Connectivity issues between the Hampshire & Dorset coast and Devon & Cornwall

[swt_passenger]

Has anything new been discovered this time so far, I don’t think so?

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Before even thinking about running extra services westward from Brighton it will surely be necessary to provide grade separation at key junctions ie Arundel Jn (expensive, no, very expensive due to being on a flood plain), Havant Jn (tight for space) and one of Farlington, Cosham and Portcreek Jns (Portcreek is hemmed in by the M27 and Port Creek itself). Without such infrastructure improvements any additional services can only come at some detriment to existing connectivity.

 

[30740]

I'd be up for a new chord at Yeovil and the fastest practicable service.

I live near Christchurch. I usually travel by car, but prefer to use train whenever I can. I often go to London by train, sometimes other destinations.

I sometimes have to travel to Exeter for work. I always drive, the A35 is hideous, but the railway is just not a realistic option for this journey

It'd be much cheaper to improve the rail infrastructure to create a viable route than to upgrade the A35!

 

[The Ham]

Weymouth to Exeter isn’t just your idea. It has been discussed on these forums numerous times. No one ever proves there is a realistic demand.

Which is why I suggested the incremental changes, primarily focused on London services which would as a coincidence provide better south to west links. In doing so would give the possibility of proving the need for such services.

Has anything new been discovered this time so far, I don’t think so?

Had someone previously suggested running trains between Waterloo and Weymouth via Yeovil to connect with the Exeter services to provide better south to west links?

 

[HowardGWR]

I'd be up for a new chord at Yeovil and the fastest practicable service.

I live near Christchurch. I usually travel by car, but prefer to use train whenever I can. I often go to London by train, sometimes other destinations.

I sometimes have to travel to Exeter for work. I always drive, the A35 is hideous, but the railway is just not a realistic option for this journey

It'd be much cheaper to improve the rail infrastructure to create a viable route than to upgrade the A35!

Yes, the Poole /Bournemouth /Christchurch conurbation is huge and I think there would be a big market for a service from Christchurch to Plymouth. How it is implemented and where the changes and joins /splits of stock could take place, is a matter of planning and implementation, but I am certain that a slick service about 4 times a day in each direction would get support. It would have to shorten the times to the main centres considerably, so could not be a case of just joining up a series of local all-shack services.

 

[700007]

Which is why I suggested the incremental changes, primarily focused on London services which would as a coincidence provide better south to west links. In doing so would give the possibility of proving the need for such services.



Had someone previously suggested running trains between Waterloo and Weymouth via Yeovil to connect with the Exeter services to provide better south to west links?

Yeah, there is a service that runs Summer Saturdays as the 0750 Waterloo to Weymouth, reverses at both Yeovils and comes down to Weymouth for like half 10 I think.

The train goes up to Yeovil and spends the day up there doing a shuttle between the two Yeovil stations and then comes down to Weymouth to do a 1656 return to London Waterloo. That's the times I have anyways.
The service has been hugely successful and will probably run again this year.

SWR would also like to potentially develop on this service to run weekdays as well in the future if possible from what I have heard.

 

[swt_passenger]

Had someone previously suggested running trains between Waterloo and Weymouth via Yeovil to connect with the Exeter services to provide better south to west links?

When I made the point to which you replied it wasn’t in this thread, the mods have subsequently combined two threads. Yes I was aware of your recent ideas about Waterloo to Weymouth via Yeovil, (and connections), but in general these discussions appear every few months and mostly raise very similar points to earlier threads.

I don’t believe SWT and now SWR are trialling this summer service as a through Waterloo to Weymouth option. It’s probably mainly about Wiltshire stations to/from Weymouth.

 

[The Ham]

When I made the point to which you replied it wasn’t in this thread, the mods have subsequently combined two threads. Yes I was aware of your recent ideas about Waterloo to Weymouth via Yeovil, (and connections), but in general these discussions appear every few months and mostly raise very similar points to earlier threads.

I don’t believe SWT and now SWR are trialling this summer service as a through Waterloo to Weymouth option. It’s probably mainly about Wiltshire stations to/from Weymouth.

Thanks for clarifying, as I wasn't aware that two threads had been merged.

 

[Oliver]

Jaime Rockhill, Senior Strategic Planner for Wessex Region for Network Rail will be talking at Thorncombe Railway Club on 16th May. He's the man to put your ideas to. https://sites.google.com/site/traclubsite/2018-meetings

 

[HowardGWR]

Jaime Rockhill, Senior Strategic Planner for Wessex Region for Network Rail will be talking at Thorncombe Railway Club on 16th May. He's the man to put your ideas to. https://sites.google.com/site/traclubsite/2018-meetings

Thanks for the link. It is an extraordinarily remote location for such meetings, but I gather they are well-attended. A non-driver visitor would be potentially excluded, but I see they have a contacts page and I suspect that these gentlemen on that page could arrange lifts, if asked nicely. There are late trains from Axminster or Crewkerne, sadly not at Chard any more, although that would be a useful question to put to Mr Rockhill, wouldn't it? The milk factory at Chard Junction is no more, but the passing loop is and it would not be a huge job to resurrect the station, IMO. Plenty of room for a car park too, there.

 

[Oliver]

Thanks for the link. It is an extraordinarily remote location for such meetings, but I gather they are well-attended. A non-driver visitor would be potentially excluded, but I see they have a contacts page and I suspect that these gentlemen on that page could arrange lifts, if asked nicely. There are late trains from Axminster or Crewkerne, sadly not at Chard any more, although that would be a useful question to put to Mr Rockhill, wouldn't it? The milk factory at Chard Junction is no more, but the passing loop is and it would not be a huge job to resurrect the station, IMO. Plenty of room for a car park too, there.

Thorncombe is certainly off the beaten track but we get 30+ members to our meetings. Non-members are welcome. People come from quite distant points, so arranging a lift is a possibility. https://sites.google.com/site/traclubsite/