Didcot Parkway - station, facilities, services, improvements, events and incidents (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[smokey]

It has ARS^▸ (Automatic Route Setting) although all signalling systems were working properly, the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) was simply going to fast (bearing in mind ATP^▸ (Automatic Train Protection) does not work once leaving the mainline)

ATP don't work over 70MPH either IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly).

ATP is an advanced system that is fool proof.
IIRC it's TPWS^▸ (Train Protection and Warning System) that can't be relied on above 70MPH for all incidents.

[Jim]

It has ARS^▸ (Automatic Route Setting) although all signalling systems were working properly, the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) was simply going to fast (bearing in mind ATP^▸ (Automatic Train Protection) does not work once leaving the mainline)

ATP don't work over 70MPH either IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly).

ATP is an advanced system that is fool proof.
IIRC it's TPWS^▸ (Train Protection and Warning System) that can't be relied on above 70MPH for all incidents.

Ah bugger it is.

[swlines]

Hence why there is TPWS^▸ (Train Protection and Warning System)+ which works up to 100mph, and now TPWS- which works under 20mph 

[Btline]

Why does Didcot get more Down HST^▸ (High Speed Train) services (3-4 per hour) than Up HST services (2-3 per hour)

Basically, why do the HSTs from Swansea stop, but the HSTs to Swansea don't stop?

What's wrong with a bit of consistency....

[Btline]

Does noone know?

[eightf48544]

Best guess some clever carriage roster clerk has discovered that if you don't stop the down Swansea you can save a unit over the day.

Up to December 07 at Taplow we had the same on the off peak London Suburban services.

Trains to Padd ran nearly all stations  Oxford to Slough   then Hayes (some Southall) Ealing Broadway.

This was followed by a Reading Twyford Maidenhead Slough most staions to Padd this was formed off the previous down Reading train as below,

Taplow trains from Padd ran Ealing B, Southall Hayes West Drayton Iver? Langley? then Slough and all stations Reading.

This was followed within 5 minutes by a Padd Ealing B Hayes Slough Maidenhead all stations Oxford which formed the up stopper for Taplow Padd a couple of hours later.

Allegedly this save one unit over the whole service. However it made realiablity a nightmare,  if a Taplow stopper was late this made the following OXford stopper late which made it late coming back to Taplow.

You can be too clever running a railway. After all the South Western pioneered regular interval fixed stoppping pattern services on electrification in the early 1900s. They also used to split and divide trains at places like Staines evry half hour. It worked then it still works now the clever bit is getting the stopping pattern right.

Asymmetry doesn't work.

[Btline]

I am still a little confused...

So does it call on the down to eliminate the need for another stopper (Turbo)?

[eightf48544]

No,

So does it call on the down to eliminate the need for another stopper (Turbo)?

No, it's probably to save an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) set on the Padd - Swansea runs.

The Thames Valley offpeak service is now symmetrical so there is no missing of stops in one direction to save journey time and reduce number of Turbos required.

[John R]

Maybe it doesn't call because if it did it would conflict somewhere further down the route. Westerleigh Jn, Parkway/Patchway, Severn Tunnel, Newport, and beyond are all potential places where it needs to be in the right place at the right time.

[Btline]

Ar, I see. It is less of "up trains calling additionally" but more "down trains missing out stops."

Thanks.

Still seems a bit silly - a symmetrical consistent timetable would be better.

But then again, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) released a leaflet talking about the increase in refreshed HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) calling at Didcot. In the figures, they quoted the number of trains TO London which (because of the inconsistent timetable, that is the subject of this post) makes it look like just as many return journeys!

Or perhaps demand in is spread a lot more than demand out (less likely, but possible).

Thanks again for giving me some possible answers! 

[grahame]

Thanks again for giving me some possible answers! 

I know I'm a bit late on this thread - but I have a thought. Perhaps there's an answer in this:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=2330.0

Perhaps the pattern is designed to give excellent fast Paddington to Didcot service, but to ensure that a healthy proportion of services either to or from each station further west do NOT call.

[Btline]

This some seem possible but probably no, because it is the down Swindon trains that call in addition.

This is really bugging me - and others.

Do any others on this board (who perhaps have more timetable knowledge etc.) know why Didcot has an additional HST^▸ (High Speed Train) (the up Swindon service)?

Thanks.

[Lee]

Community leaders have urged people in Didcot to get behind a ^100,000 initiative to shake off the town's negative image (link below.)
http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2271609.0.100_000_drive_to_make_didcot_brilliant.php

South Oxfordshire District Council has spent Government money rebranding the town by cashing in on the area's cutting-edge technology in a bid to transform its reputation.

It wanted to create a new vision for Didcot using a logo and slogan 'Brilliant Didcot' to sum up the top-notch opportunities for employment, recreation, shopping and culture, and draw people to the area.

Branding experts came up with a series of brightly coloured spheres containing a scientific motif.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Police horses will patrol Didcot town centre on Friday night. Thames Valley Police's mounted section will be on duty from 7pm to 1am. Pc Chris Ball said: "It will raise the police profile and act as a deterrent for people. We also hope it will highlight our approach to antisocial behaviour, underage drinking and lower- level antisocial problems, which we will be tackling this summer."

See http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2397198.0.horse_patrol_ordered.php

[willc]

The Rail Accident Investigation branch has just published its report into the SPAD^▸ (Signal Passed At Danger) incident at Didcot North junction in August last year.

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/yourtown/didcot/3874187.Trains__seconds_from_disaster_/

RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) summary and a link to download of the full report here http://www.raib.gov.uk/latest_news/081120_pn_didcot.cfm