Ashley Down station timetabled services

[Starmill]

Moderator note: split from:

Ashley Down station construction updates

Wasn't there an all shacks parkway to Weston at one point? That feels like a very useful service for a lot of people. I think there was, but it amended three or four years to the current Weston-super-Mare to Avonmouth/Severn Beach hourly service.

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For trip planning / experiences discussion, please use the following thread:

Ashley Down station: experiences of using the new station and trip planning discussion

Once again JenOnTheMove has done an excellent video

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For any posts of a speculative nature, please use:

How should the new Ashley Down station be served?

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/ashley-down-station-construction-updates.241979/ Can anyone predict which services might call at Ashley Down? Is there likely to be a direct service to Bath?

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The timetable today has been amended to include a number of stops on services via Yate it appears.

The thing I really don't get is that looking at Monday onwards, the 2051 Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway and 2131 return from Bristol Parkway haven't had an Ashley Down stop inserted. Both are pretty loose on time.

 

[WelshBluebird]

And the good thing was the parents explaining to their children all the places they could now go easily by train. It wasn't just people out to have a gawk!

Yep was very much a mix of the train geeks and local residents young and old which was good to see.

The timetable today has been amended to include a number of stops on services via Yate it appears.

The thing I really don't get is that looking at Monday onwards, the 2051 Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway and 2131 return from Bristol Parkway haven't had an Ashley Down stop inserted. Both are pretty loose on time.

I wonder if the ones today are extras for Bristol Rovers being at home as they seemed timed for before kick off and after the final whistle.

Also some extras have been added tomorrow presumably for the England cricket game nearby.

But yeah there's plenty of services that currently run through the station that seemingly could stop if the will was there!

 

[Starmill]

Yep was very much a mix of the train geeks and local residents young and old which was good to see.

I wonder if the ones today are extras for Bristol Rovers being at home as they seemed timed for before kick off and after the final whistle.

Also some extras have been added tomorrow presumably for the England cricket game nearby.

But yeah there's plenty of services that currently run through the station that seemingly could stop if the will was there!

The pair of trips in the evening is booked to call at Stapleton Road, which means they'll have to use the relief lines between Horfield Jn and Dr Day's Jn anyway.

Looking to the incoming WTT from December, the data currently still show them calling at Stapleton Road but not timing at Ashley Down.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Sep 2024 ==

It would, as well as providing extra coverage between Filton Abbey Wood and Bristol Parkway, which has always seemed far too underserved.

It's really not the best is it.

My understanding was that in 2020 the old Weston-super-Mare to Bristol Parkway service was truncated at both ends to set up for an improved Severn Beach line service, and for the now Filton Abbey Wood terminators to extend to Henbury? Of course, events have rather overtaken all of those plans, so a very little used and very little use Bristol Temple Meads - Filton Abbey Wood service that spends 35 minutes of every hour at Filton Abbey Wood turning around is the result.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Sep 2024 ==

If I was a planner concerned about the number of seats serving Ashley Down, I'd be looking to increase frequencies rather than lengthen trains anyway. Hourly is very poor for an inner-suburban station.

And the first arrival at Bristol Temple Meads is 0758, and the final departure is 2004. Not exactly a great deal of use to anyone making a long-haul journey. Those operating hours are even shorter than what Okehampton has, and that's a pretty short day.

For inner suburban traffic, as trains don't go to Montpelier, I'd suggest it's quicker to walk or get the bus to the city centre. Office workers in the Temple Quay area will probably be the only ones who really get a benefit.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Sep 2024 ==



I've just noticed that the 1341 Gloucester to Bristol Temple Meads was routed Main after departure from Filton Abbey Wood. It therefore didn't call as booked (just for today) at Ashley Down. Here's a screenshot from National Rail Enquiries showing no report:

 

[lachlan]

The pair of trips in the evening is booked to call at Stapleton Road, which means they'll have to use the relief lines between Horfield Jn and Dr Day's Jn anyway.

Looking to the incoming WTT from December, the data currently still show them calling at Stapleton Road but not timing at Ashley Down.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Sep 2024 ==


It's really not the best is it.

My understanding was that in 2020 the old Weston-super-Mare to Bristol Parkway service was truncated at both ends to set up for an improved Severn Beach line service, and for the now Filton Abbey Wood terminators to extend to Henbury? Of course, events have rather overtaken all of those plans, so a very little used and very little use Bristol Temple Meads - Filton Abbey Wood service that spends 35 minutes of every hour at Filton Abbey Wood turning around is the result.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Sep 2024 ==


And the first arrival at Bristol Temple Meads is 0758, and the final departure is 2004. Not exactly a great deal of use to anyone making a long-haul journey. Those operating hours are even shorter than what Okehampton has, and that's a pretty short day.

For inner suburban traffic, as trains don't go to Montpellier, I'd suggest it's quicker to walk or get the bus to the city centre. Office workers in the Temple Quay area will probably be the only ones who really get a benefit.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Sep 2024 ==


I've just noticed that the 1341 Gloucester to Bristol Temple Meads was routed Main after departure from Filton Abbey Wood. It therefore didn't call as booked (just for today) at Ashley Down. Here's a screenshot from National Rail Enquiries showing no report:

That last journey back is rather embarrassing. Good for commuting but don't stay out late after work!

 

[Starmill]

That last journey back is rather embarrassing. Good for commuting but don't stay out late after work!

Yes. No additionals booked in this evening for any Saturday shoppers or opening day visitors that I can spot. Hope everyone is punctual for those last services.

 

[Starmill]

The 1724 departure from Ashley Down has now been amended to cancelled at least rather than just no report. I do hope the 30+ intending passengers claim delay repay.

 

[sftfan1909]

The 1724 departure from Ashley Down has now been amended to cancelled at least rather than just no report. I do hope the 30+ intending passengers claim delay repay.

Just to confirm, did this train 2T49 not call?

 

[Western Sunset]

In error?

 

[Starmill]

Just to confirm, did this train 2T49 not call?

It didn't. I don't know the reason.

 

[sftfan1909]

It didn't. I don't know the reason.

Very interesting, it absolutely should have done..

 

[Snow1964]

Tomorrow (Sunday) there is a wide selection of trains due to call at Ashley Down.
eg. Cardiff, Exeter, Gloucester, Penzance, Taunton, Westbury are amongst the destinations.

Sunday service frequency is rather irregular, eg the northbound gap of 128 minutes (11:17 to 13:25) is followed by a 56 minute gap (next train is 14:21). Seems a crazy uneven timetable.

 

[John R]

Tomorrow (Sunday) there is a wide selection of trains due to call at Ashley Down.
eg. Cardiff, Exeter, Gloucester, Penzance, Taunton, Westbury are amongst the destinations.

Sunday service frequency is rather irregular, eg the northbound gap of 128 minutes (11:17 to 13:25) is followed by a 56 minute gap (next train is 14:21). Seems a crazy uneven timetable.

Given the cricket starts at 11, it’s maybe sensible if extra trains are put on in the mid morning, and then the normal timetable resumes until the time when the match might be expected to finish (with some contingency in case of an early finish).

So a very unequal service pattern could be entirely appropriate for the event in question.

 

[Starmill]

Very interesting, it absolutely should have done..

Indeed. Clearly it shouldn't have been routed Main but was for whatever reason.