Barnstaple ('Tarka') Line - services, facilities, events and incidents (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[RichardB]

Just replying to Phile's message immedately above about 158763 being out on Barnstaple/Exmouth today, again I think that must be pure desperation.  I have had it from on high in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) that they really don't want to be using 158s on Exmouths.  I'm not making it up!

[phile]

Just replying to Phile's message immedately above about 158763 being out on Barnstaple/Exmouth today, again I think that must be pure desperation.  I have had it from on high in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) that they really don't want to be using 158s on Exmouths.  I'm not making it up!

There is STP working today due Engineering work and it came down from Bristol (158 diagram) and terminated Newton Abbot and then amended diagram going to Exeter Central, Barnstaple and Exmouth

[IndustryInsider]

Just replying to Phile's message immedately above about 158763 being out on Barnstaple/Exmouth today, again I think that must be pure desperation.  I have had it from on high in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) that they really don't want to be using 158s on Exmouths.  I'm not making it up!

There is STP working today due Engineering work and it came down from Bristol (158 diagram) and terminated Newton Abbot and then amended diagram going to Exeter Central, Barnstaple and Exmouth

Sounds like the typical 'to be avoided' scenario, but 'not at all costs!'

[phile]

Just replying to Phile's message immedately above about 158763 being out on Barnstaple/Exmouth today, again I think that must be pure desperation.  I have had it from on high in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) that they really don't want to be using 158s on Exmouths.  I'm not making it up!

There is STP working today due Engineering work and it came down from Bristol (158 diagram) and terminated Newton Abbot and then amended diagram going to Exeter Central, Barnstaple and Exmouth

Sounds like the typical 'to be avoided' scenario, but 'not at all costs!'

158766 worked 0921 Paignton to Exmouth this morning

[alexross42]

I've been mulling it over but am failing to reach a conclusion by myself so will reach out with this query - what in particular is it about the 158s that causes such an increase in dwell times compared to the 150/143s ?

Thanks!

[Fourbee]

I'm guessing it's to do with having the external doors at the ends rather than in the middle.

[bradshaw]

The Class 158 has entrance doors at the end of the carriages, whereas the 150 series has them at 1/3rd and 2/3rd positions, typical of metro-like services. This should make it easier, hence quicker, for entrance and exit when busy, thus reducing the dwell time.

[alexross42]

The Class 158 has entrance doors at the end of the carriages, whereas the 150 series has them at 1/3rd and 2/3rd positions, typical of metro-like services. This should make it easier, hence quicker, for entrance and exit when busy, thus reducing the dwell time.

That makes sense, thanks for clarifying!

[Apedlar12]

Just replying to Phile's message immedately above about 158763 being out on Barnstaple/Exmouth today, again I think that must be pure desperation.  I have had it from on high in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) that they really don't want to be using 158s on Exmouths.  I'm not making it up!

There is STP working today due Engineering work and it came down from Bristol (158 diagram) and terminated Newton Abbot and then amended diagram going to Exeter Central, Barnstaple and Exmouth

Sounds like the typical 'to be avoided' scenario, but 'not at all costs!'

158766 worked 0921 Paignton to Exmouth this morning

Yes, it was used as an only option when a set of pacers failed earlier on but later was taken off and replaced with 143603 + 150261 as 158766 had to go and do a diagram that runs up to Bristol later in the day.

[Apedlar12]

Hello,

I am a frequent user of the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Line as Barnstaple is my local station and yes it does get very overcrowded on particular journeys atm. Do we know when the 158s will be appearing on the Tarka line, or has that yet to be declared?

Thanks in advance

I'm afraid we still don't know just yet.  The full introduction of 158s will be when the improved timetable is introduced, hopefully December, because the 158s can't be used on Exmouth services - the increased time at stations for people to get on/off the trains would simply wreck the timetable.  Still not many 158s in Devon & Cornwall yet but when more arrive, I have heard suggestions that some off peak services may go to 158s and run only between Barnstaple and Exeter St Davids, with an immediate change into a 150/143 running the rest of the service to Central and Exmouth.  We'll see.

If that is the case I suspect that the change of trains will deter some folk from travelling. Better to run the 158s up to Central and reverse at Exmouth Jct. I seem to recall that, (eventually), the Barnstaple trains would extend to Honiton/Axminster whilst the Paignton trains would continue to Exmouth?

I take the point but to run up to Central and then reverse at Exmouth Jn is what will happen when the timetable change is made and the improved service introduced.  It is not possible to make any change like that beforehand, mainly because of the national clampdown on timetable changes following on from last year's Northern etc problems.

Yes, the Exmouths will go to Paignton when the timetable change is made - the Barnstaples going beyond to Honiton/Axminster depends on a loop probably around Whimple.  Think it will happen one day, providing Honiton and Cranbrook with a half hourly Exeter service is a big local aspiration, shared by Devon and the rail operators, but obviously these things aren't usually quick.

So if the Barnstaple services do end up running to Honiton/Axminster in the future, I assume GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will run these and not SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) as I did think that as Honiton/Axminster are in SWR territory, that SWR would have taken over the services to Barnstaple...

[grahame]

So if the Barnstaple services do end up running to Honiton/Axminster in the future, I assume GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will run these and not SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) as I did think that as Honiton/Axminster are in SWR territory, that SWR would have taken over the services to Barnstaple...

At the risk of starting the most enormous debate ... I have oft looked at SWT^▸ (South West Trains) and now SWR and wonder at the structure of the franchise with around 400 trains - 90% of which are electric and the other 10% are the diesel fleet based at the single Salisbury depot.   Perhaps there is so much history between LSWR^▸ (London South Western Railway)/GWR,  Southern/Western, that even generations later a transfer would be howled down.  Perhaps there's a need to keep them separate to ensure the continued provision of competitive services from London to Bristol and to Exeter under the commercial franchising system.

[RichardB]

So if the Barnstaple services do end up running to Honiton/Axminster in the future, I assume GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will run these and not SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) as I did think that as Honiton/Axminster are in SWR territory, that SWR would have taken over the services to Barnstaple...

At the risk of starting the most enormous debate ... I have oft looked at SWT^▸ (South West Trains) and now SWR and wonder at the structure of the franchise with around 400 trains - 90% of which are electric and the other 10% are the diesel fleet based at the single Salisbury depot.   Perhaps there is so much history between LSWR^▸ (London South Western Railway)/GWR,  Southern/Western, that even generations later a transfer would be howled down.  Perhaps there's a need to keep them separate to ensure the continued provision of competitive services from London to Bristol and to Exeter under the commercial franchising system.

If the original idea for Wessex Trains had been pursued, then Waterloo - Exeter would have been added to the Wessex network and there would have been even more competition between Exeter and London than there is now.  On balance, I think the way it went (i.e. to instead have what we have today) has been better.  One of the things we were all worried about at the time was that the operator of the Paddington main line would concentrate on that and the London suburban services and largely ignore the branch and local services away from London.  Our fears were unfounded.

[phile]

Surely the plan is for the Barnstaples to run to St James Park and back, the Timetable requiring 3 x 158/9s to accomplish this and 2 x 150/2s working Exmouth to Paignton   

[Apedlar12]

Surely the plan is for the Barnstaples to run to St James Park and back, the Timetable requiring 3 x 158/9s to accomplish this and 2 x 150/2s working Exmouth to Paignton   

Yes that is what I also thought is going to happen, but when is what I would like to know but I am sure it will be very soon as the Portsmouth services have started to transfer over to the turbos since the beginning of the year.

[RichardB]

Yes, that is what is going to happen but, Apedlar12, scroll back on this thread to see why it's not going to be very soon.