Exeter 1J74/1A73 re-time

[125Spotter]

In the recent past, 1A73 overtook 1J74 at Exeter St Davids with a long dwell for 1J74 of 16(?) minutes in platform 6 at Exeter. 1A73 left at 0752 and 1J74 at 0800, the latter later retimed to 0758 with the stop at Hungerford added.

In one of the timetable changes (perhaps as long as a year ago – I've been travelling less for work and not frequenting these services), 1J74 was re-timed so as to leave Exeter at 0744 and have a long dwell at Taunton to allow 1A73 to overtake on its subsequent non-stop run to Reading.

I searched but didn't find anything. Can anyone enlighten me on why the wait for 1J74 was moved to Taunton? It means travellers frequenting the service from Exeter now have 15 minutes earlier arrival at the station, only to lose most of that sat in Taunton.

Of course, this just shares the burden Plymouth travellers previously had waiting in Exeter when the services crossed there, but they now also have a 3 min earlier departure (1J74 previously departed Plymouth at 0640, now 0637).

I assume pathing but:

• I don't see conflicts in platform 6 at Exeter for this service in the morning
• It doesn't seem to conflict with Devon Metro – in fact it's running 2 mins earlier into St Davids than it did previously, behind a Paignton to Exmouth service
• It's still booked to arrive Padd at 1029 as before. Possibly arriving Reading slightly later, I can't remember
• Perhaps a conflict with 2R51 at Cowley Bridge? I don't know what time that service previously operated to

Hopefully it was for a technical timetabling reason, perhaps path or timing reliability, and not for revenue to make the 1A73 more attractive at the higher fare! Insights appreciated.

 

[Jrocks]

Commuting has picked up a lot on both of these services throughout the week, mainly mid week. This was changed I believe in the May 23 timetable, although I may be wrong. The main reason for the change was to allow commuters from Tiverton a better and easier change onto the fast service (1A73), cutting journey times for them. This does come at the expense of customers travelling from Exeter, however realistically, they do only have to travel 6 minutes earlier than before - if people really wanted to they could get A73 and change at Taunton onto J74.

At Exeter, we regularly have Tiverton on the phone making sure that 1J74 is released from us first if its running a tad late to ensure the rather large crowd of commuters at Tiverton get the change to make 1A73 at Taunton. The same concept applys to 1J72 and 1A71, albeit 1A71 overtakes 1J72 whilst that's sat in Frome!

 

[CornishDave]

I think it is mostly to do with ensuring customers from Tiverton Parkway can connect in with 1A73 (The Golden Hind) up to London. If 1J74 is running behind 1A73 or is cancelled, an extra stop is often added into 1A73.

It used to be the job of a XC service which ran from Paignton to Manchester Piccadilly, but this was retimed to start from Bristol Temple Meads post-Coivd. 1J74 now runs in it's path between Exeter St Davids and Taunton.

 

[125Spotter]

Thank you to you both for this insight and for the information regarding operations when it runs late – fascinating to see the other side of the rail operations as a (somewhat) regular commuter. The connections offered to Tiverton passengers make sense.

if people really wanted to they could get A73 and change at Taunton onto J74.

Indeed, trying to find a balance of cost and travel time, I am often offered by the journey planners to take A73 and change at Taunton (generally also availing of a split ticketing opportunity).