Looe branch line - timetables, cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[REVUpminster]

The 175s primary job is to get rid of HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train). They will go on Barnstaple and Okehampton.  The 19 150s at Exeter are diagrammed to rotate through the Cornwall branches stabling overnight at various locations in Cornwall before working back to Exeter. The 150s seem to be becoming very unreliable.

The 175s I don't think can be cleared for the Cornwall branches. The 158s at Exeter are likely to go to Bristol.

Paignton-Exmouth will still need at least 4 turbos and 175s occasionally as 158s are used now when short of stock. The Barnstaple/Okehampton 175s will stable at Exeter, in place of the 158s overnight before having to work back to Laira.

[TaplowGreen]

And again............

Alterations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Due to a broken down train earlier today between Liskeard and Looe:
Train services running to and from these stations have been suspended. Disruption is expected until 10:36 31/08.

[Pb_devon]

TG, I’ve suggested mods amend thread title to reflect issues posted beyond 26 August.

[bobm]

Took a while - but now done.

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Due to a shortage of train crew between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.

Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

........Newquay-Par branch also wiped out.

[GBM]

05:57 Liskeard to Looe due 06:27
02/09/24 05:57 Liskeard to Looe due 06:27 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
And the return run.

But help is on its way
06:19 Par to Plymouth due 07:21
02/09/24 06:19 Par to Plymouth due 07:21 will be terminated at Liskeard.
It will no longer call at Menheniot, St Germans, Saltash, St Budeaux Ferry Road, Keyham, Dockyard, Devonport and Plymouth.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

[Pb_devon]

But at the penalty of Yardees being late for work!!

[GBM]

Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Due to the sea flooding the railway between Liskeard and Looe the line is blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 08:30 20/09

[Chris from Nailsea]

No, it's one of their 'stock photos of a train' at Bristol Temple Meads again, isn't it? 

[LiskeardRich]

No, it's one of their 'stock photos of a train' at Bristol Temple Meads again, isn't it? 

Your reply is almost as late as GWRs^▸ (Great Western Railway) trains in Cornwall today   

[Chris from Nailsea]

I know: I was, as usual, looking for something else when I happened to stumble across this historic topic. 

Thankfully, the car driver in that particular incident was not seriously injured. Just a bloody nose, apparently.

Our frequent readers should know by now that the use of such clearly irrelevant images, in otherwise factual news articles, is something that winds me up somewhat.  It's just shoddy journalism. 

CfN.

[RichardB]

There will be changes to the Looe timetable from May to provide much better connections at Liskeard to/from Plymouth throughout the day, a good pre-09 00 arrival in Plymouth for commuters and a better spread of request stops at Sandplace, Causeland and St Keyne.  This follows local requests and liaison between ourselves (Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership) and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

The aim is to provide 6 (or near to) minute connections out of Looe and the same for inward except out of London services where the aim is to provide 10-13 minute connections. The exception is the last connection of the day from London where 20 minutes has been deliberately allowed for robustness.  Currently day trippers from Plymouth to Looe on the key services have more than 20 minutes at Liskeard in both directions. 

To enable these changes, the number of trains a day will reduce from 15 to 13.   The first train will leave Looe at 07 33 instead of 06 30 now.  The 07 33 will give a Plymouth arrival of 08 44 with a 6 minute connection at Liskeard.  We and GWR have counted passengers on the line’s service and the existing 06 30 is little used (indeed the September Tuesday we did our counts, there was just one passenger).  Currently you can either arrive in Plymouth at 07 43 or 09 08.   The new 08 44 arrival should be attractive. 

A further bonus of the new timetable is that the last train will leave Looe at 21 55 on weekdays, 18 minutes later than now.   This will make a 7 minute connection at Liskeard for Saltash and Plymouth.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thank you for posting that advance notice here, RichardB. 

[AMLAG]

What a pity it’s taken these D&CRP^▸ (Community Rail Partnership) inspired TT improvements (and resultant train operating cost reductions) so long to be implemented; it should have happened several years ago.

[ChrisB]

I feel for that 1 passenger on the 0630. First & Last trains should be sacrosanct if *anyone* is regularly using them, since you can guarantee that they're only on them regularly if they *have* to be on them.