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Title: Improved service, Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham Post by: John R on September 29, 2014, 20:36:35 An interesting announcement late last week that the service between Lincoln and Nottingham is going to be improved from May 15. It would appear that around 12 extra services each way will run between Nottingham and Newark, which will enable the current Nott'm to Lincoln services to be significantly accelerated by becoming limited stop.
By my reckoning that will need at least 2 additional units, so I'm intrigued to know where they might be coming from (given the assertion that Northern will not lose any DMU's on delivery of their 319s). A clever part of the change is that it has little impact on the flat crossing of the ECML as the extra services stop just short. Would have been ironic if this improvement had been to the detriment of east coast pathing, given the huge investment that's been made to eliminate conflicting moves. So good to see a service elsewhere undergoing a significant upgrade. Title: Re: Improved service, Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham Post by: Chris from Nailsea on September 29, 2014, 21:48:19 From the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-29391904):
Quote Lincoln to Nottingham: DfT confirms funding plan (http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/70912000/jpg/_70912919_70912918.jpg) Campaigners say the service was quicker in 1909 than it is today A project to improve "one of the worst train services in the UK" has been given the go-ahead. Journey times between Lincoln and Nottingham are currently slower than they were 100 years ago, according to campaign group Rail Fair. In a letter from Secretary of State Patrick McLoughlin, funding for three years has been confirmed by the Department for Transport. It is hoped the improved service will start running in May 2015. Planned improvements - An extra 12 trains a day between Newark and Nottingham - Journey times cut by 10 minutes on Nottingham to Lincoln services - An additional 11 daily stops at Hykeham - Extra peak hour service from Lincoln to Nottingham - Fastest journey time between Nottingham and Lincoln cut to 47 minutes Earlier this year, Rail Fair - which claims the line is the "worst in the UK" - started a petition calling for the government to take action over proposals to improve the service. Robert Jenrick, Conservative MP for Newark, said: "It is absurd that you could travel faster along this key line in 1909 than you can today. The line has been neglected for years. That is now changing and Newark and neighbouring communities will receive the east-west service they deserve." In his letter, Mr McLoughlin said: "The department will continue to work closely with East Midlands Trains to ensure the service enhancements are operational and available to passengers from May 2015." It is understood the government will contribute more than ^1m to the estimated ^2.1m scheme, with the rest of the costs being met by a "consortium of local authorities", the DfT said. Title: Re: Improved service, Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham Post by: IndustryInsider on September 30, 2014, 10:34:37 Good news on quite a busy route with three quite large towns being inadequately served by the current service. I presume the extra peak hour Lincoln to Nottingham service will plug the current gap of only one train (18:35) between 17:25 and 20:35 - though there are other Lincoln to Newark North Gate services for Newark commuters.
Not sure if the prevailing linespeed of 60mph will be increased to help reduce the journey times? I too wonder where additional rolling stock will be coming from. Title: Re: Improved service, Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham Post by: JayMac on September 30, 2014, 11:04:35 Perhaps EMT will be acquiring a 158/9 or two from sister company SWT.
Title: Re: Improved service, Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham Post by: paul7575 on September 30, 2014, 11:14:35 Perhaps EMT will be acquiring a 158/9 or two from sister company SWT. I don't think it is that straightforward, with franchising the way it is under DfT control. Surely if SWT were able to release 158s or 159s the DfT would step in first and allocate a couple to FGW to replace the units already on 'permanent loan' with them? Unless of course by then (May 15) there are other options for FGW, such as surplus DMUs from Scotrail? Paul Title: Re: Improved service, Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham Post by: Rhydgaled on September 30, 2014, 11:24:07 Worst in the UK on what grounds? The quoted article mentions only that the journey times are slow. FirstGW mixing deck tells me it can take 53mins for about 32 miles (as the crow flies). Around 36mph average, and as poor as that sounds I'm not sure it is the worst in the UK. For example, Carmarthen-Cardiff is 1hr 41min for 55.2 miles (again, using a straight line measurement), or 33mph average.
Title: Re: Improved service, Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham Post by: JayMac on September 30, 2014, 11:35:52 I don't think it is that straightforward, with franchising the way it is under DfT control. Surely if SWT were able to release 158s or 159s the DfT would step in first and allocate a couple to FGW to replace the units already on 'permanent loan' with them? Unless of course by then (May 15) there are other options for FGW, such as surplus DMUs from Scotrail? Paul Didn't FGW tender for loco hauled stocked from December 2014? Won't that release DMUs to negate the need for hired in SWT units? Title: Re: Improved service, Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham Post by: grahame on September 30, 2014, 12:25:04 Didn't FGW tender for loco hauled stocked from December 2014? Won't that release DMUs to negate the need for hired in SWT units? One SWT unit remains on hire to FGW for the foreseeable future; the second one returns very soon as SWT need to step up their fleet maintenance / refurb program and there's to be an extra unit in that. Source - WWRUG meeting / FGW speaker / 25th September (95% sure that's where I heard it; 85% sure it was that speaker) Title: Re: Improved service, Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham Post by: John R on September 30, 2014, 12:56:06 Worst in the UK on what grounds? The quoted article mentions only that the journey times are slow. FirstGW mixing deck tells me it can take 53mins for about 32 miles (as the crow flies). Around 36mph average, and as poor as that sounds I'm not sure it is the worst in the UK. For example, Carmarthen-Cardiff is 1hr 41min for 55.2 miles (again, using a straight line measurement), or 33mph average. I don't think you can compare a town of 16000 with one of 95000 when considering the appropriateness of a level of train service from it. The "worst" will clearly be taking this into account.Title: Re: Improved service, Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham Post by: grahame on September 30, 2014, 13:25:43 Worst in the UK on what grounds? The quoted article mentions only that the journey times are slow. FirstGW mixing deck tells me it can take 53mins for about 32 miles (as the crow flies). Around 36mph average, and as poor as that sounds I'm not sure it is the worst in the UK. For example, Carmarthen-Cardiff is 1hr 41min for 55.2 miles (again, using a straight line measurement), or 33mph average. I don't think you can compare a town of 16000 with one of 95000 when considering the appropriateness of a level of train service from it. The "worst" will clearly be taking this into account.You can do very silly things with statistics. Cardiff to Taunton is 32 miles in a straight line. Train journey on through services takes 2 hours; if you change on the way you can do it in 1 hr 44 mins. I make that 16 m.p.h average on the through train, rising to 18.5 m.p.h. with a change. Not only are the speed comparisons rather silly in this case, but I would also question how many through passengers who will want to be carried from Cardiff to Taunton. If you want something even sillier, try Southend to Margate. It's not just the populations and distances, but the flows. Title: Re: Improved service, Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham Post by: IndustryInsider on September 30, 2014, 17:02:37 If you want something even sillier, try Southend to Margate. How about Stratford-Upon-Avon to Worcester at 20 miles and around two hours on the direct trains? ;) 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 |