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Go-Op developments...

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saracen43

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Just been reading on Wikipedia about the proposed service between Yoevil and Birmingham run by the GO cooperative, which if given the go ahead is due to start in the new December timetable.As it states in the article the prefered rolling stock would be of the push pull variaty, i assume that means loco and DVT. The route proposed would be Westbury, Chippenham, Swindon, Oxford, is it likely that this service is to be given the go ahead, if anyone has any solid info on this matter it would be much appreciated.
 
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swt_passenger

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Just been reading on Wikipedia about the proposed service between Yoevil and Birmingham run by the GO cooperative, which if given the go ahead is due to start in the new December timetable.As it states in the article the prefered rolling stock would be of the push pull variaty, i assume that means loco and DVT. The route proposed would be Westbury, Chippenham, Swindon, Oxford, is it likely that this service is to be given the go ahead, if anyone has any solid info on this matter it would be much appreciated.

I think they have already reduced to Westbury. Their current plans here:

http://www.goco.coop/train/
 

Oliver

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Just been reading on Wikipedia about the proposed service between Yoevil and Birmingham run by the GO cooperative, which if given the go ahead is due to start in the new December timetable.As it states in the article the prefered rolling stock would be of the push pull variaty, i assume that means loco and DVT. The route proposed would be Westbury, Chippenham, Swindon, Oxford, is it likely that this service is to be given the go ahead, if anyone has any solid info on this matter it would be much appreciated.

Other Open Access operators are criticised for serving London; they do so for a reason - it's by far the biggest source of railway traffic. Where is GO going to get the money to fund the start up? Grand Central have spent several million to get to their current position, and the W Yorks services are still burning cash. I don't think they'll be starting this December, or the one after that. BTW it's Yeovil - a town on the river Yeo.
 
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MCR247

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I find GC are criticized far more for it just being an ORCATS raid
 

Oliver

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I find GC are criticized far more for it just being an ORCATS raid
Whether they are criticised or not doesn't really matter. We all loved WSMR but they closed down because they couldn't generate enough revenue. The GO Yeovil - Birmingham service would get some cash from ORCATS, my point is that it's unlikely to be enough, and they are not sitting on enough cash to get started.
 

Ivo

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A struggle or not I'm sure I'm not the only one who would want the very best for GOCO. Not least because it would mean not having to travel with CrossCountry between Bristol/Oxford and Birmingham! It will be interesting to see if a co-operative model works for a TOC.

I do hope they succeed, but I have to agree with those who are casting doubts...
 

Oliver

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A struggle or not I'm sure I'm not the only one who would want the very best for GOCO. Not least because it would mean not having to travel with CrossCountry between Bristol/Oxford and Birmingham! It will be interesting to see if a co-operative model works for a TOC.

I do hope they succeed, but I have to agree with those who are casting doubts...

I don't have a philosophical problem with a co-op approach; I just don't see where they are going to get the money to start up, and I doubt the viability of the proposed route. It's a route I would use occasionally if it started from Yeovil Junction, so I wish them luck.
 

cle

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Would be good if they could go to Bath, it's badly connected from the Midlands and north. Bristol might be a slight raid, but nobody would go to Birmingham via Oxford and they couldn't terminate at Bath.

They could aim for the Bristol/Bath to Oxford market, as well as Bath/Westbury/Swindon to Brum. Not too shabby...
 

Ivo

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Nothing wrong with getting it from Trowbridge. I certainly intend to, especially if it means avoiding Voyagers (and Pacers where applicable :lol:)!

I do agree though, terminating at Bristol TM would be more worthwhile. I don't suppose FGW would be too pleased though, if their primary route is duplicated right through to Didcot (or Swindon, assuming they use the west curve at Didcot); having said that, who cares? Could it theoretically start at Bristol and head down to Westbury, and then reverse - or is that too much of a hoo-hah to justify?
 

The Planner

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We'll soon see, the capacity request deadline is in a couple of weeks for the Dec 11 timetable so if they have come up with plans for paths they will be known then.
 

Class172

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I thought they were going to use some refurbished mk3's - loco hauled. As long as it's not a pacer...
 

BestWestern

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With the very greatest of respect to those involved, they are talking absolute b*ll*cks! How on earth does an obscure little public interest group think that they will secure and fund brand new trains to run a secondary service when proper rail franchise operators can't manage it for frontline routes? This is a very nice paper project for someone and I'm sure will generate lots of interest in the railways in general, which is a good thing, but it'll never see the light of day; just not viable, just not needed. Leave it the professionals!
 

WatcherZero

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Light weight rail, the same strategy used on the Stourbridge line where London Midland subcontracts to a smaller company to operate the service.
 

WatcherZero

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April 8th update says Mid Hants trial is back on for the end of the year, the PPM apparantly suffered electrical damage during transport for the trial and when they tried to start it a Hydrostatic pump suffered a catastrophic failure requiring more than a month to repair.
 

judethegreat

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With the very greatest of respect to those involved, they are talking absolute b*ll*cks! How on earth does an obscure little public interest group think that they will secure and fund brand new trains to run a secondary service when proper rail franchise operators can't manage it for frontline routes? This is a very nice paper project for someone and I'm sure will generate lots of interest in the railways in general, which is a good thing, but it'll never see the light of day; just not viable, just not needed. Leave it the professionals!

The normal companies COULD do it, but they have profit margins. This is a cooperative, therefore presumably no profit margins (I stand to be corrected).
By the way, hello, my first post :)
 

Oliver

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The normal companies COULD do it, but they have profit margins. This is a cooperative, therefore presumably no profit margins (I stand to be corrected).
By the way, hello, my first post :)

It's not about future profits, it's about having enough cash in the bank to fund the service at a loss for at least the first couple of years. I would love to be proved wrong, but I don't think this co-op has that kind of funding at its disposal. The other problem is that it doesn't serve London which, like it or not, is where the big demand for rail travel emanates from (and to).
 

judethegreat

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It's not about future profits, it's about having enough cash in the bank to fund the service at a loss for at least the first couple of years. I would love to be proved wrong, but I don't think this co-op has that kind of funding at its disposal. The other problem is that it doesn't serve London which, like it or not, is where the big demand for rail travel emanates from (and to).
Fair point.
 

anthony263

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.

It would be nice to see if this comes off, but they would need some backers with deep pockets.

Then again, you also have the okehampton - Exeter St Davids - St James park service which it is hoped to start soon. I wonder how that will come on?
 

Class172

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Yep, they were looking at Mk2 rakes, with 50's or 37's to start, infact even earlier than that they were looking at 57's and DBSO....

Would be good to see some of the older stock making a return, especially class 37's - was too young to go on them or even remember then
 

The Planner

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Not a sausage on the bidding for paths front though and Dec 11 is offered in May so unless they are looking for a mid-timetable start in 2012 I can't see it happening any time soon.
 
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