Portsmouth Direct Line timetable recast - effects

[Lifelong]

Hi all,

When the new timetable came into effect, Witley and Milford lost at least one train London bound in the afternoon which was extra to the normally hourly service (I think it may have been two). This is having a serious impact on local schoolchildren (at least one school is considering changing its school day to cope - unexpected consequences I’m sure of the change)

Before the local communities’ current discussions around petitioning SWR etc grow I thought I’d ask the experts….if (even pick up) stops were added to the 1641 and 1741 from Haslemere, would that be possible given routing paths from Woking onwards?

All advice gratefully received, cheers

 

[30907]

You couldn't run later through Woking Jn as that's a pinch point on the timetable, and at most 1 min earlier at Havant.

My suggestion would be: 1 min earlier from Fareham, omit Petersfield and cut 1/2 min from the Haslemere and Godalming stops. That should give you 4 min for the two extra stops.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

You couldn't run later through Woking Jn as that's a pinch point on the timetable, and at most 1 min earlier at Havant.

My suggestion would be: 1 min earlier from Fareham, omit Petersfield and cut 1/2 min from the Haslemere and Godalming stops. That should give you 4 min for the two extra stops.

Gaining calls at Milford and Witley will never, ever justify skipping Petersfield. Ever. It's like a Glasgow service skipping Wigan to stop at Atherstone and Rugeley.

 

[30907]

Gaining calls at Milford and Witley will never, ever justify skipping Petersfield. Ever. It's like a Glasgow service skipping Wigan to stop at Atherstone and Rugeley.

Generally speaking, yes, and then hourly service is adequate - but if you had a contra-peak extra and a specific traffic flow to cater for you might think otherwise. Unless there is a specific flow from Fareham to Petersfield at that time of course.

(That said, I'm surprised the schools of Haslemere finish so late that their pupils can't catch the 1610. I wonder what the passenger numbers involved are?)

 

[TEW]

Gaining calls at Milford and Witley will never, ever justify skipping Petersfield. Ever. It's like a Glasgow service skipping Wigan to stop at Atherstone and Rugeley.

You say that, but for at least one timetable period of the up fast Portsmouth trains on a Saturday skipped Petersfield to call at Farncombe.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

You say that, but for at least one timetable period of the up fast Portsmouth trains on a Saturday skipped Petersfield to call at Farncombe.

I don’t think that’s quite as bad.

 

[TEW]

Generally speaking, yes, and then hourly service is adequate - but if you had a contra-peak extra and a specific traffic flow to cater for you might think otherwise. Unless there is a specific flow from Fareham to Petersfield at that time of course.

(That said, I'm surprised the schools of Haslemere finish so late that their pupils can't catch the 1610. I wonder what the passenger numbers involved are?)

They are pretty substantial numbers. This issue arose with a previous timetable change and very quickly after it was introduced a fast service from Portsmouth gained an additional stop at Milford.

I don’t think that’s quite as bad.

Comparatively it's probably worse just in terms of passenger numbers. Milford and Witley may be pretty quiet most of the day, but the school flows are substantial.