General Discussion
In case anyone is thinking 'what's is in it for Dawlish?' the answer is simple. Quite apart from faster trains generally, if they lose less times at stops then it is easier to justify more semi-fast services and that means more direct trains for Dawlish. Of course you may need that old kernel of a DALine to get electrification past the sea wall and a 'Dawlish West' station on the route.
The bottom line is the unsuitability of the rolling stock, and not just that it is old. Mind you, the last two times I managed to catch an HST to Cornwall a widget dropped off the 'Cornish Riviera' at Exeter and we waited some 25mins to replace it. Then on the return journey there was a loud bang as we passed through Dawlish (pure coincidence I assure you) as a connecting door fell clean off ...
@leatash - i understand your point but its a whole lot worse off than say totnes and yet should be nearly half an hour better off.
In fact, going back to my original point has anyone in the history of Dawlish ever managed to catch a direct train to or from London scheduled at only 2.36hr, as per the lucky dignitaries on Friday? I bet not. - Funny how well things can be done when there's a will to do so!!
Ah, the old conundrum of 'everyone wants the station but nobody wants to see trains pass them by'. Technically, if the Cornish Riviera stopped at Dawlish it would put Dawlish at only 2.15hr from London!!! compared with an average journey time of 3.05hr. Nevertheless, if the current connection wait time at St Davids when getting off the Riviera of 22mins (i.e. 12.08/12.30) was shortened to say ...
...and to 'put a fiver on it' I would guess they will return on the 14.46 from Dawlish, which as I am sure you all know already is the one and only direct fast train (2.38hr) either way as a regular scheduled service. p.s. The real reason that this is a fast train is to compensate mid-day Cornish travellers for having to suffer a diddly stopper all the way from Penzance to Newton A. before ...
Makes sense for them to be on the first train from London in months. However, this special 'extra stop' just for their convenience gives the 'decision makers' the view that Dawlish is better served by direct London Trains than it usually is!! Normal direct service is 3.10hr just twice daily (i.e. 10.00 and 17.33 from Paddington). Their one off 'special extra stop benefit train' is ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DU7wiwGbrIc
This incident at Paignton today probably hasn't helped improve things either
Maybe that explains all the questions about poor TV reception
