Title: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: Sion Bretton on April 16, 2009, 19:52:48 I see from the poster at Bristol TM letting us know there is timetable changes on 17/05/09 that Bedminster Station be comes a request stop.
Is this a starting process for closing this station down? Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: devon_metro on April 16, 2009, 20:18:34 DfT
Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: thetrout on April 16, 2009, 20:29:36 DfT Maybe this smiley might be appropriate...! >:( Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: gaf71 on April 16, 2009, 20:37:44 I see from the poster at Bristol TM letting us know there is timetable changes on 17/05/09 that Bedminster Station be comes a request stop. Not if it gets well used. Most stops on Barnstaple branch are request stops, and some have even gone the other way. i.e. Request stop to a booked stop (yeoford). Also Exton and Lympstone Commando on the Exmouth branch are request stops, and there is no way these ststions would be closed. I think its normally due to low use, and saving time in running if no need to stop.Is this a starting process for closing this station down? Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: inspector_blakey on April 16, 2009, 23:23:57 I don't completely understand the logic of timetabling request stops.
Surely this can only be timetabled in one of two ways, neither of which is entirely satisfactory...? 1. The service is timetabled on the assumption that it will not stop at BMT; when the stop is requested the train ends up running late, or 2. The service is timetabled on the assumption that it will stop at BMT, in which case when the stop is not requested it simply ends up "waiting time" at the next calling point. ??? Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: devon_metro on April 16, 2009, 23:44:57 They are often at locations where a stop will not make a significant difference due to low speed (applicable) and also at BMT you are likely to be held to enter Bristol Temple M.
Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: Chris from Nailsea on April 17, 2009, 00:05:42 Just as a matter of interest ... at what particular point on the platform at Bedminster should one flag down an HST 'on request'? The recently installed boards for the stopping points for an HST at Bedminster, whether 1+7 or 1+8, are both beyond the permitted areas for passengers on the platforms, in both directions?
Merely curious! C. ;) :D ;D Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: FarWestJohn on April 17, 2009, 09:43:21 Perranwell, as previously mentioned , is also to become a request stop with only one in every two trains off peak in the timetable. The Truro to Perranwell time seems to be the same at 7 minutes but in the other direction it is 8 or 9 minutes. Presumably this is to allow for pathing purposes in Truro.
The timings from Falmouth Town to Truro seem to be 25/26 minutes with or without a Perranwell stop. In the reverse direction they are 20/21 minutes with or without a Perranwell stop. So there does not appear to be any time allowed especially for the Perranwell stop. The difference between the up and down timings is for the new passing loop at Penryn. As it is a request stop I do not see why the Perranwell stop is not for all trains if it makes no difference to the timings. Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: Mojo on April 17, 2009, 14:52:08 The poster should have been removed yesterday - heard that it is incorrect.
Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: inspector_blakey on April 17, 2009, 15:22:09 Just as a matter of interest ... at what particular point on the platform at Bedminster should one flag down an HST 'on request'? The recently installed boards for the stopping points for an HST at Bedminster, whether 1+7 or 1+8, are both beyond the permitted areas for passengers on the platforms, in both directions? Merely curious! C. ;) :D ;D You don't need to stand next to the stop marker - a conspicuous hand signal from one of the "authorized" platform areas should do just fine - the driver will see you then pull up at the appropriate point ;) Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: johoare on April 17, 2009, 16:11:15 Just as a matter of interest ... at what particular point on the platform at Bedminster should one flag down an HST 'on request'? The recently installed boards for the stopping points for an HST at Bedminster, whether 1+7 or 1+8, are both beyond the permitted areas for passengers on the platforms, in both directions? Merely curious! C. ;) :D ;D You don't need to stand next to the stop marker - a conspicuous hand signal from one of the "authorized" platform areas should do just fine - the driver will see you then pull up at the appropriate point ;) I was a bit curious too.. I've never heard of trains stopping on request.. So, assuming people on board the train are also able to request the train stops.. how do they do it? :) Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: devon_metro on April 17, 2009, 16:21:19 The Guard/Conductor/Train Manager walks around asking, or usually expects to be asked when checking tickets. If the Guard does not tell the driver anything then he will stop.
Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: johoare on April 17, 2009, 16:25:40 Thanks devon_metro...That makes more sense.. I'm not used to having guards etc on the train as we don't regularly have them on services from Maidenhead to Paddington so that hadn't occurred to me ;D
Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: inspector_blakey on April 17, 2009, 18:56:30 The system usually works reasonably well, assuming that the guard is actually willing/able to go through the train checking tickets. Having said that it's becoming increasingly unusual in my experience for trains not to call at request stops - on my regular route back to the parents' Kidwelly, Ferryside and most of the stations on the Pembroke Dock branch beyond Whitland are request stops and I can't remember the last time I travelled past any of them without stopping.
Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: vacman on April 17, 2009, 23:29:33 Perranwell is so lightly used that I don't think anyone can complain about only an hourly service-it's still a better service than it gets now, it will save around 1 minute by not stopping there as the turn around time at Truro from the new timetable is just 2 mins!
Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: devon_metro on April 18, 2009, 00:13:16 Perranwell is so lightly used that I don't think anyone can complain about only an hourly service-it's still a better service than it gets now, it will save around 1 minute by not stopping there as the turn around time at Truro from the new timetable is just 2 mins! I'm guessing that mainline connections being held go out the window then? Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: eightf48544 on April 18, 2009, 10:46:54 Perranwell is so lightly used that I don't think anyone can complain about only an hourly service-it's still a better service than it gets now, it will save around 1 minute by not stopping there as the turn around time at Truro from the new timetable is just 2 mins! Turnaround time of 2 minutes. Although I'm all for smart operating 2 minutes seems to be pushing it. Consider what has to be done, passengers detrain, passengers entrain, driver swaps ends, guard swaps ends. Meanwhile the signalman has to get the road by changing the points and pulling off the relevant signals always assumming the lines are clear. How many trains does this apply to? It can be done occasionaly with late running incoming trains, but not every half hour day in day out 363 days a year. If they do mange it consistently then there are going to be some awfully fit train crews and signalmen in the West. Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: devon_metro on April 18, 2009, 12:42:57 Its likely there is some slack in the running times anyway.
Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: John R on April 18, 2009, 13:07:56 Isn't there a turnaround time of 0 minutes on the Newquay branch according to the published timetable?
Title: Re: Bedminster Station from 17/05/09 Post by: vacman on April 18, 2009, 19:31:57 Isn't there a turnaround time of 0 minutes on the Newquay branch according to the published timetable? there is, but at the same time there are about 4 "charter minutes" between Quintrell downs and Newquay.a 2 min turnaround is just possible at Truro with a single 153, no points to change if the train is straight back out and the driver no longer has to put the staff in to the instrument and phone the signalman at Truro. on most trips it appears that there is about 6 min turnaround at Falmouth so a bit of recovery time really! as for holding for the main line, well whats the point if theres a train 30 mins later? 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 |