Revised Virgin service at Milton Keynes

[bengolding]

Northbound is still the same, although the xx13s now continue to the North West via Birmingham with some now being a Voyager.

Southbound s, it's all change since the xx10 from Birmingham (no longer starts at Wolves) now stops at Milton Keynes whilst the xx30 stops at Watford. This means the 3 VT services per hour stop within just a 15 min timeframe heading for Euston: xx47 from Manchester, xx00 from the North West and xx03 from Chester. As I found today, the xx00 was delayed, causing the Voyager to be delayed as well.

With many MKC passengers opting for the cheaper VT tickers, the 45 min gap is rather poor timetabling. The xx48s from Liverpool now stop additionally at Crewe, increasing journey times for this and the xx29 behind from Manchester. Given Crewe now has 4 tph to Euston, wouldn't it have been better for Liverpools to stop at MKC instead of Crewe?
T

 

[MidnightFlyer]

If the Liverpool-Euston services stopped at Keynes, wouldn't the Manchester-Euston via Wilmslow service be right up its backside, in the Up at least? IIRC the Liverpools now calling at Crewe was something to do with pathing up around that way, but I'm not too sure.

 

[Drsatan]

If the Liverpool-Euston services stopped at Keynes, wouldn't the Manchester-Euston via Wilmslow service be right up its backside, in the Up at least? IIRC the Liverpools now calling at Crewe was something to do with pathing up around that way, but I'm not too sure.

Barry Doe reported in a recent edition of RAIL that Virgin decided to add a Crewe stop on the Liverpool services was due to overcrowding on Euston-Chester services.

 

[bengolding]

As the Liverpool also stops at Stafford, the xx55 from Manchester is already right behind it, as I found on Monday when my xx23 left Crewe a fre down causing the xx29 to be consequently delayed. The extra stop at Crewe means it now departs Stafford 7 mins later. In an ideal world, stopping at MKC or even Nuneaton for connections to the East Midlands would have been preferable.

 

[tractakid]

Barry Doe reported in a recent edition of RAIL that Virgin decided to add a Crewe stop on the Liverpool services was due to overcrowding on Euston-Chester services.

As they stop at MKC, I'm sure stopping the LIV trains at MKC would have had a similar effect.

 

[ValleyLines142]

What was the reason for the Liverpool to Euston services calling at Crewe? Admittedly it is handy but London Midland already have 2tph with their Liverpool to Birmingham service.

 

[kieron]

Barry Doe reported in a recent edition of RAIL that Virgin decided to add a Crewe stop on the Liverpool services was due to overcrowding on Euston-Chester services.

I'm sure it helps passengers on the northbound Chester train (as it would with one of the southbound Manchester trains). It also helps Virgin, as it gives them regular direct Crewe-Stafford and Liverpool-Crewe trains, something only London Midland had in the last timetable. And they have the "Virgin only" fares to go with them.

They wouldn't get that from a stop in Milton Keynes.

 

[tractakid]

The Virgin service between Crewe and Stafford just overtakes a service that it is scheduled to leave just after. It is also cheaper if using a Virgin Trains Only ticket.

That's gotta be bad news for London Midland.

Edit:

Just noticed, in the other direction none of the trains between the two stations are overtaken, even via Stoke! This is in contrast to the other direction where 2/4 trains are overtaken.