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Title: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: Chris from Nailsea on October 01, 2012, 22:17:12 From the Midweek Herald (http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/top_award_for_axminster_railway_station_1_1539231):
Quote (http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/polopoly_fs/mha_ax_station_1_1539229!image/3554448734.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_225/3554448734.jpg) Axminster's award winning station Axminster's historic railway station has been named one of the finest in the country. It beat off tough competition to take the title of best medium-sized station of the year at the 2012 National Rail Awards. The station has recently benefited from significant improvements, including improved access through the installation of new automatic doors, a new accessible toilet and full refurbishment of the existing toilets. In addition, in December 2009, a new timetable was launched following significant infrastructure investment, allowing the introduction of an hourly service from Axminster to London Waterloo and Exeter. Glen Hatherley, station manager for South West Trains, said the award was great recognition for the team. He added: ^We^re pleased to be recognised for the recent improvements at the station. As a key focal point for the local community in Axminster, we are determined to keep building on this success and we^ll be making sure our award is displayed in pride of place at the station.^ Hilary Kirkcaldie, Clerk to Axminster Town Council said: ^Axminster Town Council is delighted to hear of this success and would like to congratulate all concerned for this deserved recognition of the excellent service provided by the staff at Axminster station. The hourly service and station-upgrade introduced three years ago are greatly appreciated by local people.^ The National Rail Awards are now in their 13th year and are designed to recognise excellence and achievement in Britain^s rail industry. The criteria for the awards specifies that the winning station of the year should excel in providing a smooth, efficient and pleasant departure and arrival point for the travelling customer. The winner is selected following a secret visit to each of the shortlisted stations. * Axminster was one of several Tudor-inspired railway stations designed by the LSWR^s architect Sir William Tite and completed in 1860. It is considered the finest example of those which survive. Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: TonyK on October 01, 2012, 22:34:07 From the Midweek Herald (http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/top_award_for_axminster_railway_station_1_1539231): Quote (http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/polopoly_fs/mha_ax_station_1_1539229!image/3554448734.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_225/3554448734.jpg) Axminster's award winning station The station has recently benefited from significant improvements, including ... a new accessible toilet I for one think this is good news. Nothing worse than an inaccessible khazi when you most need one. Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on October 05, 2012, 08:21:47 I have some photos which I will add once at my pc :-)
Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: macbrains on October 05, 2012, 09:28:27 Just a shame about the awful bridge they've inflicted on the station - I appreciate the need to make provision for a lift, but it looks a bit industrial compared to Sir William's lovely design!
rgds m Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: JayMac on October 05, 2012, 09:40:12 From the Midweek Herald (http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/top_award_for_axminster_railway_station_1_1539231):
Quote Glen Hatherley, station manager for South West Trains, said the award was great recognition for the team. So, this award is partly yours as well, relex109? :P ;) ;D Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: RichardB on October 05, 2012, 09:46:29 Congratulations to Axminster. Looking at Rail yesterday, I see Barnstaple was "Highly Commended" too.
Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on October 05, 2012, 12:48:11 Congratulations to Axminster. Looking at Rail yesterday, I see Barnstaple was "Highly Commended" too. As one of the stations i worked at i guess so :-p Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on October 05, 2012, 12:50:00 Thinking about it this is probably easier
http://www.relex109.com/axminster-railway-station.php Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: SandTEngineer on March 03, 2013, 11:20:27 It would appear that there has been a change to the right hand running instituted when the new loop was commissioned with normal left hand running now the usual plan. Anybody know why this change has been implemented?
Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: eightf48544 on March 03, 2013, 13:26:05 Interesting comment S&T My friends from Axminister often travel to Clapham Junction. They reported that they had had to rush over the bridge the last time they went to Clapham Jn a week or so ago. I wondered if it was one off but from what you say it's now regular or does it vary with time of day? Wrong line in morning for London trains and normal running late afternoon evening for return traffic or vice versa I'm not sure in which direction are the heaviest peak flows?
Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on March 03, 2013, 13:37:15 Me being me I am unable to provide the full details which other members will be able to provide, however it is to do with the crossing at the country end of the station, a couple of services still use the 'wrong' platforms (very early morning and the Axminster terminator)
Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: paul7575 on March 03, 2013, 14:34:49 The WTT change to normal running was from the last December timetable change.
I can explain the original reason for RH running. The single track sections beyond the junctions at both ends of the loop are not centred in the formation, but are (purely by accident) on notionally the 'wrong side' for trains towards Axminster. This means that as installed the higher speed route through the points is the route into the RH side of the loop. This meant that approaching trains could enter the loop at line speed and then decelerate into the platform, and departing trains would still be accelerating when they got to the points. Apparently this was considered the most efficient way to operate timing wise. However I haven't heard if anything has changed on the infrastructure to cause/allow the normal working. It could be something as simple as finding that in practice consistently reliable running means the few seconds advantage of RH over LH running is not actually necessary. Another minor reason that occurs to me is that LH running allows drivers to look back along the platform more easily... Paul Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: SandTEngineer on March 03, 2013, 15:31:15 Me being me I am unable to provide the full details which other members will be able to provide, however it is to do with the crossing at the country end of the station, a couple of services still use the 'wrong' platforms (very early morning and the Axminster terminator) I assume you are referring to Gambler Lake FP crossing. Interesting as the effect of the right hand running was assessed at the time of the scheme design and the risks were considered ALARP. Has anything changed since?Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: paul7575 on March 03, 2013, 15:43:13 Have also just noticed that the 'trackwatch' column in the March Modern Railways reported the change to normal running as of December, and in the absence of the usual description of any 'physical changes' that also implies it could be related to something like crossing sighting...
Paul Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: swrural on March 03, 2013, 18:10:07 The problem is of course that the facilities are all on what is now the 'down' platform. These include admirably clean bogs, a warm waiting room and a privately run cafe. All you have on the 'up' side is a bus shelter.
Yes, we were caught out the first time and had to hare back over to the other side. :-[ I'll bet a load of pax have been caught out. >:( Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: Southern Stag on March 03, 2013, 22:24:38 To be fair there are signs, live information boards and announcements all giving out the correct information.
Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: The Grecian on March 04, 2013, 01:10:25 I've wondered about the change myself. From the signs it appears that all trains now run on the left-hand side except for a handful of specified up services which use the down platform at the beginning and end of the day (up and down in the conventional sense). I don't think there are now any down services using the up platform.
The reason given on the notices which went up in December before the change was 'to improve timekeeping'. I'm certain the points at either end of the loop haven't moved - both due to deceleration by the train coming into the loop and the movement of the train entering and leaving the loop, although I've only travelled over the London end of the loop once since the change. I can only assume that it may be due to confusing passengers since left-hand running is the rule across the network. I can't see what other reason there would be. Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: paul7575 on March 04, 2013, 12:11:23 Here's the normal routine at Axminster, the vast majority run normal side:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced?location=Axminster&date=04%2F03%2F2013&tocs=SW×pan=3&show_schedules=11&schedule_type=0&show_wtt=1 Paul Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: swrural on March 04, 2013, 12:44:58 Forgive me, that very helpful post has confused me because I don't know the platform numbers. Is Platform 1 what would have been the old 'up' platform in Southern Railway days (i.e. the one that has just a bus shelter now)?
Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: paul7575 on March 04, 2013, 13:00:22 Platform 1 is the conventional down side platform, the number presumably retained from the period when it was the only platform: http://www.flickr.com/photos/relex109/6801168188/
Paul Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: swrural on March 04, 2013, 13:21:28 Many thanks, nice photos too. :D
Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: SandTEngineer on March 04, 2013, 22:28:30 Thanks for all the responses to my enquiry ;)
Title: Re: Top award for Axminster railway station Post by: The Grecian on June 29, 2014, 19:51:00 It seems Axminster has now reverted back to right hand running in the last month or two, as this has been the case on the 3 occasions I've used the station since the end of May. I'm not sure why - perhaps it costs more time and fuel to slow down to 50mph if running onto the left-hand track then accelerate before braking again for the station, than any fuel saving in allowing a higher speed for westbound trains approaching Honiton bank.
Despite the fact this is against the normal convention of left hand running none of my fellow passengers have appeared confused by the arrangement and the boards make clear what each train's destination is, so hopefully it isn't causing any problems. This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |