Looe Branch Line - cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents (merged topic)

[whole diary]

[oooooo]

We are going to launch a Looe - Plymouth Carnet ticket in the next few weeks to see if we can get some more regular commuters.   There will be a free trial too.   The commuting connections between Looe and Plymouth are pretty good, especially in the morning.  It will be interesting to see what happens.

The return connections are fairly good aswell with the 15:57, 17:25, 18:40 from Plymouth both having minimal connection time at Liskeard. The problem with this is the last two of these are from Paddington and therefore rarely punctual. Most regulars who could get the 17:25 ex Plymouth get the 17:06 Liskeard terminator to guarantee the connection which gives quite a long overall journey time., especially when the 18:0x from LSK to LOO goes into Coombe platform aswell. This is a major bug of mine, why on earth does it go in there? It slows a peak trip down and at this time of year it is pitch black as there is no station lighting. A few years back services werent even allowed to call on request at SKN, CAU, SDP as they had no lighting. So why on earth do we go into COE at gone 18:00 in the pitch dark to change ends?? Ive never understood these timetable planning people.

[smokey]

Three Points,
First, All Liskeard-Looe workings should go into Coombe for the Train Crew to change ends AND whilst that happens the Junction points should be operated from Liskeard Box. think how much time that would save EACH trip.

Second, When building a Park and Ride at Moorswater, build a platforms with two faces and service from Liskeard to Looe can pass service from Looe to Liskeard in Moorswater.

Third, The Line to the Cemet works can still go thourgh Moorswater Platform, No need to Finish Freight so you can build a platform. Freight can go in and out during the Evenings, Nights or Early mornings.

[Lee]

We are going to launch a Looe - Plymouth Carnet ticket in the next few weeks to see if we can get some more regular commuters.   There will be a free trial too.   The commuting connections between Looe and Plymouth are pretty good, especially in the morning.  It will be interesting to see what happens.

Interesting that you hold that view.

I remember going to a meeting in Trowbridge (07/11/2006) , where the guest speaker was Andrew Seedhouse of the Government Office Of The South West. I asked him about the following commitment contained in the Franchise Agreement :

developing and promoting an interurban network for Cornwall to be known as "Network Kernow"

One of my questions was whether Looe-Plymouth commuter traffic would be encouraged as part of this. His reply was :

Why bother? Surely it would be easier to drive and go via the Torpoint Ferry?

It is heartening that you take a more positive view, and I wish you success with the carnet scheme.

[vacman]

typical Government person response! Got their head so far up their arse that they can't see that not everybody has a car!

[Lee]

From the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website :

Line problem between Liskeard and Looe.

Train services between Liskeard and Looe are being disrupted due to flooding.Short notice cancellations can be expected.

The line between Liskeard and Looe will remain closed until further notice.

Replacement road transport will be operating.

[Conner]

I know why! 
The weather is absolutely terrible.
Listening to the travel report on the radio its going on for about 5 minutes.

[oooooo]

Its actually a landslip caused by heavy rain....

[Lee]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) link.
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=2289

[Lee]

Report on the renaming of Coombe & St Keyne stations, including a new sign in the old brown and cream style at Coombe (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20657202&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

[Lee]

The following cancellations have been reported, reason given is a train fault :

15:17 Liskeard to Looe due 15:44

15:47 Looe to Liskeard due 16:13

16:26 Liskeard to Looe due 16:53

17:05 Looe to Liskeard due 17:31

[oooooo]

AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) fault on 153368 went locked out of use on rear of 16:38 ex Liskeard to Exeter for attention.

[Chris from Nailsea]

"The weekday summer service on the Liskeard to Looe line will now run all year round.  First Great Western, which runs the service, said the change followed protests from local campaigners.  Twelve trains a day will continue to run on weekdays but there will still be reductions at weekends."

"Julian Crow, First Great Western's general manager for the West of England, said: "The move follows lobbying from the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership's Looe Valley Line Forum, which works to promote the line."

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7598460.stm
and http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Train-timetable-remain/article-307780-detail/article.html

[Lee]

From Monday 3 until 1600 on Friday 7 November 2008 buses will be replacing trains between Liskeard and Looe (link below.)
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=3016

[Lee]

From the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website :

17:58 Liskeard to Looe due 18:28

This train has been cancelled.This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

18:33 Looe to Liskeard due 19:01

This train has been cancelled.This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

[vacman]

Thats a laugh, "evening peak" on the Looe! i'll bet at least two passengers, one sheep and three dogs were inconvenienced!