Easier interchange at Taunton

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Picture the scene, mid afternoon on Friday.   The up "Royal Dutchy" calls at Platform 5 at Taunton at 15:26 before embarking on its sprint to Reading and London, dropping off crowds of people for the 15:33 semi-fast service for Castle Cary, Westbury, Pewsey and Newbury, all of whom have to go down the stairs or lift, through the subway, and up again onto the middle platform (3 and 4) for their onward service.    Lots of luggage, many people who aren't all that mobile ...

Why not have the Royal Dutchy call at platform 4 and provide a much more customer friendly (cross platform) interchange .... this is a major flow as the queues for the lifts (down and up) indicated!

[bobm]

I have made that change before and on a couple of occasions it has been cross-platform.  Not sure why it is arbitrary - is it at the whim of the Exeter signaller?

[martyjon]

Picture the scene, mid afternoon on Friday.   The up "Royal Dutchy" calls at Platform 5 at Taunton at 15:26 before embarking on its sprint to Reading and London, dropping off crowds of people for the 15:33 semi-fast service for Castle Cary, Westbury, Pewsey and Newbury, all of whom have to go down the stairs or lift, through the subway, and up again onto the middle platform (3 and 4) for their onward service.    Lots of luggage, many people who aren't all that mobile ...

Why not have the Royal Dutchy call at platform 4 and provide a much more customer friendly (cross platform) interchange .... this is a major flow as the queues for the lifts (down and up) indicated!

That's all right if the semi-fast service is a terminator in platform 3 before returning to 'the smoke', if not I do not think a service from the South West can be signalled into platform 3 from the Exeter direction.

[JayMac]

The 1533 starts from Taunton.

I agree that cross platform interchange makes sense. There may be an operational reason at present why not, although I can't think of one.

Looking ahead to the new timetable from Monday 21st May, it appears, from RealTime Trains, that the up Royal Duchy will be calling at platform 4 at Taunton.

[rower40]

Could it be that the more important market for the Royal Duchy is the Taunton to Paddington customers, who can avoid the lifts/stairs/underpass to get from the car park via the ticket office to their fast train in platform 5, but would have to wait on the next-to-facilitylessness of the island if the train were to use platform 4?

[SandTEngineer]

Picture the scene, mid afternoon on Friday.   The up "Royal Dutchy" calls at Platform 5 at Taunton at 15:26 before embarking on its sprint to Reading and London, dropping off crowds of people for the 15:33 semi-fast service for Castle Cary, Westbury, Pewsey and Newbury, all of whom have to go down the stairs or lift, through the subway, and up again onto the middle platform (3 and 4) for their onward service.    Lots of luggage, many people who aren't all that mobile ...

Why not have the Royal Dutchy call at platform 4 and provide a much more customer friendly (cross platform) interchange .... this is a major flow as the queues for the lifts (down and up) indicated!

That's all right if the semi-fast service is a terminator in platform 3 before returning to 'the smoke', if not I do not think a service from the South West can be signalled into platform 3 from the Exeter direction.

Trains can be signalled into Platforms 2 to 5 from the West but only into Platforms 2 and 3 from the East.

[JayMac]

but only into Platforms 2 and 3 from the East.

And platforms 5 and 6 from the east. Reversing after coming from the west. 

[SandTEngineer]

but only into Platforms 2 and 3 from the East.

And platforms 5 and 6 from the east. Reversing after coming from the west. 

Yes, but thats cheating BNM.  The trains cannot shunt with passengers onboard.....

[grahame]

Could it be that the more important market for the Royal Duchy is the Taunton to Paddington customers, who can avoid the lifts/stairs/underpass to get from the car park via the ticket office to their fast train in platform 5, but would have to wait on the next-to-facilitylessness of the island if the train were to use platform 4?

I thought of that before I made the suggestion.  But I wasn't aware you could get from outside the station onto platform 5 without using the lift of stairs.  I know you can get onto platform 2 without using lift or stairs - I thought it was the only one?

I would agree concerning facilities on 5 v facilities on 4 though.  Perhaps it's part of the refreshment franchise agreement that through train must use that platform (and two fingers to passengers who are connecting!)

[bobm]

but only into Platforms 2 and 3 from the East.

And platforms 5 and 6 from the east. Reversing after coming from the west. 

Yes, but thats cheating BNM.  The trains cannot shunt with passengers onboard.....

...and trains cannot access Platform 1 from either direction.... 

[JayMac]

I would agree concerning facilities on 5 v facilities on 4 though.  Perhaps it's part of the refreshment franchise agreement that through train must use that platform (and two fingers to passengers who are connecting!)

I thought I was the cynical one. I don't think Starbucks would have such control over railway operations!

As I said, from 21st May the up Royal Duchy is due to call platform 4.

[SandTEngineer]

but only into Platforms 2 and 3 from the East.

And platforms 5 and 6 from the east. Reversing after coming from the west. 

Yes, but thats cheating BNM.  The trains cannot shunt with passengers onboard.....

...and trains cannot access Platform 1 from either direction.... 

Well, not too sure about that.  Platform 1 is accessible from the UP/DOWN RELIEF line at the East end, and although its not signalled for passenger movements as its classed as a siding, you could cheat and use BNMs 'shunting' excuse......

[bobm]

I was thinking of passenger trains only but, looking at Open Train Times map, do you mean west rather than east?

[rower40]

Could it be that the more important market for the Royal Duchy is the Taunton to Paddington customers, who can avoid the lifts/stairs/underpass to get from the car park via the ticket office to their fast train in platform 5, but would have to wait on the next-to-facilitylessness of the island if the train were to use platform 4?

I thought of that before I made the suggestion.  But I wasn't aware you could get from outside the station onto platform 5 without using the lift of stairs.  I know you can get onto platform 2 without using lift or stairs - I thought it was the only one?

I would agree concerning facilities on 5 v facilities on 4 though.  Perhaps it's part of the refreshment franchise agreement that through train must use that platform (and two fingers to passengers who are connecting!)

Ooops sorry - I misread the map on Nationalrail.co.uk, and thought that the ticket office and main car park was on the north - up - side of the track. Google maps suggests some station access on north side - is that right?

[SandTEngineer]

I was thinking of passenger trains only but, looking at Open Train Times map, do you mean west rather than east?

Whoops!  Time to spend a period sitting in the corner on the naughty stool..... Yes, meant to say from the West.