Future service provision on the Portsmouth Direct

[infobleep]

I saw a poster at Guildford station regarding the signalling upgrades taking place at Haslemere this week.

One of the points made to justify it was more capacity for trains. There were other points made too but given the current situation of people working from home, I was surprised to see this mentioned as a point amongst them.

This then got me wondering about the frequency of service. Is there likely to be a higher demand in the future? Will this be off peak more?

Currently, the usual timetable only has 3 trains an hour off peak, down from the previous 4.

Could we ever see 5 trails an hour south of Guildford? I can't see it myself but I couldn't be wrong.

It also mentions better connections. Which end of the line would that be or is it both?

I wouldn't mind more through trains beyond Reading but I can't see that happening.

Photographed is of the poster.

 

[JonathanH]

Could we ever see 5 trains an hour south of Guildford? I can't see it myself but I could be wrong.

Almost certainly not as there isn't likely to be any capacity for them further north towards London.

Three trains an hour feels the right service between Guildford and Portsmouth given the need for a stopping service at Milford, Witley and Rowlands Castle. Assuming all trains stop at Guildford, Haslemere and Petersfield, it would then be a case of balancing 2tph at Farncombe, Godalming, Liphook and Liss and 1tph at Milford, Witley and Rowlands Castle.

The mention of more capacity doesn't have to mean more services - it old also mean being able to run a more apposite service.

 

[swt_passenger]

Didn’t the abandoned 2018 timetable have up to 5 or 6 trains south of Guildford (as far as Haslemere) in the high peak, and 4 tph normally off peak by extending the Haslemere terminating train to Portsmouth & Southsea?

But did anyone keep the consultation stuff?

 

[cle]

2tph fast and 2tph slow seems good practice. Peak extras if ever needed again, or shorter turns at Haslemere as was.

These works might be the legacy of Guildford layover capacity plans to help the infamous third North Downs frequency.

It's limited to see what else would be useful - a 1tph Portsmouth to Reading? Useful in theory to access Reading but I'm not sure on demand for it south of Guildford (Portsmouth to the North/West/Wales/Oxford?) - plus, would that fit on top of everything else through Guildford and Wokingham? And at Reading itself.

 

[HST43257]

The sensible off peak option, in my view, is

2tph London to Portsmouth limited stop
1tph London to Portsmouth all stops after Woking

then 1 of

1tph London to Portsmouth semi fast after woking
or
1tph London to Haslemere all stops after Woking
or
1tph London to Portsmouth all stops after Woking

to meet demand and train/staff availability

 

[infobleep]

Almost certainly not as there isn't likely to be any capacity for them further north towards London.

Three trains an hour feels the right service between Guildford and Portsmouth given the need for a stopping service at Milford, Witley and Rowlands Castle. Assuming all trains stop at Guildford, Haslemere and Petersfield, it would then be a case of balancing 2tph at Farncombe, Godalming, Liphook and Liss and 1tph at Milford, Witley and Rowlands Castle.

The mention of more capacity doesn't have to mean more services - it old also mean being able to run a more apposite service.

If the same number of trains with the same number of carriages are running, surely it would be the same capacity.

I accept if they ran at different times may be more might use them but that wouldn't change the capacity available.

I would love more services but I can't wholeheartedly say it's justified.

More justified on a personal level is 2 trains an hour to Gatwick Aiport, as is due to happen and that surely doesn't require signalling works at Haslemere?

I'd like 2 fast trains to Clapham Junction to return. Is it possible signalling works at Haslemere might allow this via a modified timetable south of Guildford, whilst still retaining 3 trains am hour? Currently, it isn't possible to stop the very fast trains due to other trains being behind them.

That isn't to say the signalling works at Haslemere aren't required. I'm certain they are. It's just the point on capacity I'm not sure about

I guess in time it might become clearer.

 

[DelW]

Three trains an hour feels the right service between Guildford and Portsmouth given the need for a stopping service at Milford, Witley and Rowlands Castle. Assuming all trains stop at Guildford, Haslemere and Petersfield, it would then be a case of balancing 2tph at Farncombe, Godalming, Liphook and Liss and 1tph at Milford, Witley and Rowlands Castle.

All services have called at Godalming for several years now (4tph pre-Covid, 3tph currently). There would be a lot of complaints if you try to cut it back to 2 trains per hour calling.

SWR's 2017 franchise bid proposed 4tph to Portsmouth. I presumed that was based on extending the hourly Haslemere terminators, rather than running 5 tph south of Guildford.

 

[zwk500]

I saw a poster at Guildford station regarding the signalling upgrades taking place at Haslemere this week.
One of the points made to justify it was more capacity for trains. There were other points made too but given the current situation of people working from home, I was surprised to see this mentioned as a point amongst them.
This then got me wondering about the frequency of service. Is there likely to be a higher demand in the future? Will this be off peak more?

This re-signalling was planned pre-covid, of course. So the capacity it is helping create may not be needed for a while yet.

I wouldn't mind more through trains beyond Reading but I can't see that happening.

Yeah regular trains from the South Western Lines to the Great Western aren't going to happen any time soon. The connections are too restrictive in layout for all-day services and the risk of importing delay would be huge for a very small benefit.

These works might be the legacy of Guildford layover capacity plans to help the infamous third North Downs frequency.

The work is south of Shalford Junction, so there's no additional capacity at Guildford as part of these works.

It's limited to see what else would be useful - a 1tph Portsmouth to Reading? Useful in theory to access Reading but I'm not sure on demand for it south of Guildford (Portsmouth to the North/West/Wales/Oxford?) - plus, would that fit on top of everything else through Guildford and Wokingham? And at Reading itself.

Other upgrades may get done before the additional capacity is required - a signalling installation will be built to last for c.30-50 years. I can't imagine Waterloo to Woking will have no work done on it in that time

 

[infobleep]

This re-signalling was planned pre-covid, of course. So the capacity it is helping create may not be needed for a while yet.

Cheers for the info. What kind of capacity increase would this offer and would this be above what they planned in the never implemented timetable?

 

[zwk500]

Cheers for the info. What kind of capacity increase would this offer and would this be above what they planned in the never implemented timetable?

It's a small increase in capacity with some headways reducing. I cant remember the service options directly I'm afraid.