Hang on...

What about where there is only an up and a down line - or worse, the
mainline goes to bi-directional single track. The Waterloo - Portsmouth and
Winchester/Eastleigh-Portsmouth services frequently wait outside Botley for
an up freight service. How can this be right?! Why don't Network Rail
reinstate the double track through the Fareham tunnels? Cost, I suppose.

As a comment, I have noticed that the new and improved SWT service from
Fareham-Southampton Central has increased from 20 mins to 25 mins in length,
with no additional stops! That's how SWT have increased punctuality. It
should be noted that Southern still haven't managed to get it right on the
same route!

"alan b" wrote in message
om...
Chris Tolley wrote in message
. ..
On 28 Feb 2005 10:33:10 -0800, alan b wrote:

As someone who drives freight trains, i'd assume that the 20 extra
minutes it now takes us when following a stopper between Woking and
Basingstoke is more than just coincidental....

Could you clarify - were you previously on the fast lines, or in front
of the stoppers?


You do not often see a freight on the fast. Signaller logic dictates
that a 75mph class 4 freight is slower than an all stations
stopper.For instance, a freight will frequently have to wait at say
Didcot for the stopping service to head off towards Reading.The
freight will then follow it all the way on the relief lines hence
taking three times longer. The gut wrencher is when you arrive at
Reading and realise that nothing has actually gone by you on the main!