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Chris from Nailsea
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« on: December 14, 2009, 23:58:41 » |
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From rail-news.com: Gordon Brown, transport secretary Lord Adonis and Olympic gold medal winner Dame Kelly Holmes helped launch the UK▸ ^s first domestic high-speed rail service today at London St Pancras station.
High Speed 1 now allows passengers to travel between Ashford and London in just 37 minutes (previously 83 minutes) and from London to Canterbury in 59 minutes, a huge reduction from the previous 102 minutes.
Kelly Holmes who travelled on the one of the first trains, described the journey as ^really smooth^ and said ^It^s a great honour that SouthEastern has named a train after me^ before adding ^and to be 001, I have to say, is even better!^
Gordon Brown told the waiting press ^I hope this will be a blueprint for high-speed rail travel in the UK. Today^s event is a great example of the investment we need. Trains on time, trains of high standard and trains able to go faster.^
Lord Adonis said ^It is inconceivable that a generation from now that work will not have started on a north-south high-speed line.^
In 2012 HS▸ 1 will speed passengers from London to the Olympic village at Stratford in just 7 minutes.
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« Last Edit: December 16, 2009, 18:32:30 by chris from nailsea »
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Henry
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« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2009, 06:25:57 » |
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« Last Edit: December 16, 2009, 16:12:26 by Henry »
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JayMac
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« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2009, 10:42:53 » |
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(Post removed as it quoted an edited post, and was left making no sense, cheers Henry  ) |
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« Last Edit: December 16, 2009, 21:58:42 by bignosemac »
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"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
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paul7575
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« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2009, 11:29:26 » |
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I see one of the comments refers to a ^1400 annual increase from Rochester, but when I looked it up it was ^700...
About ^3 per working day then... Which is pretty good indicator of what a bargain annual seasons are, as the Anytime return addon price is around ^8...
Paul
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ChrisB
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« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2009, 10:31:03 » |
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Mile for mile, the southeastern seasons are cheap anyway....a lot cheaper than the TOCs▸ north of the Thames.
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Btline
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« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2009, 16:05:48 » |
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They keep saying that x minutes will be cut off the journey, but how about the y minutes added on to allow for a Tube journey from St Pancras?
And how will people afford it, esp during the credit crunch!
As I have said all along - and what is backed up by the comments - many people are being disadvantaged by this new timetable as services are being cut and slowed down. It only benefits the rich.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2009, 16:16:55 » |
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It only benefits the rich.
Somebody working in the Kings Cross area will probably be rather pleased, whether they are rich or not. I do agree the non high speed timetable sounds fairly horrendous, however this high speed line is progress. |
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grahame
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« Reply #7 on: December 16, 2009, 18:37:54 » |
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South Eastern have reduced the other (3rd rail) services into Victoria. Does this mean that there are now spare 3rd rail units in excess of timetable requirements? If so, could some be transferred to South West Trains to take over from the diesel turns running totally on the third rail routes? Could another run an extra commuter train from Southampton / Portsmouth to Brighton, releasing the diesel that runs into there just before 9 in the morning, and the one that leaves at 5 p.m.? Do you know what I am going to suggest as a good use for a couple of the extra Salisbury based diesel units, and the extra Bristol based one? It doesn't involve them going out of the area at all ...  |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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Steve Bray
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« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2009, 20:39:57 » |
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I decided to give myself a birthday treat today and travelled from Dorking to Canterbury via St Pancras. When I passed Ashford (albeit at about 12.25 and 2.40pm), there were quite a number of units in the sidings including at least 5 Javelin sets. My trains were on time, but pretty empty. Also the ticket barriers at St Pancras, both on the tube exit and on the South Eastern platforms, haven't quite worked out that St Pancras is now a legitimate route to travel to Canterbury, though I was told that 'this is being looked into'!
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paul7575
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« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2009, 12:18:09 » |
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There were already 12 508s out of service even before the latest timetable change, however AIUI▸ the more modern units are all earmarked for strengthening existing services from 8 to 10 or 12 car.
I've suggested already (as a Sussex RUS▸ consultation comment) that using an FGW▸ DMU▸ as an essential contribution to Brighton peak capacity was a ridiculous concept...
Paul
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ChrisB
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« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2009, 14:36:20 » |
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Also the ticket barriers at St Pancras, both on the tube exit and on the South Eastern platforms, haven't quite worked out that St Pancras is now a legitimate route to travel to Canterbury, though I was told that 'this is being looked into'! That's a known problem which is being fixed.... |
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #11 on: May 04, 2010, 22:03:37 » |
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They keep saying that x minutes will be cut off the journey, but how about the y minutes added on to allow for a Tube journey from St Pancras?
And how will people afford it, esp during the credit crunch!
As I have said all along - and what is backed up by the comments - many people are being disadvantaged by this new timetable as services are being cut and slowed down. It only benefits the rich.
A hint in today's Metro that Btline might* be right... http://www.metro.co.uk/news/824624-140mph-train-service-is-reduced-after-complaints*I say 'might' because the Metro really does print some utter garbage on occasions! |
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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paul7575
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« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2010, 22:09:41 » |
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It's arguable that contrary to the media report, the service hasn't been reduced, as no trains have been cancelled. Putting on a single 6 car unit instead of two is a capacity change, but it isn't actually a service reduction, AIUI▸ ...
Paul
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Electric train
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« Reply #13 on: May 04, 2010, 22:19:51 » |
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The Javelin's internally are nothing to write home about, a basic outer suburban 2 x 2 seating mainly airline style, there are not buffets and I have never seen a trolley service the dozen or so time I have used the trains to Ramsgate (hour 20 mins). They certainly romp to Ashford but then standard speed service for the rest of the journey.
The trains when operating in multiple require 2 train managers, SE are fastidious in checking the tickets on these services so I can see why they might want to cut the number of Units also they will now have completed all the inservice test running so can afford to stable some units
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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John R
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« Reply #14 on: May 04, 2010, 22:37:52 » |
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I'm sure if they are not all needed in Kent then a few could be transferred to the East Coast or West Coast and enable a useful cascade to begin. eg, How many units would be needed to replace the Birmingham to Scotland Voyagers? Would need a bit of a reconfiguration internally though.
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