Pointless 'Parkway' Trivia: Services via three or more Parkway stations?

[BestWestern]

A random thought; is a FGW Swansea - Paddington or vice versa the only service in the country to pass through three Parkway stations? (Port Talbot, Bristol & Didcot)

Always rather curious about these places; what was the original or intended criteria for somewhere to be a Parkway station - did there have to be a certain number of parking spaces for example?

 

[fairysdad]

An FGW Penzance- Paddington via Bristol (if there actually is one - the Night Riviera?) also passes through (though not necessarily stops at!) three - Bodmin, Tiverton, and Didcot.

 

[PG]

Always rather curious about these places; what was the original or intended criteria for somewhere to be a Parkway station - did there have to be a certain number of parking spaces for example?

From wikipedia , so treat with caution (my bold):

A Parkway railway station is a railway station that primarily serves a park and ride interchange rather than a township. The name Parkway originally referred to Bristol Parkway being built next to the M32 that had been build through park land, and not after the fact it was built as a park and ride, however the name has stuck.

 

[yorkie]

Treat with caution is an understatement; there's no source provided and the author doesn't appear to be very literate.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Wikipedia is a bit wrong. Parkway means the same as road, not park and ride.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Parkway_railway_stations_in_Britain

Here's the Wikipedia list of stations once called Parkway.

 

[RPM]

Wrexham & Shropshire used to pass through three parkways: Tame Bridge, Warwick and Haddenham & Thame.

 

[louis97]

Always rather curious about these places; what was the original or intended criteria for somewhere to be a Parkway station - did there have to be a certain number of parking spaces for example?

There was no criteria as such and the definition of Parkway is not a precise one at all. Any station offering inter-urban services can attract travellers from quite remote origins.

Parkway stations came about in the 1980s with the objective back then being "to increase car accessibility to the rail network" (1). They were there to act as a convenient out of town station for inter-urban railway journeys. (2)

There was 3 different types (2, Page 126):

1) A new station close to suburban population located in a strategic position on the road network to complement existing urban stations where car access is impeded by road congestion, such as Bristol Parkway.

2)A new station to serve remote population off the main line, such as Tiverton and Bodmin Parkways.

3)The expansion of car parking at an existing station where road access is good and the station can be re-marketed as a Parkway, such as Didcot.

1- Transmark (1988) West Yorkshire Parkway. Prepared for InterCity Eastern Region, British Railways Board
2- Lythgoe, W. ; Wardman, M (2004) Modelling passenger demand for parkway rail stations. Transportation, 2004, Vol.31(2), pp.125-151

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Then surely there's a train between Bodmin, Tiverton, Bristol parkways??

 

[Minilad]

A Marylebone to Startford train will pass through Haddenham and Thame. Warwick. And Stratford upon Avon

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Isn't there a service from Liverpool South Parkway to Alfreton(on wiki list above) and East Midlands Parkway before going to Norwich via Oakham. It's a limited service though.

 

[louis97]

Then surely there's a train between Bodmin, Tiverton, Bristol parkways??

If on diversion via Leicester a Crosscountry service would get 5 in between Derby and Penzance - East Midlands, Coleshill, Bristol, Tiverton and Bodmin.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Isn't there a service from Liverpool South Parkway to Alfreton(on wiki list above) and East Midlands Parkway before going to Norwich via Oakham. It's a limited service though.

Engineering work diversions only, there was a regular service during the Nottingham re signalling.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

If on diversion via Leicester a Crosscountry service would get 5 in between Derby and Penzance - East Midlands, Coleshill, Bristol, Tiverton and Bodmin.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Engineering work diversions only, there was a regular service during the Nottingham re signalling.

I have the EMT timetable for the Liverpool to Norwich line. The map shows a limited service to Oakham. Can't find it on the times bit though.

 

[louis97]

I have the EMT timetable for the Liverpool to Norwich line. The map shows a limited service to Oakham. Can't find it on the times bit though.

Yes, these services start at Nottingham early in the morning and don't come from Liverpool.

 

[Frothy]

On XC Edinburgh-Plymouth services, trains call at Bristol Parkway, Tiverton Parkway and Bodmin Parkway.

 

[FQ]

On XC Edinburgh-Plymouth services, trains call at Bristol Parkway, Tiverton Parkway and Bodmin Parkway.

Surly you mean the Penzance trains!

 

[Stuwhu]

Bolton-Leyland goes through 2 Parkways (Horwich & Buckshaw) and an ex Parkway (Lostock) in 6 stations

 

[AnonymousUser1]

do you include Alfreton in this due to the period when it was 'alfreton and mansfield parkway' to cover up for the fact Mansfield had no station until the robin hood line was reopened for passenger traffic

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

do you include Alfreton in this due to the period when it was 'alfreton and mansfield parkway' to cover up for the fact Mansfield had no station until the robin hood line was reopened for passenger traffic

I did as Wikipedia list shows it.

 

[Starmill]

It is referred to by some CIS as 'Lostock Parkway', which, if taken at face value, means lots of trains call at Lostock Parkway, Horwich Parkway and Buckshaw Parkway.
Mph1977 got there first!

 

[Flamingo]

It's not uncommon to have people come up to a train at Paddington and ask "Is this going to Parkway?"
One usually has to ask them to clarify!

(Although it's not as obscure as "Is this the next train?", a question that would require a greater understanding of metaphysics and philosophy than I have to answer)

 

[Michael.Y]

2C43: Bristol Parkway to Penzance via Tiverton and Bodmin

 

[Busaholic]

Is Bodmin Parkway the only one of these stations that had already existed forever (well over 100 years) and just got renamed? Bodmin Road was its previous name, and it always will be for me!

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Is Bodmin Parkway the only one of these stations that had already existed forever (well over 100 years) and just got renamed? Bodmin Road was its previous name, and it always will be for me!

I think Didcot and Alfreton were old stations renamed too. Most parkway stations are new as they need the name if they're in the middle of nowhere like East Midlands or Bristol parkways.

 

[AnonymousUser1]

I think Didcot and Alfreton were old stations renamed too. Most parkway stations are new as they need the name if they're in the middle of nowhere like East Midlands or Bristol parkways.

Alfreton was renamed , wikipedia says it was closed as 'Alfreton and South Normanton' in 1967 and reopened as Alfreton and Mansfield Parkway in 1973

 

[louis97]

Most parkway stations are new as they need the name if they're in the middle of nowhere like East Midlands or Bristol parkways.

Neither are really in the middle of no where though, East Midlands Parkway is just off the A453, which is itself just off the M1 and Bristol Parkway is just off the M4. Both examples of new stations built in a position close to the road network enabling access to the railway network without going into urban areas where car access is impeded by road congestion.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Neither are really in the middle of no where though, East Midlands Parkway is just off the A453, which is itself just off the M1 and Bristol Parkway is just off the M4. Both examples of new stations built in a position close to the road network enabling access to the railway network without going into urban areas where car access is impeded by road congestion.

Yes they are near important roads but so are many other stations. Would anyone use those parkways if they were called Ratcliffe Road or Patchway South? No it's the parkway that enables a station with few walking distance passengers to survive.

 

[fowler9]

South Liverpool Parkway always intrigued me. The car park isn't massive, it is however a largish modern interchange.

 

[Mojo]

Yes they are near important roads but so are many other stations. Would anyone use those parkways if they were called Ratcliffe Road or Patchway South? No it's the parkway that enables a station with few walking distance passengers to survive.

I think you need to actually have some local knowledge of the area Bristol Parkway serves. It not only allows for residents in north Bristol and South Gloucestershire to access the area by car or on foot, but is in the Northern Fringe which is really one of the key powerhouses of the local area with thousands of jobs - much more than your bog standard business park which this most certainly is not! Whilst the car parking provision has recently been massively expanded, access on foot on a large scale is still definitely possible thanks to the offices and homes nearby; 35% of people walk to the station, certainly much more than a "few."

 

[Statto]

South Liverpool Parkway always intrigued me. The car park isn't massive, it is however a largish modern interchange.

Liverpool South Parkways main purpose being to serve as an bus/rail interchange for Liverpool Airport

 

[louis97]

Yes they are near important roads but so are many other stations. Would anyone use those parkways if they were called Ratcliffe Road or Patchway South? No it's the parkway that enables a station with few walking distance passengers to survive.

Depends how you define an important road. There is a fairly limited number of stations with good access from motorways, as most stations are designed to serve an urban area of which most Parkway stations allow you to avoid going into them. I'd say its the station facilities and location that allows the stations to survive, I'd say name is irrelevant.