the great experiment

[whole diary]

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

with all the charter companys around these days i wonder if it could be possible to charter a dmu for the week to trial a service from okehampton to exeter central ( i would say axminster but not enough line capacity.

if it was well advertised i think people would use it and if it could show a profit in a week i think this would make a great case...

anyone else agree?

[John R]

Well to start, name me a charter company with DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) available.

Then, start dealing with Network Rail, the Rail Regulator, whoever owns the branch line etc.

It can be done as the Minehead Butlins trains showed last year, but it ain't easy, especially with no DMU stock available.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

Well to start, name me a charter company with DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) available.

Then, start dealing with Network Rail, the Rail Regulator, whoever owns the branch line etc.

It can be done as the Minehead Butlins trains showed last year, but it ain't easy, especially with no DMU stock available.

http://www.trainhire.co.uk/

there are more i cant find the link now but it had a list of available units and they deal with network rail and sort that out for you (its all included in the price)

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

http://www.angeltrains.co.uk/datasheets/Detail.aspx?ID=28

here we go

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

or if it was ran as a heritatige/commuter service this unit is railtrack registered what would it take to bring it upto modern safty standards to be used on the network? http://www.carservicesukltd.com/forhire.htm

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

or if it was ran as a heritatige/commuter service this unit is railtrack registered what would it take to bring it upto modern safty standards to be used on the network? http://www.carservicesukltd.com/forhire.htm

ok mk1 stock would be very difficult to get going but not impossible the hurdles are starting to mount

[John R]

I'm sorry, this is pie in the sky.

The Angel Trains units are not available for spot hire, they are in daily use.

The only Mk 1 MU^▸ (Multiple Unit) stock in daily use operate on 3 routes which are completely self contained routes on which other trains do not operate, hence the exemption as they do not meet modern crashworthy standards. (Cardiff Bay, Aylesbury-Princes Risb'o and Lymington Branch)

If there were any available DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)'s knocking around FGW^▸ (First Great Western) would have snapped them up for reasons which are well documented on this forum.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

doh....well there are locos and mk3's around

[John R]

That becomes feasible, though whether economical could be of debate given the need to top and tail.

Having said all that, I do think it is a shame that several years after the Sunday services started ( I travelled on the very first day, more by accident than by design), the opportunity to restore a more meaningful service has not been taken. So I share your enthusiasm for the concept, whilst maybe being a bit more realistic as to the hurdles that would need to be overcome. 

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

or one loco and a Driving Van Trailer (as used with the class 91's) that would cut costs

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

or one loco and a Driving Van Trailer (as used with the class 91's) that would cut costs

the Porterbrook Leasing Company has a few

[devon_metro]

I can think of many better uses for a set of loco hauled coaches than for a potter up to Okehampton which is likely to be fairly empty considering the station is not in the centre of town.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

I can think of many better uses for a set of loco hauled coaches than for a potter up to Okehampton which is likely to be fairly empty considering the station is not in the centre of town.

the unit could be extended to newton abbot to help boost those services

[devon_metro]

Completely avoiding the centre of Exeter at the same time then!

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

i dont belive there is a lack of services from central to st davids.... additional stops at st thomas would be an advantage, and a bus service from okehampton town to the station could be included in the ticket price