Yeovil Pen Mill

[whole diary]

[laird]

Sadly the branches to Yeovil Town went a long time ago, if they had been there it probably would have been a good candidate for the PPM^‡(resolve).
Go Co may not have seen supressed demand but I don't suppose they were thinking of a frequent all day service?
Or was Penmill thinking of a particular demand in mind?

[eightf48544]

I see that PPM^‡(resolve) Car 12 is still not running on the Mid Hants, trouble with the LPG^▸ (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) supply.

[mjones]

Why does it use LPG^▸ (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) anyway? A non-standard fuel, requiring specialist storage and handling facilities, that doesn't actually offer signficant environmental benefits for this application in comparison with diesel? I seem to recall that arguments about the LPG storage site caused delays at Stourbridge as well. I'm sure the PPM^‡(resolve)'s more widespread introduction would be made much easier if it used more standardised engineering practices where possible.

[inspector_blakey]

I wouldn't like to be the person having to handle the paperwork for a Junction - Pen Mill shuttle using a PPM^‡(resolve)! I assume that route would necessitate them "mixing it" with heavy rail vehicles on both lines, which given their very lightweight construction may be an issue in terms of crashworthiness. The Stourbridge branchline where LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) use them now is essentially isolated, so they are not sharing a line with heavy rail equipment in passenger service.

[laird]

Ooh thats an interesting thought, yes at both ends of the journey it would share track with the heavy rail network train. It does make sense therefore as to why they have appeared on routes which are separate from the mainline or in the case of the latest route presumably on a one train working basis. I guess if the test works then perhaps we might see it try to open up more preserved lines as commuter routes?

[tramway]

06:40 Weymouth to Bristol Parkway due 09:28

This train will be terminated at Yeovil Pen Mill.It will no longer call at: Castle Cary, Bruton, Frome, Westbury, Trowbridge, Bradford-On-Avon, Avoncliff, Freshford, Bath Spa, Oldfield Park, Keynsham, Bristol Temple Meads, Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road, Filton Abbey Wood and Bristol Parkway.This is due to an obstruction on the line. Last Updated: 18/10/2011 07:10

This normally forms the 07.24 off Trowbridge and is 4 car and very busy. We had 2 car 150/1 instead.

And a big thumbs up to whoever removed the blinding floodlight above the entrance to platform 1 on the ticket office wall.

[158747]

This was caused by power cables across the line near Bruton.
The 07.24 off Trowbridge is the 05.33 Weymouth - Bristol Parkway, which was terminated at Castle Cary.

[tramway]

The 07.24 off Trowbridge is the 05.33 Weymouth - Bristol Parkway, which was terminated at Castle Cary.

Oooops of course it does. Must memorise all of timetable 26, or whichever it is.

Anyway guard apologised as we approached BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and explained the lack of stock due to the obstruction.

[martyjon]

Tonights 20.23 Weymouth to Bristol delayed at Yeovil by 16 minutes due to congestion, congestion at Yeovil 

[grahame]

Tonights 20.23 Weymouth to Bristol delayed at Yeovil by 16 minutes due to congestion, congestion at Yeovil 

Single line Yeovil Pen Mill to Castle Cary.  Single line Yeovil Pen Mill to Maiden Newton. The congestion was earlier on as the train headed down to Weymouth - didn't arrive in Weymouth until after it was due to leave on the way back.   It did stop on the way back at Yeovil for a minute or too longer than scheduled - but then on a Summer Saturday evening with good weather, coming back from a day at the seaside, I suspect this delay was more passenger volume and behaviour than rail operational!

[martyjon]

Tonights 20.23 Weymouth to Bristol delayed at Yeovil by 16 minutes due to congestion, congestion at Yeovil 

Single line Yeovil Pen Mill to Castle Cary.  Single line Yeovil Pen Mill to Maiden Newton. The congestion was earlier on as the train headed down to Weymouth - didn't arrive in Weymouth until after it was due to leave on the way back.   It did stop on the way back at Yeovil for a minute or too longer than scheduled - but then on a Summer Saturday evening with good weather, coming back from a day at the seaside, I suspect this delay was more passenger volume and behaviour than rail operational!

Then why don't they tell the truth, ' The delay was caused by the late running of the inbound service '.

Why didn't they do a ' Hednesford ', turn the train around at Dorchester West, impractical I know on such a pleasant day. Could go on arguing for days on this one.

[grahame]

Then why don't they tell the truth, ' The delay was caused by the late running of the inbound service '.

I think they did (tell the truth) - congestion at Yeovil.  Mind you, in best "Yes Minister" terms - the congestion at Yeovil had been an hour or two earlier.

Why didn't they do a ' Hednesford ', turn the train around at Dorchester West, impractical I know on such a pleasant day. Could go on arguing for days on this one.

I suspect that just as with Hednesdford the most practical call was made.  Probably a packed train of Weymouth with little or no knock-on to any later services in the day.  Any lessons for improvement would relate to the initial congestion which we haven't even started to look at 

[JayMac]

What is a "Hednesford"?

[grahame]

What is a "Hednesford"?

Wikipedia ...

Hednesford is a market town and civil parish in Staffordshire, England, within Cannock Chase District. It adjoins Cannock Chase to the north, and the town of Cannock to the south.

For the purpose of this thread, turning a public transport service that's running late around before it reaches its final destination so it can pick up its return path on time.

[JayMac]

And this obscure reference is a regular occurance in this Staffordshire backwater?

Can't say I've ever heard it before. Perhaps more appropriate for our area would be doing a "Clifton Down".