Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 22:15 28 Mar 2024
* Bus plunges off South Africa bridge, killing 45
* Easter getaways hit by travel disruption
- Where Baltimore bridge investigation goes now
- How do I renew my UK passport and what is the 10-year rule?
- Family anger at sentence on fatal crash driver, 19
- 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
19:35 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
20:54 Reading to Gatwick Airport
20:56 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington
21:30 Shalford to Reading
22:25 Bedwyn to Newbury
22:30 Gatwick Airport to Reading
22:47 Newbury to Bedwyn
Short Run
17:03 London Paddington to Penzance
18:03 London Paddington to Penzance
19:04 Paignton to London Paddington
20:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
21:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
22:10 Severn Beach to Bristol Temple Meads
23:04 Reading to Bedwyn
23:17 Bedwyn to Reading
Delayed
19:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
21:30 Gatwick Airport to Reading
21:45 Penzance to London Paddington
23:45 London Paddington to Penzance
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, 22:30:27 *
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
[104] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[103] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[78] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[56] If not HS2 to Manchester, how will traffic be carried?
[41] Return of the BRUTE?
[25] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
 
News: A forum for passengers ... with input from rail professionals welcomed too
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1] 2
  Print  
Author Topic: A welcome to XC from Bristol to Swindon. Delighted to have you; we have space  (Read 23597 times)
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« on: November 03, 2018, 10:42:57 »

While Filton Bank is closed ... we have (weekdays, including peak times) Cross Country Voyagers running up / none stop through Chippenham.

Noting / watching activity over the last couple of days - I note virtually zero interference between these extra trains, London expresses, Bristol to Portsmouth regional expresses and local trains to and via Westbury.  Just saying that old capacity excuses about being unable to run Bristol - Oxford because of Bristol  - Bath capacity seem to be being proven to be somewhat porkies!
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
SandTEngineer
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 3485


View Profile
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2018, 11:04:12 »

Lets see what capacity there is when Bristol Temple Meads(excl) to Thingley Junction is resignalled in April 2019.

Did I note that a few diverted XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services are stopping at Bath during the evening?
Logged
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2018, 11:19:22 »

No need to worry about that - I remember when I read the Network Rail memo that said under no circumstances was the capacity available for the Romsey/Salisbury Six service proposal. Cue a couple of JFDI (just flipping do it (polite version)) emails from DfT» (Department for Transport - about), and before you knew it, "further pathing investigations" were taking place et voila!
Logged

Vous devez être impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
martyjon
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1941


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2018, 11:21:38 »

While Filton Bank is closed ... we have (weekdays, including peak times) Cross Country Voyagers running up / none stop through Chippenham.
Noting / watching activity over the last couple of days - I note virtually zero interference between these extra trains, London expresses, Bristol to Portsmouth regional expresses and local trains to and via Westbury.  Just saying that old capacity excuses about being unable to run Bristol - Oxford because of Bristol  - Bath capacity seem to be being proven to be somewhat porkies!


And since the coal trains from Avonmouth To Didcot ceased running, those paths between Wotton Bassett and Didcot are now ancient history so capacity between these latter two locations should be no problem, The DfT» (Department for Transport - about), NR» (Network Rail - home page) and GWR (Great Western Railway) must think all of us customers (passengers) are the typical village idiot but we ain't.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2018, 11:27:34 »

Lets see what capacity there is when Bristol Temple Meads(excl) to Thingley Junction is resignalled in April 2019.

Did I note that a few diverted XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services are stopping at Bath during the evening?

Bath is a major tourist city,  with (I think) one of the highest incomes of any station if measured in proportion to the number of platforms in use.   There is real scope for longer distance services from there in the future ... at present under a non-engineering timetable, there is a single daily departure via Birmingham and not a single through service coming back - and even that single departure is under threat.

Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
Timmer
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6293


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2018, 12:29:57 »

Did I note that a few diverted XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services are stopping at Bath during the evening?
Pretty much all diverted XC services are stopping at Bath which makes sense as there would be a fair few XC related journies that start/end there. Pick up only northbound. Set down only southbound.
Logged
XPT
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 163


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2018, 19:27:41 »

Did I note that a few diverted XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services are stopping at Bath during the evening?
Pretty much all diverted XC services are stopping at Bath which makes sense as there would be a fair few XC related journies that start/end there. Pick up only northbound. Set down only southbound.

The pick up only northbound and set down only southbound appears to be not strictly adhered to though.  I was on the XC service this evening that was scheduled to set down at Bath Spa at 1718.  I thought as it was approaching Bath Spa, even though this service is scheduled as set down only there, I bet a number of people will still get on.  And I noticed they did!  Even though the departure screens specific to that platform had SET (Super Express Train (now IET)) DOWN ONLY displayed, and there was a platform staff member there.   I suppose there's not much that can be done about that really, as some people will still know that that service will be stopping at Bristol Temple Meads so will board it!  And/or maybe that platform staff member mentioned to people they could get that service to Bristol. Not really a complaint, but just an observation. 
« Last Edit: November 17, 2018, 20:17:07 by XPT » Logged
SandTEngineer
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 3485


View Profile
« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2018, 20:50:54 »

I was on the 1225 Plymouth to Birmingham NS yesterday and the guard/conductor announced Bath Spa as a stop Eastbound.
« Last Edit: November 17, 2018, 21:00:58 by SandTEngineer » Logged
XPT
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 163


View Profile
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2018, 21:04:09 »

I was on the 1225 Plymouth to Birmingham NS yesterday and the guard/conductor announced Bath Spa as a stop Eastbound.

Hmm... maybe the conductor got things mixed up with the scheduled stop at Bath Spa, but that it is not a set down stop for northbound services.
Logged
JontyMort
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 342


View Profile
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2018, 23:16:15 »

I was on the 1225 Plymouth to Birmingham NS yesterday and the guard/conductor announced Bath Spa as a stop Eastbound.

Hmm... maybe the conductor got things mixed up with the scheduled stop at Bath Spa, but that it is not a set down stop for northbound services.

I was on the 0642 from New Street on Wednesday, and as we approached Bath it was ding dong... silence... (we still seem to be going quite fast)... ding dong... "well, as you can see ladies and gentlemen, the next station stop will actually be Bristol Temple Meads". Apparently that first train is the only one that didn't stop.

In the return direction the Bath stop was not on the board or announced at Bristol, but the guard announced it and the display on the carriage end said Bath (mind you, the next coach said Totnes).
Logged
CMRail
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 400


View Profile
« Reply #10 on: November 18, 2018, 01:15:58 »

They tend to announce Bath to avoid confusion, some could think its Temple Meads/ Swindon.
Logged
froome
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 901


View Profile Email
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2018, 21:15:50 »

Did I note that a few diverted XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services are stopping at Bath during the evening?
Pretty much all diverted XC services are stopping at Bath which makes sense as there would be a fair few XC related journies that start/end there. Pick up only northbound. Set down only southbound.

The pick up only northbound and set down only southbound appears to be not strictly adhered to though.  I was on the XC service this evening that was scheduled to set down at Bath Spa at 1718.  I thought as it was approaching Bath Spa, even though this service is scheduled as set down only there, I bet a number of people will still get on.  And I noticed they did!  Even though the departure screens specific to that platform had SET (Super Express Train (now IET)) DOWN ONLY displayed, and there was a platform staff member there.   I suppose there's not much that can be done about that really, as some people will still know that that service will be stopping at Bristol Temple Meads so will board it!  And/or maybe that platform staff member mentioned to people they could get that service to Bristol. Not really a complaint, but just an observation. 

I don't understand why they made these services pick up or set down only. It must have been obvious they couldn't stop people getting on or off. And I don't understand why Chippenham wasn't included as a stop. As has been said earlier, there is capacity for this to happen, and on the one service I used during this time, it just missed a connection at Swindon for a service to Chippenham, meaning an unnecessarily long wait for anyone wanting to go there.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2018, 21:33:36 »

And I don't understand why Chippenham wasn't included as a stop.

They don't stop at Bridgwater ... they hardly stop at Weston-super-mare ... only the odd one stops at Gloucester ... and none call at Worcestershire Parkway.  They seem to have visions of grandeur above their station so why on earth would they call at Chippenham?

Yes, it is blooming irritating to want to go to Scotland and see the darned thing whistle through.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
CMRail
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 400


View Profile
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2018, 21:54:20 »

Maybe XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) should run some “odd one out” stopping services. Cardiff and Newport have no significant long distance services so why not a Cardiff - Edingburgh etc and beyond providing calls at Gloucester as well? Just a thought.
Logged
Dispatch Box
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 433


View Profile
« Reply #14 on: November 20, 2018, 19:52:02 »

Maybe XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) should run some “odd one out” stopping services. Cardiff and Newport have no significant long distance services so why not a Cardiff - Edingburgh etc and beyond providing calls at Gloucester as well? Just a thought.


Would make a change instead of all going to Nottingham or Birmingham
Logged
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] 2
  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