Heart of Wessex Line: Can anyone confirm or expand on my memory of proposed service improvements and is there still hope they might happen?

[DDB]

Just before franchising collapsed there were proposals for service improvements on the Heart of Wessex line but I can't now find the details and I wonder if anyone else remembers them.

What I think I remember is that a major employer in Yeovil ( who was specifically not named) paid for a rail consultant to look at how service frequency could be improved on the Heart of Wessex (Bristol to Weymouth) line to hourly rather than the current variable service.

I think they came up with four ideas but I can only remember two.

One was combining with the Bristol to Portsmouth service with splitting and joining the Weymoth portion at Westbury

Another and the one that won in terms of being taken forward was an hourly service crossing at Yeovil. This proposal at least truncated the service at Bristol whereas many of the current services go onto to Gloucester or other destinations. With the truncation of services north of Bristol it was calculated that an hourly service would only require one extra unit compared to the extant service.

My memory is that the second proposal won in that it was requested to be included as a costed option in the GWR franchise bid. It had words round the request which I took to mean that bidders could say that it would have to wait for a DMU to be freed up by electrification of the Thames branches.

What happened next is the franchise competition was cancelled as was electrification so nothing came of it.

My questions for the board are:
Is my memory correct and can anyone fill in more of the details?
Is there any talk of the scheme being resurrected for offical consideration?

I don't think I heard any talk of it during the "reopening your railway" era but that may be because it didn't qualify as it isn't a reopening and so not as sexy although I think going hourly from the current irregular service could have a comparable public transport effect without the capital spend.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

The current 2-hourly timetable (with a peak additional each way) is pretty much the maximum that the single line infrastructure can support. You can run two trains an hour apart in one direction but the train they cross ends up waiting 20 mins somewhere (generally either Maiden Newton or Yeovil Pen Mill) which makes it untenable for an hourly pattern in both directions.

Given the low population density of the area I’d question whether redoubling a significant section would be sensible use of taxpayer funding. It would be better IMO to spend money on resilience schemes, for example stabilising the embankments at Evershot so the existing timetable performs better. Currently there is a long-standing 20mph TSR that is significantly impacting southbound trains on the 1:52 gradient. A linespeed improvement between Yeovil and Thornford would be useful too, the current 30mph section is painfully slow.

 

[swt_passenger]

The 2015 Western Route strategy suggested an hourly service from Bristol as far as Yeovil Pen Mill, but no change needed between Pen Mill and Weymouth until ‘after 2043’.

 

[DDB]

The current 2-hourly timetable (with a peak additional each way) is pretty much the maximum that the single line infrastructure can support. You can run two trains an hour apart in one direction but the train they cross ends up waiting 20 mins somewhere (generally either Maiden Newton or Yeovil Pen Mill) which makes it untenable for an hourly pattern in both directions.

Given the low population density of the area I’d question whether redoubling a significant section would be sensible use of taxpayer funding. It would be better IMO to spend money on resilience schemes, for example stabilising the embankments at Evershot so the existing timetable performs better. Currently there is a long-standing 20mph TSR that is significantly impacting southbound trains on the 1:52 gradient. A linespeed improvement between Yeovil and Thornford would be useful too, the current 30mph section is painfully slow.

I'm pretty sure the proposal didn't include any redoubling but can't remember how it was supposed to work. Maybe linespeed improvements and/or maybe passing at Maiden Newton as well. I wish had the orginal report to look up the details of how they thought it could be done.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

What I think I remember is that a major employer in Yeovil ( who was specifically not named) paid for a rail consultant to look at how service frequency could be improved on the Heart of Wessex (Bristol to Weymouth) line to hourly rather than the current variable service.

It’s hardly a variable service the current service - it’s a two hourly service. Has been for a number of years now.

One was combining with the Bristol to Portsmouth service with splitting and joining the Weymoth portion at Westbury

Not sure how this would be an improvement adding in the attach/detach time in at Westbury effectively slowing down both services. The Weymouth services only serve Keynsham and Oldfield Park additionally compared to the Portsmouth services between Westbury and Bristol.

 

[158747]

A linespeed improvement between Yeovil and Thornford would be useful too, the current 30mph section is painfully slow.

The linespeed on that section is 45mph, From Yeovil to Yetminster. It would be an improvement if this could be increased.

 

[The exile]

It’s hardly a variable service the current service - it’s a two hourly service. Has been for a number of years now.



Not sure how this would be an improvement adding in the attach/detach time in at Westbury effectively slowing down both services. The Weymouth services only serve Keynsham and Oldfield Park additionally compared to the Portsmouth services between Westbury and Bristol.

Freshford and Avoncliff as well, surely.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Freshford and Avoncliff as well, surely.

They are served by the hourly Bristol-Westbury stopper, not the Weymouth.

 

[GoneSouth]

The 2015 Western Route strategy suggested an hourly service from Bristol as far as Yeovil Pen Mill, but no change needed between Pen Mill and Weymouth until ‘after 2043’.

What are they predicting in 2043 that changes the economics of running a line through empty fields. They need to talk to Rachel Reeves and give her a hand running things for a while.

 

[DDB]

It’s hardly a variable service the current service - it’s a two hourly service. Has been for a number of years now.



Not sure how this would be an improvement adding in the attach/detach time in at Westbury effectively slowing down both services. The Weymouth services only serve Keynsham and Oldfield Park additionally compared to the Portsmouth services between Westbury and Bristol.

I'm pretty sure there was a time when there were three hour gaps. Maybe the more regular 2 hour pattern is what was done instead?

I think the idea behind the Westbury scheme was to be hourly over the Westbury Weymouth section without the need for many/any staff/unit/path increase north of Westbury. I am not surprised it wasn't picked though as the risk of importing delays would have been massive.

 

[swt_passenger]

What are they predicting in 2043 that changes the economics of running a line through empty fields. They need to talk to Rachel Reeves and give her a hand running things for a while.

I think it was just the year 25 years in the future, I think the idea for all the route studies around then was to try and figure out demand increases over 25 years presumably based on forecasts up to 2018.

 

[DDB]

What are they predicting in 2043 that changes the economics of running a line through empty fields. They need to talk to Rachel Reeves and give her a hand running things for a while.

I think this line has some examples that you see around the country where stations aren't actually in the villages they are named after. To me they should be targeted for housebuilding to fill in the gap between the train station and the village with really, really good paths, cycle tracks and roads to link to the orginal village centre put in as part of the development.

 

[Xavi]

There has been a Network Rail study into improvements south of Yeovil to increase frequency in the last 2 years. On the ‘no money available’ shelf now like every other enhancement.

 

[DDB]

There has been a Network Rail study into improvements south of Yeovil to increase frequency in the last 2 years. On the ‘no money available’ shelf now like every other enhancement.

Is it available online somewhere or do you recall what they thought would need to be done?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

I'm pretty sure there was a time when there were three hour gaps. Maybe the more regular 2 hour pattern is what was done instead?

Yes there was, however the current service pattern was agreed as part of the franchise extension around 2019.

think the idea behind the Westbury scheme was to be hourly over the Westbury Weymouth section without the need for many/any staff/unit/path increase north of Westbury. I am not surprised it wasn't picked though as the risk of importing delays would have been massive.

As there’s 3 trains an hour these days Bristol side of Westbury I’m not sure that would be an issue, that is the busier section of route than south/west of Westbury.

 

[Xavi]

Is it available online somewhere or do you recall what they thought would need to be done?

No. From recollection to enable and hourly service, a loop south of Castle Cary, extending Maiden Newton loop towards Chetnole, and options to serve Yeovil Junction.

 

[Taunton]

An hourly service here would require loops every 30 minutes. Even if the infrastructure allowed this, the first two trains of the day out of Weymouth seem particularly prone to starting late, which would give a disruption all day. This is not Switzerland, where multiple passing at these intervals on long single track routes seems to work fine.

It's also an exceptionally slow and roundabout service. Weymouth traditionally relates far more to Bristol than along the coast (half its population seems to have been born there), and the first part of the trip from Bristol to Frome takes some two hours, looping round through Wiltshire, and trains to the south coast actually heading northwards out of Bath. It's actually only 24 miles by road, less than an hour to drive, which of course is what most do. Demand, especially south of Yeovil, is notably seasonal, a single car would suffice in winter.

 

[30907]

It's also an exceptionally slow and roundabout service. Weymouth traditionally relates far more to Bristol than along the coast (half its population seems to have been born there), and the first part of the trip from Bristol to Frome takes some two hours, looping round through Wiltshire, and trains to the south coast actually heading northwards out of Bath.

The whole journey to Weymouth takes 2h 20-25m, Frome is an hour from Bristol.
Roundabout I agree - not that it was quicker when the line through Radstock was open and an "express" connection provided off the CI boat train.

 

[Xavi]

The whole journey to Weymouth takes 2h 20-25m, Frome is an hour from Bristol.
Roundabout I agree - not that it was quicker when the line through Radstock was open and an "express" connection provided off the CI boat train.

Journey time improvements and dynamic loops were on the options list. The same trip takes 2 hours by car without a break, and 5-6 hours by bus.

 

[brad465]

As well as more loops, existing loops need better signalling. Maiden Newton has a very slow token operation and 15mph over hydropneumatic points. You could reduce the journey time by a few minutes here without any other improvements if this was done. The most suitable new loop location I think would be around Sparkford, potentially with a reopened station there, as this breaks up a long single section that is also busier than Yeovil-Dorchester.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I think this line has some examples that you see around the country where stations aren't actually in the villages they are named after. To me they should be targeted for housebuilding to fill in the gap between the train station and the village with really, really good paths, cycle tracks and roads to link to the orginal village centre put in as part of the development.

That's a very good idea and would effectively solve three issues at once... Housing, the line's infrastructure and the line's revenue.

There has been a Network Rail study into improvements south of Yeovil to increase frequency in the last 2 years. On the ‘no money available’ shelf now like every other enhancement.

Make the house builders pay as a condition of being able to build the housing in the above suggestion...?

That solves a fourth issue at once - the demands on the public purse.

 

[Xavi]

Make the house builders pay as a condition of being able to build the housing in the above suggestion...?

I agree and theoretically it's been possible since the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 using Section 106 agreements, though in the last 15 years or so local authorities have been forced to divert funds from these agreements to prop up budgets elsewhere, the central government revenue grant having been slashed in real terms. There's often new infrastructure investment promised at planning approval stage that is never delivered.

 

[Grecian 1998]

There already has been a fair bit of housebuilding at Dorchester in the form of Poundbury. Whilst usage figures are under 100,000 pa, anecdotally trains do generally seem to have between 20 - 50 people using them at Dorchester West even outside the summer peak in my experience. The figures are hard to interpret because of the 'Dorchester stations' tickets which are usually allocated to Dorchester South.

Maiden Newton could be a place for some new housing, given that as well as the railway line, it's on the A356 and not far from the A37. Trying to encourage some housebuilding on the eastern side of Yeovil might also make Pen Mill seem very slightly better located for the town it serves.

There were 8 trains a day at roughly 2 hourly intervals but with some 3 hourly gaps prior to 2023. There are now 9 trains per day with a fairly consistent 2 hourly service with just one 3 hour gap between the penultimate and last trains in each direction, which doesn't seem too unreasonable.

Weymouth has a population of 50,000, Dorchester has 20,000 and Yeovil has 40,000. There are only 27 miles between the 3 towns, so this isn't exactly the other HoWL - there are some obvious journeys that people want to make, given the three towns are directly connected with Bath and Bristol. It would help if Yeovil Pen Mill was better sited for the town. Hopefully the current service has become more reliable over the last 18 months as it's much more regular interval - the line used to be a very poor timekeeper.

As well as the problems identified above, two others:

- Pathing trains over the Anglo-Cornish main line between Castle Cary and Westbury, particularly as Weymouth bound trains have to cross the up line twice when accessing the Frome loop.

- Not an infrastructure issue, but class 166s are not ideal on hot days in the summer, which is when there is peak demand for trips to Weymouth. Having a crowded 166 stop at Chetnole / Upwey and then attempt to climb Evershot / Bincombe banks from a standing start, with all windows open but with the aircon still trying to work, can't be doing their engines or their longevity any good. 165s are generally better as their air cooling does actually work. 158s don't turn up very often these days, but their aircon is a little better than 166s (emphasis on 'a little').

Unfortunately, as others have identified, an upgrade project isn't likely to happen given current funding availability.

 

[brad465]

Maiden Newton could be a place for some new housing, given that as well as the railway line, it's on the A356 and not far from the A37. Trying to encourage some housebuilding on the eastern side of Yeovil might also make Pen Mill seem very slightly better located for the town it serves.

Maiden Newton is in a steep valley so very hard to build extensively in. Then where it is flat (and the railway is), the area is vulnerable to flooding from the River Frome that flows there.

- Not an infrastructure issue, but class 166s are not ideal on hot days in the summer, which is when there is peak demand for trips to Weymouth. Having a crowded 166 stop at Chetnole / Upwey and then attempt to climb Evershot / Bincombe banks from a standing start, with all windows open but with the aircon still trying to work, can't be doing their engines or their longevity any good. 165s are generally better as their air cooling does actually work. 158s don't turn up very often these days, but their aircon is a little better than 166s (emphasis on 'a little').

10 years or so ago this was partially relieved by the "Weymouth Wizzard" summer Saturday special, that ran from Bristol to Weymouth formed of a full HST. I'm guessing it doesn't run now as the demand either isn't there, GWR can't spare any IETs, and/or IETs are not cleared south of Yeovil Pen Mill.

 

[moonarrow458]

I note that on Monday to Thursdays there's a train from Weymouth to Westbury at 21:28 but this train does not run on a friday, or at least not in passenger service, instead the stock runs empty all the way to Bristol St Phillips Marsh depot on a Friday. Is there a reason for this such as persistant problems with antisocial behaviour on friday evening trains on this line?

Because it is seems very odd that the last train on a friday evening is earlier than say on a Wednesday evening as one would expect more demand for travel on a friday evening, and even then the last northbound train from Weymouth towards Westbury being at 21:28 is really quite early (or 20:14 on a friday).

Certainly if we're talking about improvements theres scope to improve the services at the extremes of the day, a first arrival into Weymouth at 0825 or 2 hours later on a Sunday seems quite late whilst as mentioned the last northbound seems quite early, but perhaps demand at those times is an issue or its "operational convenience" that rules the timetable. I was quite surprised to see the first Waterloo arrival into Weymouth on a Sunday is at 11:35 but it would seem the SWML also has a bit of a lie in on a Sunday so not a problem unique to the Heart of Wessex line.

 

[PG]

Make the house builders pay as a condition of being able to build the housing in the above suggestion...?

I agree and theoretically it's been possible since the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 using Section 106 agreements

What often happens is an inbetween school runs bus service is funded for a couple of years, to be withdrawn as soon as the section 106 money ends. Box ticking exercise

 

[HamworthyGoods]

I note that on Monday to Thursdays there's a train from Weymouth to Westbury at 21:28 but this train does not run on a friday, or at least not in passenger service, instead the stock runs empty all the way to Bristol St Phillips Marsh depot on a Friday

Friday. Is there a reason for this such as persistant problems with antisocial behaviour on friday evening trains on this line?

This ^^

 

[Taunton]

One of the issues is that the railway, over the 50 years from nationalisation to 2000, not only downsized the route mileage, but also the capacity of what remained. This route of course used to be wholly double track, but was reduced to a minimalist single that just suited the minimalist service it had become. Scope for any additional service just isn't there.

Meanwhile, what it shares the line with has been expanded separately. Up on the main line, 50 years ago the WofE expresses via Castle Cary used to be every two hours; there are many more of them now. Stone traffic from the quarries has expanded exponentially. Yet it's all squeezed onto that rationalised network. The Frome loop was singled when the Weymouth trains were its only usage; now it is all pushed together. Frome is a larger and more significant area centre than Westbury, but the singled loop and the increased stone trains prevents more main line services stopping there. There are already regular conflicts and delays in the area between the three operations. I wrote on here a while ago about how a morning late start from Weymouth had disrupted several services on the line, delayed an express at Westbury, which badly delayed a stone train, and in turn disorganised the Elizabeth Line several hours later.

 

[Xavi]

One of the issues is that the railway, over the 50 years from nationalisation to 2000, not only downsized the route mileage, but also the capacity of what remained. This route of course used to be wholly double track, but was reduced to a minimalist single that just suited the minimalist service it had become. Scope for any additional service just isn't there.

Meanwhile, what it shares the line with has been expanded separately. Up on the main line, 50 years ago the WofE expresses via Castle Cary used to be every two hours; there are many more of them now. Stone traffic from the quarries has expanded exponentially. Yet it's all squeezed onto that rationalised network. The Frome loop was singled when the Weymouth trains were its only usage; now it is all pushed together. Frome is a larger and more significant area centre than Westbury, but the singled loop and the increased stone trains prevents more main line services stopping there. There are already regular conflicts and delays in the area between the three operations. I wrote on here a while ago about how a morning late start from Weymouth had disrupted several services on the line, delayed an express at Westbury, which badly delayed a stone train, and in turn disorganised the Elizabeth Line several hours later.

Which is why NR proposed improvements / reinstatements.

 

[Snow1964]

One of the issues is that the railway, over the 50 years from nationalisation to 2000, not only downsized the route mileage, but also the capacity of what remained. This route of course used to be wholly double track, but was reduced to a minimalist single that just suited the minimalist service it had become. Scope for any additional service just isn't there.

Meanwhile, what it shares the line with has been expanded separately. Up on the main line, 50 years ago the WofE expresses via Castle Cary used to be every two hours; there are many more of them now. Stone traffic from the quarries has expanded exponentially. Yet it's all squeezed onto that rationalised network. The Frome loop was singled when the Weymouth trains were its only usage; now it is all pushed together. Frome is a larger and more significant area centre than Westbury, but the singled loop and the increased stone trains prevents more main line services stopping there. There are already regular conflicts and delays in the area between the three operations. I wrote on here a while ago about how a morning late start from Weymouth had disrupted several services on the line, delayed an express at Westbury, which badly delayed a stone train, and in turn disorganised the Elizabeth Line several hours later.

Yes, this is all very true, and not only was it double track, it was originally broad gauge double track. That means the trackbed is about a metre wider which tends to make it easier to reinstate bits of double track, even where one track has been moved sideways a few centimetres.

Recently there have been some closures and serious track replacement of some of the remaining sections with deteriorating wooden sleepers and jointed track. So ought to be able to increase some low speed limits south of Castle Cary.

But really need some extra loops where trains can cross every 30 minutes (and be long enough to cope with train 2-3 minutes late without delaying passing train).

It's also bonkers that Sparkford station has not been reopened (especially now the A303 road nearby is improved) considering growth in the area. Charminster and north west Dorchester have seen large housing developments too. Conversely there are a couple of (very rural) stations that are open where even a service every 3 hours is generous.