Wilts Wanderer
Established Member
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2016
- Messages
- 2,500
I think the route as a whole will be extremely difficult to plan 3tph if a requirement to cross trains at a specific place is added. There are already multiple major constraints;
1. Gatwick Airport platforming
2. Gatwick-Redhill paths
3. Redhill station working
4. Southern Reigate terminators
5. Gomshall long headways
6. Shalford Junction slots with SWT
7. Guildford station working
8. SWT Guildford-Ascot stoppers
9. Blackwater long headways (up to 12 mins)
10. Wokingham-Reading paths
11. Reading station working
12. Unit diagrams and turnarounds
13. Crewing
If you consider that 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 are effectively fixed, and rights of flex over other operators are generally limited to 5 mins anyway, that leaves you very, very little to work with. If the 3tph timetable ultimately crosses trains at a busy LC it will be by chance not design. Hence why mitigation works are required.
Incidentally the business case will be heavily influenced by 12 and 13, as well as the overall journey times, and SLC franchise requirements for journey time and intervals. It's all very well coming up with a perfect pattern but if it has 30 min turnarounds at each end then it won't be resourcable.
1. Gatwick Airport platforming
2. Gatwick-Redhill paths
3. Redhill station working
4. Southern Reigate terminators
5. Gomshall long headways
6. Shalford Junction slots with SWT
7. Guildford station working
8. SWT Guildford-Ascot stoppers
9. Blackwater long headways (up to 12 mins)
10. Wokingham-Reading paths
11. Reading station working
12. Unit diagrams and turnarounds
13. Crewing
If you consider that 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 are effectively fixed, and rights of flex over other operators are generally limited to 5 mins anyway, that leaves you very, very little to work with. If the 3tph timetable ultimately crosses trains at a busy LC it will be by chance not design. Hence why mitigation works are required.
Incidentally the business case will be heavily influenced by 12 and 13, as well as the overall journey times, and SLC franchise requirements for journey time and intervals. It's all very well coming up with a perfect pattern but if it has 30 min turnarounds at each end then it won't be resourcable.
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