Mid Hants Parry People Mover

The reason is given in the video description


Keith

 

OK, so not the incline then - that would have been very embarrassing, resignations territory!

 

Oh dear - introduction of the service has been delayed until at least January 31st

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/News/Latest/View/377

 

Dunno , but they have been working on it all day today.

Lynton amd Barnstaple officials are involved.

CW

 

Not the greatest surprise for anyone aware of previous PPM trials on heritage lines, but the service has been called off until futher notice....

 

The video has been removed by the user?

 

Isn't there a bus service between Arlsford and Alton?

Regards

 

Yes, the X64 Winchester-Alton service operated by Stagecoach.

 

You are correct that there is a bus "service" between Alresford & Alton which picks up at Four Marks.
BUT the 1st bus out of Alresford is the 06.39 which gets to Alton railway station @ 7.07 (intime to connect with the 7.14 SWT service) but then then next bus doesn't arrive @ Alton until 8.22, hardly convenient for commuters.
In theory the GOCO Midhants Link would provide a connecting service to 5 x SWT services between 6.44 & 8.44.
Contrary to previously stated it would NOT be necessary to open the signal box @ Alton as this section is equiped for auto working and would only need intervention @ Medstead & Four Marks to enable the unit to exit the siding and obtain the token for the Medstead - Alton section.
However it remains to be seen if the technical difficulties with the unit can be resolved.

 

Problem with the viability of this adventure..

the bus company could just add another bus...?, and if there was demand..wouldnt they have already done this ?

Maybe I'm missing something...does Medstead have a sizeable population ?

Dont get me wrong I'd love to see commuter services.. but an unused or an expensive solution then it's missing a point ?
I could probably see viability in a service from Alton, calling all stations.. but from a couple miles over a hill where most people would have to purposely drive to and park up at, take a bus or train is an either/or scenario with same inconvienience of mode change ?.. which one is the cheaper solution to run as is ?

 

Not quite as easy as it sounds as the X64 route starts in Winchester and goes thro to Alton where it becomes the X65 and then continues thro Farnham and onto Guildford. In order to provide a connecting service with the 30min SWT frequency would require probably 4 extra buses (and drivers), But it's an idea, certainly Four Marks to Alton and back could be done with one coach, but I doubt a single bus/coach could keep to a 30 minute connecting schedule.
As for demand I think that the GOCO idea is to create this by providing a quick and easy service straight from station to station and try to remove some of the parking / traffic issues around Alton.

Medstead & Four Marks have a population in the order of 7500.
Situation is that Medstead is on the north side of the railway with Four Marks on the south side which does cause some confusion as there is a there is a Station Approach in Medstead and another in Four Marks, seperated by the railway itself

 

I think the intent was to encourage as many as possible to walk to the station. Unusually for a country station it is right in the middle of the F4M conurbation and probably 50% of the population is 10mins or less walking time away. Parking for commuters is a big issue and expense in Alton, and the access to the station won't be improved if the proposed supermarket is built on the station industrial estate.

 

According to the latest GOCO/GO-OP newsletter the MHR have rejected further use of a Parry People Mover, presumably after what happened with the last trial, though they have indicated "that the use of a Pacer 141 may be acceptable"...

Chris

 

I think the demise of the Parry People Mover before its trial started proves that Over the Alps isnt just a toy railway as many may think as there are far better locomotives than the people mover that have found to be wanting whist working the line ! .
The Mid Hants did the right thing to say No.. Lets see what happens with the new idea. The last Leyland Nationals to run through Medstead and Four Marks in regular service were a fair few years ago so bouncy bendy bus trains will seem a step back to those days lol !

 

Those who have experienced these vehicles elsewhere all seem to regard them with a resounding Huh!

 

Surely it would be far better to use the class 127 which has just arrived at Alresford? There can't be a big cost difference in the amount of fuel used between the two units?

 

Rather than use a Pacer class141, i would have thought a class153 would be better, however they are all to my knowledge currently in service, so obtaining one would be difficult, if not impossible.

 

It's like a nightmare, arriving at a Preserved Railway and a Nodding Donkey turns up...

Anyone from the West Country or up north will tell you how bad 14X's are on jointed track, what exactly is wrong with 1st Gen DMU's ?, just because they no longer perform on the National Network doesn't mean they are not highly suited to such a role.

 

Be fun in leaf fall season!

 

In prinicple it might be possible, but the 127 hasn't entered service yet and needs some work done before it can be used for passengers
and quite a lot more before it would be able to be a daily runner. For least hassle to railway better that GoCo bring their own rolling stock solution, which could be anything sensible (i.e. not a PPM).