Weymouth Wizard via TransWilts

[whole diary]

[Adelante_CCT]

I don't think there is a way of 'swapping' them, as you say this would require a recast of the timetable seeing as the before and after units start further north than Bristol.
Another option would be have it depart around 08:00-08:05. This would have a clear path as far as Yeovil where by assuming you eliminate the 6 minutes dwell times at both Westbury and between Frome and Blatchbridge junction you would arrive at around 09:35-09:40. This would allow it to pass the 08:46 from Weymouth which in itself could be held up to an extra five minutes provided it gets to Castle Cary before the following Weymouth service. The 08:46 then has 23 minutes at Westbury giving it plenty of time to catch up to its normal path. The HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) would then arrive Weymouth around 10:30.
Would this be an idea for future years or would a service at this time be considered too early for day trippers?

[grahame]

I digress somewhat, but even if the 'all stations' became the 0909 it would appear difficult to change the timetable to allow an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) to run the earlier service. At least it runs the 'right' service out of Weymouth in the evening.

Indeed ... first thing to note is that the 08:39 turns right round and heads back, passing the HST at Dorchester.  Swap them over, and you end up with the HST running up and down through the day.   And as you say the HST is slower overall so that it really needs to be last of a series or services, or have a bigger gap to the next one.  You may also have issues with the SLC^▸ (Service Level Commitment, or possibly SLC Rail (a consultancy firm), depending on context) and gaps in service at the hals where the HST doesn't call.

Well actually I suspect it could be done.   Just to have huge numbers of other ripples to sort out.  And to have to be undone again come 12th September.

But here's a question.  How many people join that 08:39 at Temple Meads and how do they get there?

The HST would then arrive Weymouth around 10:30.

Would this be an idea for future years or would a service at this time be considered too early for day trippers?

Just caught those as I posted.  Intersting thought!

[bobm]

An alternative is do you, as train planners, say "Bristol already has a service to Weymouth" and look at running the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) from, say, Cardiff via Bristol Parkway to Swindon and then as per the last few weeks.  Gives a new journey opportunity for some and for those using Bath or Bristol Temple Meads the option of changing at Swindon or Bristol PW^▸ (Permanent Way - the railway track) on either the outward or inward leg.

[ChrisB]

Weight I would imagine -doesn't an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) weigh far more than a steam loco? Thus damage to old track wiuld be more if the HST ran at the same speed a steam loco is allowed?

Also, slam door HST will take longer dwell times st all stations, thus the DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) will be quicker surely, given the speed restriction on the HST?

[ellendune]

Weight I would imagine -doesn't an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) weigh far more than a steam loco? Thus damage to old track wiuld be more if the HST ran at the same speed a steam loco is allowed?

Also, slam door HST will take longer dwell times st all stations, thus the DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) will be quicker surely, given the speed restriction on the HST?

I am sure the weight of a comparable steam loco would be more than the power car of an HST. If not then the out of balance load caused by the pistons would lead to the steam loco causing far more track damage.  IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly') the King Class were not allowed into Cornwall because they were too heavy for the Saltash Bridge. 

[JayMac]

An alternative is do you, as train planners, say "Bristol already has a service to Weymouth" and look at running the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) from, say, Cardiff via Bristol Parkway to Swindon and then as per the last few weeks.  Gives a new journey opportunity for some and for those using Bath or Bristol Temple Meads the option of changing at Swindon or Bristol PW^▸ (Permanent Way - the railway track) on either the outward or inward leg.

Except that folk from Bristol and Bath would only be able to use the Heart of Wessex Rover or split tickets. There are no permitted routes for them to Weymouth via Bristol Parkway or Melksham.

[grahame]

An alternative is do you, as train planners, say "Bristol already has a service to Weymouth" and look at running the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) from, say, Cardiff via Bristol Parkway to Swindon and then as per the last few weeks.  Gives a new journey opportunity for some and for those using Bath or Bristol Temple Meads the option of changing at Swindon or Bristol PW^▸ (Permanent Way - the railway track) on either the outward or inward leg.

Except that folk from Bristol and Bath would only be able to use the Heart of Wessex Rover or split tickets. There are no permitted routes for them to Weymouth via Bristol Parkway or Melksham.

Isn't a through train always valid on "any permitted" - so no issue for joiners at anywhere it stops.  And it's still "via Yeovil"

[JayMac]

An alternative is do you, as train planners, say "Bristol already has a service to Weymouth" and look at running the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) from, say, Cardiff via Bristol Parkway to Swindon and then as per the last few weeks.  Gives a new journey opportunity for some and for those using Bath or Bristol Temple Meads the option of changing at Swindon or Bristol PW^▸ (Permanent Way - the railway track) on either the outward or inward leg.

Except that folk from Bristol and Bath would only be able to use the Heart of Wessex Rover or split tickets. There are no permitted routes for them to Weymouth via Bristol Parkway or Melksham.

Isn't a through train always valid on "any permitted" - so no issue for joiners at anywhere it stops.  And it's still "via Yeovil"

Bob was suggesting a service from Cardiff to Weymouth via Bristol Parkway and Melksham. That wouldn't be a direct service for folk from Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) and Bath.

[bobm]

A couple of thoughts on the fares issue.

Speaking to one of the train managers involved he was surprised at the number of people travelling on Freedom of South West rovers (I was one).

Also if you restricted the change to just Swindon for Bath and Bristol Temple Meads that's an exclusively FGW^▸ (First Great Western) flow and there might be scope for a promotional fare if the powers that be thought there was merit in tempting people off the BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) to WEY units in favour of the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)).

[Adelante_CCT]

So if it runs via Swindon the Bristol/Bath people wouldn't be happy, and if it runs normally then the Swindon people wouldn't be happy. Also if it did run earlier per my suggestion then there wouldn't be a connection at Westbury from the first Swindon service and that really wouldn't please a few people, especially those in the Melksham area 
Heres a crazy suggestion that I'm sure couldn't happen for a million reasons but here we go....
As far as I'm aware the 180s aren't used at weekends, why not have one (or the future 800s) run from Bristol as normal which joins up at Westbury with another portion that's come from Swindon (Or further east perhaps, Oxford? Didcot? Paddington even???)
Serves both areas and has 10cars along the busy part. SHOULD keep everyone happy.....

[TeaStew]

Except those that dislike anything that isn't HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) 

[ChrisB]

And there's a good reason that the 180s aren't generally used at weekends

[JayMac]

Heres a crazy suggestion that I'm sure couldn't happen for a million reasons but here we go....
As far as I'm aware the 180s aren't used at weekends, why not have one (or the future 800s) run from Bristol as normal which joins up at Westbury with another portion that's come from Swindon (Or further east perhaps, Oxford? Didcot? Paddington even???)

Class 180s aren't route cleared beyond Dorchester Junction, so everybody out at Dorchester West.

Too early to say whether Class 800s would be cleared. But I think it unlikely that anyone will bother gauging the line between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth for them. Probably will be gauged (along with the AT300s) from Castle Cary to Yeovil PM then to Yeovil Junction and down the SWML^▸ (South Western Mail Line) to Exeter for diversionary use.

[paul7575]

Too early to say whether Class 800s would be cleared. But I think it unlikely that anyone will bother gauging the line between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth for them. Probably will be gauged (along with the AT300s) from Castle Cary to Yeovil PM then to Yeovil Junction and down the SWML^▸ (South Western Mail Line) to Exeter for diversionary use.

IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) gauge clearance is in the CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) enhancements plan as follows:

Core routes
^ London to Cardiff/Swansea/Carmarthen.
^ London to Bristol/Weston Super Mare/Taunton.
^ London to Gloucester/Cheltenham.
^ London to Oxford/Worcester/Hereford.
^ London to Newbury/Westbury/Exeter/Paignton.
Diversionary routes
^ Westbury to Bath Spa.
^ Gloucester to Severn Tunnel Junction.
^ Cardiff to Bridgend via Barry.
^ Castle Cary to Exeter via Yeovil.
^ Reading to Waterloo.

But of course there'll now have to be a further project to gauge clear AT300 beyond Newton Abbott to Penzance - so perhaps some other previously presumed HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) routes will get done.  Interesting that they don't intend to clear the route to Waterloo via Westbury and Salisbury - perhaps NR^» (Network Rail - home page) have made some sort of promise that Reading will never be closed again...   

[PhilWakely]

Diversionary routes
^ Westbury to Bath Spa.
^ Gloucester to Severn Tunnel Junction.
^ Cardiff to Bridgend via Barry.
^ Castle Cary to Exeter via Yeovil.
^ Reading to Waterloo.

What about Westbury to Chippenham via Melksham    I have been on a number of diverted Exeter to Paddington HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) via the Trans-Wilts route. Diverted for any number of reasons as well as engineering work.