XC HSTs to Paignton next Year maybe?

[swt_passenger]

Summer train services to Plymouth could be switched to Torbay in a move that could see hundreds of additional tourists travel to the Bay from the north of England and Scotland every week.

Train operator CrossCountry is currently consulting with the region's business community about reinstating direct trains between Torbay and the north after they were removed from the December 2008 timetable.

CrossCountry said it was responding to customer demand for the services.

If it receives a favourable response to the consultation, the operator will ask the Department for Transport for permission to vary its service level commitment, which presently states that certain trains must serve Plymouth.

CrossCountry said it would use 500-seat high speed trains on the route.

Switch-rail-services-increase-tourist-trips-Bay/article-2783214-detail/article.html

 

[Geezertronic]

HSTs? They'll probably use Voyagers in double formation just to annoy you

 

[swt_passenger]

HSTs? They'll probably use Voyagers in double formation just to annoy you

Won't have any relevance to me in Hants, I'm afraid. Just thought it might interest the HST fans...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Would this replace Plymouth XC services, or divert extras from there to the English Riviera? Depends if there are more passengers to/from the Plymouth or Torbay, but if there is good connections already at Abbot for Paignton, I'd stick to Plymouth, but that's just me.

 

[TEW]

If introduced two Plymouth trains would be diverted to Paignton, XC services aren't that heavily loaded Newton Abbot-Plymouth in the middle of the day and there are enough FGW services for passengers to catch. New through services will appeal to quite a lot of people as well, more than having to change at Newton Abbot.

 

[TheBigD]

The through trains between the north east and Torbay should never have been taken off. They have had been running for many years and was a well established flow.

Whilst Plymouth may make sense in the winter I'd have thought that Torbay would be a better bet in the summer.

From the Dec TT change the HST's will leave BHM at 0812, 0912, 1112 and 1312 with returns from Plymouth at 1223, 1323, 1523 and 1723. I would imagine it would be one or two of those that may serve Torbay instead.

 

[87031]

Theres a saturday only diagram 0800 Manc-Paignton that ran the last couple of years.....has been mainly HST....i think it would make more sense to use the X country HSTs on the Aberdeen-Penzance both ways and the Dundee-Plymouth and Edinburgh-Plymouth which already is booked one now. Either that or use Newquay more in the summer Mon-Fri not just Sat

 

[TEW]

XC can't use Newquay on weekdays as every path up the line at a sensible time is now taken with a local train.

 

[d1015fan]

it would be good if this does happen as hst's to paignton would be so much nicer. connections at newton abbot are ok but there are so many people you can squeeze on a 150 and i have been on these connecting trains and they can be jammed pack in summer

 

[dk1]

it would be good if this does happen as hst's to paignton would be so much nicer. connections at newton abbot are ok but there are so many people you can squeeze on a 150 and i have been on these connecting trains and they can be jammed pack in summer

Torbay branch should benefit from the new 11.06 Paignton-Paddington being introduced this December. The current 11.23 when only a single Pacer is grossly overcrowded & loses time at every station to St.Davids as passengers are either squeezed in or left behind.

 

[cuccir]

The through trains between the north east and Torbay should never have been taken off. They have had been running for many years and was a well established flow.

Whilst Plymouth may make sense in the winter I'd have thought that Torbay would be a better bet in the summer.

From the Dec TT change the HST's will leave BHM at 0812, 0912, 1112 and 1312 with returns from Plymouth at 1223, 1323, 1523 and 1723. I would imagine it would be one or two of those that may serve Torbay instead.

Agreed, I'd give Torbay one of them in the winter timetable and up it to two for the May-September.

 

[87031]

The through trains between the north east and Torbay should never have been taken off. They have had been running for many years and was a well established flow.

Whilst Plymouth may make sense in the winter I'd have thought that Torbay would be a better bet in the summer.

From the Dec TT change the HST's will leave BHM at 0812, 0912, 1112 and 1312 with returns from Plymouth at 1223, 1323, 1523 and 1723. I would imagine it would be one or two of those that may serve Torbay instead.

Does this mean from December there not gonna waste any sets and use the original as they where with 1 spare?

 

[TheBigD]

Does this mean from December there not gonna waste any sets and use the original as they where with 1 spare?

That's the plan!

All 4 sets in use to release 2 voyagers, 1 voyager for the Southampton extensions of the Reading-Newcastle service, and 1 voyager for the Glasgow extensions (May 2011) of the Edinburgh-Plymouth service.

 

[87031]

Good to hear be interesting too see what the summer saturday diagrams are as well, I doubt they will mess with it too much a bit surpised they reverted the 0700 Manchester-Newquay to a Voyager summer just gone when they previously hired an East Coast set, although East Coast have also recently borrowed the X Country set along with the East Midlands set as well so doubt they will be hiring there sets out this summer

 

[swt_passenger]

...i think it would make more sense to use the X country HSTs on the Aberdeen-Penzance both ways and the Dundee-Plymouth and Edinburgh-Plymouth which already is booked one now. Either that or use Newquay more in the summer Mon-Fri not just Sat

How does that achieve the franchise requirements for them to be used in the West Midlands during the morning and evening peaks where the capacity is most needed?

 

[TEW]

Good to hear be interesting too see what the summer saturday diagrams are as well, I doubt they will mess with it too much a bit surpised they reverted the 0700 Manchester-Newquay to a Voyager summer just gone when they previously hired an East Coast set, although East Coast have also recently borrowed the X Country set along with the East Midlands set as well so doubt they will be hiring there sets out this summer

The Manchester-Newquay was very lightly loaded in 2009 though so using a voyager was the logical decision, only the luggage that would have been an issue.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Remember when VXC used to run special HSTs from Manchester and Newcastle to Paignton and Newquay on weekends only? I've still got the leaflets somehere, I'll dig them out...

 

[Zoe]

The Manchester-Newquay was very lightly loaded in 2009 though so using a voyager was the logical decision, only the luggage that would have been an issue.

There was a plan a few years back by Virgin to send luggage by road.

 

[dk1]

There was a plan a few years back by Virgin to send luggage by road.

I head down to Glorious Devon every summer & seem to remember that being 2003/2004.

 

[swt_passenger]

Thread bump...

The XC track access application for these proposed Saturday service alterations is now online:

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/track%20access/1%20current%20consultations/2011.02.24%20xct%2020th%20sa%20-%20closing%20date%2025%20march%202011/xctl%2020th%20supplementalform%2022_draft_v1.pdf

0837 Plymouth – Man Picc – will call additionally at Dawlish Warren
0918 Plymouth – Aberdeen – will call additionally at Teignmouth, Dawlish and Dawlish Warren
1223 Plymouth – Glasgow C – will start back from Paignton at 1234, calling Torquay, Newton Abbot, Teignmouth and Dawlish then as current from Exeter
1625 Plymouth – Leeds - will start back from Paignton at 1634, calling Torquay, Newton Abbot, Teignmouth and Dawlish then as current from Exeter
0600 Leeds – Plymouth – will call additionally at Dawlish and Teignmouth, then diverted to Paignton calling at Torquay
0601 Glasgow C – Plymouth – will call additionally at Dawlish Warren and then diverted to Paignton calling at Torquay
1207 Man Picc – Paignton – will call additionally at Dawlish Warren, Dawlish and Teignmouth

A few of those are HSTs normally?

 

[Zoe]

Nothing new here. Virgin used to run quite a few service through to Paignton on Summer Saturdays calling at Dawlish Warren, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Torquay and Paignton. FGW used to do the same and SWT even used to run through services from Paignton to Southampton and Brighton. In recent years the Summer Saturday service seems to have declined for some reason though.

 

[swt_passenger]

Nothing new here. Virgin used to run quite a few service through to Paignton on Summer Saturdays calling at Dawlish Warren, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Torquay and Paignton. FGW used to do the same and SWT even used to run through services from Paignton to Southampton and Brighton. In recent years the Summer Saturday service seems to have declined for some reason though.

I'm not actually saying it's news...

I'm just confirming the proposed times that they're intending diverting services that have run to/from Plymouth in recent timetables. My first post in this thread is only based on a local press article - now we have a proper TAA.

There are going to be two Plymouth arrivals/departures missing on Saturday afternoons which confirms what TEW suggested on page 1. That is a different solution to running extras to Paignton as before.

 

[TEW]

They are still running the Paignton-Manchester services as now as well. These are extra services to Paignton. XC haven't called at Dawlish Warren for a long time but Dawlish and Teignmouth calls are common on the Paignton trains and in the summer a few Plymouth trains call as well. Dawlish Warren also gets a couple of services to London.

 

[Zoe]

They are still running the Paignton-Manchester services as now as well. These are extra services to Paignton. XC haven't called at Dawlish Warren for a long time but Dawlish and Teignmouth calls are common on the Paignton trains and in the summer a few Plymouth trains call as well. Dawlish Warren also gets a couple of services to London.

Virgin only served Teignmouth and Dawlish on Summer Saturdays before the Voyagers. The service on Summer Saturdays to Paington calling at Dawlish Warren, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Torquay and Paignton was quite intense ten years back. I don't know why the Summer Saturday service has declined in recent years.

 

[dk1]

The more trains the better. After several years of decline the West of England is now on the up again. The rail network is perfect for serving this area of South Devon & with good local transport links who needs a car to spoil their holiday?

 

[VideozVideoz]

May be a silly question but is there a difference between a Voyager and a HST? I thought they went the same speeds?

 

[Zoe]

who needs a car to spoil their holiday?

To be fair, it's a bit difficult to visit Dartmoor without a car.

 

[RichmondCommu]

May be a silly question but is there a difference between a Voyager and a HST? I thought they went the same speeds?

Yes they both run at 125mph although the Voyager has better acceleration. However a HST has more seats!