'The Tarka Tourer' - HST to Barnstaple, Sunday 17 April 2016

[whole diary]

[John R]

Have they actually said that in respect of today?   Which is all that matters as availability will vary from day to day. They did run some additional services on Maundy Thursday, which implies that they can juggle maintenance around to release as many sets as possible when they have to.  Given that many local authorities school holidays finished a week ago, I'm not so sure there will be as much as a peak today as you are suggesting, but like you, I am purely speculating in that regard.

And I know that today's special is a commercial service, which I why I said "they have also run charity specials" to make it clear that I knew today's wasn't.   

[IndustryInsider]

It's more the availability of paths that is the problem on a Sunday - and crew in the height of summer and other holiday periods - than availability of HST^▸ (High Speed Train) trains.  A 30-minute interval service to/from Cornwall, South Wales, Bristol and Oxford would be very nice to have on a Sunday, but are impossible to path due to engineering work.  Today, the main lines are blocked between Dolphin Junction (east of Slough) all the way to Paddington.  Usually the main or relief lines are also shut between Didcot and Reading as well on a Sunday, but not today.

When Crossrail opens and electrification are complete then there will be more scope to provide additional trains.  I appreciating that the constant 'jam tomorrow' statements are frustrating, and to trot out a 'stock availability' statement, when that's not strictly true is silly, but it really is difficult to run a more frequent service when long sections of the route are running to a two-track timetable.

As far as I can remember, the only 'staff jollies' in many years were for the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) launch late last year.  It certainly isn't the regular occurrence that TG's post might suggest.

[PhilWakely]

It's surprising that there is no mention of this on the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Rail website, as it would have been a bit of good publicity for the line, even if locals didn't have the opportunity to use it.  Having said that, the website hasn't been updated since June last year, which is starting to reflect somewhat poorly on the association.

Plenty of posters visible on Tarka Line stations and locals out in force with cameras. Sadly, the posters give the impression that it would be 'the Green One' and some of the photters at Yeoford and Copplestone expressed their displeasure when your bog standard FGW^▸ (First Great Western) blue one turned up.

** Edited to add copy of local poster **

[Chris from Nailsea]

They turned the air blue, apparently. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

** Edited to add copy of local poster **

Thanks for posting that, err, poster, PhilWakely.

It does seem rather disingenuous of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) to have suggested that the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) would be "an Intercity 125 as shown above" in that poster. 

[PhilWakely]

** Edited to add copy of local poster **

Thanks for posting that, err, poster, PhilWakely.

It does seem rather disingenuous of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) to have suggested that the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) would be "an Intercity 125 as shown above" in that poster. 

To be fair, the 'author' of the poster is the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Rail Association and not GWR

[Chris from Nailsea]

Fair point. 

[Rob on the hill]

Is there much to see or do in Barnstaple on a Sunday afternoon?

Most pax are participating in the included coach trip to Woody Bay and the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, so, "Yes"

Thanks Phil, unfortunately the Woody Bay excursion is fully booked. I'm travelling on the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) so looking forward to a good day out.

Apologies Rob, I hadn't realised you had asked the question as you were actually travelling. The answer is still 'Yes'. If you are up for it, I would recommend a walk along the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Trail from Barnstaple station.

No worries Phil, I should have made it clear I was going to be on board. Thanks for your suggestion - I had a very pleasant walk along the Tarka Trail to Fremington Quay! 

[SandTEngineer]

Well thanks a bunch.  The 'special' left a track circuit failure on behind it at Kintbury and my train behind it (and that was supposed to overtake it at Newbury) was delayed by 12 minutes as a consequence

[Thatcham Crossing]

A video record of said HST^▸ (High Speed Train) on the Branch Line, and at Barnstaple is up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkpA4jiEdm8

As far as I can find online, there is a 30mph limit for "loco hauled trains" on the Branch, but it looks like it's going a bit faster than that in a few of those clips?

[PhilWakely]

As far as I can find online, there is a 30mph limit for "loco hauled trains" on the Branch, but it looks like it's going a bit faster than that in a few of those clips?

HST^▸ (High Speed Train) - 'Loco hauled' or (D)MU^▸ (Multiple Unit)?  

[paul7575]

AIUI^▸ (as I understand it), DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) on speed restriction signs does include HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train), (shown as Class 253/254 in the rule book) as long as they have at least three coaches.

On the other hand HST includes loads of DMUs that are not actually HSTs, including such as Voyagers.

Paul

[JayMac]

An alternative differential permissible speed board has 'SP' denoting 'Sprinter'. There are many variant differential speed boards though.

The Sectional Appendix has the following to say about differential permissible speed boards:

Class 253 and 254 trains formed with less than three coaches between the power cars are not permitted to run at MU^▸ (Multiple Unit) or DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) speeds

Which rather suggests, as paul7755 said, that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) of the usual normal 2+8 length, as was the case with the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Tourer, are permitted to travel at the MU speeds indicated on the Tarka Line.

[Chris from Nailsea]

A video record of said HST^▸ (High Speed Train) on the Branch Line, and at Barnstaple is up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkpA4jiEdm8

Some very good filming there - well worth watching! 

[polymath]

Normally a reader rather than a contributor, I felt it necessary to comment on certain points raised on this subject. The mini posters put up a stations on the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) line were not meant to be a definitive statement as to which set would be used on the tour, although we were hopeful that it would be the green set, considering GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s involvement, simply a way to advise people of the timings.

Unfortunately, with all the preparations that were necessary prior to the tour the TRA missed updating the website but did endeavour to fully publicise the event locally via press releases and radio interviews. We are pleased that so many people turned out for such a unique event, and we found it a really successful day. Hopefully to be repeated at some future date.