Local stations on busy main lines (that don't get the service they should)

[adamt958]

This does seem a strange omission from the XC stopping pattern.

Chepstow has no direct trains to Bristol (15/20 miles away), few to Birmingham, it gets a relatively raw deal really (considering the commuter potential).

It's a relatively big place for such a low amount of service, I don't think it could ever have direct trains to Bristol. Well, unless they were to reverse at Seven Tunmel Jct: but I'm not
Sure the capacity of the seven tunnel Would allow it. The XC services would see the place connected a lot better with major cities In the UK

 

[northwichcat]

It's a relatively big place for such a low amount of service, I don't think it could ever have direct trains to Bristol. Well, unless they were to reverse at Seven Tunmel Jct: but I'm not
Sure the capacity of the seven tunnel Would allow it. The XC services would see the place connected a lot better with major cities In the UK

Population 10,821. Although, I suppose on race days it gets a high number of visitors.

There's many places that size or larger within 20 miles of Warrington that don't get a direct rail service to Warrington. Then the places the Liverpool end of the Chat Moss route only get a direct off-peak service and they are set to lose that in the next year or so.

 

[adamt958]

Population 10,821. Although, I suppose on race days it gets a high number of visitors.

There's many places that size or larger within 20 miles of Warrington that don't get a direct rail service to Warrington. Then the places the Liverpool end of the Chat Moss route only get a direct off-peak service and they are set to lose that in the next year or so.

Is Chepstow really that small? It always seems a lot larger when you go through.

 

[adrock1976]

Motherwell in regards to intercity services.

Most West Coast services called at Motherwell until 2008, before Virgin introduced their high frequency timetable. There were regular direct services to the North West, Birmingham, and London.

This means that as most intercity services run non-stop between Glasgow and Carlisle, passengers travelling from Motherwell/Hamilton/Bellshill/Wishaw are faced with the crazy situation of having to travel on a local service into Glasgow and change to the intercity service, then pass back through Motherwell station non-stop.

Perhaps the powers that be could re-examine the timetable and maybe have one train calling every 2 hours at Motherwell, substituting one of the stops in the Lake District or either Warrington/Wigan.

In peace
Adam

 

[mr_jrt]

Motherwell in regards to intercity services.

Most West Coast services called at Motherwell until 2008, before Virgin introduced their high frequency timetable. There were regular direct services to the North West, Birmingham, and London.

This means that as most intercity services run non-stop between Glasgow and Carlisle, passengers travelling from Motherwell/Hamilton/Bellshill/Wishaw are faced with the crazy situation of having to travel on a local service into Glasgow and change to the intercity service, then pass back through Motherwell station non-stop.

Perhaps the powers that be could re-examine the timetable and maybe have one train calling every 2 hours at Motherwell, substituting one of the stops in the Lake District or either Warrington/Wigan.

In peace
Adam

Not too different to Watford losing most of its intercity stops in years gone by, forcing a trip via Euston or a trip on the slow services to Milton Keynes to pick them up there. Would be better if they still stopped, but it's mostly understandable. Hopefully HS2 phase 1 will fix the issue for Watford (abet forcing a change at Birmingham to get to Glasgow), but I'm not sure what the solution for Motherwell would be short of HS2 reaching Glasgow.

 

[yorksrob]

I‘m always surprised that the Ashford-Brighton expresses don‘t call at Pevensey and Westham, given that this has always had the faster trains stop there in the past.

 

[tbtc]

Motherwell in regards to intercity services.

Most West Coast services called at Motherwell until 2008, before Virgin introduced their high frequency timetable. There were regular direct services to the North West, Birmingham, and London.

This means that as most intercity services run non-stop between Glasgow and Carlisle, passengers travelling from Motherwell/Hamilton/Bellshill/Wishaw are faced with the crazy situation of having to travel on a local service into Glasgow and change to the intercity service, then pass back through Motherwell station non-stop.

Perhaps the powers that be could re-examine the timetable and maybe have one train calling every 2 hours at Motherwell, substituting one of the stops in the Lake District or either Warrington/Wigan.

In peace
Adam

Not too different to Watford losing most of its intercity stops in years gone by, forcing a trip via Euston or a trip on the slow services to Milton Keynes to pick them up there. Would be better if they still stopped, but it's mostly understandable. Hopefully HS2 phase 1 will fix the issue for Watford (abet forcing a change at Birmingham to get to Glasgow), but I'm not sure what the solution for Motherwell would be short of HS2 reaching Glasgow.

I suppose that one difference is that Watford passengers can board a service up to Milton Keynes (etc) and therefore not double back - whereas there's no "local" service south of Motherwell that connects at somewhere for longer distance passengers.

There's certainly a large population in southern Glasgow/ South Lanarkshire that could use a "Parkway" style station around Motherwell - handy for motorways to a good chunk of the central belt, maybe even some motorists from Ayrshire?

 

[reb0118]

With regard to Motherwell I am surprised that so few (if any?) TPE services call there.

 

[GatwickDepress]

I‘m always surprised that the Ashford-Brighton expresses don‘t call at Pevensey and Westham, given that this has always had the faster trains stop there in the past.

What makes it strange is that the weekday 0732 Brighton - Ashford service calls at Pevensey & Westham. It's the only Marshlink service to do so.

 

[JohnCarlson]

Stations along the Bishop Auckland branch to add to Sunderland.

Yeah, I know they're not on the mainline but they seem to be affected by it.

Well there certainly could be more trains but what I think the BA line needs is a track upgrade and and possibly extending to Crook. Its a pity the line through Crook to Durham wasn't left in.

I think there is a lot of potential for passenger growth in the area but it needs infrastructure investment as most of the existing lines are busy already.

 

[Strathclyder]

With regard to Motherwell I am surprised that so few (if any?) TPE services call there.

The only TPE service that calls at Motherwell on the current timetable is the 1S81 1715 Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central and Barrow-in-Furness.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y82718/2013/12/24/advanced

 

[TheJRB]

I‘m always surprised that the Ashford-Brighton expresses don‘t call at Pevensey and Westham, given that this has always had the faster trains stop there in the past.

Please don't try and slow it down even more! It's bad enough that they call additionally at Glynde and Berwick on Sundays! A little off-topic but I do think the turnaround at Eastbourne seems excessive; it typically takes 8 minutes on the Ashford bound and 5 on the Brighton services, something which takes only 3 minutes for example at Bradford Interchange and Cromer.

Indeed maybe Eastbourne is an example of somewhere that fits the opposite that this thread is looking for. I'm not saying it's small but I do wonder if it gets the level of service because it has to rather than it needs it (see the consideration to reopen Willingdon Chord).

 

[yorksrob]

Please don't try and slow it down even more! It's bad enough that they call additionally at Glynde and Berwick on Sundays! A little off-topic but I do think the turnaround at Eastbourne seems excessive; it typically takes 8 minutes on the Ashford bound and 5 on the Brighton services, something which takes only 3 minutes for example at Bradford Interchange and Cromer.

Indeed maybe Eastbourne is an example of somewhere that fits the opposite that this thread is looking for. I'm not saying it's small but I do wonder if it gets the level of service because it has to rather than it needs it (see the consideration to reopen Willingdon Chord).

Ah well, Glynde and Berwick are pushing it a bit - but presumably since those trains already stop at Pevensey and Westham, you wouldn‘t be further degrading them by having a more regular stop there.

I don‘t think you could get rid of Eastbourne, considering the number of people who get on and off there from the Ashford trains.

 

[tbtc]

Indeed maybe Eastbourne is an example of somewhere that fits the opposite that this thread is looking for. I'm not saying it's small but I do wonder if it gets the level of service because it has to rather than it needs it (see the consideration to reopen Willingdon Chord).

That's an interesting idea for a thread.

I started this one because there are a lot of stations that get ignored in threads about "my local line should have more trains" and threads about "they should reinstate a route closed by Beeching many years ago"...

...I think that there are some more interesting/ ignored examples of stations that are on lines which are busy enough already, in fact lines that are too busy to adequately serve certain stations.

If you do start a thread about stations which get a much better service than they "deserved" then I'd suggest Carstairs in the '80s - a trainspotting paradise of long distance loco hauled services joining/ splitting which got considerably more trains stopping there than it deserved on passenger numbers alone!

 

[ushawk]

What makes it strange is that the weekday 0732 Brighton - Ashford service calls at Pevensey & Westham. It's the only Marshlink service to do so.

It makes a call there due to a large flow from the Eastbourne/Pevensey area for a Catholic school at Bexhill. The service is often full and standing from Eastbourne too.

Indeed maybe Eastbourne is an example of somewhere that fits the opposite that this thread is looking for. I'm not saying it's small but I do wonder if it gets the level of service because it has to rather than it needs it (see the consideration to reopen Willingdon Chord).

Eastbourne gets the service because it needs it. It is the 2nd biggest station on the East Coastway line (after Brighton) and all services have a large amount of passengers departing the train for Eastbourne, then you have the large amount of passengers boarding. What with the developments to the Town Centre coming up, it may be challenging Brighton on the shopping front so passenger numbers would increase.

It has 7tph (4 towards Lewes and 3 towards Hastings) which is an adequate level for the town, less services would be very bad, but many more would be overkill, except a faster service to London to rival Brighton, which as I said - Eastbourne soon could be doing, also with a call at Polegate which is a growing area and as it also serves the town of Hailsham, which could do with better links to Polegate.

 

[RichardN]

Our 8 minute reversals and 10 minute split/joins compare unfavourably with Hamburg S1 which manages a 10 minute clock face timetable with every train splitting, a reversal and a single track section to top it all off. The slickness of the reversal needs to be seen to be believed, taking a similar time to an ordinary stop.

Sent from my KFOT using Tapatalk 2

 

[DeeGee]

Any call for Alnmouth to get more? Seemed to me like an awful lot of planning needed to get an ECML train to Doncaster on a Sunday.

 

[GatwickDepress]

It makes a call there due to a large flow from the Eastbourne/Pevensey area for a Catholic school at Bexhill. The service is often full and standing from Eastbourne too.

That'll be St Richard's Catholic College then, a school I'm very well acquainted with. Still surprised they call at Pevensey & Westham, especially when the slightly earlier/later 377 operated services in that direction aren't packed, though I imagine the time of arrival of that service is perfect.

 

[34D]

I'm surprised Noone has mentioned Cross Gates. 2 tph. Mon-Sat, and the area would surely be able to sustain more. 26ish buses per hour into Leeds.

There was formerly four tracks from Cross Gates junction, through the station, past Neville Hill to Marsh Lane, and this could be reinstated with ease - though the impending electrification (and positioning of OLE masts) could ruin this potential forever.

Ideally I would like to see one of the TPE's stop here (a different one to the one that stops at Garforth).

Agree with Batley, and I'd probably suggest Morley aswell.

Willington and Peartree seem vastly untapped

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The problem with Morley is the fact that it's a long, steep, and poorly-lit walk to the town. Like Batley it could do with an extra train per hour, though the only chance for both would be if electrification (and the better acceleration of EMUs) allows an extra stopper on either the Huddersfield or Brighouse/Manchester axis. I don't think it'd be easy to justify slowing down the TPE services.

 

[pt_mad]

Nuneaton - Went there last year on an East Midlands Rover, I'm sure the service to Stafford was more than 1tph in the late 90's, a mix of local (possibly 310?) and IC services.

Yes. And those 350s stopping there are now seriously full nearly all of the time.

Why are they running 3 tph LM services Eus - Bhm but only one Eus - Crewe. This is not enough now and needs to be adjusted to 2tph and/or all 8 coach running.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The trouble with removing one of the LM Euston-Birmingham trains is that you could seriously mess up the calling patterns and service levels of stations between Coventry and New St, unless you kept a local service between the two. By the looks of things getting all 7 intermediate (excluding International) stations to have a decent service is enough of a headache as it is without removing one of the services! It would also result in service reductions between Northampton and the West Midlands.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The trouble with removing one of the LM Euston-Birmingham trains is that you could seriously mess up the calling patterns and service levels of stations between Coventry and New St, unless you kept a local service between the two. By the looks of things getting all 7 intermediate (excluding International) stations to have a decent service is enough of a headache as it is without removing one of the services! It would also result in service reductions between Northampton and the West Midlands.

Perhaps the solution would be to have one of the BHM services be 8/12-car (if it's currently 4/8) and divide at Northampton or Rugby- with 4/8 cars running to Coventry and Brum, and 4 up the Trent Valley to Stafford or Crewe?

 

[Tommy91125]

Morpeth needs more services stopping all that there is the mpt to Metrocentre pacer/sprinter and a couple of intercity services

 

[thealexweb]

Lostock (LOT) on the Manchester to Preston line. Only a half hourly service

 

[yorkie]

Lostock (LOT) on the Manchester to Preston line.

Which trains pass through Lostock non-stop?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Which trains pass through Lostock non-stop?

The hourly Blackpool North-Manchester Airport TPE services are the only regulars. There are a handful of trains a day between Scotland and Airport too.

 

[yorkie]

The hourly Blackpool North-Manchester Airport TPE services are the only regulars. There are a handful of trains a day between Scotland and Airport too.

So only trains that definitely shouldn't be calling at a little-used random shack then

I'd have more justification saying that XC services to Scotland, or TPE services to Newcastle, should call at East Garforth (which I note has higher station usage figures than Lostock)

 

[thealexweb]

Which trains pass through Lostock non-stop?

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/LOT/2014/01/05/0600-2000?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt