http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-ne...nk-of-closure/

I have to say (and I'm a big supporter of train transport normally) that there has to be a realistic number of passengers to justify keeping a station open. 5 passengers a day is ridiculous, and unless there are future development plans that will result in extra traffic I can't see a reason to keep the station open.

Regarding passenger services, his analysis showed that the least used 1,762 stations had annual total receipts of less than £2,500 each (£42.9 thousand as of 2012[7]), and that over half of the 4,300 stations open to passengers in 1960 had receipts of less than £10,000,[note 6] or alternatively, that the least used 50% of GB railway stations contributed only 2% of passenger revenues[note 7] and that one third of route miles carried just 1% of the passengers.[note 8]

By way of example, he noted that the line from Thetford to Swaffham carried a total of 5 trains each weekday in each direction, carrying an average of 9 passengers with only 10% of the costs of operating the line covered by fares; another example he used was the Gleneagles-Crief-Comrie line with had 10 trains a day and five passengers average earning only 25% of costs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beeching_cuts

some may have said The Beeching Report was the death knell of British Rail, (a British Institution like the NHS and inviolate) but its still there, albeit under different operating conditions.

the cost of maintaining, operating, staffing even such stations and not even breaking even puts a strain on the income from other places. If it means that passengers have to travel by other means to their nearest operational station, or use alternative transport entirely.

over time the travel patterns of people change, they travel in different directions, different times, and you cannot have a one size fits all offering.

The answer to the original question is YES

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On a previous job I used to travel from Nottingham to Coventry, and initially used a train service (before getting a car to do the journey). Unfortunately the train journey stopped at various small stations, and made the total journey unbearably long. Seemed to be fairly busy at peak times though. It didn't stop the route being cancelled, something to do with the Leicester-Coventry spur needing expenditure that couldn't be justified by passenger numbers.

if you take the time slowing down, stopped, getting back to operational speed then stopping at a station for a couple of people adds approx 5mins to the journey for every station.

so it isnt just a superfast train called HS2, its just fewer stops to acheive the same result of getting to Birmingham quicker - although most people seem to want to leave rather than go there.

If closures have to come due to financial restraints lets hope the facilities are mothballed rather than destroyed.
Look at the present trend in UK for private branch / holiday lines. Looking even further back what would the potential for leisure be like on canals today if many had not been destroyed or made impassable by road and rail development

So far as i know the plan is to eventually extend the high speed line to Manchester. A high speed line from Manchester to London makes sense, as it can take customers who use the air link. I may be wrong but I don't think business people bother flying to Birmingham from London.

Very good point. Problem comes if someone wants to buy the old station, but I suppose a buy-back contract could be introduced?

Thought the topic was spanish railways

Theone Jimenato mentioned was at least half full when we travelled on it.

but many volunteers make light work - or in the case of canals, water flow.

the problem is that leaving lines down gives the opportunity to metal thieves to make off with the main asset. taking them up and storing means additional cost in putting back to use. surely a no-win situation.

but the sad pictures of Barry Island make you shudder, and then being able to travel, albeit for limited distances on services like the Bluebell line and others sometimes make you think that it is worth while. Many private lines have had their most profitable period of the year with Santa Specials and Thomas the Tank Engine days.


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it is - but UK has been there, done that, and suffered (or not) whilst this is all new to Spain.
depite your disparaging remarks, at least here we have an experience that relates to the thread.

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Yes, it is often crowded but the crowds are usually going from Algeciras to Ronda and not using the stations in between. The line will remain in use and therefore maintained as it is the main freight and passenger line from Algeciras to Ronda/Cordoba/Madrid.

The service they are talking about closing is the slow train which shuttles up and down between Algeciras and Granada a few times every day. It stops at every station and, to be fair, there are sometimes not many passengers at each station.

Given that the track will still be in use for fast passenger and heavy freight, there will be no savings to be made there. The only savings will made from closing the small country stations and the slow rolling stock itself (which is only about a year old). Seems a great shame. There are whole communities built up around these stations.

And built by the British, I believe.
http://www.eportbic.com/Destinations...?ContentID=347

Whilst waiting at the old station San Roque- La Linea I used to walk around looking at the station equipment lots with Made in England cast into it. The new station built alongside is very bland in comparison.

Between Algeciras and Ronda there are eleven stations, all originally built to the same pattern. You would be forgiven for thinking that you had been transported to the set of The Railway Children at many of the single storey stations. An English station clock hangs beneath a fringed wooden canopy. Metal slatted seats stand outside the stationmasters office. Some have a weighbridge for goods set into the platform, made in England of course.

Indeed.

Around here otherwise busy trains stop by request only for a few passengers in some remote areas at what is virtually the equivalent of a bus stop.
No station, virtually no costs.
So why not elsewhere rather than take services away altogether ?