Holyhead & Llandudno - Shrewsbury & London

[saintmatthew]

Just some thoughts:

• Hourly AWC Euston - Holyhead / Llandudno service splitting at Llandudno Junction
• Hourly TfW Holyhead - Wrexham - Shrewsbury service following behind to call at the smaller stations
• Hourly TfW Llandudno- Blaenau service (utilise loop at North Llanwrst so 2 trains can run), running in gaps behind the stopping service.

Both the North Wales / Wrexham and Llanwrst lines have an irregular frequency currently, so would make sense to increase them...

Thoughts?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How long before the Llandudno Junction -> Blaenau line would be out of action yet again due to a heavy shower in the area?

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Just some thoughts:

• Hourly AWC Euston - Holyhead / Llandudno service splitting at Llandudno Junction
• Hourly TfW Holyhead - Wrexham - Shrewsbury service following behind to call at the smaller stations
• Hourly TfW Llandudno- Blaenau service (utilise loop at North Llanwrst so 2 trains can run), running in gaps behind the stopping service.

Both the North Wales / Wrexham and Llanwrst lines have an irregular frequency currently, so would make sense to increase them...

Thoughts?

The current Holyhead - Shrewsbury services all continue on to Cardiff and provide the main public transport link betwen the north and the south of Wales. The number of stations they call at has actually been reduced recently to speed up the services. The idea that the WG's most prestigious and politically sensitive services could become local stoppers is one for the birds.

Logically the "all stops" services should be the Manchester services and the upcoming direct services to Liverpool, both of which facilitate cross-border commuting and day trips.

 

[mmh]

How long before the Llandudno Junction -> Blaenau line would be out of action yet again due to a heavy shower in the area?

The other side of the river this time, but Trefriw was flooded on Friday after not particularly heavy rain for the area. Until the problem's taken seriously, it'll happen again and again.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The recent flooding at Tal-y-Llyn certainly didn't look very good!

 

[Belperpete]

• Hourly TfW Llandudno- Blaenau service (utilise loop at North Llanwrst so 2 trains can run), running in gaps behind the stopping service.

My understanding is that due to the state of the signalling, the loop at North Llanrwst cannot be used for regular crossing of trains. The signalbox is retained mainly as a section break.

Usual practice for specials is that they head off to Blaenau while the service train is on the Llandudno branch. The special is timed to pass Llanrwst and clear the Ll Jcn - Llanrwst section before the service train needs to leave the Jcn, and then locks into the loop at Blaenau before the service train needs to leave Llanrwst. Similarly for the return: the special can leave the loop at Blaenau once the service train has cleared the section to Llanrwst, and can proceed onward from Llanrwst once the service train has cleared the section to the Jcn.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

Not sure that the OP’s suggestions would have much political backing, nor work operationally.

 

[TheWalrus]

Isn’t the Conwy Valley a big loss maker already?

 

[Shimbleshanks]

I'd question whether there is enough population on the North Wales coast to sustain an hourly London Euston service. Also this suggestion seems to ignore Manchester and Liverpool via Halton which are surely the biggest markets to/from North Wales?

 

[Dr Day]

TfW RS have committed to additional trains for North Wales when they get new rolling stock - so Dec 2022? IIRC this includes hourly Manchesters, Liverpools and Shrewsbury/Birmingham/Cardiffs, but focussed on where the demand is east of Llandudno Junction rather than west of it. Plus there are various North East Wales Metro proposals flying about for additional local services.

I'm sure if there was a commercial case for hourly services from Euston to North Wales First would have included it in their WCP bid, or Virgin before that.

 

[Bald Rick]

Isn’t the Conwy Valley a big loss maker already?

Just about the biggest, per passenger carried when all costs are counted.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

Also, the North Wales Coast already does quite well in terms of through trains from London, compared with the likes of other 'off grid' places like Shrewsbury, Blackpool, Lincoln etc. Might be hard to justify an hourly service, especially considering that the through trains that already exist aren't that heavily loaded west of Chester, at least not in my experience.

 

[Belperpete]

Also, the North Wales Coast already does quite well in terms of through trains from London, compared with the likes of other 'off grid' places like Shrewsbury, Blackpool, Lincoln etc. Might be hard to justify an hourly service, especially considering that the through trains that already exist aren't that heavily loaded west of Chester, at least not in my experience.

An hourly service Euston to Chester would be more justifiable, with some extending through to Holyhead. If only Crewe to Chester were electrified......

 

[mmh]

An hourly service Euston to Chester would be more justifiable, with some extending through to Holyhead. If only Crewe to Chester were electrified......

An hourly Chester to Euston service (with one journey missing in the early evening if I remember right) is what it's been for years.

 

[Bald Rick]

An hourly service Euston to Chester would be more justifiable, with some extending through to Holyhead. If only Crewe to Chester were electrified......

Or that the train operators had some rolling stock capable of operating off the wires between Crewe and Chester...

Oh look!

 

[Shimbleshanks]

An hourly service Euston to Chester would be more justifiable, with some extending through to Holyhead. If only Crewe to Chester were electrified......

That is pretty much what the current service is.