Connections to/from Warminster

[whole diary]

[phile]

Correct. 1500 miles, so Westbury to Warminster abd back would use next to nothing taking it in context.    All are 1500/1600 miles capacity except Pacers which can only run 800 miles.

[Network SouthEast]

I'd question whether a 153 can do 1500 miles.

I believe that the 153 fuel tank has a 225 gallon capacity. 225 gallons is 1022.87 litres, which would suggest to me that a 1000 mile range is more likely than a 1500 mile range.

By way of comparison the class 150 and class 158 have 450 gallon fuel tanks - I think a 1500/1600 mile range is realistic for these units.

Although a trip to Warminster and back may not make the tank run dry it may be a consideration. But that's not to stop a unit diagram reshuffle to enable a trip to happen if that was a concern.

[phile]

The official fuel range of a Class 153 is 1600 miles.   When diagramming, this is what the distance between fuelling is based.    Virtually, every diagram will run 2 days and very often they can extend into 3 days depending on the mileage.

[John R]

If it's too complicated to link in an additional southbound departure at around 4.30 from Swindon with an offsetting northbound service, is it possible to use the unit that sits at Swindon until 1754 to run a service as far as Melksham and back.  Ignoring any crewing issues for the moment, is it a valid movement to go half way down the single line and then turn around and come back?

With passenger volumes growing at MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains), an early eve commuter departure could prove very attractive in growing the commuter market from the town.

[grahame]

So you're suggesting a 16:36 from Swindon to fill the 15:14 to 17:36 gap arriving in Melksham at 17:03 ... and a 17:20 from Melksham to Swindon, filling the 16:31 to 18:48 gap?  I suspect it would be very popular in Melksham. But it might be viewed rather dimly (!) in Trowbridge - it would be be REALLY good for them to have an arrival and a departure at around 17:10, and I understand some quite influential people are based in the town.  I can't see any freight paths around there (at least not today!)

If you sort out *that* gap, then logically you probably want to plug the 06:38 to 09:15 southbound and 07:48 to 10:03 northbound gaps too in a similar.   The northbound train would need to leave by 08:55 to clear the way for the 09:15 and the only way I can see a train being available would be a few minutes later than that.   Then there's the issue of the freight path ...

[John R]

Yes, that's the suggestion. It's not ideal, but at the moment you can't reverse at Trowbridge, and running to Westbury and back is probably not feasible, so it's the best that can be done within the existing resources.

The other gaps you refer to are separate issues. That's not to say they aren't important though. I'm only looking at northbound commuting and offering an additional return option at relatively low cost.  Given the morning services have both arrived at Chippenham by 8am, I would have thought an earlier evening departure would be attractive for many?

[John R]

I think it would also be useful at testing the water. If, for example, the added attractiveness doubled the number of commuters from Melksham (or +50%, or whatever), that would be a good indication of the potential opportunity if the service could be extended to Westbury at a later date and could assist in planning.

[grahame]

I think it would also be useful at testing the water. If, for example, the added attractiveness doubled the number of commuters from Melksham (or +50%, or whatever), that would be a good indication of the potential opportunity if the service could be extended to Westbury at a later date and could assist in planning.

A 16:36 off Swindon would indeed plug a huge gap for Melksham people ... and the off / on at Melksham seems to be growing well ... we always predicted early massing through traffic growth with Melksham growing slower at first but keeping growing for longer, and we're now seeing that growth at Melksham getting stronger.   

A 16:36 off Swindon should also boost the morning trains IN significantly.

[JayMac]

A 16:36 off Swindon would indeed plug a huge gap for Melksham people ...

From the recent passenger surveys that is a common response to the open questions about current service provision what improvements folk would like to see.

Many folk have specifically requested a service from Swindon between the 1514 and 1736.

[John R]

I reckon the marginal cost of a return trip to MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains) would be:-

Staff (12hpw)   ^17k
Fuel: (2l per mile) ^17k
Track Access: 5p per vehicle per mile: ^1k

I've assumed there is no additional maintenance cost, as I have no way of knowing what the figures would be.

So ^35k in total.

If it attracted 10 extra commuters to CPM^» (Chippenham - next trains) and 10 to SWI^» (Swindon - next trains) that would deliver around 22k of revenue.   So in the short term the service would be likely to need some revenue support.  16 extra to each and it's just about paying it's way.  That would mean doubling the current volume of northbound commuters from MKM. The spread of traffic across the two morning trains means that could comfortably be accommodated, with a degree of standing as far as CPM on the later train.

Edited to correct MLM to MKM.