Looe Branch Line - timetables, cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents

[whole diary]

[plymothian]

And that 1 passenger does use that train every day.

[RichardB]

I feel for that 1 passenger on the 0630. First & Last trains should be sacrosanct if *anyone* is regularly using them, since you can guarantee that they're only on them regularly if they *have* to be on them.

Each to their own but it really isn't a good use of resources to run a train that is used by just one person.  It's not same person every day and the few people who ever take that train may well be using it because the next one currently gets them to their destination just too late e.g Plymouth at 09 08 and will find the 07 33 will work fine for them.

[grahame]

I feel for that 1 passenger on the 0630. First & Last trains should be sacrosanct if *anyone* is regularly using them, since you can guarantee that they're only on them regularly if they *have* to be on them.

Each to their own but it really isn't a good use of resources to run a train that is used by just one person.  It's not same person every day and the few people who ever take that train may well be using it because the next one currently gets them to their destination just too late e.g Plymouth at 09 08 and will find the 07 33 will work fine for them.

It's no small thing to cut the first or last trains.

Having said that, we did not fight GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s decision to cut the 05:17 Westbury to Swindon (05:33 at Melksham) a couple of years back - first train now 07:05 from Westbury / 07:21 from Melksham.    We lost the ability to get to London at 7 a.m. which (however) we had only had for a couple of years.  A big concern was that it knocked out long distance (and lucrative) journeys being a "peak" train, and knocked out return journeys on other trains that were running anyway.   What we did ask for (and have received) was an extra train at the other end of the day and the 21:16 from Westbury (21:32 at Melksham) is new.  I was on it last night - 2 car train, about 10 in my carriage, half of whom got off in Melksham - not busy but ten times the passengers I ever saw on the 05:33.   Huge care needed - but this might well be the right decision for Looe; I trust RichardB to be fully informed and to have let us know this change is one to work as a modernisation for the future with, rather than protest.

[ChrisB]

Each to their own but it really isn't a good use of resources to run a train that is used by just one person.  It's not same person every day and the few people who ever take that train may well be using it because the next one currently gets them to their destination just too late e.g Plymouth at 09 08 and will find the 07 33 will work fine for them.

And that 1 passenger does use that train every day.

Hmmmm. someone is mistaken. I hope that 1 person doesn't lose their job owing to the loss of the service.

[LiskeardRich]

1 person doesn’t make a service viable. It would have been cheaper for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) to send a taxi for that passenger every day than to run the train.

[ChrisB]

Then that is what they should do.

[froome]

Then that is what they should do.

Indeed they should.

Out of interest, has that ever happened elsewhere? (providing a taxi for a regular traveller who loses their regular service and has no other feasible choice for their regular journey).

[grahame]

Then that is what they should do.

Indeed they should.

Out of interest, has that ever happened elsewhere? (providing a taxi for a regular traveller who loses their regular service and has no other feasible choice for their regular journey).

When trains were withdrawn from the Sinfin branch, taxis were provided for the regulars for a number of years until official closure procedures had been completed.

[REVUpminster]

If they did provide a taxi and three other customers heard about and paid the rail fare GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) might even make a profit.

[RichardB]

Then that is what they should do.

Indeed they should.

Out of interest, has that ever happened elsewhere? (providing a taxi for a regular traveller who loses their regular service and has no other feasible choice for their regular journey).

When trains were withdrawn from the Sinfin branch, taxis were provided for the regulars for a number of years until official closure procedures had been completed.

This obviously is a very different kettle of fish.  The new first train will simply be one hour later.  Hopefully anyone inconvenienced by this (and I'm sorry if they are) will be able to negotiate a later start time with their employers if necessary.  Despite what "Plymothian" says, I don't believe there is a very regular passenger. 

The hard truth is that running a train for just one person is simply untenable and since the new time is just an hour later, it's also untenable thinking about a taxi or anything else.   As we all know, the Looe line is heavily subsidised and we have to get a bit real about transport economics here. 

The changes will generally be an improvement and I believe will attract more passengers to the line.  The Looe line's main traffic is daytrippers and tourists.  Looe itself is a small place - just 5,000 or so population, about half of whom are of retirement age - and the main line at Liskeard is just 8 or so miles away.  Anything we can do to get more locals on the train year-round is clearly a good thing, year-round daytrippers and tourists too.  We at the Partnership do a lot of promotion of the line, particularly online e.g. via targeted paid adverts on Facebook - you can see examples on our page here  https://www.facebook.com/greatscenicrailways  We're planning significant promotion of the May timetable which will, as well as all the online stuff, include leaflets delivered to households in Looe and the surrounding area by the Royal Mail.

One more thing to consider - in the next few years, some quite serious investment in the Looe line will be needed.  As things look now, battery trains will need either a West Ealing style charging set up or even overhead being installed in Platform 3 at Liskeard.  The more the railway, we at the Partnership and others can do to help increase year-round usage of the line, the easier that funding decision becomes.  I don't think for a moment we might be looking at closure of the line but making sure trains, particularly at either ends of the day when they are most expensive to run, are decently used will be key, I'm sure.

[grahame]

This obviously is a very different kettle of fish ...

I am - totally - in agreement with that and all you say, Richard; my comment you picked up on was in answer to a question asked.

We lost out 05:33 at Melksham to Swindon which was also a quiet train and did not fight it nor suggest alternative provision ... first train is now 07:21.  Loss of the earliest or latest journey opportunities is a serious matter reflected also on the passengers onward, return and inward journeys and whilst you do not have to have every individual service making stand alone economic sense (a mistake made in the Beeching era?), you do need to reconsider services that are a severe drain on the viability of the line and sometimes make these decisions / acceptances.

[ChrisB]

I think my point is that the poor person catching that train - assuming a regular - was *only* catching it because they *had* to - presumably unable to alter their start time - coz you would, wouldn't you if you could.

So they are entitled to a massive amount of notice I feel, rather than the normal few weeks. Like a year or thereabouts, in order that a property move to somewhere more suitable (Liskeard?) with continued links might be easily organised.

[TaplowGreen]

Multiple cancellations today due to crew shortage - the type of sunny weekend summer day when branch lines such as this get the chance to really show their worth, but GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have failed to provide anyone to run them.

[grahame]

Multiple cancellations today due to crew shortage - the type of sunny weekend summer day when branch lines such as this get the chance to really show their worth, but GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have failed to provide anyone to run them.

Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe

Due to a shortage of train crew between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 15:00 15/06.

Customer Advice

Due to crew shortages, we are unable to run train services today.

An astonishing failure ... on what would be a peak early summer's day.   Should someone come back and explain that there's a local transmitted flu or something else that has struck all the crews in the last 24 hours, this service decimation is "unforgivable" ... but of course it will probably get forgotten in the mists of time and the fog of the next issue.

Two questions when something goes wrong:
1. What lessons will be learned from today?
2. How will those lessons result in actions which make sure this should not happen again?

[TaplowGreen]

Multiple cancellations today due to crew shortage - the type of sunny weekend summer day when branch lines such as this get the chance to really show their worth, but GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have failed to provide anyone to run them.

Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe

Due to a shortage of train crew between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 15:00 15/06.

Customer Advice

Due to crew shortages, we are unable to run train services today.

An astonishing failure ... on what would be a peak early summer's day.   Should someone come back and explain that there's a local transmitted flu or something else that has struck all the crews in the last 24 hours, this service decimation is "unforgivable" ... but of course it will probably get forgotten in the mists of time and the fog of the next issue.

Two questions when something goes wrong:
1. What lessons will be learned from today?
2. How will those lessons result in actions which make sure this should not happen again?

1) Judging by the repetition in similar circumstances across the region over a number of years, none.
2) They won't. GWR are staggering towards the end of their franchise, there is little or no motivation for them to make the efforts required.