Great Malvern - the most amended service?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

15:00 ... reports from Great Malvern so far today

14:51 Great Malvern to 19:13 Weymouth
14:34 Great Malvern to 17:27 London Paddington
10:51 Great Malvern to 16:14 Brighton
09:54 Great Malvern to 12:29 London Paddington
05:17 Great Malvern to 07:59 London Paddington

Good heavens ... they've had as many changes in a day than we have services in nearly three. I'm taking it that this "Great Malvern" must be a huge place to have so many services scheduled to start there in the first place 

[ChrisB]

It's the start of both Cotswold Line and Portsmouth services.....

[paul7575]

Portsmouth?

Paul

[ChrisB]

Ooops!

[grahame]

It's the start of both Cotswold Line and Portsmouth services.....

Doesn't the Cotswold line start at Hereford?

[inspector_blakey]

That might be slightly debatable, but what is beyond doubt is that many Cotswold Line services originate or terminate at the beating cosmopolitan heart of south-west Worcestershire that is Great Malvern!

[Mookiemoo]

That might be slightly debatable, but what is beyond doubt is that many Cotswold Line services originate or terminate at the beating cosmopolitan heart of south-west Worcestershire that is Great Malvern!

Is that though just to free up space at WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) to stop trains blocking platforms as they turn?

Cant think of any other reason why especially as it isnt a full platform!

[willc]

Couple of factors to bear in mind:

a. Malvern Wells is a convenient place to turn back trains, away from the severe limitations imposed by the layout at Worcester, both at Shrub Hill and Foregate Street.
b. The population of the Malvern area is 30,000 plus, getting on for two thirds the size of Hereford, so an important traffic generator in its own right.

[grahame]

a. Malvern Wells is a convenient place to turn back trains, away from the severe limitations imposed by the layout at Worcester, both at Shrub Hill and Foregate Street.

Agreed

b. The population of the Malvern area is 30,000 plus, getting on for two thirds the size of Hereford, so an important traffic generator in its own right.

Partially agreed.   Places like Aberystwyth, with a population of less that half of that of the Malverns, must also be considered to be important traffic generators judging by the number of trains starting and ending there. But, Will, population can't be the only factor ... I can very easily find you places that are three quarters of the size of Malvern (and bigger that Aberystwyth) but get less trains in a day than Malvern gets in some hours.

Malvern's services appear to still be "in the wars" though.   From the end of yesterday:

17:00   Great Malvern   20:00   London Paddington

and from this morning, the "incident log" highlights

08:58   Great Malvern   11:29   London Paddington
08:26   Great Malvern   11:36   Westbury
05:17   Great Malvern   07:59   London Paddington

[Steve Bray]

But Malvern is famous around the world for its water; the beauty of the hills; its educational establishments; the development of radar; Morgan Cars; the Elgar Route; my birthplace...

[Phil]

My abiding memory of Malvern was the absence of a pub, let alone hotel, anywhere near the railway station, and the distance of the railway station from anything in particular.

[Deltic]

The Worcester to Malvern train service is, partly for the operational reasons already mentioned, relatively frequent given the size of the towns / city.  From my observation, the actual service is very often reduced from the advertised services be turning round late running trains at Worcester (usually Shrub Hill).  My last trip by rail to the area was to Malvern Link a couple of years ago.  The return journey was cancelled between Shrub Hill and Great Malvern.  My boss and I had a negotiation with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) over getting a cab to Worcester.  We got the cab but I think we paid for it; at least we got back to London at our intended time.

[willc]

The reason I mentioned two factors was because, in combination, they explain the current level of services at Malvern. If there were not the operational factor, of needing to turn back trains, then Malvern's population probably wouldn't justify the level of service it gets. If it was possible to turn round trains in Worcester quickly and efficiently, and make robust connections - especially now that LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) runs hourly out to Hereford - I don't doubt FGW^▸ (First Great Western) would trim back the number of trains going up the hill to Malvern.

However, given that they want to get as many trains as possible into Foregate Street, due to the lousy location of Shrub Hill, the problems posed for connections by there being the two Worcester stations and the potential for delay to services coming off the Cotswold Line, compounded by the lousy layout at Worcester, then carrying on to Malvern, where you can turn round and get income from passengers into the bargain, makes plenty of sense for as long as Worcester remains hobbled by the current track and signalling set-up.

[Mookiemoo]

What is so bad about the layout at worcester?  Asking as a layman who has no idea why it causes a problem.  there seems to be plenty of sidings etc at WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) and throughput of trains doesnt seem high!

[ChrisB]

05:35 Hereford to London Paddington due 08:51
This train has been revised.This is due to an earlier train fault.
The following catering alteration will apply: No Travelling Chef service. Buffet service only.
Last Updated: 25/02/2010 04:55

05:48 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 08:34
This train has been delayed at Evesham and is now 17 minutes late.This is due to animals on the line.
Last Updated: 25/02/2010 08:24

06:43 Hereford to London Paddington due 09:47
This train has been delayed at Worcester Shrub Hill and is now 21 minutes late.This is due to animals on the line.
Last Updated: 25/02/2010 08:02

06:48 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 09:31
This train has been revised.This is due to an earlier train fault.
The following catering alteration will apply: No catering service available between Oxford and Great Malvern.
Last Updated: 25/02/2010 08:01