Settle & Carlisle Line - Past, Present & Future

[70014IronDuke]

....
Unless you have a line where the intermediate stations have very low demand compared with end to end journeys (which despite their location isn't true of the S&C, though it may be a bit more so on weekdays) I don't see there is any sense in missing stops out if you are running a frequency of less than hourly on any line unless there is a very strong operational reason for doing so (e.g. the Conwy Valley early morning "ECS" or the similar one southbound on the Far North Line). A consistent timetable is more use than a fast train useful to only a few people.

Well, juggling your limited resources to do your best for the line (to be fair, as Northern appear to be trying to do to their best ability in recent years - although this is more apparent on the Wennington line) is always going to be difficult. But if you haven't got any fast-ish services, it's a bit difficult to know if there is a market or not for end to end travel. And currently, in the down direction, you do not have any such trains whatsoever, except the one morning SuO from Nottingham.

 

[chorleyjeff]

Surely the only real time of day that a through service would be useful is the morning and evening peak, have a stopper leave Skipton, timetabled to get to Carlisle 10-15 minutes before a through service from Leeds, stopping at Shipley, Keighley and Skipton, before that runs to Settle then non stop to Carlisle. You could even dump a Keighley and Settle stop if you wish. If you get that train to Carlisle for before 9 then it is useful, it could even (though I am not sold) run on to Glasgow, maybe use a 185 instead of a 158. I dont see any need for it any other time of day (except a repeat service in the evening peak, leaving Carlisle at 5.30.

Sell advances on it at 50% the cost of going East or West coast from Leeds and see what it gets you.

No infrastructure required, gauges demand.

Sorry to be negative but this seems like a solution looking for a problem.
Seeing where it gets you is not likely to enthuse train planners.
And getting out my crayons why send the unit to Carlisle? Send it to Lancaster to connect with a WCML train to Carlisle then on to Morecambe. Thereby giving a Carlisle service and reinstating the Midland Railway business peoples' train from West Riding to Bradford on Sea.
Or even send the unit to Carlisle via a reversal at Carnforth - but that would possibly duplicate an existing WCML train.

 

[yorksrob]

Sorry to be negative but this seems like a solution looking for a problem.
Seeing where it gets you is not likely to enthuse train planners.
And getting out my crayons why send the unit to Carlisle? Send it to Lancaster to connect with a WCML train to Carlisle then on to Morecambe. Thereby giving a Carlisle service and reinstating the Midland Railway business peoples' train from West Riding to Bradford on Sea.
Or even send the unit to Carlisle via a reversal at Carnforth - but that would possibly duplicate an existing WCML train.

I think that for West Riding to Glasgow traffic, the key thing is to have long distance and local traffic support eachother.

That means ensuring that the existing service has capacity for passengers and luggage, having good connections and competitive through fares (which is something the line does quite well).

 

[70014IronDuke]

Last down train last night caped at Skipton because of Lightning Strike, according to RTT

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y65851/2019/08/04/advanced

I don't suppose that loads very heavily, but must have caused massive delays for passengers. Last up train from Carlisle made it through, however. Anyone know what happened?

 

[trainmananthon]

Last down train last night caped at Skipton because of Lightning Strike, according to RTT

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y65851/2019/08/04/advanced

I don't suppose that loads very heavily, but must have caused massive delays for passengers. Last up train from Carlisle made it through, however. Anyone know what happened?

Lightning strike at Blea Moor. Northern said that this took the signalling out at Appleby, but looking at the up trains the only service that was delayed was so at Blea Moor, suggesting to me that’s where the problem was and not appleby.