|
Southern Stag
|
 |
« Reply #30 on: September 11, 2012, 17:19:38 » |
|
Isn't Padd - Newquay the only FGW▸ service in the South West that is in direct competition with air? Surely the faster the better?
Yes, but Newquay-London is not the market that air is serving. The airport is actually some way out of Newquay with pretty poor public transport links. It acts as a hub airport for Cornwall. Bodmin Parkway is probably the nearest comparison, acting as a hub for much of North Cornwall. The traffic using Newquay Airport would use a variety of Cornish stations. As the Penzance services are busier it makes sense for those to be the quickest. Truro is by far the busiest station in Cornwall as well. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Umberleigh
|
|
« Reply #31 on: September 13, 2012, 00:13:30 » |
|
Isn't Padd - Newquay the only FGW▸ service in the South West that is in direct competition with air? Surely the faster the better?
Yes, but Newquay-London is not the market that air is serving. The airport is actually some way out of Newquay with pretty poor public transport links. It acts as a hub airport for Cornwall. Bodmin Parkway is probably the nearest comparison, acting as a hub for much of North Cornwall. The traffic using Newquay Airport would use a variety of Cornish stations. As the Penzance services are busier it makes sense for those to be the quickest. Truro is by far the busiest station in Cornwall as well. Fair point, however I was thinking incoming passengers, given that 750,000 tourists visit Newquay annually, and that literally millions of people have fast, easy access to Gatwick from their homes. After all, what's a five mile Newquay Airport - Newquay town taxi trip going to cost when shared between 2-4 people? Would be interested to know the percentage of visitors arriving by air (I have to admit I have no real idea) and if it's a market worth competing for. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Southern Stag
|
|
« Reply #32 on: September 13, 2012, 12:29:54 » |
|
I agree with that, more people heading in to Newquay Airport will be visiting Newquay than people heading out of Newquay Airport having come from Newquay. A lot of the visitors to Newquay are groups of young people, Newquay isn't really a great family holiday resort any more, so price is likely to be the main factor when they decide what mode of transport to take, rather than speed. You do get lots of groups of young people using the train to Newquay, just quite often not on the direct Summer Saturday trains, which have got less and less busy over the years. If the price is competitive the market for passengers in to Newquay are probably less bothered about speed or having to change trains.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Umberleigh
|
|
« Reply #33 on: September 14, 2012, 18:49:01 » |
|
Hi Southern Stag, any idea how the weekday direct services are faring?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Southern Stag
|
|
« Reply #34 on: September 14, 2012, 19:40:51 » |
|
I'd say the weekday service is busier but then there is only one service, whereas there are three to choose from on a weekend. You still get lots of people who change at Par for stations to Penzance, so I'm not convinced it's better sending the HST▸ to Newquay rather than Penzance, which would be possible but perhaps slightly tight within the current timings.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
smokey
|
|
« Reply #35 on: September 14, 2012, 19:54:29 » |
|
Once again Newquay has an event on this weekend and FGW▸ supply a Class 153 to work to Newquay! Mind in someone had half a Brain in FGW land they could see fron Web based tickets Sales they would see a Surge in people heading to/from Newquay for today, Sunday and Monday** But as normal FGW just don't CARE! I guess the St Ives service was still 2 by class 150 today. ** The real tragedy is that it's likely that many of these Passengers are NEW to rail and get a dose of FGW's very best customer service, treated like ANIMALS, it took up to 2 hours to clear Par station by Road for those who couldn't get on the 14:07 Par-Newquay. Bring on Stagecoach Great Western.  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Louis94
|
|
« Reply #36 on: September 14, 2012, 20:00:52 » |
|
Bring on Stagecoach Great Western. You think they'd run more carriages?! Must be dreaming... |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Southern Stag
|
|
« Reply #37 on: September 14, 2012, 20:19:23 » |
|
Newquay has now been strengthened for tomorrow and a standby coach will be provided at Par. And I've never heard of Newquay Fish Festival before either.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
smokey
|
|
« Reply #38 on: September 14, 2012, 20:41:26 » |
|
Bring on Stagecoach Great Western. You think they'd run more carriages?! Must be dreaming... Maybe not but Stagecoach seem more Switched On than First: |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
slippy
|
|
« Reply #39 on: September 14, 2012, 21:54:49 » |
|
Newquay has now been strengthened for tomorrow and a standby coach will be provided at Par. And I've never heard of Newquay Fish Festival before either.
Newquay is strengthened tomorrow (Saturday) due to the fish festival according to FGW▸ , which should attract an additional 7 passengers??? The main problem is the hundreds of drunken louts arriving for the 'Bangface Festival' (google it), for drunks and druggies, so Sunday and Monday returning will also be mayhem if not strengthened.... Is St.Ives seriously still four cars??? |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: September 14, 2012, 22:13:59 by slippy »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Southern Stag
|
|
« Reply #40 on: September 14, 2012, 23:22:18 » |
|
St Ives was four carriages on Wednesday. Everything on the mainline is nicely rammed back as just two carriages of course. 0600 Penzance-Cardiff was reported as a four car this morning though, I believe that's normally just two, so perhaps one of the St Ives 150s was being got rid of.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
Posts: 6594
The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!
|
|
« Reply #41 on: September 15, 2012, 09:27:46 » |
|
Newquay has now been strengthened for tomorrow and a standby coach will be provided at Par. And I've never heard of Newquay Fish Festival before either.
Newquay is strengthened tomorrow (Saturday) due to the fish festival according to FGW▸ , which should attract an additional 7 passengers??? The main problem is the hundreds of drunken louts arriving for the 'Bangface Festival' (google it), for drunks and druggies, so Sunday and Monday returning will also be mayhem if not strengthened.... Is St.Ives seriously still four cars??? Poor Newquay, I'm glad I'm not there. Hope it rains. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Now, please!
|
|
|
|
Southern Stag
|
|
« Reply #42 on: September 15, 2012, 17:19:38 » |
|
St Ives still four car today. FGW▸ now acknowledging the existence of Bangface festival, so hopefully will strengthen on Sunday and Monday as well.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
vacman
|
|
« Reply #43 on: September 15, 2012, 19:54:16 » |
|
Thats the second event that they have managed to f**k up at Newquay this year, Boardmasters was a disaster with just a 2 car 150!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
vacman
|
|
« Reply #44 on: September 15, 2012, 19:57:46 » |
|
Bring on Stagecoach Great Western. You think they'd run more carriages?! Must be dreaming... Maybe not but Stagecoach seem more Switched On than First: Really? I'm sure most of EMT» 's customers on the Liverpool-Norwich route would disagree, along with most of their services in the East around Lincoln which seem to be mostly formed of rammed single 153's, right slippy? ;-) |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Click on the map to explore geographics
