SWR Poole and Weymouth services on weekends

[ap2048]

It seems that virtually every weekend Poole and Weymouth services are diverted via Havant and Virginia Water (rather than the SWML)extending journey times by up to one hour. These aren't on the issued paper timetables and in fact SWR were advertising 2 hour Poole to London Sunday services but these never seem to run!

Does anyone know why this happens and if there are medium term plans to introduce faster 2 hour Poole to London services as on weekdays?

An example of this is below:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W11415/2020-01-12/detailed

 

[OliverH68]

This is due to engineering works between Clapham and Surbiton / Epsom / Woking. Hence the diversionary route.

 

[swt_passenger]

This is due to engineering works between Clapham and Surbiton / Epsom / Woking. Hence the diversionary route.

Yes, and in my reasonably long experience of the SW network Sunday engineering work diversions either avoiding Winchester to Woking (going via Havant), or avoiding Surbiton to Clapham Jn (via Staines), or even taking both diversions together, occur on about 7 or 8 weekends every year for normal maintenance, and short of a sudden new maintenance philosophy I guess they’ll continue for many years...

 

[ap2048]

I think 7/8 weekends a year would be fine (and understandable) but it is happening on every weekend looking at RTT. I was wondering if network rail are trying to catch up on renewals after the report into the SWR network a few years ago?

Also I don't think track renewal is done via High output yet on 3rd rail (I know BCS5 is 3rd rail compatible). That would mean track renewal being done conventionally which would naturally take place on weekend rather than night time. I wonder if network rail have plans for HOPS on 3rd rail?

 

[Ian Hardy]

Have a look at this page, it might help:
https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/planned-improvements

 

[Train Boy]

Saturday timetable Jan/Feb;

4th Jan- services via Staines
11th Jan- services via Staines
18th Jan- services via Staines
25th Jan- services via Staines
1st Feb- usual timetable on SWML
8th Feb- usual timetable on SWML
15th Feb- services via Havant
22nd Feb- usual timetable on SWML
29th Feb- services via Staines

 

[ap2048]

Thanks for posting. What about Sundays for those weekends?

 

[v199629]

Thanks for posting. What about Sundays for those weekends?

Sundays (1Wxx)

12th Jan- via Staines
19th Jan- via Staines
26th Jan- via Staines
2nd Feb- Via Staines
9th Feb- Via Havant
16th Feb- Via Havant
23rd Feb- Terminate/Start Eastleigh (Eastleigh- Brockenhurst Block)
1st Mar- Via Staines
8th Mar- Terminate/Start Southampton Central (Redbridge-Branksome Block)
15th Mar- Terminate/Start Southampton Central (Redbridge- Branksome block)
22nd Mar- Terminate/Start Southampton (Southampton-Poole Block)
29th Mar- Terminate/Start Wareham (Moreton-Weymouth Block)

 

[nw1]

Sundays (1Wxx)

12th Jan- via Staines
19th Jan- via Staines
26th Jan- via Staines
2nd Feb- Via Staines
9th Feb- Via Havant
16th Feb- Via Havant
23rd Feb- Terminate/Start Eastleigh (Eastleigh- Brockenhurst Block)
1st Mar- Via Staines
8th Mar- Terminate/Start Southampton Central (Redbridge-Branksome Block)
15th Mar- Terminate/Start Southampton Central (Redbridge- Branksome block)
22nd Mar- Terminate/Start Southampton (Southampton-Poole Block)
29th Mar- Terminate/Start Wareham (Moreton-Weymouth Block)

Seems to be a particularly notable spell for disruptions with no 'normal' Sundays on the Bournemouth-London section until the clocks go on and only three undisrupted weekend days until the end of Feb. Just as well Jan/Feb are (I'd imagine) the quietest months of the year for train travel.

Always find Staines routing particuarly painful as you have to crawl along behind suburban trains as there are no 'fast' paths available. Havant is less painful as it's a longer journey but the trains seem to find decent paths; indeed, if you're travelling east along the coast from the Southampton area it can actually make travel easier.

Do they ever route SWML-Woking-Guildford-Surbiton if Woking-Surbiton is closed but everything else is open?

 

[moley]

Do they ever route SWML-Woking-Guildford-Surbiton if Woking-Surbiton is closed but everything else is open?

Yes, trains reverse in platforms 2&3 at Guildford.

 

[pompeyfan]

Although usually if they need a block between Hampton Ct Jn - Byfleet curve they’ll usually choose to extend it the whole way to somewhere like Farnborough or Basingstoke and make the most of it.