If you took over SWR.

[TheAdelante]

Some of SWRs plans have caused commotion and disagreements lately. I wonder... if you had all power over SWR, what changes would you make???

 

[MG11]

Some of SWRs plans have caused commotion and disagreements lately. I wonder... if you had all power over SWR, what changes would you make???

125 mph Meridians to replace 158/9s.
More Revenue Protection Officers.
Dedicated First Class Hosts, freeing the Customer Host to focus on an at-seat trolley service in Standard.
Cascaded 455s to be earmarked for operation of Island Line services.

 

[SS4]

Take out the floor and make the trains run Flintstones style

 

[Schweir]

Scrap the Weymouth - Portsmouth stopper, and retain the second hourly Weymouth to London service preferentially, if not, at least make the Weymouth - Portsmouth stopper semi-fast.

 

[Robertj21a]

Give it back to Stagecoach.

 

[rustbucket]

Take out the floor and make the trains run Flintstones style

How do you think the Pacers get up to speed up here in Yorkshire lol?

 

[Tooktook]

Longer formations on weekend services and shorter journey times.

Engineering works are essential agreed. But at other times services are slower and rammed.

 

[Harbornite]

Take over services on the Barnstaple and Exmouth Branches, order a fleet of TRAXX DE's and MK5s, redouble the line to Exeter in its entirety, and reopen the lines from Okehampton to Tavistock and Bude, and the lines to Padstow, Ilfracombe, Halwill Junction via Meeth and Lyme Regis...

 

[BestWestern]

Take over services on the Barnstaple and Exmouth Branches, order a fleet of TRAXX DE's and MK5s, redouble the line to Exeter in its entirety, and reopen the lines from Okehampton to Tavistock and Bude, and the lines to Padstow, Ilfracombe, Halwill Junction via Meeth and Lyme Regis...

Umm, I think he said SWR not NR!

 

[GW43125]

Firstly, an overhaul of the Reading service to give direct services to Vauxhall (this is not proposed under the new 4tph, in fact ALL calls at the smaller shacks go)
Or, Farnham-Waterloo instead of two of the Reading paths, also removing the need for the proposed Ascot-Farnham.

Peak trains on the Reading line all upping to a minimum of 5 cars, preferably 8 (2S13 I'm looking at you).

When the route goes up the wall, ACTUALLY RUN SOME BLOODY BUSES. Under Stagecoach, if things went wrong, Virginia Water-Weybridge would be axed and they'd have buses out almost immediately. So far on the two occasions it's gone wrong, no effort has been made.

Including one day when there were no trains from Chertsey between 1400 and 1800 (so stuck schoolkids), they didn't even cancel trains from the system and refused to acknowledge there was a problem. Utterly disgraceful. No buses, no word what to do, nothing. I'd get Stagecoach back in control.

Straight back to Stagecoach corporate livery too, the new grey livery is dire, even led me to loudly exclaim "what the ---- is that?" as it passed one of my classes...

Direct services from Woking up towards Chertsey, the connection is currently in the region of 25 minutes at Weybridge.

I'll probably think of more.

 

[Bevan Price]

I would refuse the job offer unless I was also taking over the government. and could change policy towards railways....(First move would be redundancy for much of DfT)

 

[4-SUB 4732]

First thing would be to find a more suitable unit for the Salisbury route. I'd be asking for the spare 185s for the Salisbury 'stoppers' and the routes via Southampton / Romsey they run across. I'd then find a much better unit for the Exeter route. Somebody mentioned the Meridians - I'd agree with something along those lines.

I'd rationalise the timetable somewhat further. I'd also 'bunch' off-peak departures and get all off-peak trains to stop at Clapham Junction.

I agree with the scrapping of this ludicrous Portsmouth - Weymouth idea and keeping it roughly how it is. That said, I'd be interested to see this new 'fifth' Portsmouth Harbour service run through to Salisbury so as to relieve pressure on the GWR; and then I'd send the existing Three Rivers service Salisbury - Eastleigh - Soton Ctl - Totton and add capacity there. That way its also ready in case someone wants to go down to Marchwood / Hythe.

I'd probably also re-consider the entirety of this timetable they plan to run on the Windsor lines. All Hounslow Loop 'stoppers' to run back round towards Twickenham; Have 4tph semi-fast via Hounslow for Windsor and 4tph semi-fast via Richmond for Reading. E.g:
- 4tph Waterloo to Hounslow via Brentford (slow)
- 4tph Waterloo to Windsor & Eton via Brentford (semi-fast)
- 4tph Waterloo to Whitton via Richmond (slow)
- 4tph Waterloo to Reading via Richmond (semi-fast)
- 2tph Waterloo to Weybridge via Richmond (semi-fast)
- 2tph Waterloo to Norbiton via Richmond (semi-fast)

I'd also be looking to get rid of the 442 and 444 fleet (I know that sounds daft) and replace them with a single, standard fleet. I'd therefore order 10 x 24m trains with double doors at thirds and two thirds so as to still work well in peak situations and then offload the 444s somewhere else (Like Southeastern where they would work quite well down the Kent Coast). In that respect they would be almost inter-operable with the 450 fleet but have the advantage of being used on faster Alton, Basingstoke, Portsmouth / Haslemere and Eastleigh semi-fast routes at peak times; bolstering the 450s up as 12 car on the rest of the routes.

 

[waterboo]

125 mph Meridians to replace 158/9s.
More Revenue Protection Officers.
Dedicated First Class Hosts, freeing the Customer Host to focus on an at-seat trolley service in Standard.
Cascaded 455s to be earmarked for operation of Island Line services.

Whilst most of these are very much tonged in cheek, a very reasonable point is raised over revenue protection. As it stands, the Hounslow loop is a nirvana for fare evaders. Hire station staff, install ticket barriers, or use Southern's OBS model as and when new rolling stock arrives.
Also, I notice that when one service is disrupted, very quickly a pancake situation can develop where services on altogether different routes can also be subject to delays. I know that a railway running at extreme capacity cannot afford the slack in the timetable by dedicating rolling stock to particular services, but more needs to be done to speed up service recovery.

Finally, I would lobby network rail to not only gold plate the approaches to Waterloo, but to also look at modifying track layouts so that late running trains can be reversed at stations such as Putney, Clapham Jc or Queenstown Rd. This would help ease the congestion that late running services cause when running into Waterloo.

 

[GW43125]

Re the last point about reversals- they’re already possible at Barnes and queens town road (up line to down fast crossover went in at QTR about six months ago), though fair point about Clapham as it currently requires a shunt

 

[Cowley]

Take over services on the Barnstaple and Exmouth Branches, order a fleet of TRAXX DE's and MK5s, redouble the line to Exeter in its entirety, and reopen the lines from Okehampton to Tavistock and Bude, and the lines to Padstow, Ilfracombe, Halwill Junction via Meeth and Lyme Regis...

What Harbonite said.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Spoiler: Colour Coding Key

Service operated by 158/9s
Service operated by 442s
Service operated by 444s
Service operated by 450s
Service operated by 701s
Service operated by Tube*

*LU are ordering brand new, modern tube trains for certain lines. I would order six shortened versions to replace Class 483s. I would also sort out the line to allow a solid every half hour service on the route.

What I would do is first of all get the DofT to let National Rail take over Swanage Railway services. I would also take all 3 car 158s and some 2 car sets from Northern, reclassing the 3 car sets as 159201 - 159208. They are getting new stock anyway, they won’t need all of their 158s! I would also send the 450/5s off lease as they aren’t required anymore with these plans.


2tph: London to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Woking, Guildford, Godalming, Haslemere, Petersfield, Havant, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea


1tph: London to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Woking, Worplesdon, Guildford, Farncombe, Godalming, Haslemere, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, Rowlands Castle, Havant, Bedhampton, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea.


1tph: London to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Woking, Guildford, Farncombe, Godalming, Milford, Witley, Haslemere, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, Havant, Bedhampton, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea.


1tph: London to Weymouth
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton Airport, Southampton Central, Brockenhurst, New Milton, Christchurch, Pokesdown and Bournemouth.

Front coaches continue to Weymouth calling at Poole, Hamworthy, Wareham, Wool and Dorchester South

Rear coaches terminate at Bournemouth.


1tph: London to Swanage
Calling at: Winchester, Southampton Airport, Southampton Central, Brockenhurst, Bournemouth, Poole, Hamworthy, Wareham, Norden, Corfe Castle and Harmans Cross


1tph: London to Southampton
Calling at: Woking, Basingstoke, Overton, Whitchurch, Andover, Grateley, Dean and Mottisfont & Dunbridge, Romsey, Redbridge and Millbrook

Runs on a loop with below service.


1tph: London to Southampton
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Woking, Farnborough (Main), Fleet, Basingstoke, Winchester, Shawford, Eastleigh, Southampton Airport, Swaythling and St Denys

Runs on a loop with above service


1tph: London to Paignton
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Andover, Salisbury, Gillingham, Templecombe, Sherborne, Yeovil Junction, Axminster, Honiton, Feniton, Whimple, Cranbrook, Exeter Central, Exeter St David’s, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot and Torquay.


1tph: London to Plymouth
Calling at: Basingstoke, Andover, Salisbury, Gillingham, Yeovil Junction, Axminster, Honiton, Pinhoe, Exeter Central, Exeter St. David’s, Newton Abbot, Totnes and Ivybridge


1tp2h: London to Yeovil Junction
Calling at: Woking, Basingstoke, Overton, Whitchurch, Andover, Grateley, Salisbury, Tisbury, Gillingham and Sherborne


1tp2h: London to Yeovil Junction
Calling at: Woking, Basingstoke, Overton, Whitchurch, Andover, Grateley, Salisbury, Warminster, Westbury, Frome, Bruton, Castle Cary and Yeovil Pen Mill


2tph: Romsey to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Hedge End, Botley, Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea


2tph: London to Reading & Alton
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Richmond, Twickenham, Feltham, Staines, Egham, Virginia Water, Sunningdale and Ascot.

Front coaches continue to Alton calling at Bagshot, Camberley, Frimley, Ash Vale, Aldershot, Farnham and Bentley.

Rear coaches continue to Reading calling at Martins Heron, Bracknell, Wokingham, Winnersh, Winnersh Triangle and Earley.


2tph: London to Reading
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Brentford, Hounslow, Feltham, Staines, Egham, Virginia Water, Longcross, Sunningdale, Ascot, Bracknell and Wokingham.


2tph: London to Windsor
Calling at: Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Putney, Richmond, Twickenham, Feltham, Ashford, Staines, Wraysbury, Sunnymeads and Datchet


2tph: London to Woking
Calling at: Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Surbiton, Esher, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames, Weybridge, Byfleet & New Haw and West Byfleet


2tph: London to Woking
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Surbiton, Walton-on-Thames, Weybridge and West Byfleet


2tph: London to Windsor & Weybridge
Calling at: Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Putney, Brentford, Hounslow, Feltham, Ashford and Staines.

Front coaches continue to Weybridge calling at Egham, Virginia Water, Chertsey and Addlestone.

Rear coaches continue to Windsor calling at Datchet.


2tph: Kingston to Shepperton
Calling at: Hampton Wick, Teddington, Fulwell, Hampton, Kempton Park, Sunbury and Upper Haliford

**MAKES USE OF UNUSED BAY PLATFORM**


2tph: London to Alton
Calling at: Woking, Ash Vale, Aldershot and Farnham.


2tph: Woking to Basingstoke
Calling at: Brookwood, Farnborough (Main), Fleet, Winchfield and Hook.

**MAKES USE OF UNUSED BAY PLATFORM**


2tph: Farnham to Guildford
Calling at: Aldershot, Ash and Wanborough


1tph: Bournemouth to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Pokesdown, Christchurch, Hinton Admiral, New Milton, Sway, Brockenhurst, Beaulieu Road, Ashurst, Totton, Southampton Central, Swanwick, Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea.

**MAKES USE OF UNUSED BAY PLATFORM**


1tph: Southampton Ctrl to Portsmouth & Southsea
Calling at: St Denys, Bitterne, Woolston, Sholing, Netley, Hamble, Bursledon, Swanwick, Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Hilsea and Fratton.


2tph: Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier
Calling at: Lymington Town


The following service patterns would remain unchanged:


4tph: London to Guildford stoppers

2tph: London to Dorking

2tph: London to Chessington

2tph: London to Hampton Court

4tph: London to Hounslow

4tph: London to Kingston

2tph: Ryde to Shanklin


They are the changes I would make.

 

[700007]

Introduce more trains Weymouth - Yeovil - Salisbury - London Waterloo, in compensation for the loss of the 1tph that will now go Portsmouth. Would improve services along the Heart of Wessex line and also add much needed capacity between Yeovil, Salisbury and London Waterloo.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

Spoiler: Colour Coding Key

Service operated by 158/9s
Service operated by 442s
Service operated by 444s
Service operated by 450s
Service operated by 701s
Service operated by Tube*

*LU are ordering brand new, modern tube trains for certain lines. I would order six shortened versions to replace Class 483s. I would also sort out the line to allow a solid every half hour service on the route.

What I would do is first of all get the DofT to let National Rail take over Swanage Railway services. I would also take all 3 car 158s and some 2 car sets from Northern, reclassing the 3 car sets as 159201 - 159208. They are getting new stock anyway, they won’t need all of their 158s! I would also send the 450/5s off lease as they aren’t required anymore with these plans.


2tph: London to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Woking, Guildford, Godalming, Haslemere, Petersfield, Havant, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea


1tph: London to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Woking, Worplesdon, Guildford, Farncombe, Godalming, Haslemere, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, Rowlands Castle, Havant, Bedhampton, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea.


1tph: London to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Woking, Guildford, Farncombe, Godalming, Milford, Witley, Haslemere, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, Havant, Bedhampton, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea.


1tph: London to Weymouth
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton Airport, Southampton Central, Brockenhurst, New Milton, Christchurch, Pokesdown and Bournemouth.

Front coaches continue to Weymouth calling at Poole, Hamworthy, Wareham, Wool and Dorchester South

Rear coaches terminate at Bournemouth.


1tph: London to Swanage
Calling at: Winchester, Southampton Airport, Southampton Central, Brockenhurst, Bournemouth, Poole, Hamworthy, Wareham, Norden, Corfe Castle and Harmans Cross


1tph: London to Southampton
Calling at: Woking, Basingstoke, Overton, Whitchurch, Andover, Grateley, Dean and Mottisfont & Dunbridge, Romsey, Redbridge and Millbrook

Runs on a loop with below service.


1tph: London to Southampton
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Woking, Farnborough (Main), Fleet, Basingstoke, Winchester, Shawford, Eastleigh, Southampton Airport, Swaythling and St Denys

Runs on a loop with above service


1tph: London to Paignton
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Andover, Salisbury, Gillingham, Templecombe, Sherborne, Yeovil Junction, Axminster, Honiton, Feniton, Whimple, Cranbrook, Exeter Central, Exeter St David’s, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot and Torquay.


1tph: London to Plymouth
Calling at: Basingstoke, Andover, Salisbury, Gillingham, Yeovil Junction, Axminster, Honiton, Pinhoe, Exeter Central, Exeter St. David’s, Newton Abbot, Totnes and Ivybridge


1tp2h: London to Yeovil Junction
Calling at: Woking, Basingstoke, Overton, Whitchurch, Andover, Grateley, Salisbury, Tisbury, Gillingham and Sherborne


1tp2h: London to Yeovil Junction
Calling at: Woking, Basingstoke, Overton, Whitchurch, Andover, Grateley, Salisbury, Warminster, Westbury, Frome, Bruton, Castle Cary and Yeovil Pen Mill


2tph: Romsey to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Hedge End, Botley, Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea


2tph: London to Reading & Alton
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Richmond, Twickenham, Feltham, Staines, Egham, Virginia Water, Sunningdale and Ascot.

Front coaches continue to Alton calling at Bagshot, Camberley, Frimley, Ash Vale, Aldershot, Farnham and Bentley.

Rear coaches continue to Reading calling at Martins Heron, Bracknell, Wokingham, Winnersh, Winnersh Triangle and Earley.


2tph: London to Reading
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Brentford, Hounslow, Feltham, Staines, Egham, Virginia Water, Longcross, Sunningdale, Ascot, Bracknell and Wokingham.


2tph: London to Windsor
Calling at: Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Putney, Richmond, Twickenham, Feltham, Ashford, Staines, Wraysbury, Sunnymeads and Datchet


2tph: London to Woking
Calling at: Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Surbiton, Esher, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames, Weybridge, Byfleet & New Haw and West Byfleet


2tph: London to Woking
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Surbiton, Walton-on-Thames, Weybridge and West Byfleet


2tph: London to Windsor & Weybridge
Calling at: Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Putney, Brentford, Hounslow, Feltham, Ashford and Staines.

Front coaches continue to Weybridge calling at Egham, Virginia Water, Chertsey and Addlestone.

Rear coaches continue to Windsor calling at Datchet.


2tph: Kingston to Shepperton
Calling at: Hampton Wick, Teddington, Fulwell, Hampton, Kempton Park, Sunbury and Upper Haliford

**MAKES USE OF UNUSED BAY PLATFORM**


2tph: London to Alton
Calling at: Woking, Ash Vale, Aldershot and Farnham.


2tph: Woking to Basingstoke
Calling at: Brookwood, Farnborough (Main), Fleet, Winchfield and Hook.

**MAKES USE OF UNUSED BAY PLATFORM**


2tph: Farnham to Guildford
Calling at: Aldershot, Ash and Wanborough


1tph: Bournemouth to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Pokesdown, Christchurch, Hinton Admiral, New Milton, Sway, Brockenhurst, Beaulieu Road, Ashurst, Totton, Southampton Central, Swanwick, Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea.

**MAKES USE OF UNUSED BAY PLATFORM**


1tph: Southampton Ctrl to Portsmouth & Southsea
Calling at: St Denys, Bitterne, Woolston, Sholing, Netley, Hamble, Bursledon, Swanwick, Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Hilsea and Fratton.


2tph: Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier
Calling at: Lymington Town


The following service patterns would remain unchanged:


4tph: London to Guildford stoppers

2tph: London to Dorking

2tph: London to Chessington

2tph: London to Hampton Court

4tph: London to Hounslow

4tph: London to Kingston

2tph: Ryde to Shanklin


They are the changes I would make.

Some rather bad ideas in there...

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Some rather bad ideas in there...

Oh yeah? Care to elaborate?

 

[swt_passenger]

]
I would also send the 450/5s off lease as they aren’t required anymore with these plans.

They are the changes I would make.

How do you cover the reduction of 28 x 450/5s? Surely they are a necessary part of the total 450 fleet, despite the slight differences?

 

[backontrack]

2tph: London to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Woking, Guildford, Godalming, Haslemere, Petersfield, Havant, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea


1tph: London to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Woking, Worplesdon, Guildford, Farncombe, Godalming, Haslemere, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, Rowlands Castle, Havant, Bedhampton, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea.

1tph: London to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Woking, Guildford, Farncombe, Godalming, Milford, Witley, Haslemere, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, Havant, Bedhampton, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea.

2tph: Romsey to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Hedge End, Botley, Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea

1tph: Bournemouth to Portsmouth Hbr
Calling at: Pokesdown, Christchurch, Hinton Admiral, New Milton, Sway, Brockenhurst, Beaulieu Road, Ashurst, Totton, Southampton Central, Swanwick, Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea.

1tph: Southampton Ctrl to Portsmouth & Southsea
Calling at: St Denys, Bitterne, Woolston, Sholing, Netley, Hamble, Bursledon, Swanwick, Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Hilsea and Fratton

They are the changes I would make.

That's quite a drastic reduction for Hilsea to go to 1tph and only to Southampton and Portsmouth...

I think you have to keep London-Winchester-Portsmouth direct in there though. It gives Fareham (for Gosport) a direct London service, after all. If you're going to route those services from Portsmouth to Chandler's Ford and Romsey, at least extend them through to Salisbury.

 

[nw1]

Some of SWRs plans have caused commotion and disagreements lately. I wonder... if you had all power over SWR, what changes would you make???

Starting with the current SWT service:

- Rejig the Weymouth line services to give more even interval, these services out of Waterloo:

a) the xx35 to Weymouth as now, omit the Branksome and Parkstone stops (see below) with additional call at Totton
b) the xx05 to Weymouth as now
c) Brockenhurst to Poole shuttle to connect with the xx35 at Brockenhurst, providing an even-interval service to New Milton, Christchurch, Pokesdown, Branksome and Parkstone. Starts at Brockenhurst to avoid constraints further up the line.
d) Southampton Central to Brockenhurst shuttle connecting with the xx05 at Central, much as it does currently, but with all services calling at Millbrook, Redbridge and Beaulieu Road.

(and the same in the reverse direction)

One additional train in the peak if paths can be found, at least London to SOU calling at Winchester and Parkway?

- Improved frequency in the Southampton urban area, with two trains an hour on the Eastleigh-Airport-Central corridor all calling at Swaythling and St Denys. One of these would be the Waterloo-Southampton semi-fast (terminating at SOU) while the other would be the Salisbury 158, but with the times re-jigged to provide even-interval service on this corridor. Possibly run the Salisbury 158 ONLY between Central and Salisbury via Eastleigh, without the direct Romsey-SOU bit, if this eases pathing (ISTR this leaves Central at xx18 when engineering work between Southampton and Romsey forces this to happen, giving a fairly even-interval service

- The additional SOU to Portsmouth service that SWR are introducing is a good one. Maybe add in calls at Woolston and Netley and remove the Portchester call. Run at a time in the hour which combines nicely with both the GWR and the existing stopper.

- Re-open the Hythe line and run it as an extension of the Southampton-Eastleigh-Salisbury service. Could improve frequency to Millbrook, Redbridge and Totton.

- Portsmouth direct: current service seems mostly fine, one thing that could be done though is to speed up the down "semi fast" (xx45) Portsmouth by transferring the Clapham stop to the following fast (introducing a fast Clapham to Portsmouth service, as well as keeping it behind the semi-fast) and transfer the Worplesdon stop to the Haslemere terminator - avoiding the looping at Haslemere - and maybe adjust the pattern out of Waterloo to something like xx00/12/30/42 to help accommodate this.
More peak services, bring back the 6 an hour seen during the peaks inb the 80s.

- Exeter: no change really, maybe 3 trains an hour in the peak to Salisbury if paths can be found, with the Exeter calling at Andover only between Basingstoke and Salisbury, with the two Salisbury or Yeovil terminators taking all the smaller stops?

- Alton: speed up by transferring West Byfleet calls to the Basingstoke slows. Three an hour as far as Farnham (as was in the 80s) in the peaks if paths can be found?

- Reading line: bring back the faster services seen in the 80s (though I am aware this is not really my 'patch' and I might not fully understand the flows).
e.g.
two an hour Clapham-Richmond-Twickenham-Feltham-Staines-Ascot and all to Reading
two an hour to Guildford via Camberley covering the intermediate Staines to Ascot stops (same as above to Staines, and then all stations)

Keep the stock largely the same, except replace the 455s in the next few years; only 'stock type' issue I see is too many 450s on the Direct fasts but that's changing anyway.

I think that's about it!

 

[TheAdelante]

I would introduce more direct services to Weymouth via Yeovil;
I would introduce 2tph running on the WofE Line using a passing loop at Whimple.
I would make use of the little bay platform at Bournemouth.

 

[700007]

Extend the proposed London to So'ton stopping service to Brockenhurst when TransWilts starts. Re-structure the TransWilts service from Swindon to Romsey so that after Romsey it runs via Chandler's Ford, Eastleigh, Airport and then into Central and terminates there. Millbrook and Redbridge would be served by the hourly stopping service from London Waterloo on its extension path. Have that call at Totton and Ashurst New Forest.

Re-open the Hythe / Fawley branch line as aforementioned. Having the TransWilts service cut to Southampton Central gives scope for the line to be extended down the branch line when and if re-opened. Millbrook and Redbridge subsequently can be served by these trains and exploit the benefits of a direct train service to Swindon (sorry that it means a slower journey time to Romsey-Salisbury stations). Subject to a consultation if footfall is still similar to now, passengers who travel to the two stations can choose what service they would rather have there, TransWilts or the London Waterloo service. If it has increased substantially then there may be a more realistic scope to get both services to stop there to provide 2tph.

This is in addition to earlier ideas I've mentioned:
Weymouth - Yeovil - Salisbury - London Waterloo to run around 3 or 4tpd in each direction throughout the day.

 

[Class465fan]

Cancel the refurbishment/new rolling stock order and replace current rolling stocks with pacers (jk)

 

[pompeyfan]

I don’t know enough to do a full timetable review, but I don’t agree with SWR adding in Godalming into the fast. I’d also make what is currently the xx:30 Off Waterloo into a ‘headline fast’ CLJ, WOK, GLD, HAV, FTN (maybe), Southsea and the harbour to connect into the boat. The xx:15 Off the harbour would be the same in the opposite direction.

I also don’t agree with the suggestion of binning off Portchester on the new semi fast in favour of Woolston. Numbers wise Portchester is far, far busier.

 

[trainmania100]

I would make a Brighton to Weymouth service.
2TPH Brighton to Weymouth at around XX15 and XX45 calling at only major stations between Southampton and Brighton
2 GWR services a day at Brighton is stupid and takes over 2 hours to get to Southampton asap

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

Spoiler: Colour Coding Key

Service operated by 158/9s
Service operated by 442s
Service operated by 444s
Service operated by 450s
Service operated by 701s
Service operated by Tube*

*LU are ordering brand new, modern tube trains for certain lines. I would order six shortened versions to replace Class 483s. I would also sort out the line to allow a solid every half hour service on the route.

2tph: London to Reading & Alton
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Richmond, Twickenham, Feltham, Staines, Egham, Virginia Water, Sunningdale and Ascot.

Front coaches continue to Alton calling at Bagshot, Camberley, Frimley, Ash Vale, Aldershot, Farnham and Bentley.

Rear coaches continue to Reading calling at Martins Heron, Bracknell, Wokingham, Winnersh, Winnersh Triangle and Earley.


2tph: London to Reading
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Brentford, Hounslow, Feltham, Staines, Egham, Virginia Water, Longcross, Sunningdale, Ascot, Bracknell and Wokingham.


2tph: London to Windsor
Calling at: Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Putney, Richmond, Twickenham, Feltham, Ashford, Staines, Wraysbury, Sunnymeads and Datchet


2tph: London to Woking
Calling at: Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Surbiton, Esher, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames, Weybridge, Byfleet & New Haw and West Byfleet


2tph: London to Woking
Calling at: Clapham Junction, Surbiton, Walton-on-Thames, Weybridge and West Byfleet


2tph: London to Windsor & Weybridge
Calling at: Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Putney, Brentford, Hounslow, Feltham, Ashford and Staines.

Front coaches continue to Weybridge calling at Egham, Virginia Water, Chertsey and Addlestone.

Rear coaches continue to Windsor calling at Datchet.





They are the changes I would make.

I don't think all the train splitting is a good idea:

1 It takes time to couple and uncouple.
2 People get stuck in the wrong bit (human nature)
3 Problems when there are delays on one half of route leading to difficulties reforming the service.

 

[sprinterguy]

I would also take all 3 car 158s and some 2 car sets from Northern, reclassing the 3 car sets as 159201 - 159208. They are getting new stock anyway, they won’t need all of their 158s!

Unrelated to the topic at hand admittedly, but I rather think they do, or else Northern wouldn't be obtaining additional 158s from Scotrail to supplement their existing fleet. Refurbished class 158s is the best that the North East matrix of services has to look forward to.

 

[infobleep]

If I got hold of it I'd turn it all back into a steam operated service. None of these new fangled electric trains or diesel engines.

Steam was good enough for the Victoirans!

Tongue in check there.

On a serious note I would keep the same number of trains into Waterloo in the morning and evening so calls can be made to Clapham Junction as they are now.

If that results in increased overcrowding and less services then tough.