adrock1976
Established Member
As mentioned recently in the LNWR May 2019 timetable thread, I have had a go at creating what a post HS2 timetable could look like along the conventional network, which was no mean feat in itself due to the various complexities. I have attached the spreadsheet below.
For the traditional Intercity trains, I had as a starting point the Birmingham departures being at xx15 and xx45, as that was how it used to be (from Birmingham NS at least). I have used 110mph timings as I do not anticipate any new tilting trains post HS2, nor any "Baby Pendolino" projects hence I have assumed fixed formation trains with no coupling/uncoupling (which also goes for Regional and Local trains too). I have based this on the following assumptions:
1) The present day Glasgow Central via the ex Trent Valley Railway that runs non-stop to Warrington Bank Quay has been transferred to HS2, running non stop between London and Preston.
2) The present day Glasgow Central/Edinburgh Waverley via Birmingham has been retained, and a Birmingham New Street terminator continues to Shrewsbury (assuming wires are up being as the local service has been doubled in frequency, and to reduce as many diesel trains as possible at Birmingham). The London - Birmingham frequency is reduced from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes, and will call at Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Coventry, Birmingham International, New Street, Sandwell & Dudley, and Wolverhampton before continuing towards Shrewsbury or Scotland via Preston.
3) Liverpool still retains its 60 minute frequency, calling at Milton Keynes Central and Nuneaton as well as the present day stops of Stafford, Crewe, and Runcorn.
4) Manchester's frequency is reduced from every 20 minutes to every 60 minutes, as HS2 can be used for end to end journeys. Trains will call at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield, Stockport, and Manchester Piccadilly. It is anticipated that Northern will be doubling the frequency of the Manchester - Stoke trains from the present day 60 minute frequency.
5) Chester still retains its 60 minute frequency, calling at Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Stafford, Crewe, and Chester. Trains could continue every 2 hours to Holyhead, calling at Llandudno Junction, Bangor (Gwynedd), and Holyhead.
6) Preston still retains its links south along the conventional network with a London - Blackpool train every 60 minutes, calling at Rugby, Stafford, Crewe, Hartford, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Preston, Kirkham & Wesham, Poulton le Fylde, and Blackpool North. In combination with the via Birmingham - Scotland trains, this doubles the frequency between Crewe and Preston.
For the regional services, I have based the frequencies and service patterns below, with all of the Intercity trains calling at Milton Keynes Central:
1) London - Birmingham New Street via Northampton every 30 minutes, calling Watford Junction, Leighton Buzzard*, Bletchley, Milton Keynes Central, Wolverton, Northampton, Long Buckby, Rugby, Coventry, Birmingham International, and New Street. Trains will switch to the Slow Lines at Hanslope Junction. Also, Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted will no longer have direct trains to Coventry, Birmingham International, and Birmingham New Street.
2) London - Crewe via Nuneaton every 30 minutes, calling Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Nuneaton, Atherstone, Polesworth**, Tamworth, Lichfield Trent Valley, Rugeley Trent Valley, Stafford, and Crewe.
3) Birmingham New Street - Liverpool Lime Street every 60 minutes calling Smethwick Galton Bridge, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Crewe, Winford, Hartford, Acton Bridge, Runcorn, Liverpool South Parkway, and Liverpool Lime Street. Although frequency reduced, this is compensated by a short local Crewe - Liverpool, and the Manchester - Bournemouth Cross-country being switched to Liverpool (I have based this on the assumption that Manchester, Stockport, Macclesfield, and Stoke-on-Trent still have direct Intercity links with Oxford and Reading via the East West Railway). Liverpool and Runcorn still retains 2 direct trains each hour to Stafford, Wolverhampton, and Birmingham.
4) Birmingham New Street - Chester via Shrewsbury and Wrexham General every 60 minutes, calling Smethwick Galton Bridge, Wolverhampton, Telford Central, Wellington Telford West, Shrewsbury, and stations to Chester via Wrexham. Although operated on behalf of the Welsh Government, it is assumed that the Aberystwyth and Pwllheli - Birmingham International trains can be curtailed at Shrewsbury as there is the London Intercity every 60 minutes. Both the London - Shrewsbury Intercity and the Birmingham - Chester via Wrexham both combined gives a frequency of 2 trains each hour broadly 30 minutes apart between Birmingham and Shrewsbury.
5) Although shown for illustrative purposes only, I have anticipated that the present day Newcastle Central - Reading/Southampton Cross-country will be rerouted via Coventry vice Solihull. I have also switched the Manchester - Bournemouth to Liverpool Lime Street, as I have anticipated that Manchester, Stockport, Macclesfield, and Stoke will still retain direct Intercity links to Oxford and Reading via the East West Railway. Manchester, Stockport, Macclesfield, and Stoke will still retain their direct Intercity links to Exeter via Birmingham.
The local trains for the Slow Lines between London and Hanslope Junction were based on the northbound xx08/09 departures at Wembley Central as a starting point, as these originate from East Croydon via Kensington Olympia and I did not fancy revising timetables for everything that passes or calls at Clapham Junction. The service pattern and frequency is outlined below, as well as for local trains in the West Midlands:
1) The East Croydon - Milton Keynes Central is increased from every 60 minutes to every 30 minutes, and is extended to Rugby via Northampton (I believe there is a London facing bay platform at Rugby). This will call all stations except Kings Langley and Apsley. In combination with the London - Birmingham via Northampton Regional, this provides a frequency of every 15 minutes between Leighton Buzzard and Rugby via Northampton.
2) London - Tring is doubled in frequency from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes, calling all stations including Queens Park (London). Maybe a contender to feature in one of the various London Crossrail projects in future?
3) Coventry - Crewe via Birmingham New Street and the Stoke-on-Trent dogleg, calling all stations (alternating between Barlaston and Wedgwood, assuming both have actual trains calling). There are layovers at Birmingham International and Wolverhampton so as to allow the ex London Intercity and the Intercity Cross-country to overtake. As it is anticipated that the Derby - Crewe frequency may be doubled, this would mean that there would be a train broadly every 15 minutes between Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe, with the single track section between Alsager and Crewe causing problems.
4) Crewe - Liverpool Lime Street every 60 minutes calling all stations. This means that both Hartford and Liverpool South Parkway retains its 2 trains per hour frequency to Runcorn and Lime Street (Hartford), and Crewe (Liverpool South Parkway). It was the only way I could get it to work, hence the 10 minute layover at Crewe on the Birmingham - Liverpool Regional.
5) Birmingham New Street - Shrewsbury every 30 minutes, calling Smethwick Galton Bridge, Wolverhampton, and all stations to Shrewsbury. When combined with the London - Shrewsbury Intercity and the Birmingham - Chester via Wrexham, this provides 4 trains each hour between Birmingham and Shrewsbury.
On a final point, I do admit that I have had various frustrations along the way, which I can understand what the timetable planners are faced with even though they have the professional software to design timetables as in contrast with me having a spreadsheet and using the timings from websites such as Real Time Trains. Also, knowing me, I may have been far too ambitious here regarding service patterns and frequencies. There have also been times that I have thought whether the Glasgow/Edinburgh via Birmingham and Preston would be better with Cross-country, if having Liverpool - Bournemouth switching from Manchester, i felt that I would upset Stokies if the Exeter was switched from Manchester to Scotland.
If anybody fancies having a go at designing a possible post HS2 timetable and can do it slightly better than I have done, feel free to do so. I have only managed to do the northbound direction so far, but will do the southbound direction at some point in the near future.
* Whenever I used to hear Leighton Buzzard being announced at Birmingham back in the late 1980s/early 90s, I used to conjure up in my mind it must be one of these exotic and whimsical places for ornithologists. Then I found out that Leighton Buzzard is famous for where the band Kajagoogoo were from, who are known for scoring a Number 1 in 1983 with "Too Shy" and following up with another Top 40 single "Big Apple". They have done not much else or as big since then.
** Polesworth is shown for illustrative purposes. I do not anticipate a train calling every 30 minutes initially, but access to the London platform needs to be sorted.
For the traditional Intercity trains, I had as a starting point the Birmingham departures being at xx15 and xx45, as that was how it used to be (from Birmingham NS at least). I have used 110mph timings as I do not anticipate any new tilting trains post HS2, nor any "Baby Pendolino" projects hence I have assumed fixed formation trains with no coupling/uncoupling (which also goes for Regional and Local trains too). I have based this on the following assumptions:
1) The present day Glasgow Central via the ex Trent Valley Railway that runs non-stop to Warrington Bank Quay has been transferred to HS2, running non stop between London and Preston.
2) The present day Glasgow Central/Edinburgh Waverley via Birmingham has been retained, and a Birmingham New Street terminator continues to Shrewsbury (assuming wires are up being as the local service has been doubled in frequency, and to reduce as many diesel trains as possible at Birmingham). The London - Birmingham frequency is reduced from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes, and will call at Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Coventry, Birmingham International, New Street, Sandwell & Dudley, and Wolverhampton before continuing towards Shrewsbury or Scotland via Preston.
3) Liverpool still retains its 60 minute frequency, calling at Milton Keynes Central and Nuneaton as well as the present day stops of Stafford, Crewe, and Runcorn.
4) Manchester's frequency is reduced from every 20 minutes to every 60 minutes, as HS2 can be used for end to end journeys. Trains will call at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield, Stockport, and Manchester Piccadilly. It is anticipated that Northern will be doubling the frequency of the Manchester - Stoke trains from the present day 60 minute frequency.
5) Chester still retains its 60 minute frequency, calling at Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Stafford, Crewe, and Chester. Trains could continue every 2 hours to Holyhead, calling at Llandudno Junction, Bangor (Gwynedd), and Holyhead.
6) Preston still retains its links south along the conventional network with a London - Blackpool train every 60 minutes, calling at Rugby, Stafford, Crewe, Hartford, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Preston, Kirkham & Wesham, Poulton le Fylde, and Blackpool North. In combination with the via Birmingham - Scotland trains, this doubles the frequency between Crewe and Preston.
For the regional services, I have based the frequencies and service patterns below, with all of the Intercity trains calling at Milton Keynes Central:
1) London - Birmingham New Street via Northampton every 30 minutes, calling Watford Junction, Leighton Buzzard*, Bletchley, Milton Keynes Central, Wolverton, Northampton, Long Buckby, Rugby, Coventry, Birmingham International, and New Street. Trains will switch to the Slow Lines at Hanslope Junction. Also, Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted will no longer have direct trains to Coventry, Birmingham International, and Birmingham New Street.
2) London - Crewe via Nuneaton every 30 minutes, calling Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Nuneaton, Atherstone, Polesworth**, Tamworth, Lichfield Trent Valley, Rugeley Trent Valley, Stafford, and Crewe.
3) Birmingham New Street - Liverpool Lime Street every 60 minutes calling Smethwick Galton Bridge, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Crewe, Winford, Hartford, Acton Bridge, Runcorn, Liverpool South Parkway, and Liverpool Lime Street. Although frequency reduced, this is compensated by a short local Crewe - Liverpool, and the Manchester - Bournemouth Cross-country being switched to Liverpool (I have based this on the assumption that Manchester, Stockport, Macclesfield, and Stoke-on-Trent still have direct Intercity links with Oxford and Reading via the East West Railway). Liverpool and Runcorn still retains 2 direct trains each hour to Stafford, Wolverhampton, and Birmingham.
4) Birmingham New Street - Chester via Shrewsbury and Wrexham General every 60 minutes, calling Smethwick Galton Bridge, Wolverhampton, Telford Central, Wellington Telford West, Shrewsbury, and stations to Chester via Wrexham. Although operated on behalf of the Welsh Government, it is assumed that the Aberystwyth and Pwllheli - Birmingham International trains can be curtailed at Shrewsbury as there is the London Intercity every 60 minutes. Both the London - Shrewsbury Intercity and the Birmingham - Chester via Wrexham both combined gives a frequency of 2 trains each hour broadly 30 minutes apart between Birmingham and Shrewsbury.
5) Although shown for illustrative purposes only, I have anticipated that the present day Newcastle Central - Reading/Southampton Cross-country will be rerouted via Coventry vice Solihull. I have also switched the Manchester - Bournemouth to Liverpool Lime Street, as I have anticipated that Manchester, Stockport, Macclesfield, and Stoke will still retain direct Intercity links to Oxford and Reading via the East West Railway. Manchester, Stockport, Macclesfield, and Stoke will still retain their direct Intercity links to Exeter via Birmingham.
The local trains for the Slow Lines between London and Hanslope Junction were based on the northbound xx08/09 departures at Wembley Central as a starting point, as these originate from East Croydon via Kensington Olympia and I did not fancy revising timetables for everything that passes or calls at Clapham Junction. The service pattern and frequency is outlined below, as well as for local trains in the West Midlands:
1) The East Croydon - Milton Keynes Central is increased from every 60 minutes to every 30 minutes, and is extended to Rugby via Northampton (I believe there is a London facing bay platform at Rugby). This will call all stations except Kings Langley and Apsley. In combination with the London - Birmingham via Northampton Regional, this provides a frequency of every 15 minutes between Leighton Buzzard and Rugby via Northampton.
2) London - Tring is doubled in frequency from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes, calling all stations including Queens Park (London). Maybe a contender to feature in one of the various London Crossrail projects in future?
3) Coventry - Crewe via Birmingham New Street and the Stoke-on-Trent dogleg, calling all stations (alternating between Barlaston and Wedgwood, assuming both have actual trains calling). There are layovers at Birmingham International and Wolverhampton so as to allow the ex London Intercity and the Intercity Cross-country to overtake. As it is anticipated that the Derby - Crewe frequency may be doubled, this would mean that there would be a train broadly every 15 minutes between Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe, with the single track section between Alsager and Crewe causing problems.
4) Crewe - Liverpool Lime Street every 60 minutes calling all stations. This means that both Hartford and Liverpool South Parkway retains its 2 trains per hour frequency to Runcorn and Lime Street (Hartford), and Crewe (Liverpool South Parkway). It was the only way I could get it to work, hence the 10 minute layover at Crewe on the Birmingham - Liverpool Regional.
5) Birmingham New Street - Shrewsbury every 30 minutes, calling Smethwick Galton Bridge, Wolverhampton, and all stations to Shrewsbury. When combined with the London - Shrewsbury Intercity and the Birmingham - Chester via Wrexham, this provides 4 trains each hour between Birmingham and Shrewsbury.
On a final point, I do admit that I have had various frustrations along the way, which I can understand what the timetable planners are faced with even though they have the professional software to design timetables as in contrast with me having a spreadsheet and using the timings from websites such as Real Time Trains. Also, knowing me, I may have been far too ambitious here regarding service patterns and frequencies. There have also been times that I have thought whether the Glasgow/Edinburgh via Birmingham and Preston would be better with Cross-country, if having Liverpool - Bournemouth switching from Manchester, i felt that I would upset Stokies if the Exeter was switched from Manchester to Scotland.
If anybody fancies having a go at designing a possible post HS2 timetable and can do it slightly better than I have done, feel free to do so. I have only managed to do the northbound direction so far, but will do the southbound direction at some point in the near future.
* Whenever I used to hear Leighton Buzzard being announced at Birmingham back in the late 1980s/early 90s, I used to conjure up in my mind it must be one of these exotic and whimsical places for ornithologists. Then I found out that Leighton Buzzard is famous for where the band Kajagoogoo were from, who are known for scoring a Number 1 in 1983 with "Too Shy" and following up with another Top 40 single "Big Apple". They have done not much else or as big since then.
** Polesworth is shown for illustrative purposes. I do not anticipate a train calling every 30 minutes initially, but access to the London platform needs to be sorted.
