New station at Ashley Down, Bristol

[whole diary]

[WelshBluebird]

A quick additional observation.  My outbound service this morning had come from Cardiff and my even return service went on to Cardiff.  The aforementioned family member also managed to travel direct from Cardiff Central to Ashley Down a day or two ago.  Are GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) cottoning on that stopping their Cardiff service at Ashley Down might free up the units used for the Temple Meads to Filton Abbey Wood shuttle?

Unfortunately not.

I'm not sure why but the Filton shuttle hasn't been running this week due to the engineering works at Bath. I'm assuming to release a unit to provide services either side of the line closure.

Stapleton Road, Lawrence Hill and obviously Filton have other services but Ashley Down doesn't, so guessing they rolled a dice on what passing service to stop instead.

[TonyK]

The problem with Filton Abbey Wood is that it's set back from the main road and not really much use unless you work for the MoD.

Nonetheless, it saw 521,474 people last year, according to ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road, formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) statistics. That's more than Nailsea and Backwell. Of the "minor" stations in the Bristol area, only Clifton Down saw more. I'm aware that the stats only count those who are counted and are skewed by those who don't buy a ticket, but even so, it's a fair justification for a station which has had two extra platforms built since opening in 1996.

[TonyK]

Unfortunately not.

I'm not sure why but the Filton shuttle hasn't been running this week due to the engineering works at Bath. I'm assuming to release a unit to provide services either side of the line closure.

Stapleton Road, Lawrence Hill and obviously Filton have other services but Ashley Down doesn't, so guessing they rolled a dice on what passing service to stop instead.

It looks like the Filton shuttle has return today.

[grahame]

It looks like the Filton shuttle has return today.

Here's an example: 166220
... arrived at Filton Abbey Wood at 12:26 as 2H62
... ran as 5H63 to Bristol Parkway, platform 4
... coninued as 5H63 at 12:48 to Filtom Abbey Wood, arriving 12:52
... formed 2H63, the 12:54 to Bristol Temple Meads

I think I have mis-understood something then.  I believed that the reason the stopper up Filton Bank terminated rather oddly at Abbey Wood, one station before it would provide connections to London, Swansea, Birmingham and beyond was because of capacity issues at Bristol Parkway. And yet here it is buzzing in and out empty from platform 4.

I am scratching my head and wondering "why".  Seated in my armchair on a Friday evening, I have a theory.  My theory is that the powers that be know perfectly well that an hourly connection from Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road and Ashley Down to London, South Wales and the Midlands and north would be very, very popular.  However, in their longer term plan they want that train to carry on to Henbury and if they let it go in passenger service to Bristol Parkway, they're going to build up a thriving customer base they're not planning to serve as well if at all in the future, and they don't want the problem of customers they're not planning to accomodate in the long term.  Please tell me I'm wrong.

[stuving]

It looks like the Filton shuttle has return today.

Here's an example: 166220
... arrived at Filton Abbey Wood at 12:26 as 2H62
... ran as 5H63 to Bristol Parkway, platform 4
... coninued as 5H63 at 12:48 to Filtom Abbey Wood, arriving 12:52
... formed 2H63, the 12:54 to Bristol Temple Meads

I think I have mis-understood something then.  I believed that the reason the stopper up Filton Bank terminated rather oddly at Abbey Wood, one station before it would provide connections to London, Swansea, Birmingham and beyond was because of capacity issues at Bristol Parkway. And yet here it is buzzing in and out empty from platform 4.

I am scratching my head and wondering "why".  Seated in my armchair on a Friday evening, I have a theory.  My theory is that the powers that be know perfectly well that an hourly connection from Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road and Ashley Down to London, South Wales and the Midlands and north would be very, very popular.  However, in their longer term plan they want that train to carry on to Henbury and if they let it go in passenger service to Bristol Parkway, they're going to build up a thriving customer base they're not planning to serve as well if at all in the future, and they don't want the problem of customers they're not planning to accomodate in the long term.  Please tell me I'm wrong.

This is an odd exception - most of these shuttles reverse between the two Relief Line platforms (4 and 3). But the odd thing to note is that they take about 30 minutes to do that, so block one of those lines (to/from Wales) while they do it.

Presumably they don't want this one to do that, and it so happens there's a gap allowing it to use the Main Lines and BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) for this reversal. Note that it can't get to BPW from the Reliefs, and as a general statement it would be more in the way on the Mains than the Reliefs. In fact, today it used P2 both ways, rather than P1 (the Down Main) on its return.

But what dictates this timing? Would it get to Henbury and back in 25 minutes?

[brooklea]

It looks like the Filton shuttle has return today.

Back now the engineering works between Bath and Westbury are finished.

Here's an example: 166220
... arrived at Filton Abbey Wood at 12:26 as 2H62
... ran as 5H63 to Bristol Parkway, platform 4
... coninued as 5H63 at 12:48 to Filtom Abbey Wood, arriving 12:52
... formed 2H63, the 12:54 to Bristol Temple Meads

I think I have mis-understood something then.  I believed that the reason the stopper up Filton Bank terminated rather oddly at Abbey Wood, one station before it would provide connections to London, Swansea, Birmingham and beyond was because of capacity issues at Bristol Parkway. And yet here it is buzzing in and out empty from platform 4.

This is an odd exception - most of these shuttles reverse between the two Relief Line platforms (4 and 3). But the odd thing to note is that they take about 30 minutes to do that, so block one of those lines (to/from Wales) while they do it.

Presumably they don't want this one to do that, and it so happens there's a gap allowing it to use the Main Lines and BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) for this reversal. Note that it can't get to BPW from the Reliefs, and as a general statement it would be more in the way on the Mains than the Reliefs. In fact, today it used P2 both ways, rather than P1 (the Down Main) on its return.

But what dictates this timing? Would it get to Henbury and back in 25 minutes?

The empty stock moves at Filton from Platform 4 to 3 run onto the freight line towards Avonmouth, so they don’t block the main lines to or from Wales.

The example noted by grahame runs to Bristol Parkway so as not to be in the way of Westbury to Avonmouth freight train which is due to pass through Filton Abbey Wood at 12:53 1/2, heading onto the line which the shuttle trains generally wait time on. If I remember correctly, the capacity issues were linked with the proposed “Superfast” Bristol to London services which would have run half hourly up and down Filton Bank in order to give Bristol Temple Meads four trains an hour to London Paddington. Obviously they fell by the wayside...

Henbury station will be no more than three miles on from the junction at Filton, so 25 minutes should be ample time for that journey.

[grahame]

The empty stock moves at Filton from Platform 4 to 3 run onto the freight line towards Avonmouth, so they don’t block the main lines to or from Wales.

The example noted by grahame runs to Bristol Parkway so as not to be in the way of Westbury to Avonmouth freight train which is due to pass through Filton Abbey Wood at 12:53 1/2, heading onto the line which the shuttle trains generally wait time on. If I remember correctly, the capacity issues were linked with the proposed “Superfast” Bristol to London services which would have run half hourly up and down Filton Bank in order to give Bristol Temple Meads four trains an hour to London Paddington. Obviously they fell by the wayside...

Henbury station will be no more than three miles on from the junction at Filton, so 25 minutes should be ample time for that journey.

I took a sample of one train - didn't spend time looking through at each hourly train on what I looked to be a pattern, and I happened to find one that does not fit the pattern.  Still a lesson in there?   Yes, I think so.

166220 proved that it's totally possible for the Filton terminator to run on to Bristol Parkway, have a generous but not excessive pause there in a platform, and run back to Filton to form the next southbound.

The explanation of why this is not regularly done - to allow paths for the super fasts - is now historic. Those trains are not running and I don't think they're expected to.  So that excuse for stopping one station short of the major interchanges no longer holds.

Which brings it back to my suggestion that "we don't want to encourage these customers / this traffic flow by providing services".   It could be because they know they would build up a vibrant set of users without a plan to keep those customers  served if and when Henbury opens.

[brooklea]

Perhaps the xx:08 from Temple Meads to Gloucester should just leave at xx:04 and call at all stations up the Filton Bank? Job done.

In the opposite direction it probably wouldn’t work so neatly to do the same with the train from Gloucester that leaves Parkway at xx:46, because that already has a tight turnaround at Temple Meads. Putting extra stops into the xx:16 from Parkway (the train from Worcester) might work.

“They”, the “Powers that be”, whoever “they” are might not like that idea either, but it’s a thought.

(Run the Filton shuttle from Temple Meads at xx:30 and you could double the frequency at Ashley Down, picking up the return trip from Filton in the current timing. Problem then being, how do you serve Henbury?)

[stuving]

The explanation of why this is not regularly done - to allow paths for the super fasts - is now historic. Those trains are not running and I don't think they're expected to.  So that excuse for stopping one station short of the major interchanges no longer holds.

Which brings it back to my suggestion that "we don't want to encourage these customers / this traffic flow by providing services".   It could be because they know they would build up a vibrant set of users without a plan to keep those customers  served if and when Henbury opens.

I still think that the issue is one of conflicts with Main Line paths by a train reversing at BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains). Each one crosses from the Up Relief to the Up Main south of FIT, stops in P2, goes to BPW and gets into its platform, then comes back on the Down Main (crossing the other Main going in or out), stops in P1 at FIT, crossing over the Up Main to get to the Down Relief. That will block more than one Main Line path each way.

[RichardB]

I should imagine Ashley Down is pretty busy today, particularly with Weston-super-Mare fans heading for their FA Cup match against Bristol Rovers. 

[WelshBluebird]

I should imagine Ashley Down is pretty busy today, particularly with Weston-super-Mare fans heading for their FA Cup match against Bristol Rovers. 

Did seem to be well used when I was heading to Cardiff and back again for my teams match today! Does look like a couple of the extra services were cancelled pre match though, and pretty surprised the extra services that did call weren't the Cardiff to West County services as they would have given a direct service from Weston!

[XPT]

A really bad again for anyone using(or intending to use) Ashley Down station today.  On Sundays, the calling point of Ashley Down is included in the hourly services between Cardiff Central and Taunton/Exeter St Davids/Plymouth/Penzance.  But so far today, every single one of those services has been cancelled!  The first service northbound from Ashley Down currently expected to be on time isn't until 1421 and the first service southbound until 1445!!   What an absolute joke!

[brooklea]

From JourneyCheck

Cancellations to services between Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central
Following engineering works not being finished on time at Severn Tunnel Jn the line will be reopened shortly. Disruption is expected until 11:30 03/11.
Train services between Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central may be cancelled or delayed.

Customer Advice
We are currently experiencing disruption between Cardiff Central and Bristol Temple Meads due to engineering works not being finished on time, as a result services will be disrupted between Cardiff Central and Bristol Temple Meads.
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Network Rail technicians are on site and estimate the service will be moving again at approximately 11:00.
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We re working with our providers to source Road Transport. Please check back shortly.
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We are sorry for the delay to your journey.

Hopefully the handful of trains booked to call this afternoon at Ashley Down will run.

[WelshBluebird]

Not sure how many were done to the late running engineering works and how many were actually to do with the long running staff shortage - especially as most of the afternoon Ashley Down services were cancelled too. Looks like just 3 (out of I think 11 timetabled services) called today.

[grahame]

Not sure how many were done to the late running engineering works and how many were actually to do with the long running staff shortage - especially as most of the afternoon Ashley Down services were cancelled too. Looks like just 3 (out of I think 11 timetabled services) called today.

Oh dear ... I really dislike logging it like this because it looks of poor ...