Looe Branch Line - cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents (merged topic)

[whole diary]

[vacman]

Wouldn't this scheme threaten the service from Liskard to Looe. People may just drive to the P&Ride car park and forget about the rail connexion.

What would happen to Combe junction?

It may inconvinience the two locals that use the line! They're called Sue and Steve!

[devon_metro]

Are the trains timetabled to suit them by any chance?

[Btline]

Wouldn't this scheme threaten the service from Liskard to Looe. People may just drive to the P&Ride car park and forget about the rail connexion.

What would happen to Combe junction?

It may inconvinience the two locals that use the line! They're called Sue and Steve!

What I really meant was that surely less trains would operate from Liskard, therefore making it harder for people who come by rail to the branch.

[Andy]

It should be marketed as a park & ride to both Liskeard & Looe, really, I suppose.

[smokey]

Me thinks any Park and Ride down in Moorswater area is going to cost Big Bucks.
Two platforms would be the answer so during the Summer months TWO trains could operate the Liskeard Looe service passing at moorswater.  Freight traffic can still operate.

[Lee]

From the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website :

Train services between Liskeard and Looe are being disrupted due to a train fault. Short notice cancellations can be expected.

Road replacement transport will be in operation. Full service is planned to be reinstated from 11:50 onwards.

[RichardB]

There is a good deal of local enthusiasm for a park and ride at Moorswater but, as earlier posters have pointed out, there isn't a nice, easy straightforward scheme.

Firstly, freight would probably need to end (possibly not too much of an issue because, at a guess, it might be able to go elsewhere), then you need to fund a new platform and car park, be able to fund sufficient rolling stock to make a park and ride worthwhile (with platform extension at Looe as well) and finally work out how you are going to make connections between the main line and Looe.

On top of this, as mentioned above, you have the issue of coupled stock (apart from Cl150s) not being allowed between Coombe Jn and Liskeard.

Last Summer, having a Cl150 instead of a Cl153 largely coped with peak Summer demand and despite the terrible weather, the peak Summer four week period (mid July - mid August) was the busiest in the ten yers I have figures for.

We had a shop on the Looe platform (3) at Liskeard last Summer and counted car park spaces at 1PM (pretty much the peak). Even on the sunniest day, the car park wasn't completely full - there were still a handful of spaces left.  That car park could be expanded a bit and more spaces created.  Doing this and keeping the peak Summer 150 is probably the best answer for, say, the next five/ten years.

Making Moorswater work might mean running a Summer Liskeard - Moorswater shuttle, with through passengers changing at Moorswater for the Moorswater - Looe service.  I reckon you could run a half-hourly service between Moorswater and Looe and you could pretty much use anything on it if you lengthened the platform at Looe (by anything, I mean four coach DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)/Sprinter or even at a real pinch loco-hauled).

As you can see, it is all very knotty and expensive.  Would the break in through service be acceptable? I'm not at all sure.   That's almost certainly why BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) didn't follow their Lelant Saltings success with Moorswater.

Richard Burningham
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership



 

[Jim]

We had a shop on the Looe platform (3) at Liskeard last Summer and counted car park spaces at 1PM (pretty much the peak). Even on the sunniest day, the car park wasn't completely full - there were still a handful of spaces left.  That car park could be expanded a bit and more spaces created.  Doing this and keeping the peak Summer 150 is probably the best answer for, say, the next five/ten years.

Of which I visited at least once...

[vacman]

There is a good deal of local enthusiasm for a park and ride at Moorswater but, as earlier posters have pointed out, there isn't a nice, easy straightforward scheme.

Firstly, freight would probably need to end (possibly not too much of an issue because, at a guess, it might be able to go elsewhere), then you need to fund a new platform and car park, be able to fund sufficient rolling stock to make a park and ride worthwhile (with platform extension at Looe as well) and finally work out how you are going to make connections between the main line and Looe.

On top of this, as mentioned above, you have the issue of coupled stock (apart from Cl150s) not being allowed between Coombe Jn and Liskeard.

Last Summer, having a Cl150 instead of a Cl153 largely coped with peak Summer demand and despite the terrible weather, the peak Summer four week period (mid July - mid August) was the busiest in the ten yers I have figures for.

We had a shop on the Looe platform (3) at Liskeard last Summer and counted car park spaces at 1PM (pretty much the peak). Even on the sunniest day, the car park wasn't completely full - there were still a handful of spaces left.  That car park could be expanded a bit and more spaces created.  Doing this and keeping the peak Summer 150 is probably the best answer for, say, the next five/ten years.

Making Moorswater work might mean running a Summer Liskeard - Moorswater shuttle, with through passengers changing at Moorswater for the Moorswater - Looe service.  I reckon you could run a half-hourly service between Moorswater and Looe and you could pretty much use anything on it if you lengthened the platform at Looe (by anything, I mean four coach DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)/Sprinter or even at a real pinch loco-hauled).

As you can see, it is all very knotty and expensive.  Would the break in through service be acceptable? I'm not at all sure.   That's almost certainly why BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) didn't follow their Lelant Saltings success with Moorswater.

Richard Burningham
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership



 

Parry People mover comes to mind for the Liskeard shuttle! Although I do think you are right about expanding Liskeard instead, the timetable for Looe last summer was quite useful with plenty of connections.

[Jim]

There is a good deal of local enthusiasm for a park and ride at Moorswater but, as earlier posters have pointed out, there isn't a nice, easy straightforward scheme.

Firstly, freight would probably need to end (possibly not too much of an issue because, at a guess, it might be able to go elsewhere), then you need to fund a new platform and car park, be able to fund sufficient rolling stock to make a park and ride worthwhile (with platform extension at Looe as well) and finally work out how you are going to make connections between the main line and Looe.

On top of this, as mentioned above, you have the issue of coupled stock (apart from Cl150s) not being allowed between Coombe Jn and Liskeard.

Last Summer, having a Cl150 instead of a Cl153 largely coped with peak Summer demand and despite the terrible weather, the peak Summer four week period (mid July - mid August) was the busiest in the ten yers I have figures for.

We had a shop on the Looe platform (3) at Liskeard last Summer and counted car park spaces at 1PM (pretty much the peak). Even on the sunniest day, the car park wasn't completely full - there were still a handful of spaces left.  That car park could be expanded a bit and more spaces created.  Doing this and keeping the peak Summer 150 is probably the best answer for, say, the next five/ten years.

Making Moorswater work might mean running a Summer Liskeard - Moorswater shuttle, with through passengers changing at Moorswater for the Moorswater - Looe service.  I reckon you could run a half-hourly service between Moorswater and Looe and you could pretty much use anything on it if you lengthened the platform at Looe (by anything, I mean four coach DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)/Sprinter or even at a real pinch loco-hauled).

As you can see, it is all very knotty and expensive.  Would the break in through service be acceptable? I'm not at all sure.   That's almost certainly why BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) didn't follow their Lelant Saltings success with Moorswater.

Richard Burningham
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership



 

Parry People mover comes to mind for the Liskeard shuttle! Although I do think you are right about expanding Liskeard instead, the timetable for Looe last summer was quite useful with plenty of connections.

Was there not a gap of about 2hours on the Saturday though?

[vacman]

In the winter timetable there are a few 1 1/2 - 2 hour gaps!

[Jim]

In the winter timetable there are a few 1 1/2 - 2 hour gaps!

Was it not the same in the summer then?

[vacman]

In the winter timetable there are a few 1 1/2 - 2 hour gaps!

Was it not the same in the summer then?

No, there were about 5 "dated trains" that ran from June-September.

[oooooo]

I think its best to keep it as it is but market it much better. The number of times last summer a group of four people were on the train and when told 'thats ^6 please' gave me ^24... 'No, its ^6 for the four of you', then came the utter amazement. Group save four is ^6 return Liskeard to Looe but to me it always seemed people were expecting to pay more, which means two things. 1) It could be more expensive :> and 2) its not marketed correctly. Where does it say all over Liskeard and the surrounding area that you can park free and take four people to Looe for ^6?? It doesnt!

On three return trips today we carried a total of ten passengers, off peak loadings are dire, as are what should be the 'peak' early morning trains. The commuter/student flow to/from Plymouth has virtually disapeared, shame, probably down to 18 months of a shambolic service.

[RichardB]

I think its best to keep it as it is but market it much better. The number of times last summer a group of four people were on the train and when told 'thats ^6 please' gave me ^24... 'No, its ^6 for the four of you', then came the utter amazement. Group save four is ^6 return Liskeard to Looe but to me it always seemed people were expecting to pay more, which means two things. 1) It could be more expensive :> and 2) its not marketed correctly. Where does it say all over Liskeard and the surrounding area that you can park free and take four people to Looe for ^6?? It doesnt!

On three return trips today we carried a total of ten passengers, off peak loadings are dire, as are what should be the 'peak' early morning trains. The commuter/student flow to/from Plymouth has virtually disapeared, shame, probably down to 18 months of a shambolic service.

Thanks oooo - the Looe fares have been a bugbear of mine for sometime as (and you won't catch me saying this too often) they are too cheap, especially for groups of three and upwards.  I was in our office at Looe station one morning last Summer when someone came in and asked for six adults, three children day return to Liskeard.  With GroupSave, that is just ^13.00 - cue the same utter amazement as you see. 

You can never do enough marketing, but we do do a line guide (new edition out in mid February) and, once the Summer timetable begins, timetable leaflets, a leaflet promoting park and ride from Liskeard and a Days Out from Looe and Liskeard leaflet, all widely distributed througout South East Cornwall and further afield (especially the park & ride leaflet and line guide.)  All of these mention the GroupSave fare and how cheap it is - to be honest, I think people who see the leaflets just can't believe it.

Today was of course a terrible day weather-wise and this morning's cancellation of the service did not help.  Deep Winter has always been pretty quiet on the line.

We are going to launch a Looe - Plymouth Carnet ticket in the next few weeks to see if we can get some more regular commuters.   There will be a free trial too.   The commuting connections between Looe and Plymouth are pretty good, especially in the morning.  It will be interesting to see what happens.


Richard Burningham
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership