Weymouth - summer weekend loco-hauled services - 2009

[whole diary]

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

think the actual figure is around 10000 not 100000, perhaps one of the 0's was a typo? but still thats alot! why so much?

[devon_metro]

It will be the weekday set. Might be cosy with only 4 coaches.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... and a warm welcome to the Coffee Shop to you, dickyc! 

As you're from west Wiltshire, I'm sure grahame will be delighted to see you as a possible ally! 

[devon_metro]

As you're from west Wiltshire, I'm sure grahame will be delighted to see you as a possible ally! 

The battle of Melksomme??




Don't worry, already got my coat 

[thetrout]

21/05/09 at Approximately 10:45 a Class 37 in DRS^▸ (Direct Rail Services Ltd) Livery thunders out of Platform 1 towards Bristol Temple Meads...!

Truely Magnificant... Shame I didn't have my camera on me

Anyone know it's purpose/working...?!

[thetrout]

A good source tells me this...

The loco in question was DRS^▸ (Direct Rail Services Ltd) 37607, Which was parked at Westbury intended for route learning down to Weymouth. However due to a fault it has been sent back to Derby for repairs.

I'm not going to speculate things here, but could the route learning be related to Weymouth Loco Hauled Service...?! I do hope so

[devon_metro]

Probably a bit late for route learning, however the few Barton Hill blokes who sign 67s will already be signed for Weymouth after last year. A trip down to Weymouth in the cab of a 15x would suffice!

[Chris from Nailsea]

For an update on loco-hauled services to Weymouth this summer, see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=4091.msg42109#msg42109 

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

shame it wont be haulled by a 37 

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Dorset Echo:

Weymouth's bucket and spade holiday train is back on track

Campaigners celebrated today after a rail company agreed to reinstate a summer special train to boost Weymouth^s tourist industry. There were cries of delight as First Great Western bowed to pressure and announced it would run the service on summer Saturdays to accommodate the extra passengers that want to travel from Yeovil, Bath and Bristol.

The first train will start this weekend. The service, known as the Bucket and Spade special, has been run for more than 20 years.

Unlike the two-carriage diesel units it is made up of a locomotive and carriages which means there is much more space available for passengers and their luggage.

But as the Dorset Echo reported earlier this year, First was reviewing the service because it is not part of its franchise agreement. In previous years it has hired the train from another company for ^200,000.

First^s regional general manager Julian Crow confirmed the train would run. He said work by line promotion group the Heart of Wessex Rail Partnership highlighting overcrowding issues on the line had prompted the company to act.

The Overcrowding Watch survey revealed that carriages on the line were frequently crowded and some passengers were left to stand for an hour or more. This, coupled with late and cancelled trains, had led to a public perception of ^service meltdown,^ it said.

Mr Crow said: ^The significant extra demand for rail journeys to Weymouth on summer Saturdays is a long standing challenge, which, with the general growth on this rail route over recent years, has put increasingly stronger pressure on our normal resources. The Overcrowding Watch study carried out by the Heart of Wessex Rail Partnership in 2007 which for the first time quantified the demand flows along the route, has been of significant assistance in justifying our decision to make this additional financial investment this year. It will help us to ensure that as far as possible we match demand with supply and provide for a comfortable journey for a day out in Weymouth. We will also be strengthening other key trains with additional carriages throughout the summer.^

The news was welcomed by rail campaigner Andy Hutchings, who is the Weymouth station representative on the Heart of Wessex Rail Partnership and helped to compile the overcrowding study. He said: ^It^s a great victory for people power. There^s a lot of people who use this line and over the last three years in particular there has been a signifant increase in traffic. I^m very pleased that First Great Western will continue to run this train.^

The train will depart Bristol Temple Meads at 9.09am on Saturdays up until September 5. It will return at 4.55pm from Weymouth.

Partnership officer Catherine Phillips said: ^This decision by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is to be applauded. We understand it is a very significant additional investment, and that the cost of hiring and running the extra train will be far greater than the income it can generate. The annual challenge posed by the powerful attractions of Weymouth in the summer months competes in a very difficult balancing act by the train operator for the use of its resources across the network.^

She said a lot was owed by the volunteers, including Andy Hutchings and Terry Putnam, who took part in the overcrowding survey.

For the full article, see http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/localnews/4385100.Weymouth_chuffed_as_holiday_train_from_Bristol_is_saved/

[Timmer]

The title of this post really does need changing to show the fact that there will be a loco service this summer for which FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are to be congratulated!

I hope its well used helping towards the costs of running it. Though that will mainly depend on what sort of summer we have this year.

Service departs Bristol Temple Meads at 0909, Bath Spa 0928, Trowbridge 0949, Westbury 1002, Frome 1010 and Yeovil Pen Mill 1049 Arriving Weymouth at 1142.
Also calls at Keynsham, Oldfield Park, Bradford-on-Avon, Bruton, Castle Cary, Maiden Newton and Dorchester West. See timetable 27 for times: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Documents/Custom/May%2009%20TTs/FGW09M_TT27.pdf

Return service departs Weymouth at 1655.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

i really wish there was a connecting service from yeovil junction to pen mill

[Chris from Nailsea]

The title of this post really does need changing to show the fact that there will be a loco service this summer for which FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are to be congratulated!

Well, I blame the member who made that original post ... ! 

[dickyc]

... and a warm welcome to the Coffee Shop to you, dickyc! 

As you're from west Wiltshire, I'm sure grahame will be delighted to see you as a possible ally! 

Thanks for the welcome, and for the posts re the seaside special. Can't say I recall it having run for 20yrs though, got replaced by buses (yuk) the summer before last due to lack of a 'safety case'. Hopefully this year, like last will see a well used excellent service. So much nicer to ride in a 'real' train rather then being stuffed into a 2-car 150.

[devon_metro]

i really wish there was a connecting service from yeovil junction to pen mill

0847 from Exeter provides a connection at Castle Cary.