Class 800 Yeovil

[Westerndiesels]

I couldn't take a pic as driving, but noticed a photographer overlooking Yeovil Pen Mill Station.

As I went past I could just see a class 800 on the platform. I wonder if anyone knows why that was there today please.

 

[_toommm_]

Plymouth to Paddington runs look to be diverted this week:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Yeovil Pen Mill all day on 23/03/2023

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

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[High Dyke]

GWR diverted between Castle Cary and Exeter. Planned engineering work between Weston-super-Mare and Castle Cary according to NRE.

GWR info: https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/planned-engineering

 

[MiNi]

I couldn't take a pic as driving, but noticed a photographer overlooking Yeovil Pen Mill Station.

As I went past I could just see a class 800 on the platform. I wonder if anyone knows why that was there today please.

been diversions via Yeovil all this week so far.Due to engineering works.
At 13.00 ish 802102 & 107 crossed there.

 

[Gloster]

National Rail mentions ’No trains via Tiverton Parkway…’ and gives as the reason engineering work between Weston-Super-Mare and Castle Carey (sic). I presume that the work is in the Cogload-Taunton area: saying that is between Weston-on-Mud and Cary is stretching things a lot. The only specific mention of Taunton is to say the Night Riviera isn’t calling, but a look at ‘Live departures‘ shows all of them being buses. Presumably nobody who had a hand in preparing the entry has any knowledge of the local railway geography and they just bashed out any old thing from a circular. Not passenger-friendly.

 

[brad465]

National Rail mentions ’No trains via Tiverton Parkway…’ and gives as the reason engineering work between Weston-Super-Mare and Castle Carey (sic). I presume that the work is in the Cogload-Taunton area: saying that is between Weston-on-Mud and Cary is stretching things a lot. The only specific mention of Taunton is to say the Night Riviera isn’t calling, but a look at ‘Live departures‘ shows all of them being buses. Presumably nobody who had a hand in preparing the entry has any knowledge of the local railway geography and they just bashed out any old thing from a circular. Not passenger-friendly.

Yes there appear to be track renewals (and maybe other equipment) at Taunton primarily, possibly other locations but not sure.

What's interesting(ish) about IETs going via Yeovil is I believe they have to traverse Castle Cary - Yeovil Pen Mill at no more than 40mph (and it is a fairly long stretch of single line working), because only Sprinter-class trains (inc. Turbos) are cleared for the 75mph max line speed, unless IETs have been granted clearance for this. This increased frequency along that stretch combined with running at a speed only just over half what regular services use must be a big capacity constraint, especially during disruption.

 

[louis97]

Yes there appear to be track renewals (and maybe other equipment) at Taunton primarily, possibly other locations but not sure.

What's interesting(ish) about IETs going via Yeovil is I believe they have to traverse Castle Cary - Yeovil Pen Mill at no more than 40mph (and it is a fairly long stretch of single line working), because only Sprinter-class trains (inc. Turbos) are cleared for the 75mph max line speed, unless IETs have been granted clearance for this. This increased frequency along that stretch combined with running at a speed only just over half what regular services use must be a big capacity constraint, especially during disruption.

Its only Sprinter speeds for a very short distance at the Castle Cary end of the route (15 chains), the majority of the rest of the section is 75mph MU speeds.

 

[brad465]

Its only Sprinter speeds for a very short distance at the Castle Cary end of the route (15 chains), the majority of the rest of the section is 75mph MU speeds.

Thanks for clarifying; 15 chains of that description sounds pretty pointless. Presumably though this meant HSTs were not cleared when they had to do this diversion.

 

[louis97]

Thanks for clarifying; 15 chains of that description sounds pretty pointless. Presumably though this meant HSTs were not cleared when they had to do this diversion.

I believe HSTs were cleared to do the MU speeds on this section. They certainly are permitted to do MU speeds on Western route, the SP speeds on the Newquay branch were changed to MU speeds which HSTs then took advantage of. I think this section was similarly converted.

 

[Amlag]

Unbelievably ( or not ?!) the gW IET Diverts this week between Exeter and C.Cary via Yeovil include erroneous information to passengers on their constantly scrolling passenger info. system that trains call at Chard Jn !

 

[Class 170101]

Unbelievably ( or not ?!) the gW IET Diverts this week between Exeter and C.Cary via Yeovil include erroneous information to passengers on their constantly scrolling passenger info. system that trains call at Chard Jn !

Not unheard of unfortunately.

 

[Westerndiesels]

Thank you all.

 

[brad465]

I believe HSTs were cleared to do the MU speeds on this section. They certainly are permitted to do MU speeds on Western route, the SP speeds on the Newquay branch were changed to MU speeds which HSTs then took advantage of. I think this section was similarly converted.

Thank you for clarifying.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Mar 2023 ==

Was there a particular reason for certain SWR intermediate stations being included as official stops? I can understand the likes of Axminster and Honiton being included due to being situated on passing loops, but at least one service had Cranbrook as well, which is on a single section.

 

[pompeyfan]

Thank you for clarifying.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Mar 2023 ==

Was there a particular reason for certain SWR intermediate stations being included as official stops? I can understand the likes of Axminster and Honiton being included due to being situated on passing loops, but at least one service had Cranbrook as well, which is on a single section.

SWR services have had to be reduced at times to accommodate the diversions. GWR services picked up some intermediate calls.

Due to the single line nature on a couple of days SWR terminated short at Yeovil Jn, with IETs calling ALL stations to Pinhoe.