The bus that only runs 4 times a year

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

It'll probably go empty to West Ealing, into the goods loop by the Plassers factory, and stand behind the goods loop signal before returning Up Relief to Broadway - the same shunt that the Greenford's do if they're terminating short at West Ealing

[paul7575]

It's nothing to do with fares. It's all about providing a service, no matter how silly, instead of going through the formal closure procedure. A legal requirement that must be done when a passenger service is removed from a stretch of line or station.

I know all that - I'm saying it is stupid that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) aren't closing the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) passenger service - because there is a perfectly usable LU alternative.  There appear to be no valid reasons why anyone could object, so why don't the DfT just get on with it?

Paul

[willc]

As a frequent user of the line in the 1980s to get between Yorkshire and Birmingham in my student days, i can assure you there isn't. Local traffic was absolutely minimal, with almost everyone on board connecting between Transpennine trains and services running south of Manchester Piccadilly, to avoid the bus journey between the two Manchester stations - which was the only reason Stockport-Stalybridge lasted as long as it did. Once Transpennine services started going to Piccadilly, the entire basis for Stockport-Stalybridge trains went - Greater Manchester PTE^▸ (Passenger Transport Executive)/PTA^▸ (Passenger Transport Authority)/ITA^▸ (Integrated Transport Authority) has never thought it was worth trying to develop the route.

I'd imagine that the road traffic situation is very different to 20-30 years ago, willc.

The Friends of Reddish South Station are arguing for an improved service because, "the Reddish, Gorton and Hyde road corridors are becoming increasingly congested we need to be thinking about alternative modes of transport to Stockport and Manchester."

Yes, the traffic situation is different. Since the 1980s, they have completed the motorway ring around Manchester, which makes getting to Stockport from the Guide Bridge, Denton and Reddish areas by road much easier than it was back then. Never mind that, as i said, local passenger traffic on the line was near non-existent long before the M60 existed - if it had existed, then the PTA might have thought the service worth saving. And if you want to go to Manchester, then I'd suggest Reddish North station would be the place to catch a train.

[eightf48544]

The fact that Reddish South may have a very weak case it's still odd it's a member of AcoPR whilst Transwilts with a much stronger case can't join.

Maybe that's the problem it would be harder to say no to Transwilts if they were members. Roll out the conspiracy theories.

RE^▸ (Religious Education) Wandsworth Ealing Broadway forgot about Plasser loop.

[anthony215]

I've done a bit of digging and have found provisional timings:

2017 SSuX Clapham High Street - Ealing Broadway
2112 SSuX Ealing Broadway - Clapham High Street

Thanks  anthony for those. One question hoiw are they going to turn round at Ealing Broadway? As far as I know there is no bi-directional working through the station.

It could either fgo back empty via Down Relief to Acton West Junction and go into the yard and come back wrong line to Up Relief or go down Relief to Hanwell  and come back over the first crossover of Hanwell Jn and come right line Up Relief.

If it starts in May it would be possible to do one way in daylight.

I presume it will be on a Travelcard so i can do some running around andcatch iot from Calpham High stret and change at Ealing for Taplow.

Grahame interesting point re ACoPR and Reddish South. When is campaining for a better train service not campaiging for a better train service?

Sorry can't help I'm as puzzled as you.

I think i i remember correctly it was to run emepty up to west ealing i think and reverse on the greenford branch or something.

Also from May Chiltern have decided to stop the 11:36 London Paddington - Gerrards cross service at South Ruislip again so it is possible to a  have a trip along some of rare sections of line around ruislip using a travelcard

[eightf48544]

If the 11:36 Padd to Gerards Cross is to stop at South Ruislip, do you mean West Ruislip? I can well recommend a run on it for you track bashers.

You can return to London via Marylebone if it stops at West Ruislip, or  Central Line all the way or go to Greenford and  back to Padd.

[anthony215]

If the 11:36 Padd to Gerards Cross is to stop at South Ruislip, do you mean West Ruislip? I can well recommend a run on it for you track bashers.

You can return to London via Marylebone if it stops at West Ruislip, or  Central Line all the way or go to Greenford and  back to Padd.

I am sure it was south ruislip it said on  proposed the timetable

[paul7575]

I guess eightf48544 is referring to the fact that trains cannot get from the Paddington route to the platform at South Ruislip, but they can with the new layout - IF it is finished by the timetable change date.. 

However the new Chiltern timetable is supposed to be all up in the air because the infrastructure works won't be completed, so the proposed calling pattern from May 22nd might not actually change then - I'd check nearer the time, but it's being suggested the main changes won't occur until September...

Paul 

[willc]

The fact that Reddish South may have a very weak case it's still odd it's a member of AcoPR whilst Transwilts with a much stronger case can't join.

Maybe that's the problem it would be harder to say no to Transwilts if they were members. Roll out the conspiracy theories.

Or maybe they just went up to Stalybridge, got on a train over to Slaithwaite and did some direct lobbying of Acorp.

I suspect Acorp's beef with Transwilts is that since 2005 community rail partnerships and community rail lines are designated on an official basis by DafT. Without that, Acorp won't play ball. And Transwilts did not figure in the list of lines DafT considered had potential for such partnerships when it drew up its community rail strategy, see http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/strategyfinance/strategy/community/revcomrail?page=6

[grahame]

Will, thanks for that thought / link to the designated list.   We were aware of the list, and of the absence of the TransWilts line / service from it, and had discussed this in person with civil servants who look after community rail from the Department for Transport prior to making our application to ACoRP^▸ (Association of Community Rail Partnerships). And we understood that the absence of a line / service from the initial list was no barrier to it being granted the status and a CRP^▸ (Community Rail Partnership) being able to join ACoRP.  I'm not saying that this isn't the reason (please excuse the double negative) we weren't accepted, but if it is the reason, I would have expected the letter from ACoRP to have included something to the effect of "the line / service you wish to support is not included in the list of suitable lines.

I'm inclined not to speculate too much more at present; we should really wait for the clarification that we've asked for from ACoRP.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

just to add to my post, i have no idea about traffic to stalybridge, however i can tell you that as of 1997 getting from marple to stockport was a pig! that is clearly some time ago and i can confirm that it has got much worse!!

i dont think that a case can be argued for a regular service to stalybridge that conects with rose hill (marple) services at guide bridge for a stockport connection for 2 reasons stockport stalybridge isn't a major commuter route.. is it? and as for connecting service i cant see that being a winner with passengers who would have to change at guide bridge...

but a service that runs from rose hill to stockport at peak times probably would, 18 mins from rose hill to g b and another 21 from guide to stockport so 39 mins in total, could shave time off by omitting some stops but even without doing so 39 mins beats the peak journey time from marple to stockport by road... it can take that long to get to get to  17 windows ! and during the day without traffic the bus takes 24 mins

[eightf48544]

Looking at the list form willc's hyperlink I see Slough Windsor is included.

Here we have line which now has a 20 minute service during day, service for 18 hours , well used and run by FGW^▸ (First Great Western). Why does it need to be a Community Rail partnership?

Also included are Maidenhead Marlow and Twyford Henley.

The former possibly as there already is an active user group. However, the line is at capacity in the morning and evening peaks with through trains to and from Padd. Plus there is little scope for more than an hourly service duing the day and evening unless the loop is put back in at Cookham and the Marlow branch runs as a shuttle to Bourne End all day. Still they put the loop back at Penryn.