Morgsie
Member
Following the announcement by the Government of Southampton to Nuneaton being electrified, I fear that the XC Bournemouth Service may terminate at Southampton Central
Not necessarily. If the Voyager bi-mode project goes ahead then Voyagers will still be able to run on diesel power.
Also, only Nuneaton to Basingstoke will be electrified at 25kv AC; the announcement did not mention that Basingstoke to SOU will be re-electrified at 25kv AC
How well used are these services between SOU and BMH?
According to maps on the DfT website: Basingstoke to Southampton will be Electrified. http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/hlos-2012/
How well used are these services between SOU and BMH?
The HLOS specifically mentions that it will.Also, only Nuneaton to Basingstoke will be electrified at 25kv AC; the announcement did not mention that Basingstoke to SOU will be re-electrified at 25kv AC
The change at renewal of Southampton to Basingstoke - the southern section of the Electric Spine - to the modern overhead AC system will also test the business case for the wider conversion of the third rail electric network south of the Thames to overhead line equipment.
Abundantly.
4. Planned improvements to deliver the Electric Spine include:
· Midland Main Line electrification.
· Basingstoke to Reading electrification.
· Bournemouth to Basingstoke conversion from DC to AC electrification.
· Oxford - Nuneaton via Leamington - Coventry electrification.
· Midland Main Line Enhancement Bedford Corby.
· Midland Main Line Leicester capacity improvements.
· Midland Main Line - Derby journey time and capacity improvements.
· Oxford - Bedford electrification.
Not necessarily. If the Voyager bi-mode project goes ahead then Voyagers will still be able to run on diesel power.
That's for primarily freight, the 25 kv to southampton, (which does raise question of where Freightliner are going to get enough electric locos from; would any 92s be available [although of course they could use 3rd rail already]?),
Electrification through to Bournemouth would enable the whole Bournemouth - Manchester service to go electric, and would leave just two gaps (Birmingham-Derby and Sheffield - Doncaster) left before the Reading - Newcastle service could be the same.
Making the Desiros Dual Voltage would (unless a changeover on the move is permitted) mean all Bournemouth/Weymouth trains calling at Basingstoke (not necessarily a bad thing), and it will be interesting to follow how many Desiros would go over to Dual Voltage. Clearly all 45 of the Cl444s would be converted from the start, and I would expect most of the 450s to be, bearing in mind that Northam depot is at Southampton, so that all units could use either route (Basingstoke or Havant) to return to depot.
According to this press release on the Cabinet Office website, the 25KV conversion will reach Bournemouth
http://rnn.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/Pre...ification-of-the-Midland-Main-Line-67d1f.aspx
4. Planned improvements to deliver the Electric Spine include:
· Midland Main Line electrification.
· Basingstoke to Reading electrification.
· Bournemouth to Basingstoke conversion from DC to AC electrification.
· Oxford - Nuneaton via Leamington - Coventry electrification.
· Midland Main Line Enhancement Bedford Corby.
· Midland Main Line Leicester capacity improvements.
· Midland Main Line - Derby journey time and capacity improvements.
· Oxford - Bedford electrification.
I don't understand the logic in converting one stretch of tracks in the heart of 3rd rail land into overheads.
Surely it would be simpler to convert XC stock to dual-voltage and change over at Basingstoke (if Great Western is powered by overheads).
So if Basingstoke - Bournemouth is to be converted from DC to AC, what will that mean for the Southern 377's on the London/Brighton - Southampton services. There arn't many 377/2's with the pantograph's and they are mainly used on the East Croydon - Milton Keynes services. Southern will need to get some additional 377's with pantograph's or convert some current 377's to have pantograph's otherwise I don't see how the service could opperate?![]()
I don't understand the logic in converting one stretch of tracks in the heart of 3rd rail land into overheads.
Surely it would be simpler to convert XC stock to dual-voltage and change over at Basingstoke (if Great Western is powered by overheads).
It has been mentioned that it is possibly a pilot scheme to see how effective it will be to use overheads on current third rail territory.
All I can think is that in decades to come the plan will be to convert the whole of the third rail land with overheads. Third rail is very outdated now anyway, so no real suprise the government are looking at converting DC to AC. The Thameslink route could become the next phase of overhead electrification, the Thameslink spine maybe?
Thanks for the clarification. Though I cannot stop feeling that there are other more pressing priorities than converting 3rd rail into OHLs.
How well used are these services between SOU and BMH?
To my personal knowledge I dont think the MAN-BMH service carries many people that stay on from end to end (apart from summer) I think people mainly use it for MAN-BHM, BHM-RDG,RDG-OXF,RDG-SOU,SOU-BMH.
To an extent, yes. SOU - BHM can get very busy, although last year, I traveled on the 1727 MAN - BHM from Stockport and had a seat to myself; very surprising since I though the service would be very busy.
I think due to XC's high fares, most SOU - MAN travelers use Flybe from Southampton to Manchester!
XC will be ripe for remapping
To an extent, yes. SOU - BHM can get very busy, although last year, I traveled on the 1727 MAN - BHM from Stockport and had a seat to myself; very surprising since I though the service would be very busy.
... do we need a separate Cross Country franchise? Or could we incorporate it into XC etc?...