make the platforms longer, but then GWR have to find extra rolling stock.

Since Barnstaple services will no longer serve Central station once the 158's take over the services, its only going to get worse. Myself I would get all the rugby/football players to travel to St David's and then get coaches to take them to St James Park or Sandy Park.
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RichardB
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« Reply #23 on: November 30, 2017, 08:44:58 »

Since Barnstaple services will no longer serve Central station once the 158's take over the services, its only going to get worse.

No, that's not true.  The Barnstaple service will terminate at Central (or possibly St James Park) and the longer term aspiration is to see if they can extend to Cranbrook/Honiton/Axminster (all of which would need some kind of extra infrastructure e.g. turnback signal for Cranbrook and new loop around Whimple for beyond.)

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