Increasing throughput of trains - some ways of doing it

[whole diary]

[ellendune]

Avonmouth to Clifton Down (and on to Narroways) would make sense, except that there's a rather nasty viaduct which I suspect is single track over the M32.

I have never travelled the line and I haven't driven down the M32 for a few weeks but unless there has been a major  tectonic shift in Bristol (And I think we would all have heard about it and felt it if there had been) I do not think the Severn Beach line crosses the M32 at any point as both Narroways and Avonmouth are to the West of it.  You couldn't have meant the M5 either as that goes over the line. 

[grahame]

Avonmouth to Clifton Down (and on to Narroways) would make sense, except that there's a rather nasty viaduct which I suspect is single track over the M32.

I have never travelled the line and I haven't driven down the M32 for a few weeks but unless there has been a major  tectonic shift in Bristol (And I think we would all have heard about it and felt it if there had been) I do not think the Severn Beach line crosses the M32 at any point as both Narroways and Avonmouth are to the West of it.  You couldn't have meant the M5 either as that goes over the line. 

My error - the M32 is crossed between Stapleton Road and Montpelier,  but on the mainline "side" of Narrowways junction. Perhaps it's just a tall embankment? to the west of the junction?

[Bmblbzzz]

There is a bridge over Mina Rd immediately west of Narroways Jnctn. It's a long bridge judged from the road, you'd probably call it a short tunnel, but I think most of what's above is trees with only a narrow area that's railway land. Historically there was another line going straight on into Eastville, of course. It might be possible to double the line there but I guess it would need fairly extensive ground preparation. Only guessing though.

[rogerw]

Back in the 1960s when I first travelled on it the Avonmouth line was double track throughout with only the line from Hallen Marsh to Severn Beach as single line.

[Bmblbzzz]

I was wondering about door locking; does it really need to be done 40 seconds before the train leaves the platform? That mounts up to a lot of stationary and non-boarding time over a journey.

[ChrisB]

Up to.....

And no, the train will leave once doors are secure.

[Rhydgaled]

I was wondering about door locking; does it really need to be done 40 seconds before the train leaves the platform? That mounts up to a lot of stationary and non-boarding time over a journey.

It depends how long the platform (and the train) is; a long train will take quite a long time to leave a platform. But that's not what you meant of course; you mean do they need to lock the doors 40 seconds before the driver takes off the brakes and applies power? From my observations as a humble passenger I'd suggest that they don't* BUT having 30 seconds to allow for non-ideal circumstances is prudent; it's just I would much rather they scheduled trains to depart at hh:mm:30 in the working timetable. That way, they would get their 30 seconds without needing the posters+announcments warning that the doors may be locked 30 seconds prior to departure, since the time published in the public timetable would be hh:mm:00 and that'd be the time the door-close button is pressed.

* except when it is a slam-door train and passenger's haven't closed the doors behind them, in which case even 40 seconds might not be enough

[Bmblbzzz]

Yes, I did mean "Does the train really need to stand in the platform with its doors locked for 40s before leaving?" I guess I should time it one day to see whether they actually do; "up to" does make a big difference!

[PhilWakely]

Yes, I did mean "Does the train really need to stand in the platform with its doors locked for 40s before leaving?" I guess I should time it one day to see whether they actually do; "up to" does make a big difference!

Yesterday, I watched the despatcher and guard in action. As the clock ticked over to 10:32:30 the despatcher blew her whistle and the guard responded. The doors were then closed. Once closed, the despatcher repeated the whistle and the guard responded; closed his door and indicated to the driver to depart. At 10:33:00 precisely, the 10:33 departure started to move. There did not appear to be too much 'dead' time in that process.

[IndustryInsider]

If you want the train's wheels to start moving pretty much bang on the departure time then 30-40 seconds on a HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) is about right, that could (and should) be reduced by 10 seconds for 180s (and other non DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) trains including the new IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) trains), and could (and should) be reduced by another 10 seconds for anything running DOO.

[grahame]

If you want the train's wheels to start moving pretty much bang on the departure time then 30-40 seconds on a HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) is about right, that could (and should) be reduced by 10 seconds for 180s (and other non DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) trains including the new IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) trains), and could (and should) be reduced by another 10 seconds for anything running DOO.

Certainly adding another 30 seconds onto each dwell at Melksham this afternoon with the number of mobility restricted people getting on and off the train ... young children and pushchair day.  Total of 56 passenger off and on the round trip that called at 15:39 / 16:37, but ticket number will show less because lots of under 5s.

Personally, I would like the GBTT^▸ (Great British Time Table) time to be the time the doors start to close; why does the rail (and the airline) industry quote a time that's operational focussed rather than customer focussed?