Would the same principle be applicable for say the Southwest Mainline where the journey time has progressively lengthened as stops have been added since the 1980s to the point it now takes 30mins longer to travel from Bournemouth/Weymouth than historically?
Yes definitely! It works on long-distance trains. The Japanese use passing loops on the Shinkansen. They run (I think) 12tph fast Tokyo – Osaka, 2 tph semifast, and 2tph stopping, with most of the intermediate stations having passing loops.
The SWML only has two tracks south of Basingstoke which is a real problem. iirc there is some overtaking done at Brockenhurst (which like Retford is one of the very few stations set up for this manoeuvre). More passing loops would help.
I wasn’t aware that journey times had been lengthened so much: I’ll have to dig around in old timetables to see if I can work out what’s been going on.
I can concur, that’s also how the Odakyu line works. Another point that’s often missed is that the railway company really makes its money from the real estate surrounding the stations - department stores, shops, hotels, restaurants etc. They have to run a reliable train service to get access to the real money making opportunities.
Would the same principle be applicable for say the Southwest Mainline where the journey time has progressively lengthened as stops have been added since the 1980s to the point it now takes 30mins longer to travel from Bournemouth/Weymouth than historically?
Yes definitely! It works on long-distance trains. The Japanese use passing loops on the Shinkansen. They run (I think) 12tph fast Tokyo – Osaka, 2 tph semifast, and 2tph stopping, with most of the intermediate stations having passing loops.
The SWML only has two tracks south of Basingstoke which is a real problem. iirc there is some overtaking done at Brockenhurst (which like Retford is one of the very few stations set up for this manoeuvre). More passing loops would help.
I wasn’t aware that journey times had been lengthened so much: I’ll have to dig around in old timetables to see if I can work out what’s been going on.
The best answer I had was that it was a consequence of everyone wanting a direct service to London plus new stations like Southampton Parkway
“Only six commuter lines in Japan have four tracks”
This hasn’t been true for quite a while. Key sections of the Odakyu Odawara Line and the Tobu Sky Tree (Isesaki) Line are now four-tracked (複々線).
I can concur, that’s also how the Odakyu line works. Another point that’s often missed is that the railway company really makes its money from the real estate surrounding the stations - department stores, shops, hotels, restaurants etc. They have to run a reliable train service to get access to the real money making opportunities.