Future of traffic between London/Swindon and Gloucester/Cheltenham

[whole diary]

[CMRail]

In the May 2019 timetable change, most shuttles will be replaced by hourly London services. This is a benefit, and it makes life easier for myself and many others, however this is not particularly improving frequency of services for Stonehouse, Stroud and Kemble.

When the line was redoubled, it had two purposes. For diversions and possible future extra traffic. However when would this be delivered?

People seem to believe that in the next decade Network Rail plan to increase the frequency to 2tph on the line, with one train per hour leaving Gloucester, and the next leaving Cheltenham.

A. Could you see this happening? It is a benefit for Stonehouse Stroud and Kemble but
B. Can Stonehouse benefit two more trains per hour over Gloucester and is missing a city out like that justifiable?

[patch38]

Interesting. A couple of questions:

Would the Cheltenham train also call at Gloucester or skip it?

Presumably there's no chance of the line being electrified at any point in the foreseeable future so these services would run diesel to Swindon?

[Sapperton Tunnel]

There has never been a full commitment from the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) for 2 trains per hour Swindon - Gloucester - Cheltenham. There have been plenty of assumptions that this would happen, including from the Cotswold MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: "I am disappointed that the opportunity has not been taken to increase the train service now that the Swindon to Kemble line has be doubled".

However, service level commitment 3a of the current franchise, which was the one due to be implemented in December 18 does have a half hourly service in the Swindon-Gloucester direction in the peaks - between 07:15 and 08:44 and 20:15 and 21:44, made up of the hourly Padd - Chelts, plus Swindon - Gloucester locals. In the Gloucester - Swindon direction there is one extra service  between 17:00 and 18:30, plus the hourly Chelt - Padds.

The August 2015 Network Rail Western Route Study talks of extending the 1 train per hour (tph) Padd - Chelt to Worcester, plus 1 tph Paddington - Gloucester, plus 1 tph Swindon - north west local service via Worcester and Birmingham by the year2043.

Electrification Swindon - Kemble is talked about in the Study, but I understand First/GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) would prefer a reversing facility a Chippenham anyway, so I think electrification is pretty much dead in the medium term. 

[t0m]

On this topic.. a couple of things that bugged me:

1) When will the infamous 1642 service from Paddington to Cheltenham Spa be introduced? (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/452225/first-great-western-service-level-commitment-2-22032015.pdf)
2) When will journey times be reduced (as promised!) once the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) trains have been introduced? There has to be some benefit to sitting on those rock solid seats

[IndustryInsider]

Should be from next May.

[t0m]

Magic ! When will the timetable emerge for that?

[stuving]

Magic ! When will the timetable emerge for that?

I'm afraid the answer goes something like this:

The rail industry is reviewing the process by which timetables are decided, including the process by which they decide when to announce what the timetable is to be and when it will start. However, at the same time the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) are reviewing the processes by which the industry decides on new timetables, and that may alter the timing of any announcement of the timing of an announcement of any new process for deciding new timetables and the timing of the development and introduction of those new timetables and of the announcement of them and of the timing of their introduction.

But I'm sure they''ll all get their act together real soon.

[martyjon]

Magic ! When will the timetable emerge for that?

I'm afraid the answer goes something like this:

The rail industry is reviewing the process by which timetables are decided, including the process by which they decide when to announce what the timetable is to be and when it will start. However, at the same time the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) are reviewing the processes by which the industry decides on new timetables, and that may alter the timing of any announcement of the timing of an announcement of any new process for deciding new timetables and the timing of the development and introduction of those new timetables and of the announcement of them and of the timing of their introduction.

But I'm sure they''ll all get their act together real soon.

If they don't all get caught up by forever going round in circles.