'Awkward' towns without railway stations

[Basil Jet]

This seems very logical but how long is the branch? At £40million a mile and a new station can we afford it?

It would add about 11 minutes to the one-way 20 minute trip from Newbury to Bedwyn, thus destroying the ability to have an hourly service with one train.

 

[Tester]

It would add about 11 minutes to the one-way 20 minute trip from Newbury to Bedwyn, thus destroying the ability to have an hourly service with one train.

.....and therefore definitely qualifies as awkward

 

[Fermiboson]

If it's a branch shuttle anyways, why is there a need to stick to a clockface timetable?

 

[D6130]

If it's a branch shuttle anyways, why is there a need to stick to a clockface timetable?

If it were to be just a branch shuttle, you would need an additional three platform station at Savernake - the former branch junction several miles West of Bedwyn. Which main line trains would you stop there?

 

[30907]

Is Plymouth – Gunnislake only every two hours because of infrastructure or (perceived) demand?

Both, I suspect.

If it's the latter, or if it's the former and easily fixable, could an hourly service as far as Bere Alston then alternating between Gunnislake and Tavistock work?

You could do hourly Tavistock (only) but anything more would require signalling alterations at Bere Alston, and closing BA-Gunnislake would not go down well . There's a thread somewhere

 

[leytongabriel]

I've always agreed with this. The few short miles of railway west of Bedwyn should be reinstated to Marlborough, with Bedwyn Services should terminate there instead.

Also putting Marlborough back on the rail map.
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Also can add Thame amd Cirencester to the list of 'Awkward towns without Rail Stations'.

Especially Cirencester, with a extremely poor bus connection to Kemble.

But Cirencester has the regular National Express coach service.

 

[duffield]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Dudley. A string of stations just outside the town, but none actually in it. Looks like the plan is to add it to the tram network.

Not just a plan, construction is well under way. You can see the junction for Dudley when you pass through Wednesbury on the existing tram route, and quite a lot of work in progress is visible on the (fairly recent) Google maps satellite imagery. Being discussion in the Light Rail, Metro and Trams section, here.

 

[William3000]

East Anglia has lots of towns with no railway station. Here are a few that have an open station nearby:

Hoddesdon/Broxbourne (prior to electrification the station was called Broxbourne and Hoddesdon)
Saffron Walden/Audley End
Shefford/Arlesey
Ampthill/Flitwick

There are plenty more examples a bit further away from the railway.

Would Rye House count as a station for Hoddesdon?

 

[D6130]

Would Rye House count as a station for Hoddesdon?

Broxbourne was originally named 'Broxbourne and Hoddesdon' according to the Ian Allan Pre-grouping rail atlas.

 

[redengine]

There are quite a few reasonably sized towns with no stations in Wales:

• Blackwood (24k) – could really do with the Rhymney Valley line bifurcating north of Ystrad Mynach, with some trains running over the Maesycwmmer Viaduct then up the Sirhowy Valley – I don't think anyone's ever proposed this one seriously, but it actually looks like it makes more sense than other re-openings in Wales – also:
  • Tredegar (15k)
  • Pontllan-fraith (9k)
• Gorseinon (16k) – someone mentioned this one upthread – if only the HoWL used the former LNWR between Gowerton and Pontardulais, avoiding the reversal at Llanelli...
• Porthcawl (16k) – would be a sensible place for local trains on the Main Line to terminate so that the busy local stops between Cardiff and Bridgend don't have their service levels governed by the Maesteg branch
• Llantwit Fardre (14k) – this one's genuinely awkward – maybe some sort of LRT curving round the Cardiff exurbs from Pontyclun to Newport at that sort of radius? – also:
  • Beddau (8k)
• Rhosllanerchrugog (14k) – another awkward one – maybe re-open Johnstown on the Shrewsbury and Chester?
• Pontardawe (12k) – dare we dream of an Ystradgynlais to Mumbles tram? – also:
  • Ystradgynlais (10k)
• Abertillery (11k) – is it worth reopening the Blaina branch?
• Monmouth (10k) – it's a shame that two routes weren't kept between Pontypool Road and Hereford, allowing the fast train to go via Abergavenny overtaking a stopping one routed via Monmouth
• Mold (10k) – Chester to Denbigh, anyone? – also:
  • Denbigh (9k)
• Holywell (10k) – maybe re-open Holywell Junction
• Kinmel Bay (9k) – maybe re-open Foryd
• Caernarfon (9k) – others have mentioned this one
• Caerleon (9k) – now this one does get seriously proposed
• Brecon (8k) – let's extend the Paddington to Hereford train, oink oink, flap flap (also doesn't help that a good chunk of the population are likely to travel by army lorry)

 

[Mark J]

But Cirencester has the regular National Express coach service.

What good is National Express with a rail ticket, or wanting to use trains?

From what I've also found with National Express is many of their fares are not cheaper (and sometimes more expensive) than a comparable return rail fare.

In Reading, the National Express pick up and drop off point is over in Calcot (extreme Western edge of town that borders the M4). Highly inconvenience to begin with.

 

[AlastairFraser]

What good is National Express with a rail ticket, or wanting to use trains?

From what I've also found with National Express is many of their fares are not cheaper (and sometimes more expensive) than a comparable return rail fare.

In Reading, the National Express pick up and drop off point is over in Calcot (extreme Western edge of town that borders the M4). Highly inconvenience to begin with.

They moved over to Mereoak Park and Ride by M4 J11 a few years ago, it's not so bad - but still quite far out from the main station and town centre.