Long Rock Depot - part of £146 million investment for future

[whole diary]

[Kernowman]

Thank you, Kernowman. I hope that the disconnection of Oil road does not mean that no provision will be made for a future reinstatement of rail-borne fuel delivieries. If there is going to be an increase in frequency of services on the main line to Plymouth/beyond, it could follow that larger quantities of fuel will be delivered to Penzance. In this case, a train of fuel tankers should be more economically attractive than before. 

My thoughts exactly, you've hit the nail on the head there.

KM

[Kernowman]

Albert's siding (just west of the shed) and No 4 running road (behind the shed on the inland side) have also now been lifted in preparation for the new shed, so it may be interesting stabling stock over Christmas day and Boxing day.
KM

[bobm]

I suppose some stock could be berthed in Penzance station over the holiday.

[SandTEngineer]

I suppose some stock could be berthed in Penzance station over the holiday.

...mmm.  It's sure to be vandalised if its left there...

[Kernowman]

I suppose some stock could be berthed in Penzance station over the holiday.

...mmm.  It's sure to be vandalised if its left there...

There's nothing in the station but 57605 Totnes Castle and sleeper stock (4 day coaches and 5 sleeper coaches) is stabled just outside the station on Slopers siding at Eastern Green.
Also at Long Rock there's 3 X 150s, 3 x 153s, 1 X 5 coach Voyager, 08410 on a barrier vehicle and 3 spare coaches and 4 x HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) plus, I suspect, another HST in the shed.
Happy Christmas.
Km

[Andy]

On 3rd January, Cornwall Railway Society website reports a rumour that there are plans to extend Long Rock Depot with three sidings at Ponsandane to provide extra space. Can anyone confirm or deny?  Thanks.

[broadgage]

Sounds a good idea IF true. Hopefully able to take a 10 car, not 5+5 IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train). And yes I know that they are not that length now, but planning for the future?

As is well known, I dont think much of IETs, but we are stuck them for many years yet. A future operator might improve them by lengthening and making them into proper inter city units.

[IndustryInsider]

Sounds a good idea IF true. Hopefully able to take a 10 car, not 5+5 IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train). And yes I know that they are not that length now, but planning for the future?

It has been talked about, but I've heard of no definite green light for it to happen yet.

It would certainly be sensible for each road to be able to take two 5-car units, and therefore a 9-car, though looking at the land available getting all three sidings to be the required length might be a stretch.  I would imagine funding would only be provided for the minimum of what is required and I think any thoughts of 9-car trains being extended to 10-car can now be parked in the siding (if you will excuse the pun) for many years given recent events.  On that basis I would not be surprised if something like two 9-car and one 5-car length is what will eventually be provided.  That is pure speculation on my part though.

[Andy]

Thanks for the replies. I dare say it wouldn't happen until (unless) the industry recovers from the current situation, so probably not for quite some time.
 

[Kernowman]

The three new sidings at Ponsandane (between Longrock and Penzance) are still not completed. Work started clearing and preparing the site in June 2021, two and a half years ago, the halt in work, I believe, due to awaiting planning permission to move an ariel mast. This is possibly one of the reasons that two of the five nine-car Paddington IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train)’s that end up in Penzance in the evening spend the night at Laira (One does a local to Plymouth, the other goes ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock)). This project is possibly worthy of some kind of ‘Duration’ (other descriptions might also be appropriate) Award, although it’s facing stiff competition from the Lostwithiel Footbridge project for such an award. Another future contender is the St Ives branch with platforms extended in early 2022 for longer trains which, two years later, have yet to materialise.

[REVUpminster]

Can add Platform 2 at Exeter St Davids, lifts at Torquay and new entrance at Newton Abbot. The last two planning permission is running out.