JohnRegular
Member
- Joined
- 12 Dec 2016
- Messages
- 253
(This may not be a wholly original idea but I couldn't find anything from a search...)
Why not extend Bedwyn stoppers to the more logical terminus of Westbury? I supppose I know the answer, which is that it would require at least one extra unit (and staff) to operate, and possibly also require reinstating 'platform 0' at Westbury (though this is being mooted anyway for improvements to the TransWilts service). But the current situation is a bit absurd, only a few trains call at both Westbury and Bedwyn/Hungerford (none at Kintbury I believe?), and although doubling back at Newbury is possible, journey planners don't offer it as an option, and I can only assume it wouldn't be a valid route.
I appreciate that Westbury and Hungerford are not vast metropolises with swathes of untapped demand for direct journies, however, many more locations can be accessed with a change at Westbury. It seems like an unecessary gap in connectivity, and if such a service existed today I doubt there would be any suggesting it should be cut.
Besides this, it would also give Pewsey a regular local service. 'Devizes Parkway' is also something being seriously considered, is this only going to be served by Paddington trains? Is there any value in having a more regular service between Westbury and Newbury?
So whay do you think, would such an extension be a waste of resources, carting around fresh air? Or would the connectivity for local stations on the line be worth it?
Why not extend Bedwyn stoppers to the more logical terminus of Westbury? I supppose I know the answer, which is that it would require at least one extra unit (and staff) to operate, and possibly also require reinstating 'platform 0' at Westbury (though this is being mooted anyway for improvements to the TransWilts service). But the current situation is a bit absurd, only a few trains call at both Westbury and Bedwyn/Hungerford (none at Kintbury I believe?), and although doubling back at Newbury is possible, journey planners don't offer it as an option, and I can only assume it wouldn't be a valid route.
I appreciate that Westbury and Hungerford are not vast metropolises with swathes of untapped demand for direct journies, however, many more locations can be accessed with a change at Westbury. It seems like an unecessary gap in connectivity, and if such a service existed today I doubt there would be any suggesting it should be cut.
Besides this, it would also give Pewsey a regular local service. 'Devizes Parkway' is also something being seriously considered, is this only going to be served by Paddington trains? Is there any value in having a more regular service between Westbury and Newbury?
So whay do you think, would such an extension be a waste of resources, carting around fresh air? Or would the connectivity for local stations on the line be worth it?