New station at Cranbrook (Devon) ...Now open

[iantherev]

I went through there yesterday and a few got on and then back from Exeter St D, a few got off. There were cars in the car park. It is capable of being a park and ride. There is no charge for parking so I suspect it could be attractive as such. The clue is the location of Exeter Queen St (sorry Central).

Might well be but rather than try and cram on to what may be a well filled 159 every hour I'd be even more tempted to drive 10 minutes down the road and use Honiton Road Park & Ride where the bus is every 10-12 minutes and the fare cheaper.

 

[HowardGWR]

Might well be but rather than try and cram on to what may be a well filled 159 every hour I'd be even more tempted to drive 10 minutes down the road and use Honiton Road Park & Ride where the bus is every 10-12 minutes and the fare cheaper.

Good points - how cheaper is it? I really had in mind people around the Cranbrook area who would not even be bothered to walk to the station. The station is not in the middle of the community exactly (yet) and West Country people would normally drive 400 yards to a newspaper shop rather than walk - it's been so long since anyone walked anywhere (about 50 years now).

 

[dcd]

I travelled on the Salisbury - Exeter St David's service both ways yesterday and noticed that the nice woman announcing stations must have memory problems as after leaving the station before Cranbrook she announced "the next station is " with no name. Followed by "we are now approaching " no name. But then on the station "This is Cranbrook". She must have read the sign on the platform However the same happened on the return journey she had obviously forgotten what she saw on the way down.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I travelled on the Salisbury - Exeter St David's service both ways yesterday and noticed that the nice woman announcing stations must have memory problems as after leaving the station before Cranbrook she announced "the next station is " with no name. Followed by "we are now approaching " no name. But then on the station "This is Cranbrook". She must have read the sign on the platform However the same happened on the return journey she had obviously forgotten what she saw on the way down.

If it was an automatic announcement, they must still be waiting to add Cranbrook in the space that you refer to.

 

[dcd]

It was an automatic announcement but was just amusing that it had the new name for the at station message but not for the others, you would think they would all be done at the same time.

 

[superalbs]

I travelled on the Salisbury - Exeter St David's service both ways yesterday and noticed that the nice woman announcing stations must have memory problems as after leaving the station before Cranbrook she announced "the next station is " with no name. Followed by "we are now approaching " no name. But then on the station "This is Cranbrook". She must have read the sign on the platform However the same happened on the return journey she had obviously forgotten what she saw on the way down.

Works absolutely fine on 159016, which I had both ways between Exeter St Davids and London Waterloo.

 

[Xavi]

Very convenient new station with the free parking and hourly service for East of Exeter as well as the new town itself. Travelling to Basingstoke today, all stations well used and 6 carriages are definitely required west of Salisbury on many services - 50% full on leaving Crewkerne on the 6-carriage 0825 Exeter - Waterloo.

There is some serious vegetation clearance going on around Whimple. Anyone would think they are getting on with the proposed new loop for the half-hourly Axminster - Exeter service. Shame the trees will have grown back by CP7, or will this be part of the new SWT franchise?

 

[swt_passenger]

... Anyone would think they are getting on with the proposed new loop for the half-hourly Axminster - Exeter service. Shame the trees will have grown back by CP7, or will this be part of the new SWT franchise?

The expanded Exeter to Axminster (or Honiton when it cannot be pathed) service is in the latest GW franchise spec, and it definitely doesn't mention a new loop. AIUI the decision to have FGW/GWR run the service is fairly long standing.

Start date Dec 2018 if it happens.

 

[Xavi]

There is obviously some impact on SWT operations and as First are bidding for SWT and I'm sure Stagecoach will be interested in GWR once it is rebid, perhaps there's some forward thinking from both parties and Network Rail / DfT here. From a discussion with an informed source later yesterday I understand there are concerns regarding delays that could be imported to operations east of Salisbury if greater flexibility is not provided west of Axminster and a half-hourly service introduced. I have no idea if the Whimple vegetation clearance is linked to this however.