Weymouth - station, facilities, improvements, events and incidents - merged posts

[whole diary]

[dog box]

For Hsts to run on 3rd rail they need Short Swing Link SSL^▸ (Short Swing Link bogies (125)) bogies. XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) sets had these.

After reading this post I've been keeping an eye out and haven't so far spotted a single FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST^▸ (High Speed Train) set that does not have all vehicles marked "SSL", so from a purely technical point of view regular HST services over the 3rd rail could be feasible.

had a set with 2 LSL^‡(resolve) Trailers Yesterday

[Brucey]

As far as I'm aware the trips down to Fratton were at police insistence- Imagine the scene if the away supporters got to the station and saw that the 17.31 was a 3-car 158! 

Are there many sections on the Cardiff - Portsmouth route that have a speed limit high enough to justify having some permanent HST^▸ (High Speed Train) services?  I'm thinking that during rush hour and popular off-peak times, a couple of HSTs would be more than welcome serving this route, especially if they reduced the journey time slightly!

[inspector_blakey]

Almost certainly not!

I don't know if an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) would be able to keep to 158 timings either - it may be that the acceleration isn't good enough. Then there's the issue of SSL^▸ (Short Swing Link bogies (125)) vs. LSL^‡(resolve) bogies over the third rail and it all gets rather complicated!

[devon_metro]

As far as I'm aware the trips down to Fratton were at police insistence- Imagine the scene if the away supporters got to the station and saw that the 17.31 was a 3-car 158! 

Are there many sections on the Cardiff - Portsmouth route that have a speed limit high enough to justify having some permanent HST^▸ (High Speed Train) services?  I'm thinking that during rush hour and popular off-peak times, a couple of HSTs would be more than welcome serving this route, especially if they reduced the journey time slightly!

Bath - Bristol is probably the only section where an HST "trumps" a 158 on top speed.

[paul7575]

The Fratton - Cardiff service went via Eastleigh and Chandlers Ford apparently because HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) are too heavy for the Hamble bridge near Bursledon, therefore missing out Southampton. I guess that wouldn't be too successful an alteration in the peaks...

Paul

[devon_metro]

The Fratton - Cardiff service went via Eastleigh and Chandlers Ford apparently because HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) are too heavy for the Hamble bridge near Bursledon, therefore missing out Southampton. I guess that wouldn't be too successful an alteration in the peaks...

Paul

Or at all!

Travel to Southampton is one of the more popular 'flows' on that route.

Certainly it's the only journey i've ever made on Cardiff - Portsmouth trains in the direction of the south coast!

[James158]

Wow I am suprised. I would not mind sitting in the quiet carriage on the way to Weymouth.

[James158]

Hi

I thought you might like to know that the Weymouth Vintage Bus Running Day is once again being held on Sunday 20th June 2010. FREE vintage buses run to all different places in and around Weymouth including Bowleaze Cove, Nothe Fort and Portland Bill and much more. The event will be held at Weymouth College which is right next to Lodmoor Coach Park and the Sea Life Centre. The FREE bus service 454 will connect Weymouth Railway Station to the rally site at 09:55, 10:45, 11:15, 11:45 and approximately hourly thereafter.

This event attracts a large number of visitors every year and is very popular, including this event which is being held in Torquay on Sunday 5th September 2010. 

I would highly recommend the Portland Bill bus ride as this journey gives spectacular views of Chesil Beach. There is a static display of buses next to the departure area with stalls selling a wide range of bus and train merchandise. Me and my mum attended last year and it was very enjoyable and fun to have FREE bus rides on vintage buses. We shall be attending again this year by train and then taking the FREE bus service from the railway station forecourt to the rally site (approx 10 mins journey).

For more information visit www.weymouthvbrd.co.uk and if you do decide to attend have a lovely day and we will see you there.

Many Thanks

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks very much for posting that, James 158: I've just added it to our calendar, as well.

C. 

[James158]

Thanks very much for posting that, James 158: I've just added it to our calendar, as well.

C. 

What calendar?

[Chris from Nailsea]

See http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?action=calendar

There's a link to it, in the bar towards the left-hand top of the screen, just under your username login details.

C. 

[James158]

Me and my mum have just come back from Weymouth after spending 2 days staying with a friend. We caught the bus on Thursday at 06:38 and arrived Weymouth at 14:29. We caught all First Bus services and had to change 3 times. The ticket we bought is called FirstDay South West and costs ^8.00 before 09:00 and ^7.10 after 09:00 for a adult (^5.60 for a student and ^5.80 for a child). The journey details are below:-

Bristol - Wells (service 376)
Wells - Yeovil (service 377)
Yeovil - Bridport (service 47)
Bridport - Weymouth (service 31 or X53)

We were originally going to stay in a Guest House but they were all fully booked so a good friend offered to put us up for the night. We then went back out and went on the bus to Lyme Regis (service 31 or X53). We then caught the last bus back to Weymouth after spending 1hour 35 mins there.

The following day we just relaxed on a bench on the esplanade in Weymouth before catching the last train back to Bristol Temple Meads at 20:21 (unfortunately it wasn't cancelled as we did not want to go back home). If this service was cancelled what would FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have done? We bought our ticket on the train costing ^12.45 for an off peak single with the Family & Friends Railcard. The train was lovely and peaceful until Bath Spa where hords of drunk people boarded shouting and singing all the way to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)). It is like this all the way from Weymouth on Saturday nights. According to a poster at Weymouth Railway Station FGW have now banned alcohol on the 20:21 Weymouth to BTM service on Saturdays due to the rowdy lot that get on. They now need to consider banning alcohol all the time. BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) also need to make a presence on this service to keep an eye out for any trouble.

[inspector_blakey]

If this service was cancelled what would FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have done?

Provided alternative transport, i.e. a bus or taxis. It's all covered in the conditions of carriage.

And on the alcohol point, it doesn't do a lot of good banning alcohol on the service if people are already well oiled before they get on board - like you said, they only travelled from bath to Bristol. That must have taken all of 15 minutes. Not even I could put away enough booze to do that much damage in 15 minutes.

[devon_metro]

You'd enjoy the last one back from Bristol to Frome on Saturdays then...

[inspector_blakey]

Or indeed either of the last two services from Temple Meads to Paddington on a Saturday...