Dawlish News
@Margaret - Signalling problems can affect trains over a very wide area, far beyond their epi-centre. In future, it is possible that problems as far as Cornwall could be blamed on issues at DIDCOT!!! When current modernisation is complete that is where the nearest signal box will be (preservation lines excepted).
Oh that is depressing, are we subscribing to a reality where the Beeching theory remains alive and well that 'duplicate lines' should be discontinued ..... so best not tempt fate ..... To clarify, the economics of maintaining a sole line through Dawlish rest not on it being ring fenced as 'the route' to Plymouth, but on it being one fit for the 21st century, robust to climate ...
Apart from playing 'Queen Canute' what is your solution JC? Carry on 'as is' and stiffle the economy of the SW? My only wish is to have a robust line capable of being electrified. Am perfectly happy to see that happen through a very serious upgrade of the wall.
Ref. the Frome debate - There is a particular irony to all the heated comments on this one. The history of Frome's current topology is that in 1933 a by-pass route was constructed by the GWR enabling through traffic to speed up by avoiding Frome Station. The Frome loop then being reduced by Beeching to a meagre single track in the 1960s. Despite its 26000 populaton Frome is now left with ...
Please note that as a matter of fact Plymouth station is the highest revenue earner west of Dawlish and is the highest inland revenue raiser. QED you probably would have lost your line years ago without them. And you certainly wouldn't have got it re-built in double quick time last spring.
Wondering makes a very good point about capacity on the Dawlish line. Not only do stopping trains get delayed by expresses but this also happens vica versa. Both lines are needed to truely solve capacity issues. Dawlish could then also have a more regular and reliable service, ditto Torby. (N.B. The new line would alway carry the expresses.) Both lines is best but if unaffordable (it was ...
To Plymouth 30minutes less, but even more importantly, reliably so. Plus quite possibly an hour off Penzance. Again, not 'moving the line' but an additional line. If properly defending the existing line can be done at a fraction of the cost then good, no probems with that. An additional line only saves 5mins so not bothered, as the real time saving to Plymouth (not forgetting Cornwall) is ...
And there you have it, 'the Plymouth Mob'. Beggar thy neighbour. Here we go again united you stand, divided you fall, and no proper solution will ever happen that way . I am not talking about or backing silly press reporting. I am taking a strategic long term view for the region as a whole. With infighting between regions and towns it is no wonder you still have a 'mainline' between Exeter ...
So we are 'painting the roses red' again and the winter weather has only just started. Can we please stop playing beggar thy neighbour. The plain fact of the matter is that short of building up the beach with enough defences to push the shoreline well away from the wall this line is not fit for purpose as a 21st century mainline, nor is it able to be electrified. Please also note my careful ...
A promising sign. However, for the sake of the west country as a whole, it would be helpful if other threads didn't keep beggaring one town against another with phrases like, 'the Plymouth mob'. There is a fantastic window of opportunity to get some game changing improvements to Devon and Cornwall transport links. Just go for it TOGETHER before the waters close over after the election and ...
