| Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
Spare trains gathering dust in Oxford? Better use? - 590/1763 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Saturday, 28th October 2006 Quote from Wikipedia: In addition First have been unable to obtain extra stock for local services, as the DfT is refusing to underwrite the additional leasing costs (as required under the franchise regime) after forcing the leasing companies to supply Pacers at a dramatically reduced rate for use on West Country branch lines. This is despite the failed attempt to operate Pacers on the sharply curved branches in the 1980s. It is likely that some Turbos will be put into store, having been displaced on longer runs by HSTs. I don't know the source / authority ... but is this suggesting that there's some spare trains of the type that form London - Oxford and London - Bedwyn services which are just going to be gathering dust next year? Re: Spare trains gathering dust in Oxford? Better use? - 590/1764 Written by Lee on Saturday, 28th October 2006 You'd hope so wouldnt you , Graham. I have noticed something else from the Wikipedia link as well. "First Great Western inherited the small fleet of 7 two-coach Class 143 Pacer railbuses from Wessex Trains following the franchise merger in April 2006. They are currently used on suburban services around Bristol, but were to be moving to Exeter depot in December 2006 to operate the Exmouth, Barnstaple and Paignton 'Devon Metro' services. This appears to have been shelved as First Great Western will be recieving more units from Transpennine Express then previously thought. The current livery is an advertising livery for Bristol." [quote author=Lee link=topic=491.msg1535#msg1535 date=1159351599]This process of running down the Suburban Bristol rail services will begin in December 2006 with the transfer of 7 Class 143 units to Exeter depot to operate services on the Exmouth, Paignton and Barnstaple lines. These are likely to be replaced by the 7 remaining Class 153 units (not including the Southampton - Westbury shuttle ,which will run for 1 year only) , thus bringing a reduction in seating capacity from 104 seats per vehicle to 75 seats per vehicle. This will increase overcrowding , make revenue collection at peak times almost impossible , and force many passengers off the trains. This will also have a knock - on effect for the Exmouth , Paignton and Barnstaple lines. Class 143 units were occasionally used on rural branch lines but this was generally avoided where possible due to problems with wheel wear and the noise on sharp corners. The transfer of these units from Bristol to Exeter is apparently at the request of the Department for Transport , and no indication has been given as to how the problems with sharp corners will be overcome. This is likely to lead to breakdowns , cancellations and "revisions" (click on http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/melkshamrailway/138_Lies_damned_lies_and_statistics.html) . In turn , this will badly affect usage figures. The above is compounded by the fact that the Class 143 units currently being deployed on the Severn Beach line are close to expiry & collapse (link below.) http://www.fosbr.org.uk/Smoking%20train.htm[/quote] If the Class 143 transfer has indeed been shelved , then it would address one of my top concerns. Re: Spare trains gathering dust in Oxford? Better use? - 590/1765 Written by Lee on Saturday, 28th October 2006 [quote author=Graham Ellis link=topic=590.msg1763#msg1763 date=1162046906]Quote from Wikipedia: In addition First have been unable to obtain extra stock for local services, as the DfT is refusing to underwrite the additional leasing costs (as required under the franchise regime) after forcing the leasing companies to supply Pacers at a dramatically reduced rate for use on West Country branch lines. This is despite the failed attempt to operate Pacers on the sharply curved branches in the 1980s. It is likely that some Turbos will be put into store, having been displaced on longer runs by HSTs. I don't know the source / authority ... but is this suggesting that there's some spare trains of the type that form London - Oxford and London - Bedwyn services which are just going to be gathering dust next year? Re: Spare trains gathering dust in Oxford? Better use? - 590/1766 Written by Nick Field on Saturday, 28th October 2006 Graham did I hear you mention at one of the meetings that these 166 units wont 'fit' through Trowbridge station? Re: Spare trains gathering dust in Oxford? Better use? - 590/1769 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Saturday, 28th October 2006 There was some talk along those lines, Nick, yes. It's not an easy "wll fit" / "won't fit" scenario, I don't think ... I learnt more about this later. Re: Spare trains gathering dust in Oxford? Better use? - 590/1771 Written by Lee on Sunday, 29th October 2006 Here are some interesting quotes : [quote author=Nick Field link=topic=174.msg424#msg424 date=1141664274]I cant believe that there arent some other DMU's that could be cascaded down for use on the former wessex routes, especially with all the new trains introduced across the country in the last decade [/quote] [quote author=Graham Ellis link=topic=174.msg425#msg425 date=1141664786]We were told on Saturday (Alison Forster) that they can NOT use the London suburban units north from Westbury as the clearances are all wrong at Trowbridge station "unless someone will pay for rebuilding the platform". Re: Spare trains gathering dust in Oxford? Better use? - 590/1800 Written by Lee on Wednesday, 1st November 2006 [quote author=Lee link=topic=510.msg1799#msg1799 date=1162385412]Here is a quote from the Jacobs Greater Western Franchise Replacement Outline Business Case Report section regarding Melksham. "This option may have a slightly positive impact on operational performance, since low speed (75mph) rolling stock operation on the mainline between Thingley Junction and Swindon will be reduced." Here are links to both the current Swindon - Chippenham main line timetable & the proposed December 2006 Swindon - Chippenham main line timetable. http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Documents/Custom/OT60479%20PTT%201.pdf http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Documents/Custom/Rev%20Dec%20TTs/SX%20-%20London%20to%20Cheltenham%20-%20Swansea%20-%20Bristol.pdf In both timetables , the Class 153 "Melksham train" units only take 1 minute longer to travel from Swindon - Chippenham than the London - Bristol HST's do. In other words , it doesnt matter , performance - wise , whether you use "low speed (75mph) rolling stock" on this section or not.[/quote] This , however , is not the case on the Swindon - Didcot section , which would have to be traversed by any Salisbury - Oxford service. According to the proposed December 2006 timetable , an HST can do it in 17 minutes. Historical data suggests that a Class 158 or 166 unit would take 23 minutes to do it. That said , it may surprise you to learn that a path IS available for a Salisbury - Oxford service. Here is a link to the proposed December 2006 Didcot - Oxford timetable. http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Documents/Custom/Rev%20Dec%20TTs/SX%20-%20London%20to%20Outer%20Thames%20Valley.pdf The following paths are feasible : Oxford xx00 - Didcot Parkway arrive xx11 , depart xx12 - Swindon arrive xx35 depart xx41 - Chippenham xx57 - Melksham xx08 - Trowbridge xx17 - Westbury xx23 - Dilton Marsh xx26 - Warminster xx31 - Salisbury xx50. Salisbury xx55 - Warminster xx15 - Dilton Marsh xx20 - Westbury xx23 - Trowbridge xx29 - Re: Spare trains gathering dust in Oxford? Better use? - 590/1801 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Wednesday, 1st November 2006 [quote author=Lee link=topic=590.msg1800#msg1800 date=1162402647] The following paths are feasible : Oxford xx00 - Didcot Parkway arrive xx11 , depart xx12 - Swindon arrive xx35 depart xx41 - Chippenham xx57 - Melksham xx08 - Trowbridge xx17 - Westbury xx23 - Dilton Marsh xx26 - Warminster xx31 - Salisbury xx50. Salisbury xx55 - Warminster xx15 - Dilton Marsh xx20 - Westbury xx23 - Trowbridge xx29 - Re: Spare trains gathering dust in Oxford? Better use? - 590/1826 Written by Lee on Friday, 3rd November 2006 Thanks Graham. However , my preference would be for a 2 - hourly Southampton - Bicester Town service as detailed below : Southampton Central xx37 - Romsey xx49 - Dunbridge xx54 - Dean xx00 - Salisbury arrive xx13 depart xx15 - Warminster xx35 - Dilton Marsh xx40 - Westbury arrive xx44 depart xx45 - Trowbridge xx51 - Re: Spare trains gathering dust in Oxford? Better use? - 590/1829 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Saturday, 4th November 2006 [quote author=Lee link=topic=590.msg1826#msg1826 date=1162572113] This would be best interworked with a 2 - hourly Bristol - Bicester Town service using the same train path in the alternate hour as detailed below : [/quote] Indeed so ... in fact I think it would need to be interworked with a Bristol service as a train turning round at Bicester having arrived there from Southampton would collide head-on with the next train coming up around Lacock if it were to return to Southampton ;) Re: Spare trains gathering dust in Oxford? Better use? - 590/1830 Written by Lee on Saturday, 4th November 2006 The thought did cross my mind ;D link to index of articles |
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Save the Train was the campaign to bring an approriate train service back to and through Melksham. Most big contributors are still around writing at the Coffee shop forum where new members are very welcome. The train has been saved - sort of - we have stepped back up from an unusable service to a poorish one but it's doing very well. We did that through setting up the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership. That fulfilled its early objectives; it has been taken over by local and regional government types who are now doing medium and long term work. The team from this forun can also be found at the Melksham Rail User Group (which was the Melksham Rail Development Group at the time these articles were written and we had no users. We mustn't loose sight, though, that the train service remains poor and needs our community support in marketing and campaigning to keep it going in a positive direction ... and all the more so when we're expecting to find a different normallity once we get out of the Coronavirus Pandemic and head for zero carbon via the climate crisis. Yes, it's saved ... it's now a key community facility ... the need for enhancement and the strong and near-universal local support remain, and the rail industry and goverment remain slow to move and provide the enhancements even to level us up with other towns. Please support the Melksham Rail User Group - now very much in partnership rather than protest with the rail industry and local government, including GWR, TransWilts and unitary and town councils. And please use the trains and buses, and cycle and walk when you can. -- Graham Ellis, (webmaster), February 2021 | |||
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