Whiteball Tunnel blockade - January / February 2014

[whole diary]

[trainbuff]

That is very interesting.I had not heard of any XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) drivers at Bristol doing so. Plymouth Drivers also sign the Taunton-Bristol route via Castle Cary and Westbury. Guess it probably only needs to be a few. Mind you though will these trains run or is it just a path? I mean there are paths at least weekly for an armaments train from Ernesettle (Plymouth) but this does not always run.
If it does run on any of the 3 weeks would like to hear about it on here if people could let me know!

[Pb_devon]

Just picked up my copy of the book.
What is slightly disconcerting is the order of the timetables. In each section it goes Saturday; Sunday; Mon-Fri.  I can maybe see why - the blockade starts on a Saturday - but it flies in the face of normal UK^▸ (United Kingdom) convention.

[AMLAG]

I too have today collected a copy of this FGW^▸ (First Great Western) produced 120 page Train service alterations booklet from my local Railway Station.. a really useful publication that at a glance an intending passenger can appreciate easily and fully (compared to the modern 'paperless' way of trying to find out!) the service planned to be run.

Oh that such booklets on alterations to services due to planned Engineering works were still issued weekly and not just for periods of planned major disruption to train services.

I seem to remember the lining of Evershot Tunnel (between Yeovil PM & Maiden Newton) being concrete sprayed many years ago without any disruption to passenger trains or greater crested Newts.

[SandTEngineer]

Just picked up my copy this evening.  An excellent publication that even includes XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services (shame on Arriva XC )

[broadgage]

Blockade is from 0305 on 18th Jan to 0500 on 10th Feb.  Re-lining work in Whiteball Tunnel, several plain line track renewal sites and points being renewed at Taunton West and Tiverton Jct.

So allowing for a bit of over running, I should be safe to travel to Taunton on Friday Febuary 14, returning on Teusday 18, and enjoy a meal in each direction.

Or is the work likely to over run by more than that ?

[PhilWakely]

There is much talk on here of the 100+ revised timetable tome issued by FGW^▸ (First Great Western), but can anybody point me in the right direction for a [non-public] Working Timetable for the through trains between Paddington and the Westcountry via Yeovil Junction please? 

[JayMac]

Welcome to the forum PhilWakely. 

Best online resource for WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table) information is probably Realtime Trains.

One entry from that, during the blockade:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/V56674/2014/01/20/advanced

If you need any help using RealtimeTrains, just ask.

[PhilWakely]

Many thanks for that link. Most useful. Last time the diversion was used extensively (every weekend during Feb/Mar 2012 I think), all trains were officially booked to stop at Honiton, Axminster and Yeovil Junction. I notice that is not the case this time, but the working timetable identified above shows a 15 minute stop at Honiton, which can only be at the platform, so why is it not properly advertised as a stop?

[JayMac]

I believe that booked passenger stops are only in place on diverted FGW^▸ (First Great Western) services that are taking the path of SWT^▸ (South West Trains) services that can not run.

Whilst there are unadvertised stops at some locations, by not having these as passenger stops allows services to be regulated to run early or late. This adds in some flexibility in the operation of the diversions timetable.

[PhilWakely]

A reasonable assumption. In fact, from what I can remember of the last lot of scheduled weekend diversions at the beginning of 2012, they were originally advertised as 'not stopping', but by the third weekend, the stops were appearing on the revised local timetable.

[paul7575]

... I notice that is not the case this time, but the working timetable identified above shows a 15 minute stop at Honiton, which can only be at the platform, so why is it not properly advertised as a stop?

Not advertising the stop is to help avoid FGW^▸ (First Great Western) carrying local passengers, given that their timetable is reduced they will be full already with longer distance passengers to/from west of Exeter.

This is also why calls in FGW's long distance diversions via Banbury were never advertised at Banbury during the Reading blockades. 

In the detail you've also got the automatic processes for apportioning fare revenue (ORCATS^▸ (Operational Research Computerised Allocation of Tickets to Services)).  If FGW stopped a fast train in public service at Honiton, they'd automatically receive some of SWT^▸ (South West Trains)'s fare revenue.

On the smaller scale you'd also find that SWT diversions via Westbury are not public calls, and on a regular basis the FGW services that divert via Eastleigh for route learning purposes every evening are not public calls.  Even though the doors will open during the reversal, and people will try and blag their way on at Eastleigh...

Paul

[grahame]

On the smaller scale you'd also find that SWT^▸ (South West Trains) diversions via Westbury are not public calls, and on a regular basis the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) services that divert via Eastleigh for route learning purposes every evening are not public calls.  Even though the doors will open during the reversal, and people will try and blag their way on at Eastleigh...

<offtopic>
The Freedom of Severn and Solent is not valid Eastleigh to Fareham ... could you remind me, Paul, which evening services these are so that our many members who use freedom ticket know which train to avoid - I don't think it's at all obvious from the timetable!
</offtopic>

[grahame]

Sadly answering my own question here ... looks like
* 19:30 Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour
* 21:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Westbury
from today's Realtime trains feed.

[paul7575]

Sadly answering my own question here ... looks like
* 19:30 Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour
* 21:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Westbury
from today's Realtime trains feed.

That's them.  You would see in RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) that the call at Eastleigh is not highlighted in the same way as other 'normal' calls. 

My view is that the above rover would be accepted by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) on those particular services, because as far as through passengers are aware the train just runs between Southampton and Fareham (either way) as normal - it is just the extra running time that gives it away.

The rover is also a possible issue when the service uses the standard diversion via Eastleigh and Chandlers Ford when Southampton is closed. But again I'd expect it to be accepted by FGW as they are temporarily off their normal route.

Paul

[grahame]

My view is that the above rover would be accepted by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) on those particular services, because as far as through passengers are aware the train just runs between Southampton and Fareham (either way) as normal - it is just the extra running time that gives it away.

Thanks - FGW confirm that view:

@fgw is the Freedom of Severn & Solent ticket valid for a journey from PMH to WSB^» (Westbury - next trains) on the 21:23 ex PMH?
@transwilts Yes, it would! Generally valid for travel after 09:00 on a weekday, and any time on a weekend. Eli.

Useful to know as it's the last train off Portsmouth back to Wiltshire!