Sudbury to Walton?

[HST43257]

Apologies if this has come up before - please redirect me if so.

I’m wondering if there’d be any reason/need/benefit for a through service from Sudbury to Walton-on-the-Naze. With bi-modes, there is no electric/diesel issue. I believe there are many Class 755s not running every day so sets are going spare I imagine.

The timings of the existing services work perfectly with eachother I’d say - those below but connected are the existing timings:

Sudbury dep 10:26
Marks Tey dep 10:46
Colchester dep 10:56
Walton arr 11:49

Walton dep 12:00
Colchester dep 12:53
Marks Tey dep 13:01
Sudbury arr 13:21


It does mean turnarounds are tight for a journey involving a mainline but I reckon it’s possible. Unfortunately, there’s also the complication in some hours of freights but I reckon these can JUST be fitted around.

Any thoughts would be appreciated

 

[Bald Rick]

How does it work around the new GEML timetable from December, when all the timings change?

 

[PeterC]

If you must run through services from Sudbury onto the GEML then surely, from a purely business point of view, the best destination would be Colchester Town.

Operationally keeping the unit on the branch is probably the best option.

 

[HST43257]

If you must run through services from Sudbury onto the GEML then surely, from a purely business point of view, the best destination would be Colchester Town.

Well the timings work with the Walton service, unless you moved the Sudbury service to 20 mins later.

How does it work around the new GEML timetable from December, when all the timings change?

Absolutely no idea, but I’d hope there’s some way to find a path, even if it meant a slightly slower journey.

 

[Bald Rick]

Let’s ask another question, to which there is no easy answer.

A service is 20 minutes late off the branch - any reason. The next service due on to the branch is on time. What happens next?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Let’s ask another question, to which there is no easy answer.

A service is 20 minutes late off the branch - any reason. The next service due on to the branch is on time. What happens next?

Presume the (electrified) Up Passenger Loop approaching Marks Tey from the Colchester direction couldn't be used to hold the incoming on time train?

 

[Bald Rick]

Presume the (electrified) Up Passenger Loop approaching Marks Tey from the Colchester direction couldn't be used to hold the incoming on time train?

Embarrassed to say I forgot about that.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Embarrassed to say I forgot about that.

Maybe there was an easy answer!

As this is a speculative idea, it would certainly be interesting to ascertain if there was sufficient pathing flexibility to allow units to/from the Sudbury line to access the five mile section of the GA mainline to/from Colchester (North) on a frequent (maybe hourly?) basis.

 

[Bald Rick]

Maybe there was an easy answer!

As this is a speculative idea, it would certainly be interesting to ascertain if there was sufficient pathing flexibility to allow units to/from the Sudbury line to access the five mile section of the GA mainline to/from Colchester (North) on a frequent (maybe hourly?) basis.

Well it would have to hourly - there’s not capacity on the branch for more.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Well it would have to hourly - there’s not capacity on the branch for more.

Inclined to agree, although the "peak" morning service on the Sudbury branch is (currently) slightly more frequent than hourly, operating at approximately 48 minute intervals. (Is this achieved by skip-stopping?)

 

[Bald Rick]

Inclined to agree, although the "peak" morning service on the Sudbury branch is (currently) slightly more frequent than hourly, operating at approximately 48 minute intervals. (Is this achieved by skip-stopping?)

It’s hourly at the timetables I’m looking at (all timetables from now to December)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Noted what you say. Was working off this....

https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/sites/default/files/assets/download_ct/20201117/hmWnkquEZGtGMEOfPDuYc84ZQ-k6x5b2lrHlfE8VRtk/ga2012_tt3.pdf

(Link to Sudbury- Marks Tey timetable)

 

[Bald Rick]

Noted what you say. Was working off this....

https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/sites/default/files/assets/download_ct/20201117/hmWnkquEZGtGMEOfPDuYc84ZQ-k6x5b2lrHlfE8VRtk/ga2012_tt3.pdf

(Link to Sudbury- Marks Tey timetable)

Ah, well the December 2020 timetable hasn’t seen the light of day for a while, and probably won’t again.

But you answered your own question - it wasn’t skip stops but shorter turnarounds.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

But you answered your own question - it wasn’t skip stops but shorter turnarounds.

Looks like the 0736 (Mon-Fri) from Marks Tey to Sudbury was scheduled to skip stop the intermediate stations.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Sounds a performance nightmare!

 

[Class 170101]

Good luck getting the level crossing risk assessment for Marks Tey accepted as is.

 

[Alfie1014]

How does it work around the new GEML timetable from December, when all the timings change?

Who knows, no details except the very minimalist high level summary have been ‘shared’ publically. But as the franchise commitment to run though services from Sudbury to Colchester Town has been dropped, quite rightly on performance grounds I don’t think there’s any chance of any regular through workings in the future. One consequence of the abandonment of through services from Sudbury on a Sunday means that Colchester Town continues without any services at all on that day.