Redhill - Reading

[HarleyDavidson]

The lton train is booked to follow the train from Guildford so the cross platform connection normally works quite well.
Returning the train from Alton is booked in front of the Guildford train so that connection works as well.
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I thought everything was about the Alton line and its users?

Let's not go there in every respect! I can't begin to put on here what we think of that lot!

 

[infobleep]

The lton train is booked to follow the train from Guildford so the cross platform connection normally works quite well.
Returning the train from Alton is booked in front of the Guildford train so that connection works as well.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I thought everything was about the Alton line and its users?

If it works well then a 4 minute or even an unofficial 3 minute connection could work well for the suggested service. This doesn't take into account all the other reasons why putting in the infrastructure for the suggested service would be problematic.

 

[TEW]

The lton train is booked to follow the train from Guildford so the cross platform connection normally works quite well.
Returning the train from Alton is booked in front of the Guildford train so that connection works as well.

Not unheard of for the Alton train to run in front of the Ascot one since 456s took over the line though. The connection is certainly less reliable nowadays.

 

[The Ham]

If it works well then a 4 minute or even an unofficial 3 minute connection could work well for the suggested service. This doesn't take into account all the other reasons why putting in the infrastructure for the suggested service would be problematic.

There is a big difference between a 3 minute connection when it is a case of jumping off one train, walking across a platform and joining the next train and a connection where it requires crossing a bridge to change platforms.

Anyone that has tried to make a tight connection when leaving a train with 100 other people will tell you that it is not always easy to get across a bridge at normal walking pace.

Also, in the example, there could be trains coming from two different lines (i.e. Southampton and Salisbury). That then means that at least one of them will be further apart from the new service than the other.

The general point I had been making was that the journey time saving would not be that significant. Even allowing for the 3 minute connection (but not stopping between Basingstoke and Farnborough) it would be a journey time of 33 minutes from Basingstoke to Guildford compared with the existing 33 minutes. Therefore the only people that would benefit would be those between Basingstoke and Farnborough.

 

[HowardGWR]

Sturt Lane curve & junction

I can't find this location, can anyone give me a nearby reference (town village) or somesuch? Thanks in advance.

 

[30909]

You can see the route of the old North - East formation in the attached near Camberley Spencer and Chartwell Close end adjacent to it.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.30014,-0.7304976,574m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

 

[HowardGWR]

You can see the route of the old North - East formation in the attached near Camberley Spencer and Chartwell Close end adjacent to it.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.30014,-0.7304976,574m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Thanks, it was not clear on my maps. I would not have suggested what I did had I known where Sturt was. It seems to me that Harley D's suggestion of a round trip was good for people with cases and children catching flights at GTW. When,as I am certain will be the case, the second runway at Gatwick comes free in 2019, and many more flights will be accessed, so his idea of a non-changing route from points west will be just the ticket. Anything would be better than changing at Clapham Jcn onto Brighton trains.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

I always find it quite odd that everyone always says about it not being the fastest route, but there's always the convenience factor that should be taken into consideration.

As I have said, if you're going abroad and want to leave the car behind & you have a load of luggage and/or kids in tow as well, the last thing you want is to keep swapping trains & going up/down stairs/escalators or even getting in a taxi/bus/tube across London, so a simple through service is an enticing proposition, even coming from say Birmingham & the North you could easily change at Oxford and stay on the same platform & get (should it exist) a through service to Gatwick.

But then again this is far, far too sensible for today's modern railway.

 

[swt_passenger]

But then again this is far, far too sensible for today's modern railway.

I thought it was exactly what today's modern railway was suggesting in the new Western and Sussex Route Studies, appearing near here in two other threads?