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 13/12/25 - Inspiration, Paddington
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On this day
10th Dec (2021)
Final day of through SWR services London (Waterloo) to Bristol Temple Meads (link)

Train RunningCancelled
19:36 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill
20:22 Reading to Gatwick Airport
20:34 St Ives to St Erth
21:31 Exeter St Davids to Penzance
21:36 London Paddington to Didcot Parkway
22:01 Gatwick Airport to Reading
22:30 London Paddington to Bedwyn
22:53 Didcot Parkway to Reading
Short Run
15:36 London Paddington to Penzance
16:15 Penzance to London Paddington
16:36 London Paddington to Penzance
17:36 London Paddington to Penzance
17:50 Penzance to London Paddington
17:59 Cardiff Central to Penzance
19:15 Penzance to Exeter St Davids
20:08 Didcot Parkway to London Paddington
20:15 Penzance to Plymouth
21:00 Penzance to Exeter St Davids
21:15 Great Malvern to Bristol Temple Meads
22:48 St Ives to Penzance
23:45 London Paddington to Penzance
Delayed
17:24 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
17:27 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
17:48 London Paddington to Carmarthen
19:15 Taunton to Cardiff Central
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20:00 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
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Author Topic: Class 450 bimodes to Exeter?  (Read 5007 times)
broadgage
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« Reply #15 on: May 25, 2024, 22:45:06 »

Heard battery fitted class's 350/2's were being looked at with them fitted with shoes to use 3rd rail.

The issue is the long gap from Bassingstoke to Exeter.  A push to extend 3rd rail at least to Salisbury was bring considered I've seen mentioned elsewhere

Significant expansion of conductor rail schemes whilst in theory just about permitted is de facto prohibited by the elfansafety industry.

Perhaps a case for 750 volt DC (Direct Current) overhead electrification ? To Salisbury ? The reduced power available at this lower voltage could be supplemented by power from the battery when needed, with he battery being charged whenever the train is stopped, coasting, or otherwise not needing full power.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
fullspeedahead
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« Reply #16 on: June 02, 2024, 17:33:49 »

I wonder if the Romsey-Southampton-Romsey-Salisbury rounders could be covered in this way. It would free up some stock. I'm not sure how much real-time charging would be possible on the Redbridge to Eastleigh section, but they do get a decent layover in Salisbury.
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PhilWakely
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« Reply #17 on: June 02, 2024, 18:35:19 »

Most, if not all, Waterloo services shunt out to New Yard at Exeter and layover for around half an hour, so any charging could be done there.   Whether that would be sufficient to get the unit back to Basingstoke, I don't know.

With current performance, sadly, many WAT-EXD (Exeter St Davids station ) services either terminate in the bay at EXC or turn straight around at EXD because of delays caused by single line operation - so there would be little or no time to recharge batteries  Sad
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paul7575
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« Reply #18 on: June 02, 2024, 20:11:23 »

A push to extend 3rd rail at least to Salisbury was bring considered I've seen mentioned elsewhere
That is almost certainly out of date information. It was ever only a possible option in the 2009 electrification route utilisation strategy, but that document already stated a preference for OHLE (Over-Head Line Equipment (electrification via catenary)) from Basingstoke to Exeter. The ORR» (Office of Rail and Road, formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) decision to avoid any future DC (Direct Current) extensions came later.
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