Terry Nunn- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,293
I read this yesterday in "Rail" magazine, it's by their resident timetable guru Barry Doe.
"Maidstone West has HS1 services to St Pancras International at 06.56, 07.26, 07.56 and 19.13, returning at 06.25, 17.14, 17.44 and 18.14 (tables 194 & 208).
What an indictment of High Speed! Here we have 140mph trains averaging 54mph end-to-end on a 43 mile journey, for which the poor users will be charged a premium. It's laughable.
Meanwhile SouthEastern has finally removed all catering from it's trains (table 212). It has carried on the proud Connex tradition and finally transformed this part of British Rail's splendid main line network into a service not even befitting a municipal tramway - and for this it has earned a franchise extension."
I just wonder how many will avail themselves of the Maidstone service, it will be interesting to see what the loading is.
As to catering it takes me back to the old days of the buffet cars. As an "experiment", BR took them off the busy Ramsgate - Victoria service where they were well patronised and moved them to off peak Charing Cross trains. They then said, in effect, "Oh look they're not economic" and scrapped them.
I rode the last one back from CX along with some other die-hards. It shouldn't have been the last one, there should have been another after, however, as was the norm although it was timetabled it was rarely staffed as that would have meant paying overtime.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,680
Terry news to me and the guys who work for Railgourmet that trolley services have been removed from ALL Southeastern services - they still seem to be present on the mainline trains out of Ramsgate via Dover
The On Board Managers on the HighSpeed service advised me that the Maidstone service has proved very popular in the first few weeks of service - perhaps because Southeastern removed all Charing Cross services???
The real problem down here is not of Southeastern's making (albeit their timetabling has not helped them) but is down to the huge lack of investment in the rail infrastructure over the last 50 years - there is only 1 set of points between Dover and Charing Cross rated at over 60mph thus automatically condemning travellers to a less than optimal journey.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Terry Nunn- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,293
Yes, I did wonder at that statement Ross which is why I left the parenthesis Table 212. That's the North Kent line. Ramsgate - CX is Table 207. Hence my comment about the past. History may be repeating itself.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Terry Nunn- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,293
As an afterthought. It wasn't Beeching that ruined the railways, it was the Iron Lady and those that followed.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Weird Granny Slater- Location: Dover
- Registered: 7 Jun 2017
- Posts: 2,839
I doubt there's much mileage in the Tory proposals:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51272817'Pass the cow dung, my dropsy's killing me' - Heraclitus
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,680
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Judith Roberts- Registered: 15 May 2012
- Posts: 633
Many of the old lines have been made into cycle ways, and leisure sites there would be objections to them becoming rail tracks again.
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,385
On a railway theme the EKR want to buy a Pacer. Something for the residents of Shepherdswell to look forward to
https://eastkentrailway.co.uk/can-you-help-us-raise-the-funds-required/Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
i wonder if they would reopen the Kearsney loop
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,385
Because of the weak road bridge up Crabble Hill the railway's been filled in underneath.
I would think you're the 1st person to suggest re-opening that bit of line in years.
Weird Granny Slater- Location: Dover
- Registered: 7 Jun 2017
- Posts: 2,839
I doubt there's enough money for a loop around your garden, BD.
'Pass the cow dung, my dropsy's killing me' - Heraclitus
Button- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 2,900
The only scenario I can see with the loop reinstated would be if the line to Folkestone was permanently severed, and even then I'm not convinced.
(Not my real name.)
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
wgs, all ready got one,