Two totally un-related short questions

[whole diary]

[lj2]

Hi All,

Don't often surface here but I have two very short totally un-related questions that (probably) fit into this catagory:

On the Exeter-Barnstaple line I noticed the new communications towers have gone up, looking similar to others on the network. Are these GSM-R^▸ (Global System for Mobile communications - Railway.) and if so, is this a step towards ERTMS^▸ (European Rail Traffic Management System.) for our little regional line?

Second - on the Exeter-Sailsbury line there seem to be HST^▸ (High Speed Train) stop marks at most stations that look fairly new. Some even re-installed on the re-doubled sections. Does this alude to a specific NR^» (Network Rail - home page) plan? I'm not sure HSTs have ever been in service on this line have they?

Thanks!

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

On your second question the west of England line is used as an alternative route to paddington via pen mill during diverts

[smokey]

On your second question the west of England line is used as an alternative route to paddington via pen mill during diverts

Expect NR^» (Network Rail - home page) are on the Ball, During the Reading rebuild sometime this December, West Country HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s are booked Exeter-Waterloo.

[vacman]

On your second question the west of England line is used as an alternative route to paddington via pen mill during diverts

Expect NR^» (Network Rail - home page) are on the Ball, During the Reading rebuild sometime this December, West Country HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s are booked Exeter-Waterloo.

not strictly correct, they are running Westbury Waterloo via salisbury

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

Hst's at Waterloo?

[smokey]

Between Exeter and Yeovil HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s are often Diverted when Exeter St Davids-Taunton is closed.
Due to limited paths some SWT^▸ (South West Trains) Waterloo-Exeter trains terminate Yeovil and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST's call at stations Yeovil Junc to Exeter hence the HST stop boards.

[grahame]

Hst's at Waterloo?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/justindperkins/3368064451/

[eightf48544]

Hst's at Waterloo?

That appears to be so during the Christmas/New Year shutdown of Reading.

Don't forgtet BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) used to do Basingstoke Poole on the third rail, before those tincans were introduced.

I did understand that it's a question of Short or Long Swing Link Bogies, perhaps one of our engineers can explain.

[IndustryInsider]

Are these GSM-R^▸ (Global System for Mobile communications - Railway.) and if so, is this a step towards ERTMS^▸ (European Rail Traffic Management System.) for our little regional line?

I expect they are - GSM-R will be in widespread use in the next couple of years on pretty much all lines I think, replacing the current NRN^▸ (National Radio Network), CSR^▸ (Cab Secure Radio) and GSM-P systems.  Although GSM-R goes hand-in-hand with ETRMS, the ETRMS side of things will be a long way into the future for something like the Barnstaple line!

Jargon buster:  NRN = National Radio Network, CSR = Cab Secure Radio, GSM = Global System of Mobile Communications (R) Railway, or (P) Public.

[brompton rail]

And HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) from Edinburgh down the East Coast travelled around London to reach Waterloo on the services designed to connect with Eurostar. XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) supplied the sets, presumed ECML^▸ (East Coast Main Line) crews took them south to Waterloo. Remember this would be in the good old InterCity days (or was it Intercity then.).

Usually empty as they could not carry intermediate passengers.

[paul7575]

Between Exeter and Yeovil HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s are often Diverted when Exeter St Davids-Taunton is closed.
Due to limited paths some SWT^▸ (South West Trains) Waterloo-Exeter trains terminate Yeovil and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST's call at stations Yeovil Junc to Exeter hence the HST stop boards.

I think previously most SWT's to Exeter were cancelled beyond Yeovil Jn and replaced by a limited FGW service, before the hourly service became possible, but AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) we haven't had any weekend diversions since? 

It will be interesting to see what happens next time. Perhaps they'll run alternate hour FGW and SWT services.

Paul

[Louis94]

Between Exeter and Yeovil HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s are often Diverted when Exeter St Davids-Taunton is closed.
Due to limited paths some SWT^▸ (South West Trains) Waterloo-Exeter trains terminate Yeovil and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST's call at stations Yeovil Junc to Exeter hence the HST stop boards.

I think previously most SWT's to Exeter were cancelled beyond Yeovil Jn and replaced by a limited FGW service, before the hourly service became possible, but AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) we haven't had any weekend diversions since? 

It will be interesting to see what happens next time. Perhaps they'll run alternate hour FGW and SWT services.

Paul

If i remember hearing somewhere correctly, there will be enough paths on the single line to have an extra HST in each direction per hour. Both HSTs would pass at Axminster, and then pass the SWT services at Chard Junction and Honiton.

There could be a problem in trying to fit them in between Exmouth Junction and Exeter St Davids between the Exmouth branch line services. Will definitely be interesting to see what happens next time!

[paul7575]

If i remember hearing somewhere correctly, there will be enough paths on the single line to have an extra HST^▸ (High Speed Train) in each direction per hour. Both HSTs would pass at Axminster, and then pass the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) services at Chard Junction and Honiton.

It is not possible to run a 2 tph service though. The loops at Chard and Honiton are not positioned correctly to allow it, they'd both have to be moved to the mid points between the double tracked sections. This has been analysed to death before now, I went as far as drawing detailed graphs of distance/time, and it can't be done.

Paul

[readytostart]

I did understand that it's a question of Short or Long Swing Link Bogies, perhaps one of our engineers can explain.

100% correct, standard HST^▸ (High Speed Train) coaches a-la FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are fine as they are SSL^▸ (Short Swing Link bogies (125)), XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) HSTs are hybrid SSL and LSL^‡(resolve) due to being a mix of original HST build mark III coaches (SSL) and loco-hauled ex WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) mark III (LSL) coaches.

[The SprinterMeister]

Are these GSM-R^▸ (Global System for Mobile communications - Railway.) and if so, is this a step towards ERTMS^▸ (European Rail Traffic Management System.) for our little regional line?

I expect they are - GSM-R will be in widespread use in the next couple of years on pretty much all lines I think, replacing the current NRN^▸ (National Radio Network), CSR^▸ (Cab Secure Radio) and GSM-P systems.  Although GSM-R goes hand-in-hand with ETRMS, the ETRMS side of things will be a long way into the future for something like the Barnstaple line!

Jargon buster:  NRN = National Radio Network, CSR = Cab Secure Radio, GSM = Global System of Mobile Communications (R) Railway, or (P) Public.

The Barnstaple line Masts are purely for GSM-R cab radio purposes. There is no intention at this stage to dispense with the NSTR signalling between Crediton & Barnstaple. Apparently the radio bandwidth currently used for NRN Cab Radio (Band III VHF which is shared allocation with bus companies) is already allocated for some other use once GSM-R takes over during 2011.