Sudbury branch

[JW16]

Last December Bures station was made a request stop outside of weekday peak times and I found this a bit odd as it has higher passenger usage (62,000) than the only other intermediate station on the line, Chappel & Wakes Colne (37,000). Out of the two, I would have thought the quieter station is the one you'd make a request stop, so what would the reasoning have been?

 

[pdeaves]

Might it be that Bures' high passenger use is purely in the peaks (when it isn't request stop) where Chappel's is spread throughout the day? Just a thought, as I don't know that route well.

 

[HH]

Chappel holds beer festivals (etc.) and making it a request stop would no doubt cause much confusion to visitors. I am a little surprised about Bures though, there are many smaller footfall stations that are not request.

 

[Wivenswold]

Chappel isn't a request stop when there are events going on at the Railway Museum. Otherwise it's a very sleepy station.

 

[JW16]

Chappel isn't a request stop at all.

 

[Shunter_69]

Not sure what the reasoning for making Bures a request stop is but it’s a lot busier than Chappel off peak. I did wonder if having the Railway Museum at Chappel might be the reason it’s not a request stop as there are potentially gonna be more tourists that don’t realise how it works.

It’s taken quite a while but passengers now seem to be aware they are supposed to let you know they want you to stop.

 

[JW16]

It does seem odd given there are quieter stations on the Anglia network that aren't request stops. Presumably there was a period of grace where the drivers would still stop if there was someone on the platform but didn't realise they have to "signal" to stop the train.

 

[306024]

Don’t suppose many correspondents have stood on Bures station in the tiny hut that serves as shelter when it is raining. Drivers have no choice but to slow to walking pace in case someone is hiding in there, so any time saving is negligible.

 

[Shunter_69]

I think most trains stop there, can’t remember the last time I didn’t either pick someone up or drop someone off at Bures

 

[Essexman]

I went to Sudbury yesterday. 12.01 from Marks Tey, 14.32 return.
Passengers joined & left the train at Bures in both directions. There is a large sign at Marks Tey saying that Bures is a request stop.

 

[East74]

Whenever I travel on this line the train always stops at Bures. I have no idea why it’s been made a request stop because even if no one got on and off there, it would just get to Sudbury or Chappel a bit earlier and then have a longer wait before setting off again. A benefit to passengers getting a slightly shorter journey but not really making the operation of the service more effecient.

 

[Mojo]

I was told by someone involved in the line’s community rail partnership that it was made a request stop for timetabling reasons.

 

[HH]

I was told by someone involved in the line’s community rail partnership that it was made a request stop for timetabling reasons.

It's the only reason that makes sense, but if the train is always requested then presumably the train is always late (which means it doesn't make sense).

I feel like echoing Mr Bumble, "The timetable, Sir, is an ass".

 

[306024]

Here’s the theory. It is not to do with timetabling as such, more to do with daily performance. The train is still timetabled as if Bures was an open stop.

If the train is late leaving Marks Tey, waiting a main line connection, then making Bures a request stop provides the opportunity to regain some (minimal, but every second counts) time to ensure the train makes its connections when it returns to Marks Tey on the next trip.

So much for the theory, in practice you could argue it causes more issues than the original problem. It sounds like someone said “something must be done”. Someone else said “here’s something”, and before you know it that ‘something’ ends up in the timetable. Why Bures and not Chappel, no idea.

 

[pubby]

Speaking of connections at Marks Tey, do GA usually hold the Sudbury train for a late-running connecting service? And do they hold a connecting service for a late-running Sudbury train?

 

[306024]

Speaking of connections at Marks Tey, do GA usually hold the Sudbury train for a late-running connecting service? And do they hold a connecting service for a late-running Sudbury train?

Within reason. Trains to Sudbury in the morning will only wait a short while as the return connection is more important. In the evening the reverse applies as the bigger demand on this line is from Sudbury in the morning and to Sudbury in the evening.

Main line trains will not be held for late running Sudbury branch services, unless it is the last train of the day during Chappel Beer Festival week

 

[pubby]

Within reason. Trains to Sudbury in the morning will only wait a short while as the return connection is more important. In the evening the reverse applies as the bigger demand on this line is from Sudbury in the morning and to Sudbury in the evening.

Main line trains will not be held for late running Sudbury branch services, unless it is the last train of the day during Chappel Beer Festival week

Thanks. Sounds like a reasonable policy.

 

[iphone76]

Thanks. Sounds like a reasonable policy.

They also advertise at Liverpool Street that passengers for the Sudbury branch sit at the front of certain services so they are close to the Sudbury platform to aid connections.