Somerset Summary - rebuilding for the future

[whole diary]

[grahame]

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/future-looks-bright-somersets-rail-8980527

The future is looking bright for Somerset's rail network as new stations and a wider range of services move closer to becoming a reality. Somerset was hit particularly hard by the infamous Beeching cuts of the mid-1960s, which saw around one-third of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s rail network close as both the Conservative and Labour governments of the day struggled to stem financial losses as passenger numbers declined.

The county avoided losing all of its remaining lines under the Serpill Report of 1982 - a report quietly abandoned by Margaret Thatcher's government shortly before the following year's general election. But as Somerset's population has grown and its road network has become more congested, the future of its remaining rail network has been brought into sharper focus.

The article goes on to look at Wellington, Langport and Somerton, Chard Parkway and Gravity, and Bishops Lydeard. Mention also made of Yeovil and Bridgwater improvements, though it seems to give up on services to Minehead, Ilminster, Cheddar and Shepton Malllet with former rail routes having been repurposed.

[bradshaw]

An interesting article, however I have concerns about the suitability of a new station at Chard. The councillor states that trains already stop there, but a look at the timetable shows only two are booked to stop, both in the morning.
The problems as I see them relate to the extended journey time and the effect of train running. Currently trains are booked to cross at Axminster.
Secondly, the abstraction of passengers from Crewkerne and Axminster.
The First bus 30 service from Taunton to Axminster serves Ilminster and Chard but has a 90 minute frequency. Perhaps it might be more economical to invest in this service by running an hourly service to connect with the trains at Axminster. The current times show arrivals at
0653 0853 1033 1203 1333 1503 1633 1833. Not really providing a connecting service.

[Southernman]

At present, the main Waterloo-Exeter services cross at Tisbury loop and Axminster and Pinhoe with only a few minutes allowed at each location.

To create stops at Chard Junction would incur 3 or 4 minutes delay to each train making the above passing places impossible as timings are already (too) tight. I would also need to understand where the passenger demand comes from. Certainly people from Chard can easily drive to Axminster or Crewkerne - little difference to Chard Junction. The impact on other passengers through extended journey times needs to be considered.

I could see an argument for Devon Metro trains to be extended to Yeovil Junction/Pen Mill and that a reopened Chard Junction might be part of that. However the substantial costs remain and need to be justified.

[grahame]

Chard Junction / Parkway caused some controversy at Railfuture when it was suggested for a support.  Although the closest place to Chard on the railway, it is (or was) neither close to Chard nor on any main roads / bus routes.  The suggestion was that once you're on the road / a bus, it's more practical with current infrastructure off-railway to have people change onto the train at Axminster or Crewkerne.   Yes, the matter of extra journey time for through passenger and  the effects on line capacity were also a concern, as were the abstraction issues - no point in spending lots of money providing something that just replaces an existing facility with something only marginally better and leaves the old facility providing a much more limited market than it was scoped for.

But never say "never".   With two trains an hour  Exeter to Yeovil Junction on a mostly or fully doubled railway, and with a new town Cranbrook style extending Tatworth down to the railway with modern, public transport inspired living there, it could happen, and the balance could tip to provision. But I wouldn't expect it within the current parliament, or even to open within the next one.

[bradshaw]

With regard to the Devon Metro scheme, does it involve a new bay off the up platform, for the service to turn back? If so then it might be an idea to look at Chard as a turn back point instead.

[rogerw]

With regard to the Devon Metro scheme, does it involve a new bay off the up platform, for the service to turn back? If so then it might be an idea to look at Chard as a turn back point instead.

Both lines through Axminster are signalled for reversible working so no problem with reversing trains there

[bradshaw]

I was thinking in terms of the Metro providing connections from the Waterloo/Exeter trains for other Devon destinations rather than changing at Exeter.

[Southernman]

If the Devon Metro was to terminate at and start from Axminster, there might well be a need for the bay platform to be re-instated to provide an interchange with the Waterloo-Exeter trains which pass there already. The smaller stations between Honiton & Pinhoe might be served only by Devon Metro trains, enabling the Waterloo to Exeter service to be speeded up and the crossing allowance at Pinhoe to be expanded. The main service might still call at Cranbrook but not Whimple or Feniton.

There may well be other options to avoid spending more capital money though! Such as extending Devon Metro onto Chard Junction (using existing loop) or further.

Too many trains and minimum infrastructure = delays and cancellations.

[grahame]

There may well be other options to avoid spending more capital money though! Such as extending Devon Metro onto Chard Junction (using existing loop) or further.

With so few trains actually crossing there during the day, it could work.  There are precedents of trains turning beyond their final destination ... most notably I think of Chathill, but in our own area Bedwyn, Great Malvern and Warminster

Too many trains and minimum infrastructure = delays and cancellations.

YES - and with some long single line sections and interactions with other services at both ends, it would make it a really difficult service to run reliably.