When will something be done about the Whitby branch ?

[30907]

That would explain Ruswarp and Sleights, thank you.
Are they only stopping where there are crossings then? In other words, they would make it ECS if there were no crossings to operate?

Neither Egton nor Grosmont are for operational reasons. As the guard has to travel to Whitby, they might as well run passenger.
My guess is they decided "all stations from Glaisdale" would make sense to customers, but I imagine they will tweak the stops if there turns out to be any demand (slightly OT: when I first did the branch in 1975, the equivalent train was pretty empty bar news and parcels.

 

[ainsworth74]

slightly OT: when I first did the branch in 1975, the equivalent train was pretty empty bar news and parcels

I can't imagine the 2019 equivalent will be any different apart from their being no news or parcels!

 

[ffm]

Probably stopping at Ruswarp and Sleights to operate the crossing button.
No crossings near Lealholm.

The crossing at Ruswarp (there isn't one at Sleights other than a foot crossing with simple pull open gates - no locks) is automatic, there is no crossing button. However at Sleights there is a stop board, obtain permission to proceed, so drivers must contact Nunthorpe for permission - this is to provide information on Ruswarp being clear - such as in case of large vehicles that may have rung the signaller. This board is due to be removed as GSMR means the signaller can contact the driver anyway. Stop board at Ruswarp in the opposite direction is to await the white flashing, crossing operated, light. In both directions the crossing is operated by the approaching train with no driver intervention.

 

[ffm]

That would explain Ruswarp and Sleights, thank you.
Are they only stopping where there are crossings then? In other words, they would make it ECS if there were no crossings to operate?

There are no train crew operated crossings anywhere on the branch. There are token exchange machines at Battersby, Glaisdale and Whitby. Sleights and Ruswarp both have Stop Boards so the train would have to stop anyway, Sleights is a Stop Obtain Permission Permission to Proceeed (in Whitby direction only) and Ruswarp Stop Wait for White Flashing Light in Sleights direction only, so Ruswarp has not a requirement to stop in Whitby direction at all

 

[Skipness]

 

[Skipness]

Friday 11.50. Who claims the route isnt used?

 

[Train Maniac]

Friday 11.50. Who claims the route isnt used?

Um... if you look closely there appears to be a steam train in the picture. Maybe that's why?

 

[70014IronDuke]

Um... if you look closely there appears to be a steam train in the picture. Maybe that's why?

But those passengers will be waiting for the 11.58 to Boro to arrive, won't they?

In any case, there is clearly traffic into and out of Whitby, and that's not just school kids. The last ORR figures show 138,000 entries and exits, so an average of 381 per day. And presumably July and August are more or less the peak days, so you'd certainly expect a significant number of folk for more or less any depature - maybe not the late night one on a Friday evening.

On another point: has the opening of James Cook created any measurable traffic from stations from Whitby-Battersby, either staff or hospital visitors? Or is it 99% traffic to-from Teeside?

 

[yorksrob]

Um... if you look closely there appears to be a steam train in the picture. Maybe that's why?

The kettle may provide added entertainment for passengers, but the lack of tripods and people straining to get a photo, together with the general ambience of people milling about, suggests to me that those people are infact passengers waiting to catch a train.

 

[30907]

The kettle may provide added entertainment for passengers, but the lack of tripods and people straining to get a photo, together with the general ambience of people milling about, suggests to me that those people are infact passengers waiting to catch a train.

The knot of people at the end of the canopy look suspiciously like watchers to me, but I agree, there is a decent load of returning holidaymakers, as one would expect for the best-timed departure on a Friday.
OT: the Morecambe branch wasn't doing badly yesterday either.

 

[Skipness]

The knot of people at the end of the canopy look suspiciously like watchers to me, but I agree, there is a decent load of returning holidaymakers, as one would expect for the best-timed departure on a Friday.
OT: the Morecambe branch wasn't doing badly yesterday either.

If you enlarge the photo you will note that quite a few of the waiting passengers have suitcases with them, awaiting the 11.58 departure to Middlesbrough. The steam train formed the 12.45 departure which needs to wait until the Middlesbrough train has cleared Glaisdale.

 

[Marton]

has the opening of James Cook created any measurable traffic from stations from Whitby-Battersby, either staff or hospital visitors? Or is it 99% traffic to-from Teeside?

I usually see a few but the frequent cancelled services and poor connections don’t help. It’s also quite a walk from the hospital compared to the bus

I think the connections get worse in December.

It’s really only useful from Nunthorpe and the Durham Coast.

 

[Harpers Tate]

All those happy folk on the right of the picture are nowhere near the steam train, which will depart from exactly where it is in the image (after the locomotive has run round, of course). At the right, where the visible crowd is gathered, is the platform exclusively used by the Northern service to Middlesbrough etc.

 

[ainsworth74]

Yes I can imagine that there's plenty of "oooh steam train!" going on in that photo but having used the station several times myself I would lay a decent chunk of change on the majority of those people being passengers for a Northern service.

 

[30907]

If you enlarge the photo you will note that quite a few of the waiting passengers have suitcases with them, awaiting the 11.58 departure to Middlesbrough.

Quite. Hence I called them "returning holidaymakers."

All those happy folk on the right of the picture are nowhere near the steam train, which will depart from exactly where it is in the image (after the locomotive has run round, of course). At the right, where the visible crowd is gathered, is the platform exclusively used by the Northern service to Middlesbrough etc.

The Northern platform is also a good vantage point for quick photos of the NYMR running round, and I have used it myself (without the tripod suggested by yorksrob ).
Like ainsworth74 I am sure the great majority are waiting for the Exe Valley train, but not all of them.

 

[yorksrob]

The knot of people at the end of the canopy look suspiciously like watchers to me, but I agree, there is a decent load of returning holidaymakers, as one would expect for the best-timed departure on a Friday.
OT: the Morecambe branch wasn't doing badly yesterday either.

Fair point- I didn't spot those !

Always nice to hear about Morecambe doing ok as well. The train from Leeds was certainly busy all the way to Lancaster this morning (and plenty stayed on).

 

[70014IronDuke]

.... Like ainsworth74 I am sure the great majority are waiting for the Exe Valley train, but not all of them.

Wow, that one slipped through the net. When did they extend the Whitby - Boro stoppers to Tiverton?

I usually see a few but the frequent cancelled services and poor connections don’t help. It’s also quite a walk from the hospital compared to the bus

I think the connections get worse in December.

Which connections? (sorry, I'm confused).

It’s really only useful from Nunthorpe and the Durham Coast.

Yes, thinking about it, that makes sense. Only four trains a day, and if you come in from further east, the unit sometimes reverses in Middlesborough - doesn't exactly give you much time at the hospital.

 

[yorksrob]

A considerable number of people connect to the Whitby line from the Trans-Pennine service.

 

[Skipness]

Q. How do you alienate your passengers on an August bank holiday Sunday?
A. Terminate the last Whitby bound service at Grosmont.

 

[yorksrob]

View attachment 67743 Q. How do you alienate your passengers on an August bank holiday Sunday?
A. Terminate the last Whitby bound service at Grosmont.

Sounds bad. I wonder how they got the evening pax back ?

 

[Killingworth]

Was there another Pacer or other unit waiting at Whitby? One seems to have left at 18.28 to arrive at Gromont at 18.45. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y65659/2019/08/25/advanced

 

[yorksrob]

That's interesting. I wonder if it joined the terminated unit at Grosmont !

 

[Skipness]

Was there another Pacer or other unit waiting at Whitby? One seems to have left at 18.28 to arrive at Gromont at 18.45. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y65659/2019/08/25/advanced

Don't believe everything you see on RTT

 

[Killingworth]

Don't believe everything you see on RTT

Quite, but the question remains, what happened to passengers apparently dumped at Grosmont (probably not very many), and if the train was terminated there how did the more numerous passengers out of Whitby proceed to Grosmont and beyond?

The train showing as leaving Whitby on RTT barely had time to stop, let alone connect to other carriages at Grosmont.

 

[Skipness]

 

[Killingworth]

View attachment 68261 View attachment 68262

Sirius Minerals are having serious difficulty raising funds to continue operations!

 

[yorksrob]

View attachment 68261 View attachment 68262

If there was a train between the current 16:00 off of Whitby and the next one, I would almost certainly use it.

Last Saturday was a 158 out and a156 back.

 

[Skipness]

If there was a train between the current 16:00 off of Whitby and the next one, I would almost certainly use it.

Last Saturday was a 158 out and a156 back.

In summer there are NYMR deoartures at 16.40 (sits in Whitby from 15.00 until Northern clears Glaisdale) and 18.00, meaning Northern cannot leave Glaisdale until 18.30 to get to Whitby.

 

[yorksrob]

In summer there are NYMR deoartures at 16.40 (sits in Whitby from 15.00 until Northern clears Glaisdale) and 18.00, meaning Northern cannot leave Glaisdale until 18.30 to get to Whitby.

That block section needs to be broken up, one way or another.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Wow, that one slipped through the net. When did they extend the Whitby - Boro stoppers to Tiverton?

Most probably done in anticipation of the strident "let's open all old branch lines" brigade campaign to reopen the former Devon and Somerset Railway link at Morebath Junction Halt...