SpacePhoenix
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- 18 Mar 2014
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If Reading-Basingstoke were to go over to South Western, would there be the scope and/or demand to extended that route at either end?
You had a fairly regular Portsmouth-Reading DEMU service prior to the Solent electrificationIf Reading-Basingstoke were to go over to South Western, would there be the scope and/or demand to extended that route at either end?
If Reading-Basingstoke were to go over to South Western, would there be the scope and/or demand to extended that route at either end?
I don't think so, because the route studies consider through services from Paddington to Basingstoke after AC electrification, either direct or via Heathrow, and these would probably still fit better with the GW operator.
Given the capacity constraints down to Southampton or up towards London then the only other direction the services could head once they reach Basingstoke would be west towards Salisbury, but I would doubt that there was much demand for interchange between those two lines.
It would also mess up capacity through the junction at Basingstoke which also wouldn't help the case.
There would have been fewer 'InterCity CrossCountry' services then.I agree, but there was a period in the late 60s/70s when there was a through service (for operational convenience as it sat at Basingstoke for quite some time to cross connect with the main line), and prior to that it was Reading-Southampton or Portsmouth for a few years.
If Reading-Basingstoke were to go over to South Western, would there be the scope and/or demand to extended that route at either end?
There would have been fewer 'InterCity CrossCountry' services then.
And indeed fewer services generally; it would be madness to extend the stopping service these days, especially when you look at the track layout at Basingstoke.
South West Trains used to run Reading to Brighton services, via Basingstoke, Eastleigh and Fareham. They were dropped when the DMUs were needed in the major timetable change to make Exeter services hourly. Not sure if there would be the capacity for them these days.
Don't take it the wrong way - I was just stating the fact that these trains used to run since it was relevant to the discussion and hadn't been mentioned yet! I have no personal desire for them to run again.
To provide a better Interchange it would be better to run a more frequent service between Basingstoke and Reading. It shouldn't impact on capacity constraints at either end as it is a semi self contained line and doesn't interact with the mainlines (at least only the B&H at the Northern end).
I would be tempted to keep the same half hour frequency and run the extra service as a fast service at some other time. It could be that if it were timetabled week that it could allow some longer layovers to improve recovery tunes during disruption.
There is already an hourly non-stop service Reading - Basingstoke and vice versa which is extended at both ends. It's called XC...
There is also a half-hourly stopping service between these points. Is the suggestion to extend the latter? And if so, why?
There is already an hourly non-stop service Reading - Basingstoke and vice versa which is extended at both ends. It's called XC...
There is also a half-hourly stopping service between these points. Is the suggestion to extend the latter? And if so, why?
There is a 1.5 tph service run by XC. Even then the stopping trains are well used by people traveling from end to end.
It is a two line track with at most 4 passenger trains per hour, even with an allowance for 4 freight trains per hour there could likely be scope (depending on signal spacing) due a further two trains per hour and they still to have 6 minute gaps between each train. Which would be getting fairly tight and could limit the speed of the XC services of not timetabled well, but then I don't think that there's 4 freight trains per hour.
If the extra service ran at XX:15 from Basingstoke then it would be just ahead of the 0.5tph XC service. That would mean that petite would be able to connect with the XC service at Reading when it doesn't run with of Reading. It would also mean that there was more susceptible on the XC service for those traveling longer distances as people would use the GWR service just before it.
Could the GWR Basingstoke-Reading service ever be combined with the GWR Reading-Gatwick service?
All well and good (if I have parsed the last paragraph correctly), but the Basingstoke trains share tracks with the B&H West of England line trains between Oxford Road Junction at Reading West (station) and Southcote Junction where the Basingstoke and Newbury routes divide. This stretch is shared with the stopping Newbury service and the Newbury - Bedwyn semi-fasts as well as the longer distance Taunton - Exeter - Plymouth - Penzance services. Oh! And the occasional 4,000 tonne stone trains as well which at 40 wagons long running at 40mph or so occupy junctions for some minutes. The (roughly) hourly container trains to and from Southampton are 20/22 wagons long and also take some time to clear the junctions...
All these crayonista dreams are probably useful but won't be feasible until Southcote Junction is grade separated and something similar is done at Basingstoke as well.
Could the GWR Basingstoke-Reading service ever be combined with the GWR Reading-Gatwick service?
Probably as you can avoid mainline conflicts by using the dive under at Reading, leaving Southcote junction being the only pinch point.
I can't take your suggestion seriously. There's an untapped market from Bramley, Mortimer and Reading West to Gatwick..?
Added in edit:
And if you are being really perverse then try Basingstoke - Woking - Guildford - Redhill - Gatwick.
Actually +Space Phoenix (who everyone seems to be unfairly mean to) I really like that idea. No reversal needed at Reading, plus it's about time Basingstoke got a direct link with Guildford. I mean doing it like Basingstoke - Reading - North Camp - Guildford - Redhill - Gatwick. Plus
Oh, and coppercapped, you know how you said:
Why would you want to? What market does it address? Basingstoke to Gatwick is best served via Clapham Junction.
Well, yeah but actually no - there is a pretty big price that comes with that route! I know for a fact (Guildford being local) that you can get something called a Gatwick Flyer or something like that for £1 from I think all of the North Downs Line stations, certainly Guildford anyway, allowing a return to Gatwick. That's a lot cheaper than SWT to Clapham and Southern to Gatwick! By far! Couldn't be much longer either if longer at all!!! Plus, a lot of people want to avoid changes, especially at Clapham!
Gatwick Flyaway: Fixed price for 2,3 or 4 adults. Groups of 2,3 or 4 adults can travel for a fixed price to Gatwick from Great Western Railway served stations on routes not via London. Up to 4 children (5-15) can go for £1 each when accompanying a group holding Flyaway tickets.
Yes Space Phoenix I like that idea , and I once thought of that too - no lie. It's wonderful someone else thinks it would work.
Tom
Well, it could be 4tph, which would be nice, and I believe was listed as an aspiration in the last RUS (ie the .5tph south coast to north east XC becomes 1tph).Why not leave it the services as they are, rather than looking for a solution for a problem which doesn't exist...
There isn't that much untapped demand which isn't already served by the 3.5 trains per hour.
Why not leave it the services as they are, rather than looking for a solution for a problem which doesn't exist...
There isn't that much untapped demand which isn't already served by the 3.5 trains per hour.
Let's be real - even if we do address more important issues on here, most of us probably aren't important enough within the industry to make much any managers notice and take action based on what we discuss. I, for one, am happy with being passively amused by others' crayonista tendencies (and my own at times, of course)Exactly. There are far more important issues which demand management attention.