Gloucester on the Cross Country Line

[Nick Ashwell]

XC is designed around Birmingham. I don't see how helping Gloucester to Bristol travel works for XC. Now a terminating service that goes through Birmingham, on the other hand, sounds much more like XC, but is Gloucester a big enough destination for that? Or is there something through Gloucester that could be served by XC instead with an extension?

The only destination through Gloucester from Birmingham is Cardiff

 

[MattRat]

The only destination through Gloucester from Birmingham is Cardiff

An XC to Cardiff via Gloucester doesn't actually sound like a bad idea TBH.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

An XC to Cardiff via Gloucester doesn't actually sound like a bad idea TBH.

It's already there, it runs from Nottingham

 

[MattRat]

It's already there, it runs from Nottingham

Well, this thread just came to a screeching halt then, since they definitely wouldn't do OPs original plan for XC.

 

[zwk500]

Well, this thread just came to a screeching halt then, since they definitely wouldn't do OPs original plan for XC.

As we're in speculative, I'll breathe new life into the discussion by suggesting a new Line from Standish junction over the Severn and joining the line from Cardiff to avoid the need for reversals, the third side of the triangle could be lifted with the direct link to the GWML remaining for London trains terminating at Glos.

 

[JonathanH]

As we're in speculative, I'll breathe new life into the discussion by suggesting a new Line from Standish junction over the Severn and joining the line from Cardiff to avoid the need for reversals, the third side of the triangle could be lifted with the direct link to the GWML remaining for London trains terminating at Glos.

That would still come with quite a time penalty given the direction the line to Cardiff comes from into Gloucester.

Difficult to see that it would be particularly welcomed by passengers from the south heading to Birmingham and the north.

 

[zwk500]

That would still come with quite a time penalty given the direction the line to Cardiff comes from into Gloucester.

Difficult to see that it would be particularly welcomed by passengers from the south heading to Birmingham and the north.

You could always keep the existing layout if you wanted to continue skipping Gloucester. It'll never pass a business case, I'm well aware.

 

[JonathanH]

You could always keep the existing layout if you wanted to continue skipping Gloucester. It'll never pass a business case, I'm well aware.

Yes, I imagine the business case would have to assume that it would be used by all services and Gloucester would become essentially a two platform station. No land sales which would pay for it though.

 

[zwk500]

Yes, I imagine the business case would have to assume that it would be used by all services and Gloucester would become essentially a two platform station. No land sales which would pay for it though.

Well no, but potential for increased suburban services to foster housing development which might.

 

[tigerroar]

Interesting topic.

I always feel besmirched that XC get to go through Gloucester but refuse to stop here. Back in my youth I used to love to go trainspotting upon the tump, now Metz Way and watch as a 47 would pull into the station and either run around or be replaced by another waiting in the siding by Horton Road gates. Stopping was never an issue back then.

The thing with XC and delays is nonsense. Isn't it a fact that they could bypass Reading station and call at Reading West? Does anyone travel on XC services from Edinburgh to Bristol? Stopping here wouldn't inconvenience many, they don't mind inconveniencing Gloucester people trying to catch their trains though. I know they're never going to stop here so it would be a better solution to build a new mainline station at Waterwells to serve the expanding suburbs in south Gloucester and hopefully satisfy those in Stonehouse (and Stroud) who want a station on the Bristol line.

I read an interesting point about pathing on the GWR mainline at Yate, but if it was possible then XC could stop at Waterwells and Worcesterhire Parkway and bypass Cheltenham. Lansdown is in a dreadful location with inadequate parking, no use to anyone.

Interesting to read between the lines though and assume that XC don't actually want any more passengers!

 

[The Planner]

If Cheltenham is of no use, why is it getting 2 million users? Bristol Parkway is similar as is Newport.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

Interesting topic.

I always feel besmirched that XC get to go through Gloucester but refuse to stop here. Back in my youth I used to love to go trainspotting upon the tump, now Metz Way and watch as a 47 would pull into the station and either run around or be replaced by another waiting in the siding by Horton Road gates. Stopping was never an issue back then.

The thing with XC and delays is nonsense. Isn't it a fact that they could bypass Reading station and call at Reading West? Does anyone travel on XC services from Edinburgh to Bristol? Stopping here wouldn't inconvenience many, they don't mind inconveniencing Gloucester people trying to catch their trains though. I know they're never going to stop here so it would be a better solution to build a new mainline station at Waterwells to serve the expanding suburbs in south Gloucester and hopefully satisfy those in Stonehouse (and Stroud) who want a station on the Bristol line.

I read an interesting point about pathing on the GWR mainline at Yate, but if it was possible then XC could stop at Waterwells and Worcesterhire Parkway and bypass Cheltenham. Lansdown is in a dreadful location with inadequate parking, no use to anyone.

Interesting to read between the lines though and assume that XC don't actually want any more passengers!

Personally, your post proves the need to move Gloucester station from it's current location.

It could easily be on the North side of the triangle and cover both trains South and West, as, IIRC, no train comes up from the Newport Gloucester line and then goes South (other than diversions or freight which don't stop at GCR).

Admittedly this would add some distance to the city centre which is the major concern.

It's also worth remembering XC doesn't really chose their paths, they're still, to my knowledge, (and unfortunately I can't think of another analogy, happy to edit) the disliked step child who has to fit around others. Therefore, they need to fit around the likes of bristol and Birmingham, reducing the chance to stop at GCR.

Personally, some sort of automatic rapid transit from by Morrisons (where I'd put the station) would be best, but the finances may be an issue.

 

[The Planner]

It's also worth remembering XC doesn't really chose their paths, they're still, to my knowledge, (and unfortunately I can't think of another analogy, happy to edit) the disliked step child who has to fit around others. Therefore, they need to fit around the likes of bristol and Birmingham, reducing the chance to stop

Depends who you ask! Any engineering works and they are pretty much fixed and others move otherwise you end up re-writing XC entirely and falls over rapidly. Same applies for the WTT in general in places, you can't really shift them.

 

[tigerroar]

Personally, some sort of automatic rapid transit from by Morrisons (where I'd put the station) would be best, but the finances may be an issue.

Saddest thing is is that Gloucester Station is one of the best located in the country, it's no good getting off of one train to have to get on another or a bus, kind of defeats the object.

And the pathing capacity surprises me, I spent an afternoon at Cam and Dursley once with my camera, it was like a ghost town. I saw next to nothing. And when a dogbox stopped it was the only time that Voyaged appeared coming the other way!

 

[SouthEastBuses]

As came up on the recent discussion about Worcestershire Parkway, XC shouldn't stop anywhere extra until they have sufficient capacity that overcrowding isn't an issue on just about any service through the core formed of a single 220. Given the general lack of interest in tackling the problem over the last 20 years, that isn't likely to change any time soon.

XC are also unlikely to want to serve yet another local market given they haven't reinstated a number of Chesterfield calls or any Brockenhurst stops post-COVID.

The 18:45 from Bournemouth to Manchester (I think, something like that) does call at Brockenhurst...

 

[Wychwood93]

The 18:45 from Bournemouth to Manchester (I think, something like that) does call at Brockenhurst...

Two up two down M-F:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Brockenhurst all day on 23/03/2023

Train information at Brockenhurst all day on 23/03/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Ditto Saturday:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Brockenhurst all day on 25/03/2023

Train information at Brockenhurst all day on 25/03/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

And Sunday:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Brockenhurst all day on 26/03/2023

Train information at Brockenhurst all day on 26/03/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk