New services for Yeovil

[whole diary]

[rogerw]

SW Trains have made a track access application for additional services to Yeovil with some operating via Westbury and Frome.  All Yeovil terminators will serve both Pen Mill & Junction.  Also proposal for a summer Waterloo to Weymouth via Salisbury and Yeovil.  Full details http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/track%20access/1%20current%20consultations/2015.02.23%20sswt%2058th%20sa%20-%20section%2022%20-%20closes%2023%20march%202015/58th%20sa%20form%20p.pdf

[grahame]

SW Trains have made a track access application for additional services to Yeovil with some operating via Westbury and Frome.  All Yeovil terminators will serve both Pen Mill & Junction.  Also proposal for a summer Waterloo to Weymouth via Salisbury and Yeovil.  Full details http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/track%20access/1%20current%20consultations/2015.02.23%20sswt%2058th%20sa%20-%20section%2022%20-%20closes%2023%20march%202015/58th%20sa%20form%20p.pdf

HY03 extensions of the current (SX); 1 Waterloo to Salisbury to Yeovil Pen Mill via Westbury; 1
Waterloo to Salisbury to Yeovil Pen Mill via Gillingham; 2 Waterloo to Gillingham services to
Yeovil Pen Mill; 1 Gillingham to Waterloo now Yeovil Pen Mill to Waterloo; and 2 Waterloo to
Yeovil Junction services to Yeovil Pen Mill.

HY03 new services; 6 new (SX) services from Yeovil Pen Mill to Yeovil Junction; 2 Yeovil
Junction to Salisbury via Westbury; 1 Salisbury to Yeovil Junction via Westbury; 1 Yeovil Pen Mill
to Exeter St Davids; 1 service from Exeter to Honiton in each direction; 2 services (SU) from
Yeovil Pen Mill to Waterloo in each direction; and new services for summer Saturdays only for
Salisbury to Weymouth and Weymouth to Salisbury via Yeovil Junction in each direction.

I make that two services each way per day between Salisbury and Yeovil via Westbury - unclear to me whether they're via Frome or take the Frome avoiding line, one westbound originates from Waterloo but both eastbound only run to Salisbury on the return.

And - very interesting - quite a number of trains between Pen Mill and Junction.  From a first read, the numbers are hard to balance - looks like 9 from Pen Mill to Junction and 7 from Junction to Pen Mill?

[rogerw]

It is clearer in Appendix A at the back which lists the details of the new services.
Heart of Wessex/Yeovil HY03
SX 06:28 Yeovil Pen Mill (P1) to Yeovil Junction (P1) 1x159 
SX 06:42 Yeovil Jn (P1) to Waterloo via Frome 1x159
SX 10:20 Waterloo to YVJ via Frome 1x159
SX 14:50 Yeovil Pen Mill to Exeter St Davids 1x159
SX 12:50 Waterloo to Yeovil Pen Mill via Frome 1x159
SX 15:50 Yeovil PM to Waterloo (16:18 x Gill) 1x159
SX 13:50 Waterloo to Gillingham to Yeovil PM 1x159
SX 16:30 Yeovil Pen Mill (P1) to Yeovil Junction (P1) 1x159
SX 16:55 Yeovil Jn to Waterloo via Frome 1x159
SX 15:50 Waterloo - Gillingham to Yeovil PM 1x159
SX 18:26 Yeovil Pen Mill to Yeovil Jn 1x159
SX 16:50 Waterloo to YVP 1x159
SX 17:50 Waterloo to Yeovil Pen Mill 1x159
SX 20:30 Yeovil PM to YVJ 1x159
SX 19:30 Yeovil PM to YVJ 1x159
SX 18:50 Waterloo to Yeovil PM via Sherborne 1x159
SX 21:30 Yeovil PM to YVJ 1x159
May to September Only HY03
SO 07:50 Waterloo to (Salisbury) Weymouth via YVJ 1x159
SO 15:32 Weymouth to Waterloo via YVJ 1x159
SO 11:50 Waterloo to (Salisbury) Weymouth via YVJ 1x159
SO 16:53 Weymouth to Waterloo via YVJ 1x159
SX Exeter Metro HY03
SX 16:36 Exeter SD to Honiton 1x159
SX 17:07 Honiton to Exeter St Davids 1x159
FO/SU West of England Strengthening HY03
SU 15:47 YPM to Waterloo 1x159
SU 18:45 Waterloo to YPM 1x158
SU 16:47 YPM to Waterloo 1x159
SU 19:45 Waterloo to YPM 1x158

[paul7575]

Copied from another recent thread:

The cynic in me suggests that Salisbury to Exeter [and Salisbury to Bristol TM^‡(resolve)] are just inconvenient 'must haves' for the franchise and SWT^▸ (South West Trains) is trying to get the routes removed from its obligations.   

This TAA must be a reaction to Phil's proposition...   

I suspect the above changes (in so much as they need extra stock) are partly a result of internal rolling stock cascades from all the new EMUs^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) that should be available by then.

Paul

[Southernman]

The proposals have been known locally for a little while but not sure if all objections have been overcome yet....wonder what FGW^▸ (First Great Western) think of this. However, assuming that the changes happen this is very welcome and a (initial) statement of SWT^▸ (South West Trains)'s intent for the West of England line.

Certainly some diesel units will be released from other duties that the additional electrics are taking over.

[PhilWakely]

Slightly off-topic, but I notice in that document that the stock for the proposed new Waterloo to Wareham service is listed as a 159. Is that for a future extension to Swanage?

[paul7575]

Slightly off-topic, but I notice in that document that the stock for the proposed new Waterloo to Wareham service is listed as a 159. Is that for a future extension to Swanage?

It would be the obvious reason, i.e. to allow through running.  On the face of it there's no need for an odd 159 to augment a service that is normally 2 tph, and operated by 5 car 444s the vast majority of the time.   Of course whatever the plans beyond Wareham, they wouldn't require NR^» (Network Rail - home page) or ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) approval, as the branch is outside their jurisdiction, so a basic TAA wouldn't need to elaborate.

Paul

[paul7575]

SWT^▸ (South West Trains) have published a public version of the proposals on their news page:

The timetable changes proposed could be introduced as early as December this year if regulatory approval is given. Consultation is taking place until 2 April with stakeholders across the South West Trains^ network. Potential changes to the December 2015 timetable include:

Half-hourly train service from London to Tisbury, Gillingham, Templecombe, Sherborne and Yeovil Junction between 15:20 and 19:20

More than doubling the existing train service at Yeovil Pen Mill with an additional 18 South West Trains^ services every day

17 trains every day connecting Yeovil Junction and Yeovil Pen Mill

Connecting Bruton directly with London for the first time (4 trains per day)

Offering Castle Cary, Bruton and Frome direct services to/from Basingstoke, Woking and Clapham Junction (4 trains per day)

Yeovil Junction, Sherborne and Templecombe have 2 additional trains in the mid-afternoon ^ 13:50 from London Waterloo and 15:53 from Yeovil Junction

2 trains per hour from Exeter to Honiton during the Exeter evening peak

Yeovil Pen Mill will have 7 direct trains from and 3 trains to London Waterloo each weekday

http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/South%20West%20Trains%20unveils%20plans%20for%20new%20West%20of%20England%20services.aspx

[rogerpatenall]

Great news and nice to see some entrepreneurial but realistic thinking. Not entirely correct as the old 9am Weymouth - Paddington restaurant car express always called at Bruton about 1020am. Also interesting that YPM will have only 3 direct Waterloo trains, but Cary onwards will have 4. Will there be a Cary starter?

[paul7575]

I think another explanation is that Castle Cary's 'four trains per day' is perhaps 2 up and 2 down.   In the case of Yeovil Pen Mill it seems to get services in both directions through to Waterloo, i.e. via Yeovil Jn (reverse) or via Westbury.

Does that make sense do you think?

Paul

[grahame]

I think another explanation is that Castle Cary's 'four trains per day' is perhaps 2 up and 2 down.   In the case of Yeovil Pen Mill it seems to get services in both directions through to Waterloo, i.e. via Yeovil Jn (reverse) or via Westbury.

Does that make sense do you think?

Paul

Yes - the proposal was described at TravelWatch SouthWest, as was the background behind it.   There are basically 2 trains per day run each way between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction vis Westbury for staff training purposes, and running these in passenger service seemed a sensible thing to do with so much growth planned in the Yeovil area. As a note from me, Frome has some mighty big service gaps at present, and these services might also provide a plug there.

[grahame]

http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/NewWestofEngland.aspx

New South West Trains services for the West of England get the green light

New services to begin in December 2015 following approval from rail regulator
800 additional seats every weekday between London and Somerset
Improved connectivity in the South West between Weymouth, Dorchester, Exeter, Westbury, Salisbury, Bath, Bristol and London
Bruton and Frome connected to London Waterloo for the first time ever
Additional Sunday services between Salisbury and London Waterloo

South West Trains is pleased to announce that the rail regulator has approved plans that will transform rail services in the West of England. Changes will result in extra services and new links to London for many communities across the region.
The new services will provide:
Half-hourly train services from London to Tisbury, Gillingham, Templecombe, Sherborne and Yeovil Junction between 15:20 and 19:20*
10 trains every week day connecting Yeovil Junction and Yeovil Pen Mill
Two new daily services connecting Bruton directly with London for the first time
Two new daily direct services between Castle Cary and Frome and Basingstoke, Woking and Clapham Junction
Yeovil Junction, Sherborne and Templecombe have two additional trains in the mid-afternoon ^ 13:50 from London Waterloo and 15:53 from Yeovil Junction
Two trains per hour from Exeter to Honiton between 16:00 and 18:00**
Yeovil Pen Mill will have six direct trains from and two trains to London Waterloo each week day
Half- hourly service in late afternoon and early evening between Salisbury and London Waterloo

[ellendune]

A few days ago it was GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) stations being painted Green now we find Waterloo running the trains! Sir Felix Pole must be turning in his grave!

[PhilWakely]

New South West Trains services for the West of England get the green light

New services to begin in December 2015 following approval from rail regulator

Two trains per hour from Exeter to Honiton between 16:00 and 18:00**

Whilst this is to be welcomed at the Exeter end, all it means is 2 trains comprising a single 158 2-car unit within 10 minutes of each other instead of one train comprising a single 3-car 159 unit.

[John R]

An increase in capacity of a third in the peak is not to be sniffed at. I can think of
a few services that would welcome such an increase.