Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 11:55 29 Mar 2024
* Easter getaway begins with flood alerts in place
* Attempted murder charge after man stabbed on train
- KFC Nigeria sorry after disabled diner refused service
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
29th Mar (1913)
Foundation of National Union or Railwaymen (*)

Train RunningCancelled
09:30 Weymouth to Gloucester
11:57 Bedwyn to Newbury
12:17 Westbury to Swindon
12:22 Newbury to Bedwyn
12:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
12:52 Bedwyn to Newbury
13:15 Swindon to Westbury
13:21 Newbury to Bedwyn
13:48 Bedwyn to Newbury
14:12 Newbury to Bedwyn
14:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
14:19 Westbury to Swindon
14:57 Bedwyn to Newbury
15:14 Swindon to Westbury
15:22 Newbury to Bedwyn
15:28 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington
15:50 Bedwyn to Newbury
16:15 Newbury to Bedwyn
16:23 Westbury to Swindon
16:54 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
16:55 Bedwyn to Newbury
17:36 Swindon to Westbury
18:37 Westbury to Swindon
20:13 Swindon to Westbury
21:16 Westbury to Swindon
22:30 Swindon to Westbury
Short Run
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
10:55 Paignton to London Paddington
12:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
13:10 Gloucester to Weymouth
13:42 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
13:55 Paignton to London Paddington
14:36 London Paddington to Paignton
15:42 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
16:35 London Paddington to Plymouth
16:50 Plymouth to London Paddington
17:03 London Paddington to Penzance
17:36 London Paddington to Plymouth
18:03 London Paddington to Penzance
18:36 London Paddington to Plymouth
19:04 Paignton to London Paddington
20:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
21:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
Delayed
07:10 Penzance to London Paddington
08:03 London Paddington to Penzance
08:15 Penzance to London Paddington
09:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
09:10 Penzance to London Paddington
10:00 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
10:20 Penzance to London Paddington
11:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
12:03 London Paddington to Penzance
12:15 Penzance to London Paddington
etc
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 29, 2024, 12:08:02 *
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
[124] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[53] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[49] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[48] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
[43] Return of the BRUTE?
[30] 2024 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury...
 
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] 2 3
  Print  
Author Topic: Lostwithiel-Fowey  (Read 23516 times)
Andy
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 544



View Profile
« on: May 09, 2008, 15:45:58 »

Forgive the self-indulgence here but I was wondering if any of the many knowledgeable posters on this site have any recollection of a serious discussion regarding the reinstatement of passenger services on the Fowey branch. Although hardly a major revenue earner in its heyday, this branch is intact for all but the last half a mile and does see occasional excursions. Could a people-mover and a park & ride for the summer months break even? Fowey ain't St Ives but I always feel that this freight-only line isn't playing the role it could do in local transport.

 
 
« Last Edit: May 09, 2008, 15:48:07 by Andy » Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40692



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2008, 16:55:12 »

.... Could a people-mover and a park & ride for the summer months break even? ....

One of the First Great Western regional managers explained to me once that even a pack 2 coach train running up and down a branch all day would not break even, although it's possible to do very well, thank you, on a 125 operation.    Reasons included things like:

Lower pence per mile fares on the branch
Fewer miles per hour on the branch
A longer proportion of time spend loading / unloading / turning around
Fewer passengers per crew member
More fuel needed per passenger on the shorter train
More stations served in a given time, so relatively more Network Rail station charges
Shorter distance traffic tend to be more peak-time biased

That's not a full answer to the question, but gives you a flavour of just how uneven the playing field would be for you.


Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
vacman
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 2530


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2008, 18:47:32 »

The line doesn't actually go into Fowey it's self anymore, it stops short, also a lot of mods would need to be done at Carne point where the line runs through the unloading point for the CDA hoppers, would probably be a busy branch though if the station at Golant was also reopened.
Logged
Andy
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 544



View Profile
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2008, 11:56:10 »

Thanks for these answers grahame & vacman. It seems such a shame that at least a summer weekends service isn't tried out on this line, though it would of course have to be extended back to Fowey first. Anyone know of any charters/railtours planned over the branch this summer?
 
Logged
Btline
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4782



View Profile
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2008, 20:09:32 »

What about a commuter service for Pymouth starting at "Fowey Parkway" station?
Logged
vacman
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 2530


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2008, 22:44:29 »

What about a commuter service for Pymouth starting at "Fowey Parkway" station?
There's nowhere to build a parkway station as the line runs at the bottom of a steep valley with a cliff one side and a river the other!
Logged
devon_metro
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5175



View Profile
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2008, 16:28:08 »

I'm sure oooooo has a few photos, meanwhile - I found this: http://britishrailphotosbymichaelmcnicholas.fotopic.net/p48969319.html

And the famous golant 'shot' http://ronwestwater.fotopic.net/p40043327.html

Nice  Cheesy
Logged
smokey
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1129


View Profile
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2008, 17:08:14 »

Now to upset just 1 or 2 but I've been in Carne Point China Clay transfer sidings at Fowey Docks and whilst China Clay is running to from Fowey Docks reinstating passenger trains to Fowey is a NON starter.

However it might be Possible and cost about the same to Reinstate a Passenger line from Fowey to St. Blazey.

However when the French company Imerys (Misery is an Anagram) Close All their Cornish China Clay Works down then Fowey can have a Passenger service back.
Not a good move by English China Clays (ECC) to sell out to Imerys who IIRC (if I recall/remember/read correctly) also own and operate the cheap Brazilian china clay works.

When the China Clay does go, Would make real sense for a regular Plymouth-Lostwithiel-Fowey-St.blazey-Newquay service running over both restored lines into Fowey.
Logged
Btline
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4782



View Profile
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2008, 18:19:26 »

What about a commuter service for Pymouth starting at "Fowey Parkway" station?
There's nowhere to build a parkway station as the line runs at the bottom of a steep valley with a cliff one side and a river the other!

A big shame!

From the look of those photos, the line looks very picturesque and would draw leisure travellers!
Logged
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2008, 19:33:45 »


Now if I was an FGW (First Great Western) PR (Public Relations) person, I'd kill to have a photo like that with a DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) featured in my publicity material.
Logged

Vous devez ĂȘtre impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
oooooo
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 288


View Profile
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2008, 20:36:17 »

Not related to Fowey but on the south west freight branch side the last ever clay by rail left Marsh Mills today rendering the short branch from Tavistock junction disused. Also this week the last Bitumen wagons where tripped to Cattewater, this terminal also now without traffic.....
Logged
Tinminer
Full Member
***
Posts: 71


View Profile
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2008, 23:49:53 »

Not related to Fowey but on the south west freight branch side the last ever clay by rail left Marsh Mills today rendering the short branch from Tavistock junction disused. Also this week the last Bitumen wagons where tripped to Cattewater, this terminal also now without traffic.....
Very sad news for rail freight in the South West.

Are there not any new rail freight opportunities in Devon and Cornwall? I know about the freight concentration depot near Exeter Airport, but there must be other possibilities with the sheer volume of freight on our roads.
Logged
devon_metro
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5175



View Profile
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2008, 16:48:04 »

Taunton Fairwater yard had massivly expanded its freight movements, but in the far south west things are pretty stagnant and I can't see much of a future for the line to Meldon!
Logged
oooooo
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 288


View Profile
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2008, 19:11:47 »

Taunton Fairwater yard had massivly expanded its freight movements, but in the far south west things are pretty stagnant and I can't see much of a future for the line to Meldon!

Yes, but Fairwater Yard is only temporary, will be all done with in a couple years time...
Logged
Andy
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 544



View Profile
« Reply #14 on: February 12, 2009, 12:02:15 »

I recently discovered that in the mid 90s for a brief period there was a Summer Sunday service on the route of a limited number of trains a day funded (and initiated) by local government. However, it came to grief following hikes in the charges levied. 
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 3
  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