Stourbridge solution elsewhere?

[telstarbox]

Apart from the Stourbridge branch, are there any other parts of the network where a very basic railcar would be suitable to operate passenger services?

 

[Lrd]

The Lymington Branch? If they increase the frequency, I can't see it getting too overcrowded.

 

[tankmc]

Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line?

 

[D1009]

The Lymington Branch? If they increase the frequency, I can't see it getting too overcrowded.

There would be little point in increasing the frequency beyond that of the ferry.

 

[Eagle]

There would be little point in increasing the frequency beyond that of the ferry.

Unless the extra journeys only went to Lymington Town. (The ferry is every 40 minutes during the daytime and hourly otherwise.)

I can imagine a lot of people from Brock go shopping in Lym, being the nearest sizeable town. Currently the bus between the two, the Bluestar 6, is hourly with no buses in the evening.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line?

Too many through services to London to make that idea work. I think the people of Aylesbury like having a direct link to High Wycombe too, so resistance to removal of it will be fierce.

 

[Bedpan]

There are or were plans to run a Parry People Mover from Medstead down to Alton, and one as delivered to the Mid Hants for this porpose but broke down shortly after arrival. The last I heard t was goingt to be re-delivered after repair in the Autumn of 2011 butI haven't heard anything about it since. Does anybody know what the current situation is?

I know that one of the problems was the Mid Hants not being able to provide LPG to fuel it and there was at one time a suggestion that it might be converted to diesel.

 

[Lrd]

There would be little point in increasing the frequency beyond that of the ferry.

I've only used it once or twice so wasn't sure how busy it gets, I was just thinking that if it uses a 4 car 450 on weekends, then it would be a pretty sharp drop in capacity.

 

[Eagle]

Too many through services to London to make that idea work.

Especially post-EWR, when there'll be at least an hourly Marylebone–Milton Keynes via Risborough.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Indeed. I think it's also almost a matter of pride for Aylesbury, they have a decent (if slow) connection to London but it's connections to the rest of Buckinghamshire are rather poor. I'd imagine a MKC - AYS - HWY service would be very much appreciated by the people in that area.

 

[anthony263]

Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Bay would be good along with a service along the re-opened Pontyclun - Beddau if it goes ahead.

The the case of the former this will release a dmu which can provide extra capacity elsehwere on the ATW network

 

[D1009]

I've only used it once or twice so wasn't sure how busy it gets, I was just thinking that if it uses a 4 car 450 on weekends, then it would be a pretty sharp drop in capacity.

In any case you couldn't increase the frequency without putting in a crossing loop, and even then imagine what it would be like if a ferry load of people arrived back from the island on a warm summer Saturday evening to find a PPM waiting. I think the Lymington branch is fine as it is.

 

[Goatboy]

The Lymington Branch? If they increase the frequency, I can't see it getting too overcrowded.

The Lymington branch needs a fleet of air conditioned regional express DMU's, obviously, so a PPM wouldnt be suitable

 

[tom1649]

The Lymington Branch? If they increase the frequency, I can't see it getting too overcrowded.

Would you therefore advocate the removal of the third rail? Or would you keep it for special occasions?

Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Bay would be good along with a service along the re-opened Pontyclun - Beddau if it goes ahead.

The the case of the former this will release a dmu which can provide extra capacity elsehwere on the ATW network

As I've said before, in the case of the Cardiff Bay shuttle there's not much point when the line is going to be electrified in a few years.

 

[306024]

Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Bay would be good.....

There were 30+ people on the 12.00 Queen St - Bay service the other Saturday, and it was wet and miserable. Perhaps not so good.

 

[Old Hill Bank]

The 139 is too small for Stourbridge at certain times of the day.
I've had to wait for the next one from the town when the local college kicks out in the afternoon, I would not wish one on any other line.

 

[Drsatan]

The Lymington branch would be suitable for PPM operation since it's largely self-contained. Between Brockenhurst and Lymington Junction there's a dedicated line for Lymington branch trains.

The only problem I can foresee is if lots of cyclists heading to or from the Isle of Wight turn up at Brockenhurst or Lymington Pier. Still, the problem exists with 158s operating the service.

 

[Crossover]

I've only used it once or twice so wasn't sure how busy it gets, I was just thinking that if it uses a 4 car 450 on weekends, then it would be a pretty sharp drop in capacity.

I have used it once on a weekday afternoon and it wasn't too busy - probably a dozen passengers each way. The issue would come from the lack of luggage space and such as well on a PPM - there just wouldn't be any. I can imagine the line being quite busy at certain times

 

[jopsuk]

The lines being suggested are all much, much longer than Stourbridge

 

[Helvellyn]

Parry do offer a bigger vehicle on their website, but it depends if any TOC wanted to operate it. The issue is, I suppose, that what are the costs/benefits of getting a Parry People Mover (likely x2 to allow a spare) versus maintaining a branch operation with a normal DMU/EMU.

The Lymington branch is an interesting one, as it's operated in isolation (i.e. no through trains) from the rest of the SWT network. Oxenholme-Windermere is another route that could go to that type of operation, but what would the complaints be like if that branch reverted to being an isolated operation versus part of the TPE network?

Maybe, if '73 stock ends up on the Island Line in a few years, the Lymington brach could be operated with a pair of those? Build a small maintenance shed at Brockenhurst, and have the staff from Ryde St John's come over to perform heavy repairs, etc, as and when necessary. Three units could operate the Lymington service - two to operate as a pair in the peaks/weekends or one on its own off-peak, plus a maintenance spare. A more ogical silution though would be to get the Salisbury-Redbridge/Romsey-Eastleigh routes electrified (not as far fetched as it may seem if a diversionary route for the "electric spine" between Basingstoke and Southampton is considered desirable), then let SWT acquire a small fleet of three-car EMUs for the Hampshire/Wilsthire local services (Lymington branch, Salisbury-Redbridge-Romsey, Southampton-Portsmouth, Basingstoke-Southampton/Portsmouth "additionals").

 

[PHILIPE]

I once saw a 150 rammed on the Bay on a Saturday when there was an event on in the Bay

 

[tsr]

Parry do offer a bigger vehicle on their website

For forum members' collective benefit, they can view the PDF at: http://www.parrypeoplemovers.com/pdf/PPM120INFO.pdf

 

[The Planner]

I thought Parry was going out of business? I'm sure HMRC are after substantial wodges of cash from them.

 

[Pumbaa]

Out for appeal at the moment.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Would you therefore advocate the removal of the third rail? Or would you keep it for special occasions?



As I've said before, in the case of the Cardiff Bay shuttle there's not much point when the line is going to be electrified in a few years.

In both cases, an electric powered version would be the more suitable solution, though it'd need to be a larger vehicle with more capacity. In the case of Butetown maybe 3-car articulated electric vehicle, kind-of a PPM-cum-tram-train would be ideal. Whether Parry will be in a position to provide such a vehicle is another question though.

 

[TheWalrus]

I always thought It would be good to have one on the Cornish branches and Swindon-Westbury. Also maybe the Severn Beach, Heart of Wales and Conwy Valley. Any thoughts?

 

[Bevan Price]

Parry do offer a bigger vehicle on their website, but it depends if any TOC wanted to operate it. The issue is, I suppose, that what are the costs/benefits of getting a Parry People Mover (likely x2 to allow a spare) versus maintaining a branch operation with a normal DMU/EMU.

The Lymington branch is an interesting one, as it's operated in isolation (i.e. no through trains) from the rest of the SWT network. Oxenholme-Windermere is another route that could go to that type of operation, but what would the complaints be like if that branch reverted to being an isolated operation versus part of the TPE network?

.

It might manage in the middle of winter, but a 139 would be much too small for some of the summer loads on the Windermere branch. More important, however, is that it is probably too slow to run one round trip per hour between Oxenholme & Windermere.

However, a 139 might be useful if they ever want to reinstate a regular interval service between Ellesmere Port & Helsby........

 

[anthony263]

I always thought It would be good to have one on the Cornish branches and Swindon-Westbury. Also maybe the Severn Beach, Heart of Wales and Conwy Valley. Any thoughts?

Certainly I hope you were joking a bit when you suggested the Swindon - Westbury line considering it will have to run between services operated by hst's.

The heart of wales line is too long so a Parry People Mover even a longer one would not be suitable

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Yoevil Jct to Town was mentioned before ......

 

[TheWalrus]

Certainly I hope you were joking a bit when you suggested the Swindon - Westbury line considering it will have to run between services operated by hst's.

The heart of wales line is too long so a Parry People Mover even a longer one would not be suitable

No but it'd have to be much better than a PPM 60, or turn around at Chippenham.

As for HOW again it would probably have to be something slightly better or different.

In both cases it would need to be something like a PPM but not like a current PPM.