Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 13:55 29 Mar 2024
- Delays at Dover as millions begin Easter getaway
- 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
12:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
13:15 Swindon to Westbury
13:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
13:48 Bedwyn to Newbury
14:12 Newbury to Bedwyn
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
15:54 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
16:15 Newbury to Bedwyn
16:23 Westbury to Swindon
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
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
13:46 Bristol Temple Meads to Warminster
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
09:10 Penzance to London Paddington
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
13:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
13:15 Plymouth to London Paddington
13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern
14:03 London Paddington to Penzance
14:15 Penzance to London Paddington
15:03 London Paddington to Penzance
15:15 Plymouth to London Paddington
16:03 London Paddington to Penzance
16:15 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, 14:09:43 *
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
[153] 2024 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury...
[97] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[53] Travel for free on the m2 metrobus - Bristol - 4,5,6 April 202...
[41] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[38] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[37] 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]
  Print  
Author Topic: Engineering Work  (Read 1016 times)
Kernowman
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 104


View Profile
« on: May 03, 2023, 01:06:09 »

Anyone know why Cornwall tends to get an hourly mainline service during engineering work periods (on the bits that are still open to rail traffic) as opposed to the normal half hourly service? During the rail replacement coaches and buses between Plymouth and St Austell at the end of March I had family/friends waiting nearly an hour at St Austell, after coming off the coach, for the next train westwards. A half hourly service (or better connections between road and rail) would have speeded up a journey which was already long due to a lineside fire near Paddington and to changing to road travel at Plymouth.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40692



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2023, 06:48:50 »

Anyone know why Cornwall tends to get an hourly mainline service during engineering work periods (on the bits that are still open to rail traffic) as opposed to the normal half hourly service? During the rail replacement coaches and buses between Plymouth and St Austell at the end of March I had family/friends waiting nearly an hour at St Austell, after coming off the coach, for the next train westwards. A half hourly service (or better connections between road and rail) would have speeded up a journey which was already long due to a lineside fire near Paddington and to changing to road travel at Plymouth.

When a train is replaced by a bus, passenger numbers are decimated and you don't need as many trains?

The onward train from St Austell becomes a connection rather than a through service, so the train runs to time and if the incoming bus connection is delayed and just misses it - tough .... train has to run to time for local traffic, pathing, crew hours and operational stats.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
Kernowman
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 104


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2023, 20:27:56 »

Anyone know why Cornwall tends to get an hourly mainline service during engineering work periods (on the bits that are still open to rail traffic) as opposed to the normal half hourly service? During the rail replacement coaches and buses between Plymouth and St Austell at the end of March I had family/friends waiting nearly an hour at St Austell, after coming off the coach, for the next train westwards. A half hourly service (or better connections between road and rail) would have speeded up a journey which was already long due to a lineside fire near Paddington and to changing to road travel at Plymouth.

When a train is replaced by a bus, passenger numbers are decimated and you don't need as many trains?
Quite possibly, or trains are reduced during engineering work to dampen down demand? I suspect that incidents such as this one can also play a part in dampening down demand during engineering work (and increase Delay Repay claims), also as life carries on during engineering work I suspect many people may just find other ways to travel.
The onward train from St Austell becomes a connection rather than a through service, so the train runs to time and if the incoming bus connection is delayed and just misses it - tough .... train has to run to time for local traffic, pathing, crew hours and operational stats.
Yes, nowadays holding a connection, even for a couple of minutes, is less likely than it was in the past when the procedure was more common, especially if the alternative was a lengthy wait. If you pull into a station on a train or a rail replacement bus whilst your connection is pulling out I doubt few would feel like bursting into song about it, I suppose it depends on whether you feel like voicing constructive criticism or accepting the status quo about these things.
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]
  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