Penzance local services - May 2019

[whole diary]

[DaveHarries]

Evening all,

It appears that there will be more trains between Penzance and Plymouth when the May 2019 changes take effect. For the purposes of comparison:

23rd January 2019: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/PNZ/2019/01/22/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

23rd May 2019: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/PNZ/2019/05/23/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Certainly a few more trains in there if I see things right.

On another note I saw on a forum earlier this evening that, or so it would appear, the number of trains calling at Lelant Saltings will, come the May changes, be lowered to 2 per day Monday to Sunday:

Monday to Friday: 0754 St. Erth - St. Ives // 0920 St. Ives - St. Erth
Saturdays: 0750 St. Erth - St. Ives // 0904 St. Ives - St. Erth
Sundays: 0845 Penzance - St. Ives // 1945 St. Ives - Penzance

I realise that, as with the Penzance - Plymouth TT mentioned earlier, it is still early days and may well change but that is quite a comedown for Lelant Saltings. Saying that Lelant will maintain a good service as, of course, will St. Erth and I suppose neither are too far from Lelant Saltings.

Dave

[SandTEngineer]

Thats because the St.Ives Park and Ride site is moving from Lelant Saltings to St.Erth.  I suspect the remaining services at Lelant Saltings are 'Parlimentary Trains' to avoid closure.....

[DaveHarries]

Thanks for the info.

Dave

[Jamsdad]

Rather worrying that the WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table) does not show the up Golden Hind..  is it being scrapped? - error or conspiracy to stop any one from Cornwall getting to Paddington before 1100?

[FarWestJohn]

Bi directional line from Truro to Penweathers junction is going to be busy with two up and two down Falmouths and two down to Penzance each hour.

[RichardB]

Rather worrying that the WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table) does not show the up Golden Hind..  is it being scrapped? - error or conspiracy to stop any one from Cornwall getting to Paddington before 1100?

The full May timetable won't be on the system yet. 

[bobm]

The empty stock to work the Golden Hind (05:05 from Penzance) is still shown as coming in from Long Rock so I think we can safely assume it will run.

[rower40]

Thats because the St.Ives Park and Ride site is moving from Lelant Saltings to St.Erth.  I suspect the remaining services at Lelant Saltings are 'Parlimentary Trains' to avoid closure.....

Thanks for the info. I've used that Park-n-Ride a few times, and it's very well signed and quite convenient from the A30.  I hope its replacement at St Erth is as good or better.

[SandTEngineer]

Well, last time I saw it under construction late last year, it looked quite good, and better that the grassy mounds at Lelant Saltings.  Haven't been that way for a few months so don't know if its finished yet.

The St.Ives Bay Platform at St.Erth is being widened and extended as part of the scheme.

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/roads-highways-and-pavements/major-highway-schemes/st-erth-multi-modal-hub/

[Celestial]

From what I remember of a trip in the height of summer a few years ago the timetable is quite tight, and the stop at Lelant Saltings can take quite a time what with all the pushchairs etc. If most people will now get on and off at St Erth, when the train is turning round anyway, will this mean the timetable is more reliable? Also will it mean an improvement in fare collection too?

[bobm]

No work had started on widening the bay platform at St Erth when I was there the week before Christmas.  Although looking at the materials to the right of the photo it might have been about to.

[SandTEngineer]

They haven't got much time then!  I wonder if the work has been 'delayed' by all the current NR^» (Network Rail - home page) problems?  The work is definitely shown/detailed on the drawing I posted above.

I need to have a trip out then to report back, but its a bit cold and wet down here at the moment

[GBM]

Believe I heard local radio recently advising they were running a year late with problems concerning the drainage and access.

[GBM]

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/roads-highways-and-pavements/major-highway-schemes/st-erth-multi-modal-hub/latest-news/

December 2018
There was a concentrated effort to complete as much of the tank works as possible before the Christmas break.  Backfilling around the structure was completed before the shutdown, manholes installed and a first layer of protection laid on top of it (see photo below).  Further basecourse surfacing and car parking plots were laid in the south car park.

Image showing the first layer of protection laid

There were no traffic or safety incidents reported during the Christmas and New Year site closure.

November 2018
November has seen a lot of work done on the drainage system for the north car park and adjoining area.  The tank to manage the outflow of water has almost been completed.  Despite the inclement weather, sheet piles have been installed (see below, top left photo), the ground excavated and a reinforced concrete base laid (right), and almost all of the pre-cast tank units installed (bottom left).  The final few units will be installed in early December.

There has also been continued work on other areas around the north car park, the south car park and to entrances and footways along the A30.

A30 Completion delayed - Following extensive challenge and discussion it has been agreed between Cornwall Council, Highways England and Wills Brothers that it would not be safe to commission the new A30 signals until the permanent car park entrance has been constructed.  This has the impact of postponing the completion of A30 works until 3 March 2019.  The Council instructed changes to the drainage (including the large tank) which will be beneath the access road leading to the level crossing and north car park entrance.  The current temporary car park entrance would exit within the signalised junction area, adjacent the station access, and is not considered to be safe to operate in that situation as it could cause traffic to queue back onto the A30.

All site works are expected to be completed in the first week of April 2019 with the south car park opening, after safety audit and handover to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), to operate from mid May 2019 to coincide with the new two trains per hour main line train service and the completed St Ives Bay platform works.

etc

[RailCornwall]

NB .... The Golden Hind is now scheduled ....

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C20108/2019/05/30/advanced