There isn't scope for a faster service to overtake the existing services.What we could really do with is a semi fast EMU service along the coast. In years gone past South West ran such a service from Basingstoke with good connections from Cross Country services. With the withdrawal of West Worthing services there is platform space.
Reducing the timetable from six to four services per hour between Hove and Worthing does mean there's some scope for meaningful journey time improvements however, if Aldrington and Fishersgate were to close. However, that wouldn't be a politically acceptable price I think, even though I suspect it would have a positive business case. The Southampton Central service could call at just Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea, Worthing, Angmering, Barnham.There isn't scope for a faster service to overtake the existing services.
What about Barnham. Pretty much midway along the west coastway. Plat 1 and 2 appear to be bi directional for signalling and before anyone questions it I have even tracked a train my son was on that went into P1 from the Chichester direction and back out towards London. Whether there is a sufficient gap in the paths to overtake is a different matter as Bognor shuttles do sit in P1 for some time but the ability is there.There isn't scope for a faster service to overtake the existing services.
The hourly Southampton - Brighton replaced that. Apparently one of the aims being to take people where they actually wanted to go.What we could really do with is a semi fast EMU service along the coast. In years gone past South West ran such a service from Basingstoke with good connections from Cross Country services. With the withdrawal of West Worthing services there is platform space.
Equally, a reduction in people using those services in the way they did before 1990, fragmentation or not, is a major factor.Railways used to be very responsive to the opportunity of holiday and leisure travel for the staycation market. Some services only running on a Saturday when stock could be deployed. Fragmentation of the network is probably a major factor.
I disagree. If the GWR service can run them so can another. It overtakes at Worthing.There isn't scope for a faster service to overtake the existing services.
In the Brighton direction with a long dwell for the overtaken service and restrictive speeds into and out of the loop. Is isn't exactly good for reliability. In the other direction only Barnham is really available (or going in and out of Littlehampton) and that is sometimes occupied by Bognor trainsI disagree. If the GWR service can run them so can another. It overtakes at Worthing.
That involves a near ten minute dwell at Guildford. It doesn't actually happen as the overtaking services are not happening as it stands.A similar 'overtaking' I think happens on the Gatwick to Reading service at Guildford.
Nice to see that picture, thanks.Havent seen it elsewhere but heres the headboard used. Refers to a service starting in 1930 so does anyone have any information on what the GWR (presumably) ran back then in terms of trains to Brighton ?
The 11am departure from Brighton, with a Portsmouth portion, ran in the early 30s* and continued the mid 60s (it predeceased the Brighton-Plymouth!). SR and GWR stock alternated.Nice to see that picture, thanks.
I have a Sept 1948 BR(SR) timetable book - that shows (Table 80) a service from Cardiff to Brighton and vice versa
Dep Cardiff: 1pm
Bristol: 2.03pm
Brighton: 6.54 pm
In the other direction the service leaves Brighton at 11am
Looks like only 1 train per day each way as far east as Brighton.
That's interesting - thank you. Was that always to Cardiff in those days /that period?The 11am departure from Brighton, with a Portsmouth portion, ran in the early 30s* and continued the mid 60s (it predeceased the Brighton-Plymouth!). SR and GWR stock alternated.
* I know from helping operate my uncle's O gauge clockwork railway, where the pre-electrification departures from Brighton were simulated, and there was definitely a set of GWR coaches among the SR stock!
Middleton Press's Worthing to Chichester book has a picture on the last page Battle of Britain Class 34057 on Mk1 coaches departing Chichester on 11 June 1962 for Cardiff. Same locos and stock were used on the Brighton to Plymouth trains in the same era.The 11am departure from Brighton, with a Portsmouth portion, ran in the early 30s* and continued the mid 60s (it predeceased the Brighton-Plymouth!). SR and GWR stock alternated.
* I know from helping operate my uncle's O gauge clockwork railway, where the pre-electrification departures from Brighton were simulated, and there was definitely a set of GWR coaches among the SR stock!