Could we see more long distance services from Newquay?

[Masbroughlad]

Moderator note: Split from

Cornwall Metro funding approved

The line is expected to close again soon for a passing loop. Not until February to March next year through. Preparations will continue in the meantime.

www.railforums.co.uk

Do XC run to Newquay these days?

If not, I wonder if we'll ever see long-distance services again, other than London?

 

[brad465]

Do XC run to Newquay these days?

If not, I wonder if we'll ever see long-distance services again, other than London?

There are no XC services in RTT at Newquay in the upcoming timetable, so I'm guessing not. There is however one GWR to either Bristol Temple Meads or Bristol Parkway most Saturdays and Sundays in the new timetable, which partially replicates a XC route.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

There are no XC services in RTT at Newquay in the upcoming timetable, so I'm guessing not. There is however one GWR to either Bristol Temple Meads or Bristol Parkway most Saturdays and Sundays in the new timetable, which partially replicates a XC route.

At the moment an issue with through services from the East to Newquay is that every through service takes up a path that prevents a local Par-Newquay stopper from running. That must make it harder to justify through services. But as I understand it, once the new infrastructure is in place, that restriction will no longer apply, and it'll be possible to path through services without causing gaps in the new hourly 'Cornwall metro'. Maybe that will incentivise GWR to provide a few more through services (or if they don't, opens the possibility for an open access operator to do so)?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 May 2025 ==

btw, a sudden thought: What's going to happen to the names 'Atlantic Coast Line' and 'Maritime Line' when the Cornwall Metro arrives? I wonder if those names will disappear - since it's not really going to make sense to stick them on timetables when it'll be one through service (and therefore, presumably, one single timetable)

 

[Parallel]

btw, a sudden thought: What's going to happen to the names 'Atlantic Coast Line' and 'Maritime Line' when the Cornwall Metro arrives? I wonder if those names will disappear - since it's not really going to make sense to stick them on timetables when it'll be one through service (and therefore, presumably, one single timetable)

Exmouth to Paignton is known separately as the Avocet line and the Riviera line. When Barnstaple services ran through to Exmouth, they were still referred to as the Tarka line and the Avocet line. I doubt there will be any changes for the Atlantic Coast line or the Maritime line in the same vein.

 

[nanstallon]

Newquay seems to be 'growing' yet another new housing estate every time I look at the town. I visit about monthly; it's a nice run over the branch.

Growing population may justify more through services to London and maybe the North.

 

[Zomboid]

Newquay seems to be 'growing' yet another new housing estate every time I look at the town. I visit about monthly; it's a nice run over the branch.

Growing population may justify more through services to London and maybe the North.

It's more likely to justify the hourly local service. The fact that long distance trains won't disrupt that will allow more to run, but it's probably not going to be more than a couple of trains a day.

 

[sor]

Newquay seems to be 'growing' yet another new housing estate every time I look at the town. I visit about monthly; it's a nice run over the branch.

Growing population may justify more through services to London and maybe the North.

Would have to be one hell of a growth centre for that, especially when the villages closer to Par already have the option of a short drive to three different mainline stations. I would wonder if Torbay would have been given the London direct services it has if it were being decided upon today.

I'd hope that the timetabling of the metro is such that connections to mainline services are convenient and hassle free.

 

[Amlag]

Holiday traffic to Newquay by rail in my 1970’s and 80’s experience was always far greater from the Midlands and the North (hence the several through trains) than from London Paddington, yet XC has in last few years ceased serving Newquay with direct trains.
The main destination by rail during the week for holidaymakers in Newquay was Plymouth and a special train ( using stock that would otherwise be spare between weekends at Newquay ) was run on some weekdays leaving Newquay about 0930 for Plymouth and returning about 1630.. it was usually well loaded.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I had kind of assumed the Metro service would end the through services. They are operationally awkward due to being "off pattern" and the higher frequency of connections would presumably make it an easy change as it is to most of the other Cornish branches that lack through services.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

I had kind of assumed the Metro service would end the through services. They are operationally awkward due to being "off pattern" and the higher frequency of connections would presumably make it an easy change as it is to most of the other Cornish branches that lack through services.

If the intention was to end the through services, there would be no point building the 2nd platform at Newquay!

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

The branch will have three loops - Goss Moor, Goonbarrow Jcn and Par - St. Blazey (the double track there has been realigned so IETs can pass) - plus the 2nd platform at Newquay so there will be no issue in local and long-distance services co-existing.

 

[Harpo]

Train Newquay to Exeter, around 3 hours. 3 hours in the car from Newquay gets you to Gloucester on a good day or the M5’s Bristol car park on others.

Needs much more than through trains to improve rail travel in the west.

 

[I'm here now]

The branch will have three loops - Goss Moor, Goonbarrow Jcn and Par - St. Blazey (the double track there has been realigned so IETs can pass) - plus the 2nd platform at Newquay so there will be no issue in local and long-distance services co-existing.

Why can’t it do 2tph?

 

[class26]

Train Newquay to Exeter, around 3 hours. 3 hours in the car from Newquay gets you to Gloucester on a good day or the M5’s Bristol car park on others.

Needs much more than through trains to improve rail travel in the west.

last summer it took me 7 hours by car from St Austell to Taunton !

 

[RPI]

Train Newquay to Exeter, around 3 hours. 3 hours in the car from Newquay gets you to Gloucester on a good day or the M5’s Bristol car park on others.

Needs much more than through trains to improve rail travel in the west.

The last three times I've driven to Newquay, admittedly in August each time, it's taken over two hours from the A30 at Indian Queens to get into Newquay!

 

[Harpo]

The last three times I've driven to Newquay, admittedly in August each time, it's taken over two hours from the A30 at Indian Queens to get into Newquay!

I’ve obviously been lucky! But then I’ve always avoided the caravan peaks.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Why can’t it do 2tph?

A round trip takes 2 hours. Therefore to run 2tph you'd need 4 trains. But there are only 3 significant single track sections: Newquay to Goss Moor, Goss Moor to Goonbarrow Junction, and Goonbarrow Junction as far as the double track bit just outside Par. So you don't have enough single track sections to put 4 evenly spaced trains on the route. (You could possibly have 4 trains if one of them was closely following another one so they could both be in the same single track section at the same time, and if the passing loops and signalling could accommodate that, but that's pointless is the aim is a half-hourly service).

 

[Zomboid]

I’ve obviously been lucky! But then I’ve always avoided the caravan peaks.

This is probably why the long distance services are only run during the peak holiday times.

The branch itself is pretty slow, so if the train can manage a decent average speed on the rest of the route it becomes more competitive the further it goes. Beyond Exeter things accelerate so I'd have thought it would be pretty good to places to like Birmingham and beyond.

 

[The Ham]

If not, I wonder if we'll ever see long-distance services again, other than London?

Ever, then there's a fair chance the answer is yes.

When is probably a much more difficult question to answer.