Could easily be a 2x5 split at Reading with a Newbury (or even the other Exeter!)
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SWR WoE line — do they know something we don’t?
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How often do those run? Andover/ Salisbury to Waterloo is 2 tph, and certainly demands more than 5 cars at peak times. Adding time at Reading for a split/join would make it slower than Waterloo (though straight through could be pretty competitive).
If Salisbury - Basingstoke - Reading were upgraded to 100mph, with 4 aspect signals between Basingstoke and Reading and stock/paths were available then it could be a decent offering, but that's a lot of prerequisites.
Reading-Basingstoke line should be upgraded regardless in signalling and line speed - it's a real weak spot.
Agree on splitting - might be too dicey even with the alternating platforms at Reading. Just one idea - could also be additive to a Waterloo service, like 1tp2h. As we know there is a gap out of Paddington (ideally that Exeter semi service would go to hourly, if even to Westbury)
Interesting to see a clip from parliament in which the MP for Woking asks a question with regards to when — not if, but when — SWR’s diesels are replaced.
35K views · 169 reactions | South Western Railway’s diesel trains will soon be replaced by electric trains. With cancellations and delays already a big issue on the network serving #Woking, I’ve asked the Government to ensure that the rollout of new
South Western Railway’s diesel trains will soon be replaced by electric trains. With cancellations and delays already a big issue on the network serving #Woking, I’ve asked the Government to ensure...www.facebook.com
Do they know something we don’t?
Mr Will Forster
(Woking) (LD)
Minister Keir Mather didn’t seem to deny any plans
To be fair, that is a very open ended response and regardless, at some point the 158's will have to be replaced, be it in 5 years or 15 years, so it'll always be a when, not if.
martin butler
Member
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Could existing paths not used? how many trains per hour are scheduled between Reding and Basingstoke, ? could one of these be used, same as paths already used for Basingstoke to Salisbury, and onward? what i really am saying, is some GWR services are diverted from the GW route, onto the SWR route, to replace SWR services, if no replacements for the 159's can be found before they become life expired
I think it's pretty full. The stopping paths are slow and occupied by stopping trains for a start. The cross country paths might have some gaps as they haven't reinstated all the Southampton to York trains, and it's the main route from Southampton docks to pretty much anywhere else. It's only 75mph with 3 aspect signals, so not an especially high capacity route to begin with.
Down trains also need to get through the junction at Basingstoke, across both up lines.
As for Reading to Paddington, I don't know, but I don't believe it's awash with space capacity.
Pretty sure diverting WoE trains to Reading at Basingstoke, and thence to Paddington, would go down like a lead balloon with commuting pax who've built their lives around going to Waterloo. The delay of getting to Paddington or changing at Basingstoke over direct service to Waterloo would be significant to a commuter. Basingstoke is already really busy at peak hours without dumping a large number off a WoE train to add to the melee and increasing station dwell times.
Some commuters would lose for sure, but direct access to OOC & Crossrail would benefit some, too. The Salisbury line trains are well used by Basingstoke to London commuters too, some of whom would lose out by the loss of a Waterloo train (though they'd still have options on the stoppers and Winchester route), but plenty of others would be happy to gain direct access to Crossrail.
Kite159
Veteran Member
Old Oak Common will be the biggest white elephant since Reston. As for Basingstoke commuters using the stopping services, they would rather squeeze into a vestibule of a 444 (or 159) for a faster journey then one which calls at every lamppost towards Woking.
I used to be one of them, and I used the stoppers in the mornings. They were far from packed leaving Basingstoke, but there were a reasonable number of people who wanted a guaranteed seat for an hour or so compared to rolling the dice on possibly standing for 45-50 minutes.
As for OOC, I don't know about HS2, but it'll be an easier interchange to Crossrail than Paddington is, and I think plenty will do that, at least for heading towards London. I think it'll be pretty popular for that purpose.