KWVR commuter services

[Railway]

http://rail-news.com/2011/01/20/heritage-line-looks-at-possibility-of-running-commuter-services/

 

[gordonthemoron]

I expect that if this ever gets off the ground KWVR will use the diesel railbuses for the service rather than steam to avoid having to run around

 

[Flying Snail]

I imagine the biggest problem with this sort of scheme for any heritage railway is the prospect of having to keep their lines open 5-6 days a week all year round. Carrying out any maintenance works around that would be much more difficult and costly than the typical heritage setup where there are long periods of downtime suitable for small volunteer groups.

 

[blackfive460]

If the railway runs this themselves, they're going to have to have more paid staff and I think that the four quoted in the article is rather optimistic.
With a round trip time approaching an hour, to run 4 return services within what I think of as the peak, they will need two trains so that's 2 drivers and 2 guards plus there's a signalman required at the loop, someone to work the gates at Oakworth and Damems plus staff to open the stations. It would be unreasonable to expect that to be covered by volunteers.
Sounds like a big commitment to risk in an area that is already well provided with public transport.
Now if Metro and Northern wanted to get together and run it and that was seen to be to the railway's benefit, that could be quite different.

 

[Deerfold]

Now if Metro and Northern wanted to get together and run it and that was seen to be to the railway's benefit, that could be quite different.

I'm fairly sure there was a proposal to run right through at one point - Metro was keen but there wasn't the stock (and possibly paths).
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I imagine the biggest problem with this sort of scheme for any heritage railway is the prospect of having to keep their lines open 5-6 days a week all year round. Carrying out any maintenance works around that would be much more difficult and costly than the typical heritage setup where there are long periods of downtime suitable for small volunteer groups.

Probably 7 days a week - as presumably their biggest current income is from running heritage services on Saturdays and Sundays. Any commuter service that didn't run the other 5 would be disadvantaged from the start.

There's already fairly good local buses.
Oakworth - Keighley is every 15 minutes, timetabled to take 14 to Keighley. The station is badly positioned for most of the houses as it's in the valley.
Haworth - Keighley there's a bus every 20 minutes timetabled to take 18 minutes and again the buses pass a lot closer to local housing.
For anyone with a Metrocard it costs no extra to travel to Keighley on the bus.
It's a lovely idea but the potential costs seem large for fairly small transport improvements in the area.

 

[gordonthemoron]

trouble with the bus is that Keighley bus station is a fair trek from the railway station

 

[Deerfold]

That is true - and a shame - and used to be partly rectified by having the buses from Haworth continue to Bradford and so pass the railway station.

It doesn't help that the crossing opposite the station has disappeared so you cave to cross using three seperate crossings or run across brtween traffic.

 

[kentuckytony]

I just watched a BNT DVD on the KWVR.

An interesting concept, but the line may lose some of its vintage flavor.
How about a PPM or two to operate the commuter part?

 

[gordonthemoron]

the diesel railbuses should be fine

 

[9K43]

From what I have seen, they will have to start working to proper H and S systems, and get rid of some of the trainspotter carry on's assosicated to these preserved railway.
Also comply with the ROGS regulations on hours of work etc.
In my view they ought to just play at railways, as it will be a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

From what I have seen, they will have to start working to proper H and S systems, and get rid of some of the trainspotter carry on's assosicated to these preserved railway.
Also comply with the ROGS regulations on hours of work etc.
In my view they ought to just play at railways, as it will be a disaster waiting to happen.

How rude. Preserved railways have to run to the same standards and laws as the mainline you know. Just because we aren't paid doesn't mean it's anything less than a professional operation. For your information, railways all have a Safety Case, all operate to H&S standards, all are risk-assessed, and all will comply with hours of work regulation.

 

[Mvann]

The only time changes would have to be made is if they were to run the comuter services faster than 25mph.

 

[Tomnick]

Indeed. I'm sure such observations might be not far wide of the mark as far as some of the smaller, less established outfits are concerned - for the most part though, you will find that preserved railways are - and have to be - operated in an absolutely professional fashion, with competency assessments, working time restrictions, disciplinaries and investigations all managed to a similar standard to the 'big railway'.

For what it's worth, I'd like to see a reference to the regulations that govern the amount of time that a railway worker (specifically) can work - as opposed to recommendations that any Railway is free to work within or around as defined in their own policy on the matter.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Indeed. I'm sure such observations might be not far wide of the mark as far as some of the smaller, less established outfits are concerned - for the most part though, you will find that preserved railways are - and have to be - operated in an absolutely professional fashion, with competency assessments, working time restrictions, disciplinaries and investigations all managed to a similar standard to the 'big railway'.
.

And mostly, the managers are railway, or ex-railway people.

 

[colpepper]

It's an excellent idea, through workings would be even better. In addition to commuter traffic Haworth is big draw in summer.

 

[blackfive460]

In addition to commuter traffic Haworth is big draw in summer.

For which they run a daily service through the summer peak so that's already covered.
If (and it's a big if in my opinion) a morning and evening commuter service will benefit the railway I'm sure they try to do it.