Newquay Branch line - engineering work, closures, incidents (merged topics)

[whole diary]

[Lee]

14:52 Newquay to Gunnislake due 17:20
This train has been started from Par. It will no longer call at: Newquay, St Columb Road, Roche, Bugle and Luxulyan. This is due to an earlier broken down train.

Replacement road transport will be provided between Newquay and Par.

14:00 Par to Newquay due 14:49
This train has been cancelled. This is due to a train fault.

Customers travelling from Par to Newquay are advised to travel on the alternative road transport service.

[grahame]

According to table 142 of the new National Rail Timetable, there are only TWO trains to Newquay on summer saturdays, arriving there at 11:08 and 13:07. That's as opposed to 6 trains on summer Sundays and 6 on Summer Monday-to Friday.   Have I missed something?

[Jim]

2 FGW^▸ (First Great Western) & 3 VXC^▸ (Virgin Cross Country - former franchise) on summer Saturdays, so you will need table 51 at a guess

[grahame]

Oh - magic.   Table 142 doesn't include trains that don't stop at Par 

Thanks Jim!

[Timmer]

I was going to purchase the last ever printed all line timetable until I viewed it online, but probably won't bother as it seems some of the Western Region timetables are incomplete to go on top of the usual errors. Sunday services on tables 123 and 125 are incomplete in particular. Why bother publishing them??? Incidently this is shown in FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s Book A as well for Sunday services.

[Scooby]

Summer Saturdays there are x3 FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and x3 VXC^▸ (Virgin Cross Country - former franchise) services to NQY^▸ (Newquay (Station)).
Sundays there are x1 FGW HST^▸ (High Speed Train), x1 VXC and x4 FGW local.

Weekdays this year is a farce with just x4 units until July, then x4 units plus x1 HST for July/August only.

VXC Saturday services do not stop Par.

[devon_metro]

I'd hate to live at any of the intermediate stations between NQY^▸ (Newquay (Station)) and Par on saturday.

[Timmer]

I'd hate to live at any of the intermediate stations between NQY^▸ (Newquay (Station)) and Par on saturday.

I doubt they even notice the lack of service on summer Saturdays. 4 trains a day isnt exactly convenient at the best of times. I find it staggering that a major town as Newquay has such few trains running to it. Bet it has a huge traffic problem during the summer months. But then again so does places like Weymouth and that has an hourly service from London!

[Lee]

I doubt they even notice the lack of service on summer Saturdays.

This may be part of the reasoning behind Jacob's decision to recommend their closure (Page 216 of the link below.)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/foi/responses/2006/september06/swindonwestburytrainsservice/greaterwesternoutlinebusines1103

[Scooby]

The problem with the Newquay line is its 20 miles long and takes a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) best part of a hour! Newquay to Exeter by rail is near enough 3 hours, road can half that, especially now the A30 Goss Moor bypass is part open.

As for local traffic, Par is nothing apart from a junction, theres not a great deal there, people in Newquay dont want to visit Par, the more likely places are St.Austell and Truro, both far far easier/quicker by bus from Newquay!!

As for the intermediate shacks would love to see the usage figures over the last few years to compare, Wessex operated 8 services on a weekday one year and a fair few people used the shacks for days out in Newquay. If HSTs can again stop Saltash, St.Germans, Devonport, why cant the first one out to Newquay and the last one back call at the shacks to offer a day in Newquay for the locals??

[Jim]

The problem with the Newquay line is its 20 miles long and takes a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) best part of a hour! Newquay to Exeter by rail is near enough 3 hours, road can half that, especially now the A30 Goss Moor bypass is part open.

As for local traffic, Par is nothing apart from a junction, theres not a great deal there, people in Newquay dont want to visit Par, the more likely places are St.Austell and Truro, both far far easier/quicker by bus from Newquay!!

As for the intermediate shacks would love to see the usage figures over the last few years to compare, Wessex operated 8 services on a weekday one year and a fair few people used the shacks for days out in Newquay. If HSTs can again stop Saltash, St.Germans, Devonport, why cant the first one out to Newquay and the last one back call at the shacks to offer a day in Newquay for the locals??

Because the 1st & last trains to NQY^▸ (Newquay (Station)) are VXC^▸ (Virgin Cross Country - former franchise)

[devon_metro]

The problem with the Newquay line is its 20 miles long and takes a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) best part of a hour! Newquay to Exeter by rail is near enough 3 hours, road can half that, especially now the A30 Goss Moor bypass is part open.

As for local traffic, Par is nothing apart from a junction, theres not a great deal there, people in Newquay dont want to visit Par, the more likely places are St.Austell and Truro, both far far easier/quicker by bus from Newquay!!

As for the intermediate shacks would love to see the usage figures over the last few years to compare, Wessex operated 8 services on a weekday one year and a fair few people used the shacks for days out in Newquay. If HSTs can again stop Saltash, St.Germans, Devonport, why cant the first one out to Newquay and the last one back call at the shacks to offer a day in Newquay for the locals??

the journey time would be silly if they stopped everywhere!

[Scooby]

Well the first FGW^▸ (First Great Western) out, and the last FGW back then... Would still offer a day in NQY^▸ (Newquay (Station)).....

Stopping wouldnt extend journey times much at all as the linespeed is so low.

[Jim]

Well the first FGW^▸ (First Great Western) out, and the last FGW back then... Would still offer a day in NQY^▸ (Newquay (Station)).....

Stopping wouldnt extend journey times much at all as the linespeed is so low.

I don't think so, because are they not only 4 hours apart

[Graz]

Are any of the stations request stops? Some of the villages they serve like St Columb Road are particularly small. (Although I have no experience of this area-yet!)

I think saturday 'seaside trips' to Newquay using the train are a very good idea. It could drum up a big sense of community spirit with discounted tickets on sale in village post offices, for example, with gearing towards groups of people and families from all the intermediate villages. Along with the adopt a station ideas, this could also encourage better general use of the stations and perhaps even long-distance trips from them.