Is it time to campaign for an Open Access Operator in The GW area

[whole diary]

[oooooo]

This weeks Cornish Guardian (out today 23rd) has the front cover story on possibilty of relaying the missing section to reroute the Newquay line to St.Austell...... Not that its going to happen, just councillors trying to look green.

[smokey]

Pray to the Great God Brunel it might just Happen.

[Btline]

I suppose one way could be a service from Stourport on Severn - Hartlebury - Droitwich Spa - Worcester Shrub Hill to Oxford, Reading and London (Waterloo?). Obviously, other towns could be served enroute - don't worry!

The first and third places are large towns without a direct service to London. The first place does not even have a line anymore (axed in the 60s, line ripped up in the 70s/80s when freight ended)! The second place is a village (the former junction)

Of course, my real excuse here is the fact that it would give the Cotswold passengers a different choice of TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) - but I suppose they would be no better than FGW^▸ (First Great Western)!

I know that there would be congestion problems in the Worcester/Reading/London area (making it impractible) but it is idea, which perhaps others could build on/ mould.

Or an extension from Hereford to Ludlow and Shrewsbury etc.??

All ideas!!!

[eightf48544]

Somewhere else on the board is possible Hereford London service via the East curve at Newport (Maindee). It could then run several ways to London direct via Parkway, or  Bath or Westbury pass and then Padd via Newbury or Waterloo via Salisbury.

It could even terminate at Kensington Olympia.

Beacuse of the restrictions on intermeadiate stops imposed on open access operators you need to find a route which doesn't have direct services to London from which there is sufficient demand for a through service. For instance if it went via Westbury it could only pick up passengers from Bathampton Trowbridge etc for London and set them down on the way back. It probably wouldn't be allowed to stop at Salisbury for instance although whether it could stop at Reading or Woking to set down only for Heathrow is another question. I can't see Reading London passengers forgoing their devine right to jump on the first (smal f) fast train to London

it's not easy being an open access operator. 

[smokey]

Something like this then?

http://southwest-railways.50webs.com/Nqy-Par.htm

On reviewing the Situation, (like old man Faggin in Oliver) on the Nqy-Par timetable shown on the link above, Problem: Where would the 15.10 Newquay-Padd Cross the (13.40 Ply) 14.40 Par-Newquay service?

[Btline]

Somewhere else on the board is possible Hereford London service via the East curve at Newport (Maindee). It could then run several ways to London direct via Parkway, or  Bath or Westbury pass and then Padd via Newbury or Waterloo via Salisbury.

It could even terminate at Kensington Olympia.

Beacuse of the restrictions on intermeadiate stops imposed on open access operators you need to find a route which doesn't have direct services to London from which there is sufficient demand for a through service. For instance if it went via Westbury it could only pick up passengers from Bathampton Trowbridge etc for London and set them down on the way back. It probably wouldn't be allowed to stop at Salisbury for instance although whether it could stop at Reading or Woking to set down only for Heathrow is another question. I can't see Reading London passengers forgoing their devine right to jump on the first (smal f) fast train to London

it's not easy being an open access operator. 

No - just what W&S^▸ (Wrexham and Shropshire (Open Access Operator)) have found out!

Although strangely, they have turned down an opportunity to stop at Birmingham International! Mad!