Sprinter107
Member
- Joined
- 26 Mar 2019
- Messages
- 935
That wouldnt be a bad idea. Reckon theres enough turnaround time on some trains at Shrub Hill to run up there and back. A little bit of tweeking, and I'm sure it would work.
Would it really be necessary to go from Parkway to Shrub Hill to go to the South West? Worcester Shrub Hill currently only gets 1tp2h towards the SW. Surely it would make more sense to just catch a southbound XC service at Parkway and change at Cheltenham Spa? Unless you were going to Ashchurch but I can’t imagine many people will drive to Parkway to then take a train to Ashchurch.I wonder if it would be possible to extend a Shrub Hill to Moor Street train to Worcestershire Parkway High Level instead. It might not do for the South West but it maybe able to provide more services into Birmingham (Snow Hill Lines). Change at Shrub Hill for the South West.
Can they reverse a train at Parkway High Level? It would be quite a slow journey into Birmingham compared with XC with one stop from the low level platforms.I wonder if it would be possible to extend a Shrub Hill to Moor Street train to Worcestershire Parkway High Level instead. It might not do for the South West but it maybe able to provide more services into Birmingham (Snow Hill Lines). Change at Shrub Hill for the South West.
Yes, there are two low-level platforms on Birmingham-Cheltenham and one high-level on the Cotswold line which is single track (but I believe there is space to add a second platform if it is ever doubled).Perhaps my somewhat old age has caught up with me yet again and not being knowledgeable about the Worcestershire area, but are there to be both low-level and high-level platforms at this proposed station....or have I mis-read some recent postings on this thread?
Does any one know when the last railway station having both low-level and high-level platforms was opened?
Yes, there are two low-level platforms on Birmingham-Cheltenham and one high-level on the Cotswold line which is single track (but I believe there is space to add a second platform if it is ever doubled).
I think Smethwick Galton Bridge was the last totally new two-level station.
What are the chances of a full re-doubling of the Cotswold Line? Electrification in CP7 would be nice, of course.
Unless Canning Town counts - the oldest platforms (ex-NLL) still there are a month younger than Smethwick GB and the timescale suggests the original 1994 DLR platforms that were the first on the site were never meant to be anything other than a temporary bodge while they built the final station (they closed less than 2 years later for placement in their final position).I think Smethwick Galton Bridge was the last totally new two-level station.
But really if extra carriages could be found for the Hereford route (not 170's as these are being replaced) they need to be used all the way through to Hereford as these services are usually very busy.How about - Run Birmingham - Hereford as 2 x 170 from New Street to Bromsgrove, then split and one unit continues to Hereford as normal, second set continues to Worcester Parkway, Ashchurch, Cheltenham and Gloucester. WMT used to have a service to Gloucester (albeit 1 train late on Friday night returning ECS to Worcester) suggesting Worcester crews may still have route knowledge.
How about - Run Birmingham - Hereford as 2 x 170 from New Street to Bromsgrove, then split and one unit continues to Hereford as normal, second set continues to Worcester Parkway, Ashchurch, Cheltenham and Gloucester. WMT used to have a service to Gloucester (albeit 1 train late on Friday night returning ECS to Worcester) suggesting Worcester crews may still have route knowledge.
But really if extra carriages could be found for the Hereford route (not 170's as these are being replaced) they need to be used all the way through to Hereford as these services are usually very busy.
Because Worcestershire Parkway isn't on the route from Worcester to CheltenhamHow about - Run Birmingham - Hereford as 2 x 170 from New Street to Bromsgrove, then split and one unit continues to Hereford as normal, second set continues to Worcester Parkway, Ashchurch, Cheltenham and Gloucester. WMT used to have a service to Gloucester (albeit 1 train late on Friday night returning ECS to Worcester) suggesting Worcester crews may still have route knowledge.
But it is on the route from Bromsgrove to Cheltenham, as was 6026KingJohn's suggestion.Because Worcestershire Parkway isn't on the route from Worcester to Cheltenham
Oh right, misread it, although in that case you'd certainly want all four cars to go to Worcester, unless you believe that the people currently ramming onto those trains at Worcester all secretly want to drive out to middle of nowhere to get the train insteadBut it is on the route from Bromsgrove to Cheltenham, as was 6026KingJohn's suggestion.
Yes I know that, which is why I wrote that one was an alternative for the other stop, not both, in respect of interchange possibilities.It physically couldnt call at both Shrub Hill and Parkway if it was heading South West. Parkway is the wrong side of Abbotswood Junction.
A more sensible measure would just be to provide XC trains on both the Bristol and Cardiff routes of a sensible length and seating capacity and increase the frequency of the GWR service between Bristol, Worcester and Great Malvern to hourly - rather than chewing up yet more paths with yet more short dmus.
Depends really. I travel to Bristol once a month due to relatives down there and often get back around 5pm. Certainly it's standing from Temple Meads up to Cheltenham but once you get there half the train gets off and you can find seats easily enough even if it's just a 4 car service. Add in a couple of those 7 cars a day and there's plenty of capacity to fit in 15-20 getting on from Parkway afternoon/early evening. Surely one of the two XC from Bristol hourly could stop? You also usually have dwell time at New Street aswell, the 19.03 to Leeds usually rolls in at five to seven.
Doesn't matter if there's dwell time spare at New St - it's got to hit its path between CrossCity trains at Kings Norton.
Cheltenham to Bristol TM and VV fares are artificially low. GWR price the flow but only run a train every 2 hours that goes via Gloucester. I'll let someone else explain why/ "Cheap day"/ off peak day returns are code W5, 0830 and after. That's why the split tickets work.Depends really. I travel to Bristol once a month due to relatives down there and often get back around 5pm. Certainly it's standing from Temple Meads up to Cheltenham but once you get there half the train gets off and you can find seats easily enough even if it's just a 4 car service. Add in a couple of those 7 cars a day and there's plenty of capacity to fit in 15-20 getting on from Parkway afternoon/early evening. Surely one of the two XC from Bristol hourly could stop? You also usually have dwell time at New Street aswell, the 19.03 to Leeds usually rolls in at five to seven.
I'm sure the booking clerk at work was saying the fare from Worcestershire Parkway to Birmingham will be much higher than from the 2 current Worcester stations. Think Cross Country may be setting that fare, but I'll stand corrected on that.Yes it's good value, 10 quid return from Cheltenham to Bristol for 40 minute journey whereas same journey time from Chelts to New Street is 26 quid return.
Actually I hadn't thought of that regarding split tickets. From memory Cheltenham to Worcester is around a tenner and then from Worcester to Birmingham station is about eight quid. With a spot at Parkway you'd assume fares would be similar ish to the main stations 2-3 miles away so chance possibly to save a bit through split ticketting.
I only mentioned class 170 as that is what is currently used. Probably better to use 3x172 2 car sets and send 4 to Worcester and 2 to Gloucester. The original idea of splitting/joining a train at Bromsgrove was to save a path in and out of New street by using an existing service to serve two destinations.Oh right, misread it, although in that case you'd certainly want all four cars to go to Worcester, unless you believe that the people currently ramming onto those trains at Worcester all secretly want to drive out to middle of nowhere to get the train instead