Growth in rural line traffic

[whole diary]

[Tim]

But is the capacity there?

More generally, on rural routes their may not be the track capacity, but as the trains are currently so short, they ought to be the routes where an extra carriage could be added relatively easily. 

One of McNulty's recomendations was that UK^▸ (United Kingdom) trains need to be longer (therefore getting better productivity out of the path and the driver).

Longer trains and more passengers ought to be able to improve the economics of branchlines without the kind of huge investments in capacity needed where mainlines are at maximum capacity.   

[smokey]

I was on the Falmouth Line on Monday, both Trains on the Branch were Class 150 (2 car units), hopefully this is to become the Standard.

[LiskeardRich]

I was on the Falmotuh Line on Monday, both Trains on the Branch were Class 150 (2 car units), hopefully this is to become the Standard.

150128 and 150232 according to my notes from my travels! I traveled on the line on Monday also.

[phile]

The suggestion of a Sunday service in the Winter does not seem to have come to anything (Nothing on Journey Planner) and which could perhaps be justified in view of this growth.   Costs would no doubt preclude this.
The topic was discussed earlier on the Cornwall Board.

[LiskeardRich]

Falmouth currently has all year round sunday services.

[jester]

It just doesnt start early enough in the day on a sunday. By the time you get to Truro for a connection its midday. This is what needs addressing.

[grahame]

It just doesnt start early enough in the day on a sunday. By the time you get to Truro for a connection its midday. This is what needs addressing.

Any idea why it doesn't start earlier?
1. Lack of availability of the line to the train operator?
2. A theory / case made that no-one would use it?
3. Past trials that didn't generate as much traffic as was hoped?
4. Not in the SLC2 and no-one has stepped forward to subsidise a presumed loss?

It's interesting to see that the 09:08 Portsmouth to Cardiff on Sundays is noted "Seat Reservations Recommended" ...

Serious comments / thoughts welcomed on this as a general subject

[RichardB]

The later start on a Sunday is to allow Network Rail daylight patrolling time in Winter and dates right back to the introduction of all year Sunday Services in, I think, 2002.     

Given the massive amount of maintenance work done since then, and the great increase in passenger numbers, hopefully this can be looked at again in the new franchise.

[grahame]

The later start on a Sunday is to allow Network Rail daylight patrolling time in Winter and dates right back to the introduction of all year Sunday Services in, I think, 2002.     

Given the massive amount of maintenance work done since then, and the great increase in passenger numbers, hopefully this can be looked at again in the new franchise.

Thanks - that sounds to be a logical explanations and mirrors what I had heard with regard to the Heart of Wessex line to Weymouth.  First arrival in Weymouth - 10:42 in summer, mid afternoon(?) in winter.

A silly follow up question ... (and I think you're asking it to some extent, Richard) - is such daylight patrolling really needed these days?   I'm minded that the first Bristol to London via Bath expresses leave soon after 07:30 and I would have thought that there would be more rather than less need to check out higher speed lines.

[RailCornwall]

Daylight patrolling seems to be an anacronysm, how do continental operators with their consistent identical seven day timetabling perform this function?

[paul7575]

Daylight patrolling seems to be an anacronysm, how do continental operators with their consistent identical seven day timetabling perform this function?

Well the French at least have a close down in the middle of the day for patrolling - known as 'white space', IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly').

Our own WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) has 'daylight floodlighting' being progressively fitted at all the major junctions, to allow examination of critical areas overnight - and far more use is intended of track recording cameras mounted on in service trains, eg the 379s on Anglian routes being the first with OHLE^▸ (Over-Head Line Equipment (electrification via catenary)) cameras, and low level forward facing TV^▸ (Thames Valley, or TeleVision, depending on context)...

Paul

[Maxwell P]

The 90.6% increase on Truro-Falmouth line,

Would that increase be BEFORE this years New Truro Gate line?

Allegedly, 600+ 'NEW' journeys per day have been counted since gatelines were installed.  Not that I am accusing the good folk of Falmouth and Pernryn of fare dodging :-)

[Chris from Nailsea]

No need to. 

Chris. 

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

how are station usage figures counted at stations without barriers? is it just from point to point ticket sales?

[Trowres]

Yes, with some estimation required, for example to cover the number of journeys made on season tickets & tickets with non-specific destinations. More details can be found in http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/stn_usage_report_0910.pdf.

These figures are sometimes supplemented by real counts at stations and on-train. Neither method is perfect.