New Timetable & Re-doubling follow on

[whole diary]

[devon_metro]

I think we should be allowed the odd one or two HST^▸ (High Speed Train) stops at Maidenhead in each peak period.. that is only fair surely?

Which long distance services have room and which services deserve to get slowed down by 10+ mins (due to the transfer to the slow lines).

Presumably the Worcester & Cheltenham services, since they currently stop there...

[Btline]

I think we should be allowed the odd one or two HST^▸ (High Speed Train) stops at Maidenhead in each peak period.. that is only fair surely?

Which long distance services have room and which services deserve to get slowed down by 10+ mins (due to the transfer to the slow lines).

Presumably the Worcester & Cheltenham services, since they currently stop there...

[IndustryInsider]

I don't think any of the Worcester/Cheltenham services that stop at Maidenhead (or Twyford) use the relief lines, they all stop on the main line platforms.

[stebbo]

And please tell me why passengers for Oxford/the Cotswolds need to be stopping at Maidenhead as well as Slough. The Cotswold service has been slowed enough over the last decade.

And I know I'll get flack for this but perhaps those of us that live in the Herefordshire/Worcestershire area could have a couple of fast trains a day.......

[Btline]

And please tell me why passengers for Oxford/the Cotswolds need to be stopping at Maidenhead as well as Slough. The Cotswold service has been slowed enough over the last decade.

And I know I'll get flack for this but perhaps those of us that live in the Herefordshire/Worcestershire area could have a couple of fast trains a day.......

You will get flack - watch out. It is definably not the fashionable thing on this forum to suggest a train should make fewer stops! It seems that the Cotswold trains should have more stops. Never mind that other operators other than FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have done so (leading to soaring passenger numbers).

I think FGW are content with sacrificing these routes to Chiltern at Warwick, Water Eaton and H&Thame.

[IndustryInsider]

Looks like there is some positive news on more possible improvements to the Cotswold Line before the end of CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) (2019) with the Greater Western Franchise Invitation To Tender mentioning two projects to improve on things:

The first one is fairly modest:

'A scheme to provide a new turn back facility at Hereford station, as presented in the West Midlands & Chiltern RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy), is being reviewed which would utilise the existing platform formations to accommodate the train service levels predicted with future growth. The additional infrastructure would also enable a more efficient and flexible operation of the station area in line with Network Access requirements. This is likely to be implemented as a Network Rail Development Fund scheme before the end of CP4^▸ (Control Period 4 - the five year period between 2009 and 2014).'

This would mean that services arriving from the north end into platform 1 (and possibly platform 2) could then turnback in those platforms without having to shunt out of the south end of the station and back into platform 3.  New signals would be needed at the north end of platforms 1 and 2, but trackwork is already in place.


The second one is more significant:

'The Western Operating Strategy proposes the acceleration of the Worcester Area Re-signalling Projects in CP5 (2018) to deliver significant operational and OPEX benefits:

The re-signalling will result in control of the above areas migrating to the Western Route Operating Centre at Didcot.
Whilst development of these projects is in the early stages it is anticipated that they will involve a ^hybrid^ approach involving both modular and conventional signalling technologies. Recoveries and re-modelling is also envisaged for each project ^ with a reduction in Signal Equivalent Unit^s being a primary source of funding infrastructure changes to deliver improved capacity and capability.'

Presumably meaning the closure of Henwick, Shrub Hill, Tunnel Junction and Norton Junction boxes (and maybe more?) and possibly the chance to modify the signalling and track so that it is fit for purpose as the area is so restrictive at the moment and is now (following the Cotswold Line Re-doubling) the biggest pinch-point on the London to Great Malvern route.

[IndustryInsider]

Looks like there is some positive news on more possible improvements to the Cotswold Line before the end of CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) (2019) with the Greater Western Franchise Invitation To Tender mentioning two projects to improve on things:

The first one is fairly modest:

'A scheme to provide a new turn back facility at Hereford station, as presented in the West Midlands & Chiltern RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy), is being reviewed which would utilise the existing platform formations to accommodate the train service levels predicted with future growth. The additional infrastructure would also enable a more efficient and flexible operation of the station area in line with Network Access requirements. This is likely to be implemented as a Network Rail Development Fund scheme before the end of CP4^▸ (Control Period 4 - the five year period between 2009 and 2014).'

This would mean that services arriving from the north end into platform 1 (and possibly platform 2) could then turnback in those platforms without having to shunt out of the south end of the station and back into platform 3.  New signals would be needed at the north end of platforms 1 and 2, but trackwork is already in place.

This new turnback facility at Hereford is to be introduced following the commissioning of two signals early next month.  The two signals are located at the northern end of Platforms 1 and 2 and will mean trains arriving from the northern end will be able to depart back the other way without having to do the cumbersome shunt to Platform 3 via the south of the station.  This could remove some conflicting moves and should result in much quicker turnrounds should a London train arrive late.

Good news, and a prime example of a fairly cheap, quick win scheme.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Not recently, but certainly within the last 10 years, I have left Hereford on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) trains starting from and going north from P1.  So is the new signal going in at the north end of P1 more a reinstatement of what they took out not too long ago?

[IndustryInsider]

There's a semaphore shunting signal, which could have been used to signal that move, but it should happen only during times of disruption (i.e. something preventing the normal shunt from taking place) and if all the points were hand-secured and locked in position.

[CLPGMS]

Can IndustryInsider please tell us whether trains going north from platforms 1 and 2 at Hereford will be able to proceed in both the Shrewsbury and Worcester directions - i.e. is there a cross over?  At one time, there was a rumour that trains would run wrong line all the way to Shelwick Junction and then only be able to go on to Worcester.

[IndustryInsider]

They'll use the existing crossovers north of the station, so any route north is possible.  Speeds are quite slow though, 10mph departing the station then 15mph up to rejoining the 'Up Main' line via the existing crossover around half-a-mile away.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the First Great Western press release:

First Great Western announce North Cotswolds Line Improvements

First Great Western has announced a package of improvements for customers on the North Cotswolds Line, which will deliver additional train services and faster journey times for services between Hereford and Worcester and London Paddington.
The changes are the first step towards a range of further improvements to be delivered following the introduction of new electric trains in 2017.

Earlier this year, the train operator consulted local customers and stakeholders on a number of key changes to the timetable on the line running from Hereford and Worcester and London Paddington.

Taken as a whole, the package of improvements has been welcomed by passenger groups along the line, and is expected to deliver a range of journey time improvements including:
^        Peak journey time improvement from Hereford and Worcester, with the morning peak service arriving into Paddington at 0830, 21 minutes faster than today
^        Two additional direct services from Worcester to Oxford and Paddington, filling the current gap in service between 1000 and 1200, and creating a more frequent service across the day, with fast journey times to London of 2hr 7 minutes and 2hrs 8 minutes
^        A new morning HST^▸ (High Speed Train) from Moreton-in-Marsh at 0711 would mean that there are two peak train arrivals into Paddington from Moreton (arriving at 0830 and 0851)
^        An extra In the afternoon a service extension through to Worcester would provide another direct connection from Paddington to Worcester, filling a 2-hour gap in the current timetable and providing a 2-hour journey time to Worcester Shrub Hill

This is an evolutionary step towards the longer term timetable solutions that we would like to see established when electrification is complete and new Intercity Express Trains are introduced.

As part of the consultation process First Great Western changed its initial proposals for Pershore services, and the current proposals retain a call there in the 1749 Paddington to Worcester service, and add a stop into our new 1211 Hereford to London Paddington train. There will still be a reduction of two services a day during the week, which allows us to run some of the new, more frequent services.

Rail Minister Claire Perry MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) said: ^I am delighted First Great Western has increased capacity and improved the service on the North Cotswold Line after listening to the views of their customers. This shows that the government and the industry are working hard to meet the increasing demand for train services. Getting our railway to work better is an important part of our long-term economic plan and makes a real difference to the daily lives of passengers. That^s why we are investing more than ^38 billion to deliver more trains, more seats and more services.^

First Great Western Managing Director Mark Hopwood said: ^These changes offer real improvements for the vast majority of our customers travelling on this line. Such timetable alterations are always about us striking a balance between providing faster services and providing stopping services, and it is not always easy. Thanks to our consultation process, we have been able to strike that balance to deliver more frequent, faster services for customers with minimum compromise.^

The new timetable has been formally agreed by the Department for Transport, and now needs to be approved by Network Rail before it can be introduced.

[jdw.wor]

I'm doing this totally from memory but is it not wrong to claim that the proposed 08.30 ish arrival at Paddington is 21 mins faster. My recollection is that the train arrives 21 mins earlier but leaves Worcester earlier as well.

[CLPGMS]

I have not seen the latest version, but the one I have seen shows the 0528 HFD^» (Hereford - next trains)-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) not waiting for 13 minutes at Worcester Shrub Hill.  It then proceeds about 12 minutes earlier, misses out the Kingham stop and forms the existing 0712 from Charlbury.

Kingham's 0718 departure is maintained by the 0512 ex PAD HST^▸ (High Speed Train) being extended to Moreton-in-Marsh (arr 0648) from where it departs at 0711, Kingham, 0720, Charlbury 0731, Hanborough 0739 and Oxford arr 0749.  Arrival at Paddington is at 0851, as at present for the 0528 from Hereford.

This information may not be entirely accurate, however as it is based on a version a few months old.

[IndustryInsider]

I think that's right.  So, 21 mins quicker from Worcester Foregate Street, but not so dramatic an  improvement from Shrub Hill.