Additional Trains to Weymouth during the Olympic Weeks

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

Nice to see the return of limited stop services on the Bristol-Weymouth line allbeit only for a short while this summer.

[paul7575]

I hope they are 5 car! I doubt they'll be double voyagers due to the platform at Reading.

The normal platforming at Reading doesn't prevent existing Bournemouth trains being doubled up, because they usually use P9 to reverse, (although they are infrequent they do occur in the normal timetable). 

Therefore your assumption that there's a platforming reason to prevent the Weymouth extensions being 8,9 or 10 car 22x is wrong.   If you said they'd be unlikely to have enough stock I'd go along with that.

Paul 

[MrC]

Therefore your assumption that there's a platforming reason to prevent the Weymouth extensions being 8,9 or 10 car 22x is wrong.   If you said they'd be unlikely to have enough stock I'd go along with that.

Because they won't fit at Wareham? ISTR^▸ (I seem to recall/remember) the max there is 8x20m.

There's also the question about where you'd berth stuff during their extended layovers at Weymouth - I'm not sure what you can fit down the quay tramway as far as the Melcombe Regis L/C. Putting a longer XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) down Jersey sdgs might also cause problems with SWT^▸ (South West Trains)/FGW^▸ (First Great Western) berthings and shunts.

[paul7575]

Btline's point made in his post was about platforming longer XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) trains at Reading being an issue - and that's all I was responding to.

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

I think the best we can hope for is that all the Bournemouth/Weymouth diagrams use 5-car Voyagers throughout the sailing events.  Might mean the routes to the South West suffer slightly, but if XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) are serious about providing the best service perhaps all their HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) can be out and about as well?

[Btline]

Sorry, I was sure that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) used the bay platform at Reading, not long enough for a double Voyager.

Yes, hopefully all stock will be in use. Nevertheless, I wouldn't be surprised if XC run 3 car Tubostars TBH^▸ (to be honest).

[JayMac]

I think the best we can hope for is that all the Bournemouth/Weymouth diagrams use 5-car Voyagers throughout the sailing events.  Might mean the routes to the South West suffer slightly, but if XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) are serious about providing the best service perhaps all their HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) can be out and about as well?

I've heard rumour elsewhere that XC will indeed be re-jigging their HST diagrams and utilising all sets.

[anthony215]

I've heard rumour elsewhere that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) will indeed be re-jigging their HST^▸ (High Speed Train) diagrams and utilising all sets.
[/quote]

You are correct as it is looking like this is crosscountrys plan to release some class 220/221 units to provide the extra capacity for services to be extended to Weymouth.

[paul7575]

You'd need at least two extra 22x units just to extend the existing services to Weymouth - but that doesn't actually provide additional capacity on the overall route.   As shown in the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) May 2012 timetable despite being referred to as 'additional services' they are just the normal services from Man Picc and New St for the relevant time of day extended beyond Bournemouth (arr BMH 0914 and 1012), so the real problem is providing a couple of extra units ready at Bourmnemouth to form the corresponding north bound departures from Bournemouth (dep BMH 0945 and 1045). 

Paul

[Steve44]

Sorry, I was sure that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) used the bay platform at Reading, not long enough for a double Voyager.

I've seen Bmouth bound journeys from the bay platform at Reading, so you're not imagining it 

[paul7575]

Immediately before the old P7 was closed (nominally at last December's timetable change) the standard platforming was that Bournemouth trains used the old P8 (current P9); Newcastle - Readings used the old P7, and the Newcastle - Southamptons used P3 southbound and P7 northbound.

The current standard usage is that nearly all the Newcastle/Rdg/Southampton services use P3, and nearly all the Manchester - Bournemouths use P9.  However if there are delays they can use any of the through platforms or P3 as available.

Paul

[SapperPsmith]

Surprised no one has commented that SWT^▸ (South West Trains) cannot provide additional capacity to Weymouth because of a shortage of 'juice'.  The third rail power supply is limited and restricts length and number of trains on the route.

I am not convinced that trains will be seriously overcrowded - most of the sailing types will go and stay in the vicinity of Weymouth for the duration and watching sailing from the shore is not a mass activity.  Those with boats will arrive from a variety of locations along the south coast.

[paul7575]

Surprised no one has commented that SWT^▸ (South West Trains) cannot provide additional capacity to Weymouth because of a shortage of 'juice'.  The third rail power supply is limited and restricts length and number of trains on the route.

It's been covered in a previous discussion on the same subject:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=7656.0. 

Paul

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks, paul7755.

I've taken the opportunity to merge that previous discussion with this topic, as it covers exactly the same subject.

Chris. 

[dorsetbeachcomber]

Surprised no one has commented that SWT^▸ (South West Trains) cannot provide additional capacity to Weymouth because of a shortage of 'juice'.  The third rail power supply is limited and restricts length and number of trains on the route.

It's been covered in a previous discussion on the same subject:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=7656.0. 

Paul

I've heard that SWT will have a spare 158/159 if required