Metrowest Status

[whole diary]

[johnneyw]

Can anyone tell me if the Vivarail Dtrain has a narrow enough gauge to negate the problems of the tunnels on the Portishead line reopening?

Given the size of the freight traffic through those tunnels, and the lowering of the floor in 2000-2001, I am not sure that gauge is the issue.

Ah, I read that issues with the tunnel meant that significant speed reduction or
expensive tunnel modification was needed, hence the sudden cost increase announced earlier this year. Admittedly, one of my sources was the Evening Post and I am allowing for my own capability to misinterpret information but I was left with the impression that the proposed stock for the Portishead line could not run at the speed required in the tunnels for the 1/2 hourly service.

[johnneyw]

Interesting interview on the John Darvall Show, BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Radio Bristol today (Tuesday) with the Deputy Metro Mayor Tim Warren. About 40 mins in the discussion reaches Metrowest. He states here that Severn Beach to Westbury is currently being discussed between Tim Bowles, the Metro Mayor and the government and would take presidence over the Portishead line. At about 50 mins the discussion covers the Bristol and Bath tram/ underground options. Worth a listen and is on iPlayer for quite a few days.

[TonyK]

Interesting interview on the John Darvall Show, BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Radio Bristol today (Tuesday) with the Deputy Metro Mayor Tim Warren. About 40 mins in the discussion reaches Metrowest. He states here that Severn Beach to Westbury is currently being discussed between Tim Bowles, the Metro Mayor and the government and would take presidence over the Portishead line. At about 50 mins the discussion covers the Bristol and Bath tram/ underground options. Worth a listen and is on iPlayer for quite a few days.

I'm sure Severn Beach to Westbury was under discussion way back in the days when the LEP^» (Local Enterprise Partnership - about) held the pursestrings and kicked cans down roads. IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly), MetroWest had a planned route from Severn Beach to Bath, but some difficulty in working out how to turn it around. Westbury was mentioned as a logical extension to get around that issue, but I thought it was just to delay making a decision so that the new service wouldn't happen before MetroBust and make it look rubbish. I might still be right.

[Red Squirrel]

... I thought it was just to delay making a decision so that the new service wouldn't happen before MetroBust and make it look rubbish. I might still be right.

Surely there was never any intention to make any changes to the Severn Beach line until they had finished that bit of gardening on Ashley Hill?

[TonyK]

They are working hard to fulfill my prophecy! A shame for the inhabitants of the shanty town, but you have to move with the times.

[grahame]

Surely there was never any intention to make any changes to the Severn Beach line until they had finished that bit of gardening on Ashley Hill?

Hmmm ... your image of Ashely Hill differs from mine

[johnneyw]

They look so different out of their orange overalls.

[grahame]

I'm sure Severn Beach to Westbury was under discussion way back in the days when the LEP^» (Local Enterprise Partnership - about) held the pursestrings and kicked cans down roads. IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly), MetroWest had a planned route from Severn Beach to Bath, but some difficulty in working out how to turn it around. Westbury was mentioned as a logical extension to get around that issue ...

6 paths out of Temple Meads per hour
:00 to London via Bath Spa
:10 to Portsmouth Harbour
:16 to Westbury (or Frome)
:30 to London via Bath Spa
:40 to Swindon and Oxford
:46 to Yeovil, alternate extensions to Weymouth
No problem turning on the main line and service increase from Bath (where they're putting more businesses than residences) and Wiltshire (where they're putting more residences than businesses).  Turn the :16 at Frome to avoid platform blocking at Westbury, and take the :46 local down to Yeovil - a town of 60,000.  Without a loop south of Chetnole you can't extend the :46 every hour past Yeovil.

[martyjon]

.... Without a loop south of Chetnole you can't extend the :46 every hour past Yeovil.

Maiden Newton 

[grahame]

.... Without a loop south of Chetnole you can't extend the :46 every hour past Yeovil.

Maiden Newton 

7 minutes too far south (quarter of an hour round trip).   Real Heart of Wessex problem on going hourly is the spacing of the loops.  Don't get me writing here - this would end up being a really long post; comes in as part of the learning about hourly capacity for everything that uses the Westbury hub.

[martyjon]

.... Without a loop south of Chetnole you can't extend the :46 every hour past Yeovil.

Maiden Newton 

7 minutes too far south (quarter of an hour round trip).   Real Heart of Wessex problem on going hourly is the spacing of the loops.  Don't get me writing here - this would end up being a really long post; comes in as part of the learning about hourly capacity for everything that uses the Westbury hub.

So nothing that a bit of double tracking wouldn't solve then.

[TonyK]

6 paths out of Temple Meads per hour
:00 to London via Bath Spa
:10 to Portsmouth Harbour
:16 to Westbury (or Frome)
:30 to London via Bath Spa
:40 to Swindon and Oxford
:46 to Yeovil, alternate extensions to Weymouth
No problem turning on the main line and service increase from Bath (where they're putting more businesses than residences) and Wiltshire (where they're putting more residences than businesses).  Turn the :16 at Frome to avoid platform blocking at Westbury, and take the :46 local down to Yeovil - a town of 60,000.  Without a loop south of Chetnole you can't extend the :46 every hour past Yeovil.

Simples! Why didn't the boffins at MetroWest come up with that instead of wringing their hands over where to put a turnback signal? I suppose that turning back on the mainline at Bath is problematic because the tight timescale would upset late-running intercity trains, but what you suggest could be done now with a bit of effort.

[Red Squirrel]

...shanty town...

That's no shanty town! That's Pete Chapman's 'Ennywevvers' glamping site, just there behind the pig farm.

Funny old place, Bristol.

[grahame]

Simples! Why didn't the boffins at MetroWest come up with that instead of wringing their hands over where to put a turnback signal? I suppose that turning back on the mainline at Bath is problematic because the tight timescale would upset late-running intercity trains, but what you suggest could be done now with a bit of effort.

It's a darned sight more carefully worked out than you might think.   Noting plans for another 2000 homes in Frome the other day - which is very much a dormitory town - "up to the railway" says the blurb, 400 metres from the station.  And platform blocking there far less of an issue that it could become at Westbury. Time allowed for a Saltford stop too.  Some other issues to overcome and lots of unknowns as I don't have other timetable plans ahead, but the idea does scream "on existing infrastructure", "meeting current and pent up demand" and "sensible schedules and turn around times".


Edit to correct new house numbers - then correct them back because I was fed a pup!  2000 homes is about 5000 people.

Nice positive slant on the story  - "Garden village could 'devastate' the area south of Frome, warn residents" from  Somerset Live

[Bmblbzzz]

...shanty town...

That's no shanty town! That's Pete Chapman's 'Ennywevvers' glamping site, just there behind the pig farm.

Funny old place, Bristol.

Is that the place you're talking about! I wonder if anyone has ever actually 'glamped' there?