Falmouth branch overcrowding

[whole diary]

[FarWestJohn]

I took some friends into Truro on Wednesday for the 'Festival of lights'. Everyone was asked to use public transport if possible.
The journey on the way in was a 153 unit and packed as usual with no chance of buying a ticket. There were two staff at Truro barriers selling tickets but still a large queue to get out.

On the return we went to get the 2105 train, a 150/1 and even at 2055 we were told it was too full to get on. A coach was arranged which was far too small and dozens were left behind and only the last train at 2208 with an hour wait in a desolate station.

Why could not the 153 have been coupled to the 150 when the half hourly service finished as it was well known in advance to be a busy evening as will the next six Wednesdays up to Christmas?

Or is this because a 150/1 does not have a gangway? We are normally told the trains are too crowded as there are no spare units but in this case there was one not being used.

A real shame as yet again another example of First leaving a great number of angry people when they could
have done well.

Not impressed at all.

[Andy]

Forgive my ignorance as an outsider but whose decision would it be to authorise the addition of an extra carriage/unit in this case? What are the procedures for requesting and authorising additional stock?
 

[paul7575]

Theoretically FGW^▸ (First Great Western) can just go to a leasing company and ask for more stock, but it isn't that simple.  Even if  suitable rolling stock was available 'off the shelf', the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) have to agree the use of additional stock on such routes, firstly because they'll need an additional operating subsidy, and secondly because when considered on a national basis there is hardly ever any spare stock to obtain in the first place, and there may be competing needs elsewhere.

Fortunately there are all of 8 carriages of 150 stock currently up for grabs, so only my first reason applies...

Paul

[marky7890]

For the Tall Ships in Falmouth a few years ago I think a 150+153 were coupled, although this was before the loop at Penryn. Also I'm sure a 150+153 would fit on the new platforms at Penryn.

[fatcontroller]

The 3-car formation will fit along the route however, having run independently throughout the day there is no time in the layovers at Truro for the two units to couple up without incurring delays.

If it was to happen it is not a simple case of the second unit running in to Truro "on top" of the other unit to couple as the Signalling does not allow for a passenger train to come into any of Truro's platforms whilst another train is in the platform.

[SandTEngineer]

If it was to happen it is not a simple case of the second unit running in to Truro "on top" of the other unit to couple as the Signalling does not allow for a passenger train to come into any of Truro's platforms whilst another train is in the platform.

Er not quite true .  The Falmouth Branch home signal lever 13 is a draw ahead signal that reads up to 14 shunt signal that leads to all three lines in the station.  There are no track circuit clear controls in 14 signal so in theory a train can pass the branch home and proceed into any platform occupied.  Not sure though if the Truro signalbox instructions authorise (or prohibit) this for a passenger move.

[Andy]

Theoretically FGW^▸ (First Great Western) can just go to a leasing company and ask for more stock, but it isn't that simple.  Even if  suitable rolling stock was available 'off the shelf', the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) have to agree the use of additional stock on such routes, firstly because they'll need an additional operating subsidy, and secondly because when considered on a national basis there is hardly ever any spare stock to obtain in the first place, and there may be competing needs elsewhere.

Fortunately there are all of 8 carriages of 150 stock currently up for grabs, so only my first reason applies...

Paul

Thanks for the explanation. In the scenario outlined by the original poster, with a FGW carriage at Truro, available and empty, whose decision is it to authorise the addition/use of the extra carriage?

[FarWestJohn]

I am sure I have seen a 150 arrive in the up platform at Truro and then a 153 couple up to the rear from the sidings in very quick time and then head off towards Plymouth.

Could not a Falmouth train come into the up platform and a 153 be attached from the siding as above. Then it should be able to return to Falmouth with the new Semaphore that allows trains to depart from the up platform in the down direction?

[fatcontroller]

If it was to happen it is not a simple case of the second unit running in to Truro "on top" of the other unit to couple as the Signalling does not allow for a passenger train to come into any of Truro's platforms whilst another train is in the platform.

Er not quite true .  The Falmouth Branch home signal lever 13 is a draw ahead signal that reads up to 14 shunt signal that leads to all three lines in the station.  There are no track circuit clear controls in 14 signal so in theory a train can pass the branch home and proceed into any platform occupied.  Not sure though if the Truro signalbox instructions authorise (or prohibit) this for a passenger move.

As you say - not permitted as a passenger move.

Hence that is why I wrote exactly what I did.

Anyways - we're both right!

[fatcontroller]

I am sure I have seen a 150 arrive in the up platform at Truro and then a 153 couple up to the rear from the sidings in very quick time and then head off towards Plymouth.

Could not a Falmouth train come into the up platform and a 153 be attached from the siding as above. Then it should be able to return to Falmouth with the new Semaphore that allows trains to depart from the up platform in the down direction?

yes it should be able to do this.

Obviously for it to be planned there are minimum time allowances given (even if in practice it can be done quicker) such as for the attachment. I believe attaching a set is 4 minutes, that along with changing ends, ensuring the Up platform is available at the time that the attachment is to take place does add the time that would then delay the next service unless the timetable gets recast for the rest of the evening, which then adds the complexity of connections into the main line.

[eightf48544]

We seem to have forgoten how to run a railway. We were banging trains together every half hour at numerous places on the Southern in the 60s and that was with manual  couplings in lot of cases not auto coplers. And even if it was buckeyes you still had to connect the jumpers and brake pipes. 4 minutes would have seemed an eternity.

[vacman]

Just been annonced that it wil be 2x 2 cars from Dec.

[inspector_blakey]

We seem to have forgoten how to run a railway. We banging trains together every half hour at numerous palces on teh soutnern in teh 60s and that was with manual  couplings in lot of cases not auto coplers. And even if it was buckeyes you still had to connect the jumpers and brake pipes. 4 minutes would have seemed an eternity.

Really...? Four minutes for a screw coupling/brake pipes/jumpers and the requisite brake continuity test seems remarkably tight to me, certainly not an eternity.

[LiskeardRich]

Just been annonced that it wil be 2x 2 cars from Dec.

can you confirm your source for a december start to 2x2 cars. All local publicity here states Spring 2012.

[old original]

I have heard from local staff that it will be 1 x 150 and 2 x 153 from the new timetable, but the timing seems to contradicted FGWs^▸ (First Great Western) announcement.. we'll see in due course