Brighton to Plymouth Service - could it be reinstated?

[whole diary]

[plejaren]

 yes but what i meant was with the exception of the portsmouth trains and the cardiff one which only runs 2 or 3 times a day, there isnt that connection to the midlands or the north

you have to inconveninatly (underground and all) , change in london

[eightf48544]

The elephant in the room that nobody mentions is electrification or lack of it.

Thus all the services proposed from the West to Brighton and perhaps further East have to be DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) because the juice runs out at Southampton. Not quite as stupid as the as the Basingstoke Norwich service which had to be 170s for lack of conductor rail for about a mile  around Kew.

The only way to get such services is to press for basically every line South of the FGW^▸ (First Great Western)
Berks and Hants line to be electrified probably third rail.

Thus Ashford International to Exeter would be a possiblity. Once the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) is electrified to Bristol then Salisbury Bristol should be 25KV, to give Brighton Bristol all electric with dual voltage units. Dual voltage with modern electronics is a doddle look at the 350/450 and the Southern Electrostars? Which do Croydon Watford.

As others have said until there are new spare DMUs such services are a bit of pipedream, and the likelihood of their being spare units even with new build which are basically to relieve existing overcrowding is unlikely expecialy if the 14Xs are withdrawn or more likely become so unreliable nobody will let them out of the depot.

[paul7575]

The elephant in the room that nobody mentions is electrification or lack of it.

As others have said until there are new spare DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) such services are a bit of pipedream, and the likelihood of their being spare units even with new build which are basically to relieve existing overcrowding is unlikely expecialy if the 14Xs are withdrawn or more likely become so unreliable nobody will let them out of the depot.

The availability of dual voltage electric rolling stock will increase markedly as Thameslink proceeds towards its final condition, with well over 1000 brand new vehicles in 8 or 12 car fixed formation. So being an optimist, the infill electrification will be needed so as to avoid units like 319s being scrapped 10-15 years early. Another key change is that Thameslink KO2 doesn't really introduce new routes, it absorbs existing Southern, Southeastern, and FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect)/GN routes into Thameslink, and will displace hundreds of 'mid-life' units from their existing electrified routes.

So I think Basingstoke - Salisbury - Exeter and Salisbury - Southampton/Eastleigh will be obvious solutions to soak up rolling stock, AC or Dc doesn't really matter as much of the stock can be made dual voltage even if not already.  The SWT^▸ (South West Trains) 158s and 159s, and then the SN Turbostars should be snapped up elsewhere, such as Norwich - Liverpool, especially if run as 6 or 9 car sets like Waterloo Salisbury etc...

Paul

[paul7575]

yes but what i meant was with the exception of the portsmouth trains and the cardiff one which only runs 2 or 3 times a day, there isnt that connection to the midlands or the north

you have to inconveninatly (underground and all) , change in london

If you are going directly North, I'd have thought the Thameslink route, with a change at St Pancras International was far better than the underground, especially for the leisure traveller away from the peaks.  Without much luggage I'd be tempted to walk to Euston as well...

Paul

 

[plejaren]

true

but its a case of putting up with an extra 15 min on a tube from victoria, or an extra 45 on a painfully slow stopping everywhere fcc service

[Btline]

Southern should switch to a fast Milton Keynes to Brighton service, instead of the slow Croydon - Milton service they have now.

To absorb any 3rd rail units, electrify: Uckfield - Lewes, Ore - Ashford, the West of England main line, Exeter to Barnstaple and Oakhampton, and the North Downs line.

[IndustryInsider]

To absorb any 3rd rail units, electrify: Uckfield - Lewes, Ore - Ashford, the West of England main line, Exeter to Barnstaple and Oakhampton, and the North Downs line.

I thought the only 3rd Rail electrification allowed now is for in-fill schemes, which rules out several of those above? If it didn't Basingstoke to Reading would be another good candidate.

[Btline]

Yes, but if the WOEML is to be electrified, it would be mad to use overhead cables, as there would be dual electrification from Woking to Waterloo! I, therefore, would count it as infill. This would make 3rd rail a better method for the Exmouth - Exeter - Barnstaple/Oakhampton line.

All the others are infill.