A few questions and comments about SWT workings in the Southampton area in the evenings.
Firstly, from the new timetable, the 159 diagram that provides additional services between Winchester and Southampton during the peak is now indicated as "standard class only". Why is this? To provide more seats I guess, given SWT are not going to lose anything because very few people use first on these services anyway? Or is there an intention to convert this working to a 456 at some stage (not in this timetable obviously)?
A related question - in the *morning* peak one of the Portsmouth-Fareham-Eastleigh-Waterloo services (0755) is shadowed just 10 minutes later by a Portsmouth-Basingstoke at 0805. I'm guessing the reason for this is that the 0755 is very busy, but there are insufficient electric units to strengthen it, so they run the 0805 as a relief using the same 159 which does the above evening workings.
Secondly, there is both a 2155 (semi-fast) and a 2200 (fast)service to London out of Southampton. While I'm not one for wanting to cancel services, is there actually a need for both of these? The former is formed from the 1915 Waterloo-Southampton via Havant, because the 1939 out of Waterloo (which would normally form it) is needed for the 2130 fast (see below). Could they not combine these into one train calling at Parkway, Eastleigh, Winchester, Basingstoke, Fleet, Farnborough, Woking, Clapham Junction, Waterloo? Given how lightly loaded the 2130 was last night (front 3 coaches completely empty) there doesn't seem to be a lot of call for all three of the Waterloo services that time of night.
Conversely though, I think it would be a good idea for the 2130 from Southampton to start back at Bournemouth - in the summer at least. I was almost caught out last night by a nasty trap when returning from Brockenhurst or Bournemouth: not only does XC and the slow cease that time of night (fair enough) but one of the two fasts out of Bournemouth does too, meaning that the 15-min frequency service out of Brockenhurst suddenly reduces to hourly, meaning you're a bit screwed if you miss the 2045. Said train was well loaded with people returning from Bournemouth so I'd imagine in the summer, at least, the 2130 could start back from Bournemouth calling at Brockenhurst and providing a connection out of a Lymington train which otherwise has no connection at all (was caught out by this last year!) The timetable suggests plenty of 444s should be available in the Bournemouth area from slow portions of peak hour trains.
I'm guessing there is a good reason why things are as they are, relating to driver and stock diagramming?
Firstly, from the new timetable, the 159 diagram that provides additional services between Winchester and Southampton during the peak is now indicated as "standard class only". Why is this? To provide more seats I guess, given SWT are not going to lose anything because very few people use first on these services anyway? Or is there an intention to convert this working to a 456 at some stage (not in this timetable obviously)?
A related question - in the *morning* peak one of the Portsmouth-Fareham-Eastleigh-Waterloo services (0755) is shadowed just 10 minutes later by a Portsmouth-Basingstoke at 0805. I'm guessing the reason for this is that the 0755 is very busy, but there are insufficient electric units to strengthen it, so they run the 0805 as a relief using the same 159 which does the above evening workings.
Secondly, there is both a 2155 (semi-fast) and a 2200 (fast)service to London out of Southampton. While I'm not one for wanting to cancel services, is there actually a need for both of these? The former is formed from the 1915 Waterloo-Southampton via Havant, because the 1939 out of Waterloo (which would normally form it) is needed for the 2130 fast (see below). Could they not combine these into one train calling at Parkway, Eastleigh, Winchester, Basingstoke, Fleet, Farnborough, Woking, Clapham Junction, Waterloo? Given how lightly loaded the 2130 was last night (front 3 coaches completely empty) there doesn't seem to be a lot of call for all three of the Waterloo services that time of night.
Conversely though, I think it would be a good idea for the 2130 from Southampton to start back at Bournemouth - in the summer at least. I was almost caught out last night by a nasty trap when returning from Brockenhurst or Bournemouth: not only does XC and the slow cease that time of night (fair enough) but one of the two fasts out of Bournemouth does too, meaning that the 15-min frequency service out of Brockenhurst suddenly reduces to hourly, meaning you're a bit screwed if you miss the 2045. Said train was well loaded with people returning from Bournemouth so I'd imagine in the summer, at least, the 2130 could start back from Bournemouth calling at Brockenhurst and providing a connection out of a Lymington train which otherwise has no connection at all (was caught out by this last year!) The timetable suggests plenty of 444s should be available in the Bournemouth area from slow portions of peak hour trains.
I'm guessing there is a good reason why things are as they are, relating to driver and stock diagramming?
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I'll fix it to make sense...