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Great Yarmouth - Reedham to close for six months

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2HAP

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The Great Yarmouth - Reedham line is to close for six months from 20 October. It will be interesting to see how they get a bus to Berney Arms.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/no-...r-six-months-as-part-of-68m-upgrade-1-5680715

A £68m signalling upgrade will see no trains run between Great Yarmouth and Reedham for at least six months.

Passengers who travel between Reedham and Great Yarmouth, however, will have to find alternative transport between October 20 and April 2019 with the line via Berney Arms due to close.

“While the work is going on, we will make sure that customers can still complete their journeys, even if it is by bus.”
 
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2HAP

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Nope, definitely states a bus. Don't see why Greater Anglia can't put a 153 on a Great Yarmouth - Berney Arms shuttle though.
 

A0wen

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Nope, definitely states a bus. Don't see why Greater Anglia can't put a 153 on a Great Yarmouth - Berney Arms shuttle though.

Presumably because the line works may actually include the section between Gt Yarmouth and Berney Arms?

The fact the passenger usage is about 1,100 people a year may also be a relevant fact as that's about 20 people a week.....
 

Esker-pades

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Presumably because the line works may actually include the section between Gt Yarmouth and Berney Arms?

The fact the passenger usage is about 1,100 people a year may also be a relevant fact as that's about 20 people a week.....
There would really only need to be 3-4 shuttles per day to keep the current service. Fantasy of course as there aren't any units to spare.

The generic response from Greater Anglia was "book a taxi from the help point to the nearest station with a rail replacement service, and we will pay for it". I re-iterated the location of the station and put an assumed pick up point (the junction of Marsh Road/Stone Road/Branch Road just east of Halvergate). They are going to "pass it on for confirmation".
 

Ianno87

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Of the 1,100 passengers per year...

-How many are 'real' passengers, I.e. Not just buying a 'novelty' ticket to Berney Arms?
-How many are summer and winter passengers that would actually be affected by a closure at that time of year
-How many journeys affected are genuinely 'essential' in their nature. Virtually none, I bet.
 

JB_B

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The Great Yarmouth - Reedham line is to close for six months from 20 October. It will be interesting to see how they get a bus to Berney Arms.

I've seen a minibus collect a group of 10-15 from the windmilll so it's not impossible but quite a detour.
 

CaptainHaddock

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Presumably because the line works may actually include the section between Gt Yarmouth and Berney Arms?

The fact the passenger usage is about 1,100 people a year may also be a relevant fact as that's about 20 people a week.....

The figure may be considerably less now the Berney Arms pub has closed.
 

Clip

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Nope, definitely states a bus. Don't see why Greater Anglia can't put a 153 on a Great Yarmouth - Berney Arms shuttle though.

Why would they ever want to do this?
 

philthetube

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Of the 1,100 passengers per year...

-How many are 'real' passengers, I.e. Not just buying a 'novelty' ticket to Berney Arms?
-How many are summer and winter passengers that would actually be affected by a closure at that time of year
-How many journeys affected are genuinely 'essential' in their nature. Virtually none, I bet.
I suspect Berney arms passenger numbers are considerably higher than stated, quite a few people ride to Berney Arms to walk, and if walking to Yarmouth or Acle will not buy Berney arms tickets, but Yarmouth ones, I have done this a few times and have never been the only passenger alighting there, speaking to guards it is quite common to get groups of walkers or bird spotters making one way journeys with tickets to elsewhere, all skewing the numbers, I spoke to one guard who dropped a party of 50 off, (all through the local door) and was asked about the delay on arrival at Yarmouth.
 

A0wen

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I suspect Berney arms passenger numbers are considerably higher than stated, quite a few people ride to Berney Arms to walk, and if walking to Yarmouth or Acle will not buy Berney arms tickets, but Yarmouth ones, I have done this a few times and have never been the only passenger alighting there, speaking to guards it is quite common to get groups of walkers or bird spotters making one way journeys with tickets to elsewhere, all skewing the numbers, I spoke to one guard who dropped a party of 50 off, (all through the local door) and was asked about the delay on arrival at Yarmouth.

Care to qualify "considerably" ?

Even 50% would only mean 30 people a week as opposed to 20 on average.....
 

dk1

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Very few passengers in the Winter & then they are only ramblers mainly over the weekend who can easily find somewhere else to walk. Two boarded & two alighted from the 15:17 ex-Yarmouth yesterday.
 

TheEdge

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People are acting like this is some core mainline and city centre station being closed. It's a tiny comedy halt that serves a field, some cows and a closed down pub. It's dead in the winter anyway. It will not cause any huge travel disruption to anyone. And if anyone is truly mad enough to travel from Lowestoft to Yarmouth by train then they could just change at Brundall. Even though walking would probably be quicker.
 

dk1

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And if anyone is truly mad enough to travel from Lowestoft to Yarmouth by train then they could just change at Brundall. Even though walking would probably be quicker.

I did a very short stint in Yarmouth BO during the Summer of 98 & was surprised how many people actually asked about Lowestoft. Before issuing I advised them of the poor frequency or hassle of going via Brundall pointing them instead towards the Town Hall & advising them of the four buses per hour. Apart from avid enthusiasts, most then left the building.
 

eastdyke

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The generic response from Greater Anglia was "book a taxi from the help point to the nearest station with a rail replacement service, and we will pay for it". I re-iterated the location of the station and put an assumed pick up point (the junction of Marsh Road/Stone Road/Branch Road just east of Halvergate). They are going to "pass it on for confirmation".
8-)
A water taxi?
The nearest station with a quay heading in (relatively) close proximity would be Yarmouth (going east but low tide a possible issue) or Brundall (going west).
 

Ianno87

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I did a very short stint in Yarmouth BO during the Summer of 98 & was surprised how many people actually asked about Lowestoft. Before issuing I advised them of the poor frequency or hassle of going via Brundall pointing them instead towards the Town Hall & advising them of the four buses per hour. Apart from avid enthusiasts, most then left the building.

I guess people assume that as Yarmouth has a station and Lowestoft has a station and they're not far apart, that there *must* be a railway that connects them.
 

Ianno87

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And if anyone is truly mad enough to travel from Lowestoft to Yarmouth by train then they could just change at Brundall.

As is virtually always advised by journey planners today anyway!
 

dk1

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I guess people assume that as Yarmouth has a station and Lowestoft has a station and they're not far apart, that there *must* be a railway that connects them.

There *should* be a railway that connects them in any sensible world. However back in 1970 sense was something that was in short supply. It really was a strange closure considering the efficiency savings that had been made to the route.
 

306024

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People are acting like this is some core mainline and city centre station being closed. It's a tiny comedy halt that serves a field, some cows and a closed down pub. It's dead in the winter anyway. It will not cause any huge travel disruption to anyone. And if anyone is truly mad enough to travel from Lowestoft to Yarmouth by train then they could just change at Brundall. Even though walking would probably be quicker.

Precisely. Even the postman doesn't use the train any more. Disappointed there isn't a replacement boat service, though getting across Breydon Water against the tide would be fun.
 
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Baxenden Bank

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If it is such a small number of passengers requiring alternative provision, then it's not such a major problem for the TOC to provide it, on demand at Yarmouth, Reedham or Norwich.

As an aside, what is it that will take six whole months to complete on a single track railway with no passing loops. You can virtually see from one end to the other given how straight and flat the line is!
 

eastdyke

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If it is such a small number of passengers requiring alternative provision, then it's not such a major problem for the TOC to provide it, on demand at Yarmouth, Reedham or Norwich.
As an aside, what is it that will take six whole months to complete on a single track railway with no passing loops. You can virtually see from one end to the other given how straight and flat the line is!
If you have a reasonable and practicable way of doing that (the bold), then I am sure that GA will be pleased to hear from you. :)
Referring to your last paragraph then that it is a reasonable question to ask (of NR).
 
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trebor79

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It's slightly amazing the route wasn't shut in the 60s. I can't imagine there's many people wanting a direct train from Cantley or Reedham to Yarmouth.
Odd survival given much more useful routes in the area were closed.
 

306024

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The line via Acle is single track between Brundall and Yarmouth with a passing loop at Acle.
The line via Reedham is single track between Reedham and Yarmouth.

So although there are two distinct routes, it is really only a normal double track railway between Brundall and Yarmouth, with a bonus passing loop. Both routes were therefore necessary for the capacity needed to cope with the demand to Great Yarmouth back then.

If Berney Arms had as many passengers as it has mentions on this forum the line would need doubling. Folks only go to Berney Arms because they can, not because they have to. As those who really understand the area have said, this will hardly inconvenience anyone.
 

gord

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Does seem strange that this line remained open while the Lowestoft to Yarmouth line closed. I've taken the bus from Lowestoft to Yarmouth many times, there were even multiple bus routes between the two towns during the 80s and each one was fairly well loaded. Surprised they didn't join the lines together and have a Norwich, Yarmouth to Lowestoft line and close the lines through Reedham. Would have been very busy trains mind.

Anyway, back on topic, it's good to see money being spent and improvements in that part of the world at long last.
 

Harbornite

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Nope, definitely states a bus. Don't see why Greater Anglia can't put a 153 on a Great Yarmouth - Berney Arms shuttle though.

The hovercraft comment might have been a joke...
 

eastdyke

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Does seem strange that this line remained open while the Lowestoft to Yarmouth line closed. I've taken the bus from Lowestoft to Yarmouth many times, there were even multiple bus routes between the two towns during the 80s and each one was fairly well loaded. Surprised they didn't join the lines together and have a Norwich, Yarmouth to Lowestoft line and close the lines through Reedham. Would have been very busy trains mind.
I think that money had a bit to do with it.
To join the lines at Yarmouth would have required a new viaduct over the mouth of Breydon Water - with a movable section. There was a Breydon (railway) viaduct/swing bridge, it was closed in 1953? to avoid repairs, demolished 1962?. That connected the old M&GN Yarmouth Beach Station to Lowestoft, no link existed at Yarmouth Vauxhall (the current Yarmouth station) to the viaduct line.
Much of the old line to Lowestoft at the Yarmouth end was used in the early 1990's for the Gorleston relief road - now part of the A47/A12 link. That road could not have been built without the 'convenient' former rail corridor.
Would say 2tph compete with 4 buses ph that now link more communities and urban areas within and between Yarmouth and Lowestoft?
I suspect not. :(
 
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xc170

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In regards to the Berney Arms being closed - I've just googled it out of curiosity and it's website would suggest it's open!

http://theberneyarms.co.uk/

Edit - Ignore this, I've just noticed this is a different Berney Arms :oops::oops:
 

dk1

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The Berney line was faced with closure in the 80s & BR slapped a 30mph speed order on it. After a £300k (seems peanuts now) grant from the council & bits & bobs in the subsequent few years it was saved.
 

dk1

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It's slightly amazing the route wasn't shut in the 60s. I can't imagine there's many people wanting a direct train from Cantley or Reedham to Yarmouth.
Odd survival given much more useful routes in the area were closed.

It wouldn't have been possible due to the single line nature of the Acle route. Remember that on Summer Saturdays many local services where taken out of the timetable simply to accommodate the sheer number of long distance holiday trains running to/from Vauxhall. Beach had been closed & South Town downgraded so this was a very busy route.
 
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