Infrastructure Priorities in Cornwall

[whole diary]

[oooooo]

Morning

I don't think we need a mass cull of all those
crossings with the exception of Mollinnis, plus
how come there have been so many accidents and
near misses in the past if there not used?

Lets keep future message's pleasent, I don't need
a map.

Regards

Karl.

Nope, get a map out.....

 Haloon, close the road!!
Short diversionary route using the bridge under
the line just other side of station.

Whats unpleasant about suggesting you get a map out??? If you get a map out and have a look Haloon Crossing can easily be bypassed by taking the road that goes under the line the other side of St.Columb Road station with hardly any difference in time/mileage for the road user. Halloon Crossing is DANGEROUS motorists approach at speed as its a long straight road. Removing it would be SAFER and allow higher linespeed.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hi, Karl and oooooo!

As I'm looking at this from way outside your local area, I must say that I didn't find an online map particularly helpful in trying to work out what the issue is at Halloon Crossing.  However, Google Earth is absolutely brilliant at this!

To anyone who isn't familiar with central Cornwall, try doing a Google Earth search for 'Halloon Crossing' - or look up 50^o 23' 55.30" N, 4^o 56' 41.50" W 

I did, and I think I can see the problem: road traffic on a straight piece of road, leaving the 'A' road, will be travelling fairly fast, approaching a level crossing. 

I see what you mean, oooooo, about re-routing the road under the track to the east of the station - but from what Karl mentioned previously, that has been considered and discounted in the past?

[John R]

I see what you mean, oooooo, about re-routing the road under the track to the east of the station - but from what Karl mentioned previously, that has been considered and discounted in the past?

Wonder why? Cost of building an underpass for a route that has 4 trains a day for most of the year (admittedly hopefully to rise to 7 a day). That will be difficult to justify.

Don't get me wrong, I really do think that Newquay should have a better and faster service, but you can probably deliver more meaningful linespeed improvements for the cost of grade separating one LC^▸ (Level Crossing).   

[Andy]

Some very thought-provoking posts on here. I tend to agree with Richard Bickford's bottom line that for now the main priority should be the main line and that re-doubling and signalling improvements would help to increase capacity and timing, not just for passenger services but also freight, which may become a growing consideration if fuel prices continue to rise.

That said, the branch lines also deserve attention I'd like to see the momentum created by the initiatives being taken on the Falmouth branch, with the loop, and the St Ives branch, with the new park & ride at St Erth, carried over onto the Looe and Newquay branches. For looe, the idea of a park and ride at Moorswater is an interesting one.

For Newquay, I'd like to see the investment made to establish a direct route to St Austell but, in my opinion, the ultimate goal should be a through service to Falmouth over a reopened St Dennis line with a triangular junction at Burngullow. North-South travel across Cornwall is not that well served by the road network and such a route would link three major growth towns plus Penryn and "China Clay Country", serving commuters, holiday-makers and students alike. The "china clay country" eco-town proposal, if executed along the lines of the Kilbride project for Tavistock, could finance a chunk of the cost of the track work necessary at St Dennis and along the frieght line. There would also be the need to reinstate that 4th platform at Truro.

As it stands, the Newquay branch route is an anachronism, having been built for a purpose which no longer exists. With the necessary vision and investment, however, it could be transformed to meet the 21st century public transport needs.

 

 
 

[oooooo]

I see what you mean, oooooo, about re-routing the road under the track to the east of the station - but from what Karl mentioned previously, that has been considered and discounted in the past?

Wonder why? Cost of building an underpass for a route that has 4 trains a day for most of the year (admittedly hopefully to rise to 7 a day). That will be difficult to justify.

Don't get me wrong, I really do think that Newquay should have a better and faster service, but you can probably diliver more meaningful linespeed improvements for the cost of grade separating one LC^▸ (Level Crossing).   

The underpass in question is already in place on another road. What am saying is close the road that uses the crossing and make all traffic use the one that passes under the bridge. Cost would be??? Errr, nothing?? Only problem perhaps is for high vehicles but there would be other alternative routes, and there cant be a large amount of high vehicles using that route anyway. It has cropped up in the past but am sure it was never pursued, there is no decent reason for not doing it and several to do it, coming Network Rail and Highways Bods, do it!!

[vacman]

Most of the crossings on theNewquay branch are pointless parralel routes, Haloon is a serious accident waiting to happen, if they won't close the crossing then at least put half barriers on it or even better CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) and full barriers controlled by Goonbarrow box, they eventually put half barriers at Quintrell Downs after one to many twatting motorist thought they could beat the barriers....and didn't, Tregoss moor is TOTALLY pointless now, it is situated on a massive long straight for the railway which is about 3 miles long and if that crossing wasn't there then the line speed could be about 65 MPH all the way down there! (it's currently 45 until the crossing, 20 over the crossing and either 40 or 45 after) Molinnis could be closed overnight and noone would notice for about 10 years. Trencreek is busy and needs barriers. The issue with the crossings on the Newquay branch is to raise line speed more than anything!

As for redoubling Largin? wouldn't really be to much benefit as it's such a short section.

Replace all of the signalling with 4 aspect to reduce the stupidly huge sections and have a centralised panel at either Par or Truro.

More local services (units) so that HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s aren't stopping at every lamp post, HST's - PNZ-SER-TRU-SAU-PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains) and units all stations.

[Karl]

Morning

Lets face it, aint going to happen!!!

Why take out several crossings when there is an
easier more efficient alternative.  Halloon (I
have already said in a previous message, put
barriers there (amongst others), with that and
speed bumbs near the crossing to slow traffic down.
With the others minus the odd one or two we have
already mentioned, don't forget that people who live
next to the railway line i.e in the old crossing
keepers cottages, are going to need access to their
properties and not taken away.  I have a friend who
lives in one of these old keepers houses and to take
away his access road, is going to be meet with anger.

HALF BARRIERS (I CAN WRITE IN FULL CAPS AS WELL), than to rip up roads left,
right and centre.  It doesn't matter if its half
barriers, as long there is a barrier in situ, it can
still run to a 60MPH schedule than spending millions
more digging up roads and replacing one with a bridge
i.e Haloon whih WAS rejected!

Anyway arn't most of the the TSR^▸ (Temporary Speed Restriction)'s on that branch
due to the condictions of the track and not the
crossings?

Also Glynn Valley does need double track especailly
when your on a train thats made 10min late due to
waiting for another to clear the single section?

Regards

Karl.

[TerminalJunkie]

I CAN WRITE IN FULL CAPS AS WELL

Well done. Now that you've displayed your complete mastery over the computer keyboard would you please refrain from pressing Return within paragraphs, and just let your text flow naturally? Ta!

[peterswest]

"Anyway arn't most of the the TSR^▸ (Temporary Speed Restriction)'s on that branch
due to the condictions of the track and not the
crossings?"

At present , there is only one TSR between Luxulyan and Goonbarrow Box (20mph). The speed of the line is mainly due to line curvature / gradient / signalling /  preventative maintenence.


Pete

[Lee]

I CAN WRITE IN FULL CAPS AS WELL

Well done. Now that you've displayed your complete mastery over the computer keyboard would you please refrain from pressing Return within paragraphs, and just let your text flow naturally? Ta!

To be fair to Karl, he did mention having problems with paragraphs in earlier posts :

Morning

Thanks for the comments so far!  I not sure what
happened to the paragraphing in my original document,
it was tidy when sent.

On full caps, my personal view is that they are ok if emphasising a point, but overuse of them can become a bit wearing.

[Karl]

Ternimal Junkie

I have to press Return for a number of reasons.

Firstly my screen is 14inch so other people who
do let their text flow natually, to read it I
have to scroll over each line of the paragraph
whilst trying to read it at the same time (as off
the screen), which is difficult.

Also as Bush InternetTV, an TV with a basic Internet
connection, it doesn't have a spell checker, no grammer
check, no nothing, so makes it easier for me to proff
read what I have typed to manually correct any errors
before sending; although an odd one will sneak in I
have nmissed.  Remember this hasn't got anywhere near
the capability of a PC!  The last time I let the text
flow a bit more in a message to the forum, it was all
over the place and was more difficult to read in my
opinion.  But I do try to make the best job of bad
machinery.

And my comment of full caps was to point out that
you don't need to use full caps to make a point, I
personally I find using full caps unneady and a bit
forcefull, its the first time I've used them in a
message to this group except for titles e.t.c.

I hope this has clarified things for you?!

Regards

Karl.

I CAN WRITE IN FULL CAPS AS WELL

Well done. Now that you've displayed your
complete mastery over the computer keyboard
would you please refrain from pressing Return
within paragraphs, and just let your text flow
naturally? Ta!

[TerminalJunkie]

I have to press Return for a number of reasons.

Firstly my screen is 14inch so other people who do let their text flow natually, to read it I have to scroll over each line of the paragraph whilst trying to read it at the same time (as off the screen), which is difficult.

Ahh. Fairy snuff, as long as there's a reason.

Also as Bush InternetTV [...] this hasn't got anywhere near the capability of a PC!

From what I've heard it ain't much of a TV, either

[Karl]

Afternoon

And with regards to paragraphing in my previous
message has done just that, with the odd word then
drops down a line; its done it again!

To bring back into topic, a comment was made
regarding the reinstatement of the Burngallow to
St. Dennis Junction line and using that as a future
Newquay branch.  'I think' there is a problem with
this somewhere on the branch, Crugwallins?.  If my
memory serves me correct, there is some sort of
gantry which the line goes underneath and again
'if my memory' serves me correct, passenger trains
wern't allowed underneath this.  Also there isn't
space to put another line around this gantry or
overhead structure.  Can't recall presisely if
this is a building or gantry but thats the jist
of the problem.

Also I made comment regarding a battery operated
train which may be the way forward and mentioned
a BMU (Battery Mutiple Unit), was built by BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) for
the Ballater branch.  I have found a link for the
BMU, I had hoped to find something a bit more of a
technical nature so facts and figures could be
looked at, but this is the best I could find so
far:

http://www.railcar.co.uk/hisOthers/BMUops.htm

Regards

Karl.

[Karl]

Afternoon

Ah I know why I could'nt get the techincal details
for the BMU, the search I did took me to page 3
instead of page 1.  Go into the site via the link
in my previous e-mail, then go to the top left of
the page and click on 'Battery Electric Unit' icon
(its very small!), thats the first page with the
techincal details!  Then click on the icons underneath
the above to continue through the pages about this BMU.
Would be helpful if they had a previous and next buttons
at the bottom of the page. So you will have to click
on each icon to continue the story!

But would be interested in what people think about a
modern version of this, as an alternative method
of power?

Regards

Karl.

[oooooo]

Also Glynn Valley does need double track especailly
when your on a train thats made 10min late due to
waiting for another to clear the single section?

I takes apx 60 seconds for a train to cross the single track section so seems a pointless exercise to re-double it.

The linespeed over the pointwork at the western end of the section for up trains has been raised within the last couple months aswell.

You loose more time in the Glynn Valley on the down road waiting for the train in front to clear Lostwithiel. Reducing signalling sections would be more worthwhile than spending money on redoubling a short stretch. Its not as if Cornwall is ever going to need a service every 5 minutes surely.